"Financial Diary of a 20something - My Debt Story"

If you do nothing else with this blog post - do yourself a giant favour and read the full story here.
It's the story of a young woman in her twenties who slid into a dead-heavy lifestyle and battled back to reclaim her finances.  Here's the thing: it can happen to any one of us.  Though her compelling essay relates a lot to what she calls "lifestyle inflation", a part of her story is about easy credit and how it can swallow you up in no time.

If you are a young person just beginning university/college or work life - you will have PLENTY of opportunity to pile on debt. Credit card companies will practically throw themselves at your feet and say "Please! Spend our money!".  There will be credit card vendors giving away "free gifts" - all you have to do is apply for their credit card.

To which you should say: "Cease and desist!"

A credit card does not equal free money.

For too many young people, especially if you're going to university or college, it is assumed that you will incur debt - big debt.  And yet I see these debt-ridden students spending big on nights out, trips abroad, etc... I guess the idea being "what's another thousand dollars when I already owe 30 grand?" .. and maybe, "Everybody's graduating with debt, it's fact of life - why not spend some extra now and have fun while the cash is available to me?".

But another real fact of life is that though some debt might be unavoidable, making smart living lifestyle choices can save you thousands of dollars and not only keep your debt manageable, but to free yourself up to be generous towards others.

Read Elsa's story and see if you need to make any adjustments to your spending. As one commenter wrote, "Great article! Where were you when I went through the SAME experience 12 years ago? If only we knew now what we knew then….."

A Samurai, a Monk, and Peace.

THE GATES OF PARADISE
A soldier named Nobushige came to the Zen master Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai," the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar."
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head."
As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of paradise," said Hakuin.

"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill" - Jesus Christ, in Matthew 5: 21-22, The Message.

Rage is not good.  Whether you're a samurai about to chop someone's head off or a driver yelling at the guy who just cut you off in rush-hour, anger is not cool.  I like to think of myself as an even-tempered, slow-to-anger kind of guy but there are times when anger gets the better of me.  It should slip off like water off a duck's back... but sometimes it's like grease on a white shirt: it sticks, and it's ugly.

I always feel embarrassed afterward, like a petulant child that didn't get his way. Because I am surrounded by gracious people, I am forgiven and humbled. 

I pray that God continues to work at me, an imperfect person, so that I can speak Peace instead of War.

...and that God also endows those around me, especially my fiancee (ha!), with supernatural patience.