Why it’s Easy to Wake Up Broke & in Debt
July 7, 2015
If you had to pick between an easy option and a hard one, which would you be more likely to choose? The easy path isn’t always the wisest one. However, the fact that it’s easier can sometimes explain why we get ourselves into a mess in life.
People my age place an emphasis on convenience. If there’s a fast & easy approach that’s the one we prefer. Taking the easy route isn’t necessarily bad but sometimes it means you’re giving up something in return for speed or convenience.
Because we love fast and easy so much, it’s good to remember that there are times when the easy approach has side effects or consequences. In fact, sometimes the problems we get ourselves into exist because the alternatives to them are difficult.
For example, take getting out of debt and saving money.
No one likes being in debt but the things required to dig out of debt can be tough. No one like being broke but saving money can be difficult and spending it seems to get easier every day.
That’s why we put together a series of articles on why some things are easy because the alternatives are hard. We look at spending money, borrowing money, advancing your career, and saving for retirement.
- Spending Money is Easy Because Saving Money is Hard
- Being in Debt is Easy Because Getting Out of Debt is Hard
- Coasting at Work is Easy Because Working For a Promotion is Hard
- Keeping Up With the Joneses is Easy Because Being Different is Hard
- It’s Easy to Fall Behind on Retirement Because It’s Hard to Choose a Plan
As unpleasant as it may be sometimes we have to make hard decisions. Delaying those decisions and sticking with the easy route may work for today and next week but chances are it won’t work forever.
Don’t feel badly about wanting to go with the easier choice, I think most of us do. Just be aware of any long term effects and consider your alternatives.
If you don’t want to take my word for it then take a lesson from the world famous motivational speaker, Matt Foley. He always chose the easy path and ended up living in a van down by the river….
All posts by Ben Edwards
It is hard to be different.
I’ve chosen to follow a different path to my peers and I’m often asked why I don’t just ‘get a job’. Sure, it would be easier than building a business but… long term the benefits will be far fewer. So, I continue down the road of self sacrifice in the knowledge that it will lead to a much more fulfilling life.
It’s important to remember that the path of least resistance is always downhill.
I have never heard anyone talk about spending like you do. I’ve never thought of the social pressures on spending, or the reverse, the social pressures on saving. I really had to take a hard look at this – it’s true! It’s easy to spend like your friends spend – and easier to save when your friends are being like-mindedly frugal! I want to ponder this a while and see if I can become more aware of the forces that encourage me to spend when it’s really not necessary. I must have better things to do with my money, right?