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One of the first things I remember 'giving up' is bottled water at the convenience store. We would be out running errands and it would be hot so we would stop along the way and buy $4 worth of refreshment. We just bring drinks with us now.
...."good thing about faith
and thrift is that they don't
cost us a thing." - per video
_____________________________
However, without them, they
cost us everthing.
A comment to SuzanneWA--I have heard your comment so many times; "God is my co-pilot" and untill our minister preached on this subject I didn't realize that unless we give God the pilots seat to our life we are always going to come up short dealing with bad choices in our life, and living with circumstances that are less than God would have us to if we only consulted Him first in all our life's decisions. But the main person God wants us to see is His Son Jesus. He alone will keep us, and even though this life might not be rich as the world says we must be, we will be building up our spiritual bank account and nothing can compare with the things God has prepared for us through His Son Jesus Christ.
My main way of conserving now in these hard times is to save the plastic bottles and recycle them, and as far as living green I have always tried to leave my part of the world better for my having been their.
Dearest Martha,
First, I want to thank you so very much for your "beautiful, inspiring" messages!! I look forward to hearing from you and your gentle, kind, words of encouragement. Your messages always "lift my spirit".
I have to say though that during these tough times I really haven't had to change my life that much because I had to learn the HARD WAY 8 years ago when my husband died suddenly and unexpected and left me with 2 children (ages 3 and 9). I had to at that time learn to be very thrifty and conscious of where every penny went to. I am on a very FIXED income with my 2 children, and now have to think about my daughter going off to college in 2 more years. I have NO IDEA how I will afford to send her to college, but I KNOW one thing's for sure; and that is, since my husband died my faith in God has escalated to I believe it's HIGHEST point. I know for a fact that I couldn't handle the day-to-day issues, financial burdens, etc.... if it weren't for God. I put EVERTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING into his hands. I just pray and tell him how much I need help with this or that and I can't tell you how everything just falls into place. It never fails, my problem seems to get fixed. So now I don't even worry, I just place it all in God's hands and I KNOW he will take care of me and my children. He has for the past 8 years and I know he will forever!! I love the saying "If he brings you to it, he'll bring you through it". I am living that saying every day of my life. My children and I have each other, we don't live a lavish life by no means. As long as we have our health, and the little home that we have I feel that's all that we need. I have a WONDERFUL family and circle of friends who help me out tremendously. Without them, I don't know where I'd be today. I know too that God puts into our lives people who will help us when we need it. We just have to learn to "listen to him"!!
Thank you for your beautiful messages and PLEASE continue to send them.
God Bless you!
Sharon Purcell
Martha,
What a great video post and a refreshing perspective. I came across your site via another site and am really glad to find your post. The economy forced my company into a layoff, which resulted in me losing my position as a Corporate Trainer 3 months ago. After getting almost no results thru the traditional job search and networking methods, I finally began writing for the first time in my life. This resulted in the creation of my website: www.simple-motivation.com which I was inspired to create solely out of a desire to put something positive out into the world at this time. My website may never become a financially self-sustaining enterprise, but it has been rewarding and I am committed to putting positive daily messages out into the world. Thanks again for your great video and insightful comments.
Kirk (simple-motivation.com)
Even though I will be 54 years old next month, I dug out and cleaned up my 'Mary Poppins' bike (as my co-workers jokefully refer to it as) 10 months ago and started riding EVERYWHERE. Luckily I work close to home and live in a county where everything I need is within riding distance. I ride to and from work, the post office, the grocery store, the convenience mart, the library, and the farmer's market. I only use my vehicle for necessary trips outside of my riding ability area. So now, instead of spending $20 a week on gas, I am spending $20 once every 3 months. That alone will have saved me $960 by August 15th - the day I dusted off and jumped on my bike. And that's just the gas. I've saved even more on maintenance, up keep and repairs. And when it was time for new tires ... well, you can't beat the price of 2 new bike tires compared to 4 new vehicle tires :-)
WOW!IM DOING A LITTLE BETTER THESE DAYS,TIMES ARE HARD BUT IM MANNAGING.LUCKLY IM ON A FIXED INCOME SO THAT HELPS A GREAT DEAL.THE ONLY THING IS HOW LONG I WILL CONTINUE TO RECIEVE IT,BUT I DON'T WORRY BECAUSE GOD WILL FIND A WAY TO SEE ME THROUGH AS USUAL.I DO BELIEVE IN GOD,I FEEL VERY BLESSED.I JUST HOPE THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER FOR EVERYONE IN THESE TRUOBLED TIMES.
As I read the comments above, I'm reminded of how hard my parents had to work just to make ends meet when I was growing up. Neither one of them graduated from high school, and my Dad only made $70.00 a week working in a factory in the 60's. We had one car, lived in a used trailer, and stretched a penny a long ways. My Mom collected green stamps, used coupons, and did without a lot of things that she needed in order to meet our bills each month. As I look back, I am so grateful to her and my Dad for those lean years, because what we didn't have financially, they made up for with their unconditional love. Instead of elaborate vacations (like other families had) ours were spent a few hours away camping on National Forest lands, washing our face in the creek, and cooking on a hunter's stove. We would sing, hike, fish, and hunt together, enjoying the beautiful world around us. These precious lessons I still carry with me today and have seen many of us return to these simpler times as our economy has weakened. I believe this to be a blessing. As we get back to loving each other and spending quality time together, it is my prayer that we can pass this beautiful lesson on to our children and their children. Let's not forget our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors needs during this technological era in our world. Let us be a blessing (even in a small way) to someone else in need. God bless you all and thank you Martha for your beautiful angelic heart. We love you.
There have been many 'adjustments' in our lives due to the economic downturn. I retired early to take care of the Love of my Life, my husband. We're living on a fixed income and have very large medical expenses. Our savings took a huge hit with downturn. Even so, we find delight in the simple things: watching the birds and squirrels in the back yard, tending my husband's favorite roses, expanding our tiny veggie garden a bit, going to a matinee movie instead of the more pricey evening showings and foregoing extras, reading to each other and going for a ride/picnic in the country.
There is so much to be thankful for and God's Grace and Blessings are all around us. The downturn has brought challenges, and it has re-energized and tightened not only our belts but our focus on what is really worthwhile.
Your Words of Encouragement are always a bright, reflective part of my day. Thank you so much.
Those who chose to stay in rural areas have always had to live tightly and sacrifice to stay in a simplier life. I think the crunch is just now catching up to the rest of the world to understand how life is for those who have always struggled financially. So for some of nothing has changed as we have always had to live very carefully within our means.
My whole LIFE has changed since September of last year. I'm a 61-yr-old, twice-widowed woman, with no children, living on a fixed income. If you had told me I would be in this "fix" a year ago, I never would have belived you. I was raised upper-middle-class, and maintained that capacity until six or so months ago. When my last husband died, I sold my apartment house and downsized into a condo. Surprisingly, I realized I didn't have the rents I so enjoyed at my old house, and a con man took most of my money. Of course, I blame myself for most of my debt; I'm bipolar and went on a credit-card-spending spree from 2005-2007, causing all sorts of problems. I went back to using ONLY cash, but found out I needed the "help" my one, last credit card afforded me. I cut up all my cards but one; I "rob Peter to pay Paul" most months; there's always too much month at the end of my money!
BUT - there is a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. I'm party to a lawsuit to bring me $30,000 if I win; and when I turn 62 next year, I'm applying for a reverse mortgage to pay off my first mortgage. My CPA failed to file 2005 taxes, so I have a tax debt to the IRS and the State of $25,000. If only I hadn't indisciminately used my credit cards on F*REE trials - computer "surveys" that you purchase, and forget to cancel, sometimes charging you $876/month. I bought my condo for CASH, and because of my spendthrift nature, had to take out a mortgage. Yes, I'm "beating myself up," but have no one to blame but myself. Please pray with me that I find solutions to my economic woes, and that it doesn't hurt quite as much as it does. My life has drastically changed, but not my HOPE and THRIFT. God is my co-pilot - and I'm letting him take the wheel!
I have made the decision not to use credit cards..only cash or I don't buy it. Not willing to give hard earned money away in interest payments .
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