A Need for Compassion or Just Plain Stupid

Okay, I have found something to rant about. No, I don't go looking for these things to rant about, they just seem to come to me.

I was reading the news on a tv station website, and happened to stumble onto the link below.
http://www.ksat.com/money/15629147/detail.html

Now, I was raised to help people less fortunate than myself, and I have been one of the less fortunate while growing up. For instance, one time (I don't know why) the church brought us food from the church food pantry. My family was on food stamps when I was about 5 or so, when my dad had his head crushed while at work, BUT we did not park ourselves on these "benefits". I understand that social services are there for a reason, and am okay with that, but what I am not okay with is the sense that people are entitled and should expect a handout. That does not make me want to help anyone.

The kind of people I am talking about is the single mother who has a baby and receives WIC, food stamps and aid for dependent children, and when it is about to run out because the child has gotten too old for the program, she has another baby just to keep it. That's sad. Where is the sense that you should WORK for what you need?

I am torn between feeling compassion for a few of the people mentioned in the link above, and feeling they are just plain stupid. NO ONE IS EVER ENTITLED TO RECEIVE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. As an adult and parent, you and only you are responsible for the welfare of your family. If you receive food stamps, or some such for a short period of time that's fine. The program is there to help you get through that rough time, BUT I in no way feel that the government owes the taxpayers of this country anything like a bailout or help with mortgages, car payments, credit card payments, etc.

I myself have struggled living paycheck to paycheck my entire life until one day in 1997 that I had a wake up call. Why do I and my husband work so hard for money just to give it away to someone else? I rarely saw my kids, except for a few hours at night when I was tired and extremely grouchy. I had to wake them up at the crack of dawn and drag them to daycare, even when they weren't feeling well. I had to work when I felt sick, and I just kept getting sicker and sicker as time went by. I finally decided enough was enough, and resolved to pay off my debt so that I wasn't at the mercy of creditors and the economy. For the past few years we have enjoyed greater affluence, and have been able to do some things we hadn't though possible, but are back living paycheck to paycheck ourselves, by choice. Basically, I prefer to save what I can, invest in MY future through developing my land and buying food. (A side note: if you can't afford food, you absolutely CANNOT afford to invest in your company's 401K program. Stop giving the money.)

Everyone goes on and on about Dave Ramsey, but he's really not original, and I am not a big fan of his. The Bible, Mary Hunt and the Tightwad Gazettes are what got me through 5 years of debt reduction.

I stopped paying all my credit cards and revolving type accounts, made a list and started paying the lowest one first. Who was I kidding my credit was already bad, so it didn't matter if I stopped paying at that time. Once the lowest one was paid off, I moved to the next one, and so on, and so. It took me 5 years, along with other programs, but I managed to get out of debt. It can be done IF you are willing to make it happen.

Move to a place that is cheaper, buy actual food and cook, don't eat out. If you live in a major city get rid of the car, live closer to work, take the bus, etc. If you live in the country, it may be a little more difficult to get rid of the car, but trading your car in for a cheaper model, or selling the one you have and buying a cheaper one, with better gas mileage (see small car) isn't going to kill you. Contrary to public opinion no one is entitled to a new car every two years. (We have a 1964 pickup which has been in DH family since well, 1964; we have a 1997 Chevy pickup and a 2005 PT Crustier that we paid half down on to get the payments really small. As you can see we keep our vehicles a really LONG time, and (gasp) we fix them! We have found it is cheaper to fix a car that is paid off than paid $20,000 for a new one.

The recession that we have been in since last year, yes I said last year, is nothing new to this country. I remember a similar problem in the 1970's. I was young, but I still remember the long lines at the gas pump. But brace yourself it's only going to get worse, as I strong believe we are headed into an actual Depression. You don't have much time to act, because well frankly, most of the general public has had their head in the sand for a long time, and are just now peeking out to see the state we are in....

If you can move out of the cities now to a small town, rent or buy a small piece of land (it can be actually CHEAPER to rent in the country), simplify your life, stop the pity party, and let God guide you in the steps that you need to go.

A word on health insurance. Unless you already have a pre-existing condition, health insurance ins not necessary when you are young, even for your children. Stop buying into that philosophy. My children do not have health insurance. Using nutrition, OTC meds, and herbal medicines I care for my children myself. I just couldn't justify spending over $5,000 a year on health insurance for them, when they NEVER went to the doctor. I'd rather keep that money in my hands, and IF they actually need a doctor pay cash for the office visits. I really can't recall a time in the past two years that they have needed a doctor. A few books I use to help with my family's health care are: "Where there are no doctors", "Home Herbal" and "The Complete Medicinal Herbal". Both of the last ones are by Penelope Ody.

So basically, what I am saying, is while I have compassion for those who truly need it, if you continue to put yourself back in the same pot of boiling water, my compassion goes away fast (a good example is building, and rebuilding along the coast, or the banks of a river that floods EVERY year). Let God take control of your life, and show you a better way. I can help if you actually let me, but if you really LIKE to complain about how rough life is for you, I'll tell you, and probably not politely, to shut up.