7 ms·

You do. Either that, or (if you are in tech) you are massively underpaid at your job.

johnward 11y ago
It's both. I've worked on fixing the latter. However, living beyond your means isn't always that easy to correct. I can't just stop paying student loans for example. It's not like I'm dropping $300 a month on starbucks. It's student loans, mortgage, utilities, and other debt that takes up my entire paycheck.
- YuriNiyazov 11y ago
  I completely agree with you that correcting "living beyond your means" is a very hard thing to do.
- hunterloftis 11y ago
  Definitely. Some types of living beyond means (buying expensive toys, regularly flying to expensive vacations, eating out a majority of the time) are easy to correct. Loans and depreciating assets will be much more difficult.
caseysoftware 11y ago
@johnward More likely you have a lot of optional things that you can trim away. Do you have cable? How often do you eat out? Do you smoke? Do you have a budget that you stick to? It's all about priorities. If you don't prioritize it, it won't happen. It's not easy and emergencies and unexpected bills come up but the freedom is amazing. Check out the Ramsey Plan. We wiped out most of our debt in about 2 years while saving for a house. And that's while renting, 3 kids, and living just outside DC.
- johnward 11y ago
  I appreciate the suggestions and trust me I'm working on it. I wasn't trying to turn this into a thread about my money issues. It's just that HN tends to have a lot of very young and very very well paid people who tend to think everyone else is in that same situation. I'm not sure they realize how fortunate they really are.
  - caseysoftware 11y ago
    Agreed but even many of them squander it all and live paycheck to paycheck. Unrelated: I know a bunch of the Watson team here in Austin. Good group, cool tech. :)
    - johnward 11y ago
      I'm working in San Antonio each week right now. Haven't made it to Austin yet.
- GFischer 11y ago
  You got me interested, but step 1 is already too steep, I guess I should convert it to local currency. And what's that thing about "mortgage"... Looks like it's too naïve, but it's good advice for people living in the U.S. and that have mortgages.
  - caseysoftware 11y ago
    Yes, convert it to your local currency and skip over the steps that don't apply to you. The point is that - like with most things - if you don't have a plan and you haven't defined success, you can't get there. A plan doesn't make it easier but it makes you think about the details, gives you something to work against, and lets you track progress.

It's both. I've worked on fixing the latter. However, living beyond your means isn't always that easy to correct. I can't just stop paying student loans for example. It's not like I'm dropping $300 a month on starbucks. It's student loans, mortgage, utilities, and other debt that takes up my entire paycheck.

YuriNiyazov 11y ago
I completely agree with you that correcting "living beyond your means" is a very hard thing to do.
hunterloftis 11y ago
Definitely. Some types of living beyond means (buying expensive toys, regularly flying to expensive vacations, eating out a majority of the time) are easy to correct. Loans and depreciating assets will be much more difficult.

caseysoftware 11y ago

@johnward More likely you have a lot of optional things that you can trim away. Do you have cable? How often do you eat out? Do you smoke? Do you have a budget that you stick to? It's all about priorities. If you don't prioritize it, it won't happen. It's not easy and emergencies and unexpected bills come up but the freedom is amazing. Check out the Ramsey Plan. We wiped out most of our debt in about 2 years while saving for a house. And that's while renting, 3 kids, and living just outside DC.

johnward 11y ago
I appreciate the suggestions and trust me I'm working on it. I wasn't trying to turn this into a thread about my money issues. It's just that HN tends to have a lot of very young and very very well paid people who tend to think everyone else is in that same situation. I'm not sure they realize how fortunate they really are.
- caseysoftware 11y ago
  Agreed but even many of them squander it all and live paycheck to paycheck. Unrelated: I know a bunch of the Watson team here in Austin. Good group, cool tech. :)
  - johnward 11y ago
    I'm working in San Antonio each week right now. Haven't made it to Austin yet.
GFischer 11y ago
You got me interested, but step 1 is already too steep, I guess I should convert it to local currency. And what's that thing about "mortgage"... Looks like it's too naïve, but it's good advice for people living in the U.S. and that have mortgages.
- caseysoftware 11y ago
  Yes, convert it to your local currency and skip over the steps that don't apply to you. The point is that - like with most things - if you don't have a plan and you haven't defined success, you can't get there. A plan doesn't make it easier but it makes you think about the details, gives you something to work against, and lets you track progress.