the fog of wealth: realism in the american dream

there exist authors and speakers in ‘christian’ circles who promote financial strategies that help people reduce and elimate debt and build wealth. for the most part, i agree with their ideas: don’t use credit cards, reduce your expenses, pay off debt as quickly as possible, avoid debt at all costs, live more frugally, work hard and smart, etc.

however, there is this myth that if we handle are money wisely, work hard enough, and give up many luxuries in the present, we can build wealth for the future. can this be achieved? yes, but i don’t believe in the formula:

1. we (my wife and I) have lived frugally: we buy old cars, we rarely go out to eat, we don’t buy expensive clothes or unnecesarry things, etc.
2. we avoid debt like the plague, paid off school loans fast, took one car loan out and paid that off in one year, have only a mortgage
3. we put money into savings whenever we can
4. we both work, sometimes multiple jobs
5. we are attempting to increase our income through schooling, certification, pursuing the work that pays the best (of the two self employment businesses that we have), etc.
6. we pay our bills always on time

and yet, we often live hand to mouth, and if it weren’t for occassional help from parents (unasked for mind you), we would be in debt to pay our bills.  do i hope to improve our status? yes.  do i hope that we can acheive a more financially sound existance?  yes.  but it has been unattainable for us for 17 years of marriage.

what is more important is that we are content.  whatever wealth we may aquire can be gone overnight.

and besides we are EXTREMELY wealthy already:

1. we have a roof over our heads
2. we have plenty to eat
3. we have changes of clothes
4. we have vehicles that run
5. we have our health
6. we breath clean air
7. we drink clean water
8. we have jobs

that is far more than most of the world has…