‘We would like to believe that “We are all free and equal”.
It is all true in one sense yet we are not all born equally rich and never shall be. Sometimes, that scenario alone causes temptation against saving for a rainy day. Example, let”s say I get jealous of a man who earns $2,000 a month while I only get $500. I knew that man when he was earning the same wage like I am and now he acts all high and mighty and hardly notices me. He thinks he is better than I am. I will show him that I am good as he is. I will go and get an expensive cell phone show it off especially when I”m in the same room as he is in. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to put a cash one-time payment for the phone so I have to do it on credit card instalment basis. So besides the fact I have to deduct a part of my salary for the phone, there is also the additional interest I have to pay too.
Temptation sucks I know.
We have to be reminded that we don”t have to go to all that trouble just to prove that we are “good as the elite”. We can behave as well as they do but we cannot make everybody believe we are as rich as they are. As my above example ensues, if you put on these ”airs” and waste a lot of time and money, you might end up risking your health by working overtime a lot or getting another job to pay off the bills you get.
Moral of the story, no one will get ahead in this world if vanity and envy will take the lead. Everywhere we go, when we say the majority ought to rule is often put into question (good example is in fashion), when we let a handful of individuals, who place themselves on the pedestal as the elite or the aristocracy, run up standards or perfection and we, the common people, try to rise up to those false standards keep ourselves poor all the time working our butts of for the sake of outward appearances.
I know, I admit to be a victim of that.
I am now aware of it and I constantly remind myself to steer away from the temptation. Men and women who are accustomed to have their every whim gratified will find it hard, at first, to cut down unnecessary expenses. They will feel injustice to live on a smaller house than they are accustomed to, with less furnishings, less or no servants, less company, less number of parties, theatre goings, pleasure excursions, etc.
But, as with any other saving individual, they will feel pleasurable surprise from constantly adding up to their little “pile” , as well as all economical methods derived from various resources. The old gown could be used and altered for another event. Fruit juice or spring better will be more health-beneficial than alcohol. A cold bath and brisk walk in early morning is more exhilarating than a ride in the most expensive automobile.
A social chat or a quiet evening reading with the family will be far more pleasant than a $150 dinner party. Some families spend all of their annual income or more and would hardly know how to live on less while others secure more solid enjoyment frequently on a 20th part of their annual income.
I once read a short article on this. A family earns a lot every year. Yet, they hardly left anything for savings and has the habit of going out to restaurants for dinner a few times a week, purchase all things that are in trend, often go to the mall for bonding, etc. The time came when their family business became unstable and they had to sell majority of their assets to survive and not completely let go of their lavish lifestyle.
If they had invested a part of their income, they may have attained some returns to push them through their tragic situation and may not have to sell majority of their assets. Prosperity is a more severe ordeal than adversity, especially sudden prosperity. “Easy come, easy go,” is an old and true proverb. A spirit of pride and vanity, when permitted to have full sway, is the undying canker-worm which gnaws the very vitals of a man”s worldly possessions, let them be small or great, hundreds, or millions.
Unfortunately, a lot of people get swayed with the power of having too much. As they begin to prosper, their ideas expand and also their luxuries, and one result that happens is in a short time, their expenses swallow up their income and become ruined in their ridiculous attempts to keep up with appearances.
