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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
The sales representatives of the World Financial Group regularly give this flyer to prospects. The flyer names no original author of this fine dissertation, but it certainly resonated with me, so I thought I would share it with all of you. And, yes, the title of this topic is my own original thought, inspired by this work.
 Your savings, believe it or not, affect the way you stand, the way you walk, the tone of your voice -- in short, your physical well-being and self-confidence. A man without savings is always running. He must. He must take the first job offered, or nearly so. He sits nervously on life’s chairs because any small emergency throws him into the hands of others. Without savings, a man must be too grateful. Gratitude is a fine thing in its place. But a constant state of gratitude is a horrible place in which to live. A man with savings can walk tall. He may appraise opportunities in a relaxed way, have time for judicious estimates and not be rushed by economic necessity. A man with savings can afford to resign from his job if his principles so dictate -- and for this reason he will never need to do so. A man who can afford to quit is much more useful to his company and therefore more readily promoted. He can afford to give his company the benefit of his most candid judgments. A man with savings can afford the wonderful privilege of being generous in family or neighborhood emergencies. He can take the level stare of any man ... friend, stranger or enemy. That ability shapes his personality and character. The ability to save has nothing to do with the size of income. Many high-income people spend it all. They are on a treadmill, darting through life like minnows. The dean of American bankers, J.P. Morgan, once advised a young broker: "Take waste out of your spending; you’ll drive the haste out of your life." If you do not need money for college, a home or retirement, then save for self-confidence. The state of your savings does have a lot to do with how tall you walk. |
Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
Nice strategy if you don't get laid off repeatedly and have to spend the savings to survive between job hunts.
Steve
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Besides the money I invest in my IRA, I set 5% of each paycheck aside for my emergency fund. My original goal, which is close to being reached, is to have 3 months of pay in that account. Once that is reached, I'll keep adding 5% with the goal of constantly keeping those 3 months in the account as a minimum.
I know my savings not only help me walk taller, but sleep better, as well. There are plenty of excuses for not saving, but there are no effective alternatives. |
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Wow. That post hit HARD and rang so true like someone reading my mail.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Scott, I think I can speak for you here, as well as myself. We are not 'boasting' in this thread. But over the past five years or so we have greatly increased our financial security.
It's funny really, when you have nothing you want things! When you have the money you don't bother! Us 15 years ago walking shall we say, past an expensive furniture store. "Wow, look at that leather 3 piece suite, if we could only afford that!" Us now walking past the same store - "just think, we could buy that NOW, today! But what's wrong with the chairs we already have, so why bother?" Same with cars. We're still happy driving Vauxhalls. Have driven Vauxhalls for most of our lives so what do we want an expensive piece of German metal for!! Yeah, that's a great post Scott, and so true! Guess I'm about 5ft 10ins going on 7ft these days. Tony. |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
All true and an excellent piece...but be sure and add that the more you have the more 'they' get...Divorce...Auto Accident Hospitalization...Disease...Lawsuits...
****...I'm glad I'm broke! D
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
Thanks for this post Scott and it was one which I thought about for a while after reading it. It was a thought provoking post - I like that!
Ironically, I had a conversation with someone just days before your post,which I brought up some points which had some simularity to yours. I relayed a story where one time I was hired to work in a group home with children with disabilities. My job (only 2 days per week) required taking the children on outings. The manager of the home was discovered to have been stealing the children's clothing allowance. 500 dollars was alloted to each of the six children for clothing each spring and winter. The homes were under the umbrella of a major children's organization but each home was run by the manager hired. The other staff were horrified at her behavior but were afraid to say something, feared losing their jobs as many were single mothers whom needed the income.The were afraid she would fire them if she suspected they were going to the head office. The assistant manager was beside herself and asked that all of us show up at a special board meeting that the Children's organization was holding. It seemed there was safety in numbers. Unfortunately I was the only one that showed up. I realized later and often relayed the story as to why that probably happened. For me, the job was not my sole livelihood and I could afford to say what I needed to. The fear of losing my job was just not there for me as it was for the other woman employed there. They felt just as affronted as I had - regarding the manager stealing monies from disabled children - how low can you be? Yet, none showed up, as their bank accounts and concern over feeding their families weighed heavily apon them. We're talking of very moral people here and it killed them to remain silent. I remember thinking about all of this as I prepared to go before the board of directors. I realized that because I "didn't need this job" it gave me power, much as your post implied. You become not afraid and therefore much more able to say what you mean and don't have the worry of being unemployed if you have savings.People respect you more as you aren't a brown noser. It was a good lesson for me and I still say what I mean if the situation warrants it. Savings or having other backups for finaces does allow you a freedom which you wouldn't get otherwise. Good post Scott, thanks for it. |
Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Thanks for all the great responses!
Chrystal, that story is very powerful, and drives the point home very well. I'm glad you were able to stand up for what was right. |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
As I have posted before, I quit my job last December. During the time I was working there I had a policy of taking any money in my current account at the end of the month and putting it into a savings account. When I quit I had enough money to give me a good standard of living for 8 months.
My colleagues were very surprised that I had no other job to goto, they just did not understand what I was doing. Most of them had been in the same job for over 20-30 years and had a very narrow outlook of there position in the company. I don't have to do any job I don't want too, I don't have to take any rubbish from anyone or any boss. If managment comes down on me I laugh, I really don't have to care. I don't want or need for anything and if I do I go and get it. I avoid getting it with debt, if I cant afford it I don't need it. Where I differ from the brilliant post#1 is that I don't need money. If I had no money I would love life just the same as having all the money I need. In fact having no money is all the money I need. I could give up all of my money and possesions today and feel as great as I do now. What would make the above feelings moot was if I was in debt. I would always be owing someone, and any money I had would not really be mine but my creditors.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
hkwiles Special user Howard Wiles 797 Posts |
Partizan, My story is not unlike yours...I was made redundant at the age of 50 after 30 years with a company, following it's takeover. . Over the years I had progressed to a very senior position and as a result recieved quite a lot of money in the form of Share Options and bonuses. Most of it I invested for the proverbial "Rainy day"..which eventually came!. With 10 years at least ahead of me I still had to work but didn't need the hassle and responsibility of a senior role (my kids had left college, I had a nice house with only a small mortgage left) so the savings, together with my "Pay off" enabled me to take a lower paid job.
I don't regret it one bit , even though I now earn one third of my previous income. I speak my mind, don't cow-tow to any of the Bosses ( I'm older and wiser than most of them anyway!I go home and forget about work, my blood pressure has dropped to normal,I sleep like a top, and have loads of other interests. When I retire in a couple of more years the next step will be to realise the assest accumulated in my property..get a smaller place ..draw my pension , which 'cos my salary has dropped so much ..will actually be more than I'm earning now , not the other way round as is usually the case...and I will then enjoy the fruits of my 40 years labour. Sometimes I wish I had been able to do it earlier, but it s always a case of "Better the Devil you know". I suppose being made redundant took away ME having to make the decision. I know of several other colleagues who have taken (been forced to take) other paths and who haven't looked back since. I would say to anyone..if you aren't happy or enjoying your job CHANGE IT. Howard |
Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Let me tell you guys I left a "job for life" when I was 26 (a long time ago!). As it happened it would NOT have been a job for life as a Linotype operator on newspapers, as a certain invention called an Apple Mac came along (I blame Forrest Gump). But I had a strategy, - I was by all accounts a very good musician. Then came the kids entertaining a few years later. Now after 29 years of being self employed let me tell you that another "boss" takes over. That boss is YOU yourself. If you are not prepared to be disciplined by this guy then forget it! Sometimes half of you wants to flip out; but the other half prevents you from doing so. Especially when you have a mortgage and kids. I've almost been driven into the ground by this "boss" - especially in the 1980s when he made me work seven days a week! So don't look back with regrets if you've worked for someone else. Chances are you have a good pension and have had other benefits like company cars/health schemes etc. These are things that we could only dream of. Recent prosperity (by our standards) has come about by dabbling in property (real estate). What is that saying? "God helps those who help themselves". Enough of the story of my life. But there are TWO SIDES to this perceived image of freedom.
Tony. |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Sorry CC but I must query this. the statement "God helps those who help themselves", Should this not read "God helps those who help others"?
or "God helps those who help themselves to help others". But that aside, The amount of stress that people in post#1's situation get is a lot less than a person in a 'normal job'
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
In fact, the adage of "God helps those who helps themselves" is actually a misquotation of "the gods help those who help themselves"; the moral of Aesop's fable, "Hercules and the Traveler." It's from a pagan source, not a Judeo-Christian one.
I prefer Partizan's adage of "God helps those who help others;" a better social message for a horribly selfish world. Steve
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
So, what's wrong with helping others? I didn't say that I don't help others did I?
Does one have to give all worldly possessions to the poor to purify one's soul? Do we have to be "righteous poor" to enter the gates of heaven? I think not! "God helps those who help themselves" is a quote from the 21st Century by the way. Source: The Magic Café, Jan. 05, 2005. Cheshire Cat. |
Dr_Stephen_Midnight Inner circle SW Ohio, USA 1555 Posts |
But as I pointed out, its source is much older.
Posted: Jan 6, 2005 10:50am --------------------------------------------- ...and from a different mindset.
Dr. Lao: "Do you know what wisdom is?"
Mike: "No." Dr. Lao: "Wise answer." |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Sorry CC, I was not picking at you. Just that the saying sparked some interest in me.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
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