You Are Not The Jones’, Stay in Your Wage!

                                    You Are Not The Jones’, Stay In Your Wage!

We have all heard the sayings, “Look at them, trying to keep up with the Jones,” or  “Don’t go broke trying to look rich.” I am sure that in some point in your life, you have tried to be the Jones’, well at least I know I have!

Trying to live that lifestyle when in reality all you can really afford is the pickle from a double cheeseburger. Yet you still order the Double quarter pounder with cheese, wait no with EXTRA cheese! Meanwhile; you are facing eviction, your gas is turned off, your light bill is 3 months overdue and your car insurance lapsed last year. How do I know this scenario all so well? Because I have been there before.

I remember when I had my son in 2011, living in Depew, NY with my son’s father, working a $9.86 hourly job. Our rent was $650 and I cant quite remember how much our car insurance was. Tax season had came around and that $5,000 hit my account and I said ” ITS TIME TO GO SHOPPING!” I came home with Michael Kors, Jordans, Old Navy and bags from just about every store! If you noticed, you don’t see that I said I paid a bill.

Rent was two months late, NYSEG (electric company) was months and months behind and if you know Buffalo, we didn’t even consider driving in Cheektowaga because our car insurance had lapsed.

Fast forward to 2012. Another tax season comes and do you think I even considered catching up on bills? Absolutely NOT. This time I said okay, I’m going to get a car! I went to the car lot, put down a $2800 down payment with a car note of $356 and a monthly car insurance payment of $176 on a 2005 car.  You can bet after purchasing the car, I went straight to the mall. Meanwhile, the whole time I’m swiping my card, my property manager is putting an eviction notice on my door for the third time.  That’s right, THIRD eviction. The second eviction was avoided by selling  a PS3, a futon and other items to make the money for the rent.  But this eviction, was unavoidable and I had a week to vacate.

I had finally found an apartment on the West side because I was too good to live on the East side! Let me tell y’all how God humbled me. There was an issue with the gas meter so my gas wasn’t able to get turned on which meant no hot water or hot meals! There was also an issue with the lights and I had also used a chunk of my money on the security deposit so my fridge was bare. Because of those living conditions, I couldn’t allow my son to stay there. Everyday I would take him to his fathers house and when I got off work, I would take him to the park and play until his father got off. One day when I pulled up to the park, I could not stop crying. I just couldn’t believe that trying to impress others had me living like this. I finally decided that I needed to get my life back on track with God and obviously manage my finances better.

Funny thing was I was going to church and praying. But that was the issue, I was going for the attendance but not applying the word to my life!

After the breakdown and being naked before God, I finally found an apartment on the East side; funny I know.  I had also made the decision to voluntarily give my car back so I was back on the NFTA. BUT I had a fridge full of food and I had money placed aside.

Lets fast forward to now ( I know, I know, how many times is she going to fast forward), I am the closest that I have ever been to God, I have not seen an eviction notice since 2012, our bills are paid on time, both cars have car insurance, I TRY to budget and I LIVE WITHIN my means!

Now why did I decide to let you in my life? Because someone had to show the ugly side! We have to see that you don’t have to have the latest fads! You don’t have to compete! Know what you can afford and stick with it!  Don’t keep up with Jones’, keep up with YOURSELF!