Last week, as I do each week, I sent out an post with some friendly advice, and some folks took exception to it.
Specifically, they got upset that I implied if they felt they had made some bad financial decisions and/or choices, they could scrap the whole thing and start new. Hard words, but they were true.
Let me give you an example: In the aftermath of Covid, many folks simply took the job they could get, where they could get it. Nothing wrong there, and I’ll be the last person to judge what the “right” job is for someone. Now, though, people have a really good idea of what that job really is, and I still see many of the tolerating bad environments.
Low pay.
Bosses who are simply terrible people.
You don’t have to do that, and you shouldn’t.
Virtually nothing my team and I can do – in terms of taxes – is going to make a low-paying job better. We can shave a bit here, we can allocate a little there, but if you’re really struggling, claiming an extra dependent isn’t going to put enough in your check to help!
That’s NOT opinion. That’s the hard truth.
I want the best for the people I work for, and sometimes, that means giving hard advice.
Keep the old car an extra year. Put an extra $2,500 down on the house. Save 15% annually.
…And I understand we are all conditioned to want “more” and there’s nothing wrong with that, but when you play your budget so tight you struggle when the cost of living is high, then it’s time to get real with yourself, your budget, and your expenses.
I’ll put my money where my mouth is on this one, too: If you’re fighting to stay afloat, then yes, let’s talk. You might not like the ideas I have about cutting expenses, you might not like having a hard conversations about your options, and you’ll almost certainly dislike my suggestions … but if you took them to heart, I can almost guarantee you’ll make more money, keep more money, and save more money.
Let’s talk, and let’s talk soon.
All the best,
Sincerely,
