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Truth Tuesdays: The Truth About Financial Responsibility

Hi, readers! It's De' Laydee Divine, coming at you with yet another dose of Truth Tuesdays. Anything and everything is discussed in this series, and nothing is off-limits. Now, be forewarned: my purpose for writing is not to sugarcoat anything, but to deliver the truth as it is. Your jimmies may be rustled by some of my future topics (hell, maybe even tonight's topic), but that's okay.  The truth is the truth- and often, it's a hard pill to swallow. Don’t like the truth? It’s cool. I’ve got some lumber, a hammer, and nails for you, so you can build a bridge and get over it. ~_^ <3

So, what have I got in store for you today, you may ask? Well, I want to just jump into the nitty-gritty. Tonight’s topic is financial responsibility and the apparent lack thereof in the impoverished community (and some other communities, as well).

“I wish they weren’t always so broke.” “Why can’t I seem to keep enough money in my pocket?”  Do these questions sound familiar? Of course they do. Either we’ve asked them ourselves, or we’ve heard people that we know ask them. Consistently wondering why we just can’t seem to keep money in our pockets is directly correlated with our lack of financial responsibility.

What is financial responsibility? Financial responsibility is “the process of managing money and other assets in a manner that is considered productive and in the best interests of the individual or family.” (“What is Financial Responsibility?”) Prioritizing money, budgeting, and foregoing expenses that are not essential to our daily lives are examples of being financially responsible. Making financial investments towards your future is an example of financial responsibility as well.

Now, answer me truthfully- how many of us can genuinely say that we are financially responsible? Is it financially responsible to buy that electronic device that you’ve been seeing on the television, knowing that your budget won’t allow it? Is it financially responsible to buy a pair of shoes/heels for a price that you could feed your whole family (and possibly more) for? Is it financially responsible to spend money on vacations/outings, while your house is falling apart at the seams? I’m pretty sure you see where I’m going with this. Part of financial responsibility is giving up desire for necessity. Those commercials you see on TV are basically financial pitfalls for the impoverished. It’s totally unnecessary to buy the latest gadgets and trinkets if the ones you have are still in working order. Sure, we love to spoil ourselves, especially seeing how hard we work every day; also, the next door neighbor bought it, so why shouldn’t we? Guess what? Keeping up with the Joneses is what’s keeping you broke and/or in debt.

I REPEAT: KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES IS WHAT’S KEEPING YOU BROKE AND/OR IN DEBT!  

However, working on a budget and keeping within your financial means can keep you financially stable, if not bring you a little extra cash. Imagine not having to work hard, due to having made a profitable investment with the money you were going to spend on a useless trinket! Imagine being able to go to bed, not having to worry about if your services will be terminated, due to a lack of ability to make a payment! Well, with financial responsibility, you could make your imagination a reality!

As was stated in the Wisegeek.com article, “What Is Financial Responsibility”, we have to begin to understand the difference between needs & wants. (I feel as though I’m being redundant, but repetition will make the point stick… I digress.)We don’t need that new pair of sneakers if we’re struggling to feed our families every month. That vacation can wait if your home is falling apart at the seams. That money spent at the club would be better spent towards funding an actual passion of yours, or towards another genuine necessity. If given the opportunity to invest in a lucrative business, don’t spend the money on things that will return no profit.

I know you’re probably wondering, “How does she expect me to have any kind of fun or enjoy myself?”, or, “She’s trying to make me look like some kind of loser!” right? No- I’m not trying to do that at all. I’m trying to turn you into a winner- financial winner. You know what losing looks like? Spending hundreds of dollars every month on clothes and shoes, then coming back home to food that is practically poison to your body (which is an entirely different topic for a different day).  Losing is worrying about your rent not being paid (due to ineffectively budgeting your money), and getting evicted. Losing is incurring new expenses that your finances won’t cover. That’s what losing looks like. As far as having fun/enjoyment, there are plenty of things in this world for you to enjoy, that are either inexpensive or free.  For example:

Believe it or not, these (and so many more) are ways you can enjoy life, without emptying your pockets. Some of these ways can actually profit you in the long run, as well.

I don’t know about you all, but as someone who has been on the losing side for far too long, my goal is to be a winner. This year is the year that I’ve made up my mind to become financially responsible. Will you make the same choice?

This has been Truth Tuesdays, with yours truly. Until next time... De'Laydee Divine, signing off. <3

(Wisegeek.com. “What is Financial Responsibility?” Copyright 2003-2014.

 <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-financial-responsibility.htm>)