You have to fight against the interruptions. Your responsible plans are more important.

If your budget is your challenge, there are so many resources out there for you, both to help you plan and to help you cope. There is even a Financial Challenges Support Group right on DS!

We are rarely completely out of options. But sometimes we can't see those options because we are so blinded by our own self-sabotaging ways.

I do not need help budgeting, I need the damn stumbling blocks of unexpected expenses to stay out of my path!!!!!!!!!

lee, so you were encouraged and motivated by your family.

i learned with finances that a stitch in time saves nine. It took me a few years to lower my expenses down to what would fit easily without struggle.

Cheaper accommodation.

Cheaper car. I bought a nissan march with 6,000km on the clock.

Learning to eat vegetarian food. Daal is outrageously cheap and delicious if you chop tomatoes into it 5 mins before serving.

When something needs maintaining: maintain it and eat baked beans for a month.

Don't spend on alcohol, quit cigarette smoking.

Save every dollar. Because when you save every dollar, the emergency shows up and takes every dollar. How thankful you are that you have the money to pay. and how stuffed you'd be if you didn't.

Find free entertainment.

Get free firewood. Stop on teh side of roads and collect sticks. Do this often enough, you have a year's kindling. Do this with pinecones, driftwood, etc. Whenever you go past a lake or a beach stop. Collect.

Join your local library and get books out. You can get audio books and videos too. And while you're there, free wifi.

I bike to work. now down to 25km, it was 34. Free transport, and exercise. I have an electric bike. It's amazing.

Every day look for a way to make a saving. Every day think hard. And once every month or two, you have a blindingly brilliant idea.

I have a budget in excel that tells me not only what money goes for this or that out of my income, but how much that makes over a month, or a year. I target the big ones.

Food? How much can you grow? Are you in an apartment or in a property with a back yard? Do you have chickens? What do you eat?

If you make it your mission to become a miser I promise you you can make enough savings to start clawing your way ahead. Especially given that you work full time. You CAN make the savings. But you have to plan, and know what your annual costs are going to be, and work them into the budget.

Any surprise you have this year - plan for it next year.

this took me the best part of six years to get to where I am now pulling ahead of the game and feeling in control.

Good for you bridgie. I hope you still have it when you are 73 years old.

I am not just starting out. I had it all until three years ago. Retired with a comfortable income. A home and nice car paid for. Money in the bank and my pocket. Time for volunteer activities.

Then I was in a car crash with an uninsured driver who filed bankruptcy to avoid paying me for damages. I was forced back into the work force at age 70 and since then there has been one unexpected unfair event after another taking away everything I earn trying to just catch up.

I did have a light stroke but I am not stupid so save your arrogance for the twenty-somethings who say they want to get ahead in life.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles and I sincerely hope they get better for you.

And it is complete valid to be angry at that driver, and angry at your circumstances, angry at whatever you want to be angry at.

But don't ask us for help while throwing your hands in the air say "I can't do it! I'm old! I'm a victim!" Those are self-sabotaging lies that work against what you say want.

Interruptions happen. They suck away your money. That's life, regardless whether you are 20 or 70. And by the way, the fact that you are 70 and could get back into the workforce is a blessing. Use it to your advantage.

Everyone on here has given you support and great advice that's worked for them. We have been encouraging you and supporting you. You are not alone so stop pretending that you are.

I'm truly sorry that you got the raw end of the deal when you should be enjoying your retirement. But it is your reaction to this challenge that will define the rest of your life.

Your choice.

>> so you were encouraged and motivated by your family.

You had asked about encouragement, not motivation.

What motivates you?

>> Your family may not have verbally encouraged you, but you looked at them and were encouraged and motivated to do what you
Had to do for the betterment of all.

Have it your way if you insist, but that it not at all accurate. I was trying to avoid death and the reason for that had nothing at all to do with any kind of so-called "encouragement" from anyone or my being motivated "for the betterment of all".

>> I am most often motivated by praise.

Within the context of what we have been talking about, that would be both deceptive and deadly on the part of whoever might be doing the praising.

Missscales:

But don't ask us for help while throwing your hands in the air say "I can't do it! I'm old! I'm a victim!" Those are self-sabotaging lies that work against what you say want.

I do not recall asking help.

lee: within the context of what we have been talking about, I see encouragement and motivation as synonymous .

>> ...I see encouragement and motivation as synonymous.

That is fine, and what we have been talking about is the matter of whether or not someone is powerless to overcome his or her problems in life or challenges or whatever...

...or to say that in another way: Unable to manage one's own way out of whatever mess one might be in.

If you truly believe you can do that, I strongly encourage you to keep doing whatever you believe might work until you might come to know differently.

And as to motivation, my question is still the same: What motivates you to keep trying rather than admitting complete defeat and accepting help?

"..or to say that in another way: Unable to manage one's own way out of whatever mess one might be in. "


What I have been trying to say is it is not just one depressing even am having trouble rwith (the car wreck/bankruptcy thing) it is a long series of events that keeps kicking me back down and sometimes makes me want to give up. Why keep trying:.

What makes me keep trying? Survival instinct I guess.

.

>> ...a long series of events that keeps kicking me back down and sometimes makes me want to give up.

There is where altruistic fellowship and community is needed since none of us could ever survive, thrive and endure alone.

There is where altruistic fellowship and community is needed since
one of us could ever survive, thrive and endure alone.

Altruistic definition, unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others

And there is the rub, lee. I did all of this from the time I retired in 2005 until the car wreck in 2013. I was everyones go
-to guy. Then when I began having difficulties all I got from anyone in the community was sorry bout that .

Since that first car wreck I have been a victim in three more. My home was broken in to, my HVAC went out, I had to replace my refrigerator, numerous home repairs, I was forced to buy another vehicle before my budget was ready then my daughter suddenly became ill and died.

Now, the day before yesterday my sisters grandson was killed in a single vehicle car wreck.

>> Since that first car wreck I have been a victim in three more.

You had been taken hostage or something and forced to even be in those vehicles?

I burned a factory down in '78 to let the world know I would take no more of its abuse, then asked someone to teach me a better way to live in '81.