I Did it My Way

I've been sitting here this afternoon realizing that I am not the norm . . what a suprise, huh?

I was raised to believem and practice this belief:

Only spend what you have. Be prepared for the time when the money might not becoming in and make sure you can survive on the money that is coming in.

From the time I started my teaching career, I knew I had to be able to live on the income I was bringing into my "home." There was no one else who would be heloing me, and I knew it was no longer my parents responsibility to bail me out when I needed money.

So, when it was a payday, I had two options: Pay rent and utilities or put food on my table.

 One payday was for rent and utilities. Whatever was left over was spent frugally. I was on a phone plan where I had so many minutes of long distance and so many minutes of local calls . . it was the cheapest plan available and I watched who I called and when I called them. Granted, I don't like to talk on the phone, but a phone was a necessary evil for me.

Heating and electricity were also on the budget. That was where I learned to keep the thermostat down in the winter, and open up the windows and use a fan in the summer. WHen I finally was lucky enough to have an apartment with airconditioning, it only came on when I couldn't sleep at night because the temp was in the 90's.

Then, the 2nd payday of the month was for me . . .food, gas for the car, animal food, once Paka came into my life, household cleaning/paper goods and car payment, once I had enough saved to buy a good used car . . . 1st car, $300 with a non-working gas gauge and speedometer.

This is how I spent the years when I earned a pay check . . and any money that was left over when the next pay check came in would be put in the bank "for a rainy day."

I always knew that if, and when, I got married, I wanted to be able to live on one income. Then, no matter what would happen I would be able to survive.

Now, I ask myself, why don't more people live like this? Why do so many people want more than they can afford? Why don't they prepare for a "rainy day?"

Have I had "rainy days" that I couldn't cover . . of course. That was when I had to be creative . . "rob Peter to Pay Paul" or talk with the family to see if someone could float me a loan . . . which I would always repay in full by the end of that calendar year.

If no loan was possible, well, never had that problem . . and only needed to borrow once in my life . . . and that was for the car I needed when the $300 one bit the dust!  LOLOL I could afford the monthy payments but the downpayment was the killer . . . Thank you Aunt Helen for your help . . . hopefully I will never have to do that for my nieces and nephews but, I would gladely do it if needed.

SO, this brings me to what has caused me to do this "remembering" today . . . the Supreme COurt and the Health Care Bill.

How can there be SO MANY people who say they don
t want to be forced into buying insurance when they won't think twice about going to an emergency room without any thought of paying . . . How Dare They! ! ! ! !

I have not scrimoed and saved, and gone without so much, my whole life so I can support them and their families. Enough of my  tax dollars go to their aid and support now, why should I keep paying for their health care?

I have never gone into a store to buy something that I could not afford . . no matter how much I wanted it . . . .health care, to me, is the same . . . you MUST help yourself as much as you can . . I do not believe you CAN NOT afford it . . . Isn't your health more important that your cigarettes, fancy clothes, tattoos, extra children?

I normally don't get fired up, but this has done it to me . . . YOU PEOPLE ARE HEAVY AND MY BACK HURTS FROM CARRYING YOU . . . Become responsible for your needs. DOn;t be a leach on society ! ! ! ! ! !