We’ve all done it. As humans, we make decisions within the first 3 seconds of meeting someone. What a critical amount of time! We check out the clothes they wear, how they carry themselves, maybe what kind of vehicle of they drive and we then formulate what our “opinion” will be of this person. So much pressure!
I know the definition of success means many different things but in terms of money, does success mean a lot of bad debt and brand new things, or does success mean little to no bad debt, money in the bank ,and slightly used things? Which would you prefer?
Of course, you want to make the best impression! Maybe you are thinking to yourself that you need a whole new wardrobe, you need your nails done, your eyelashes done, your hair and makeup need to be perfect, you need a brand-new SUV and a brand new modern home to park it at! You may be laughing right now thinking about how ridiculous this sounds or I may be speaking right to your heart and you finally feel understood.
It is hard keeping up with the ideals of perfect, so please don’t be perfect. Be you. People are going to love you for who you are and if they don’t, do you really need those people in your life? Ok, ok. If you still want to look the part but keep your bank operating at full throttle here are my tips:
1. Become a savvy shopper! I am a HUGE fan of consignment clothing! I can get high end names like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Michael Kors and Kate Spade to name a few at a fraction of the cost and they are still in great shape! This will get you your new wardrobe within a great budget and you will still look fabulous!
2. Buy a used vehicle. I see it all the time. People want a brand new vehicle and so they pay upwards of $70K for that vehicle and it takes 5-8+ years to pay it off. These payments can be around $1000 a month and the amount of depreciation that you are taking on is massive! You will never be able to get your money back out of that car. I see people getting a new car before that car is even paid off and rolling that old car debt into the new car debt and it goes on and on. If you buy a vehicle that is a year or two old, you will most likely still have warranty on it, you will get it for a good price and you won’t have to pay the depreciation. You can now check off your list a new SUV that looks amazing and that you can afford!
3. When you are buying a house, it is really easy to get sucked into that huge house with all the bells and whistles! The emotion involved in that purchase might over take your logic so here are some things to think about:
- How much is this going to cost you per month in the mortgage, property taxes and insurance? Does that mean that you are going to sacrifice time away from your loved ones to work more to make that payment? In other words, are you going to live in a house that you can never enjoy because you are never home?
- How long will it take you to clean it? What is the maintenance involved and the upkeep of the property? If it is too much for you, then look elsewhere. Other places might be a bit smaller and you may need to put some sweat equity in but you will build your equity in a house like this more than likely, and be able to enjoy it with ease. Your house will still look great with some small upgrades, new paint and your personal touch.
I hope these points help you with accomplishing the look and feel that you want to present to the world and keep your bank operating at full throttle!
Have a beautiful day!
