Show Me the Money I
Written by Karen Jessee
(This inspiring story is told with the client’s urging and permission)
Last year, her total income was $15,000. She saved $7,000. Meet Nancy.
At age 35, Nancy began to complain of excessive fatigue and an overall feeling being unwell. She kept dozing off at work and was barely able to walk the distance from the parking lot to her job downtown. When doctors insisted that all her symptoms were in her head and that she was merely seeking attention, Nancy became a guinea pig for medications, most of which took a greater toll on what health she had left. She was unable to focus, suffered from headaches and pain, and couldn’t stay awake. Nancy was finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
After eight more years of suffering and dubious work reviews, Nancy finally realized she was going to have to rethink her life. Her next moves were extreme: she stopped working altogether, dragged herself through the paperwork and agencies to go on disability, and reached into her savings to pay off her house. If all else failed, at least the roof over her head was secure. And then she slept.
Please note two crucial aspects of Nancy’s life before disaster struck: she had always lived moderately, and she had savings for what was important. There were no designer handbags, cigarettes, eating out at pricey restaurants, or temptations to wear what everyone else was wearing. There had always been careful money management; now there was extreme money management.
To survive her new life of illness and both limited income and movement, Nancy developed the whimsical and practical “Lazy Girl Rules”. She shares them here.
1. Recognize, accept and adapt to your reality, whatever that is.
2. Retail is the last resort of the resourceful. Shop at thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales and church bazaars. The bazaars can be the best in selection, quality and price for home needs and clothing.
3. Never pay interest. Period. Get automatic payments set up for everything and monitor your bank statements so you don’t miss any payments. Don’t buy what you don’t need.
4. Have only one credit card. Make sure it gives cash-back bonuses.
5. Dress in simple lines, solid, darker colors and complement with jewelry, scarves or jackets. You can dress to impress wearing basic styles and by rotating the accessories.
6. Store folded clothing on open shelves instead of in drawers so you can see at a glance what you have/
7. Infrastructure is sacred. Take care of your home and your car, and they will take care of you.
8. People don’t notice a dusty house; they notice a cluttered one. If you don’t love it or use it, give it or sell it. If you’re too tired to keep cleaning your home, make money simplifying it (more about this in the next issue.)
9. Grass is green, weeds is green; mow. A Japanese garden of rocks and statuary solves everything.
10. A Lazy Girl can easily become a Fat Lazy Girl. Keep foods basic and simple and avoid the pricey, fattening snacks that don’t add to the nutrition you need. Eat very slowly. You will fill up quickly, eat less, and maintain a decent body weight.
11. Money is divided into two categories: “basic needs” to keep the infrastructure going and “guilt free” for luxuries. The latter comes from cash back bonuses from credit cards, rebates, insurance dividends, and selling personal belongings at auctions, flea markets or e-bay.
12. Do your homework. Know where to get discounts and know what discounts are available for the disabled or seniors. Use coupons and don’t forget the ones in the phone book.
13. Beauty needs happen at beauty schools; students cut hair and give manicures for only a few dollars.
In spite of her illness and thriftiness, Nancy, now in her 50’s, stands out in a crowd for having the most tasteful outfits and stylish looks. Her modest row home built in the 1950’s, reveals a cache of eclectic and interesting collections, all beautifully displayed (remember where she shops.) Her retro living room is inviting. She has a small car, basic cable, and numerous interests. Nothing costs her a fortune or puts her into debt. It is all about setting priorities, and being disciplined, creative and resourceful...and feeling pretty good about doing so.
Maybe these are the new attitudes and this is the new role model in these challenging times. How else could someone get $15,000 to live on and still save $7,000?
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