Here lies the key, I dont treat money with respect or debt with respect!
Not sure when I would want to change this fact!

That is the key for me... you see I don't have anyone to give me money... NO ONE.

In the late 80s I was homeless for two years. I hid behind McDonald's at closing time as they threw away the unpurchased food. I'd jump in the dumpster to dig out my dinner. My once a day meal.

In the winter, I slept in a refrigerator box in the woods out of the wind... in a sleeping bag I stole from the back of a pick-up.

I got out of that mess and then by the late 90's and all of the 2000's I got deeper and deeper in debt. I lost my marriage, I lost my house, and if it wasn't for my present landlord holding my first rent/deposit check for two weeks I would have been homeless again.

My first month here, I lived on grilled cheese sandwiches made with day old bread and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Nothing else. I slept on the floor.

Mentally, I beat myself up because I was in the same mess I was in earlier in my life. I hadn't learned a thing. And that really depressed me for my first six months living here.

Slowly, bills began getting paid and eventually I got out of debt. Not with credit and not with personal loans... just by watching every penny and not using credit at all.

I've been broke twice... I was homeless once and near homeless in 2010. I'm to old to go down that road again. And it is with these thoughts that my respect for money and credit come from...

Agreed Messenger - I've been broke once too. Never again. I don't even have a credit card these days - only debit cards or pre paid cards that I can load with cash when I need it.

I have a mortgage that I am slowly paying off - but that is "good debt".

I work 2 full time jobs, and a 3rd casual job...I am not as stringent on spending as I should be, but that is ok - I work long hours and hard and I have enough money so I can let a few things slip here and there. By that I mean buying my lunch instead of packing it at home. Buying coffee instead of buying it at work. Buying a pair of shoes on sale when I like them.

I dont let the big things slip. Paid cash for my car etc.

I have amassed enough to take 9 months of this year off - to investigate a new life/career. It will be scary - and I will be working on new income streams - but I'm grateful that I have the buffer to do it.

Money is a very big spiritual symbol....respect for it is important. A lot of our values about ourselves, can be demonstrated in the way with which we treat money.....

I just have a Debit Card and a Prepaid Credit Card. The reason I have the debit card was simply a case of self-advocacy. When I found out Granddad had placed a bond in my name 27 Months ago that I never knew of beforehand I opened an account with the Co-Operative Bank (a beacon of light in a dark misty world of white-collar theft) as our Family's Bank (Bank of Ireland) wouldn't grant me a Debit Card due to not having a job. (virtually ALL machines now are 'Debit Card only')

It was simply a case of praying for what I need. But, after 2 Years of financial decline, I believe I have now reached a plateau. I know now that I'm on my own. I could buy a House outright with the money given to me to cope with life. Reality was, I lived beyond my means.

After hearing stories about homelessness in America, I believe that people in rural Ireland don't know how much they have it made. I pray that we in Ireland and the UK maintain our sovereignty.

Now that I'm back to work, I really like using one CC that gives cash back. I did it for a month before I got sick and saved over $25...

I had a dentist appointment today and used the CC on it... it saved me $1.50

Amazingly, I got another credit increase from another card. $5,000 increase from two cards... crazy, since I really don't use them.

Though I will say I do enjoy having a healthy credit report and score and to be able to get these increases without asking for them.