Keeping Up with the Jonses

[Amy Bass]

Has your outlook of "the Jonses" changed since you started working on your debt? I used to think they had it all, now I realize they are probably in a huge amount of debt.

[Brian K]

I think that is the toughest part of becoming debt free.
No matter what material posessions you have you always want more.
Especially when you see your neighbor or buddies with them.
I try to tell myself that once I am debt free it will allow me to have more
discretional income to purchase some of the material things. while not contributing to
my debt.

[Nathaniel Scott]

I just started reading that section of Total Money Makeover last night. It is something I have struggled with. It's never been a particular person or couple. It was always just the idea that debt was ok, and I had to have nice things to be successful and happy, and to get nice things I would just have to go into debt. But i never really thought everyone else with nice things went into debt to get it. Thankfully my eyes were open!! I definitely don't worry about the Joneses anymore! I'll set the standard for my family from now on.

[Amy Bass]

Good for you Nathaniel! That is great. :)

[katharina]

I've thought of that same thing in the past... there's no way to know how much the Joneses are suffering with mountains of debts. From those "looking in" on them, all looks rosy, but they could be like the old saying goes "borrowing from Peter to pay Paul" every single month. NOT a place I'd want to be!

[R1986]

Same here for sure. I'd rather have less money around than be more comfortable and living within a huge pile of debt. It's more stressful to have to deal with debt than it is to have less and try to come up with money to buy things. Everyone is different but that's just not the way I'd like to go about life.

[katharina]

Yes... and the problem with that kind of debt is that it keeps growing and then the interest is soon more than the principal and it turns into a *horrible* mess.