Life Simplified

Honestly, I am one of those people who want to survive in this world without the use of too much money. My husband is earning decently and he provides well for our family but as our household income rises each month, I noticed our monthly savings remained as it is wherein fact it must have doubled or tripled. When I extracted the root cause, I found out one of the things I dreaded – overspending. I’d like to quote the statement given by a well-known noontime tv show host about the kind of living Filipinos have, “Ang mga tao, kung maliit ang income, pinagkakasya. Dumating ang panahong mas lumaki ang kita, mas dumarami rin ang demands. Hindi na yung basic kundi yung mga bagay na gustong lang bilhin kahit di talaga kailangan – mas maraming pera na kasi ang pwedeng gastahin.” I was alarmed of the in-rush thought. Our children are all under the age of seven and it’s still a long way to go with regards to their education. We have no house and lot yet and we still lack 30% of the amount we intend to use for our first family car.

Honestly, we have debts and we owe less than 30, 000 Php. I once had a credit card for two years and did not anymore take guts to re-apply after its expiration date. It may be a help only if one uses it for emergency purposes. Financial and credit experts always have to tell that these plastic cards must be meant for outputs we need in urgent: sickness, accident and sudden events. But is the rage towards a bag or a gadget or a flat screen tv urgent? Unless, if you lost your cellphone inside the mall and you needed to purchase one immediately and you did not have cash in your wallet.

I just finished reading The Rewards of Simplicity by Pam & Chuck Pierce while my husband read Surviving Financial Meltdown by Ron Blue & Jeremy White. So many literatures we encountered, speakers we have heard talk all pointing to one thing – LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS. Indeed. But I’d like to amend one word, instead of ‘within’, why not LESS? Yes, I’d like to live less than our means, less than what we have. After all, we are eating three times a day, have good clothing, a house we rent at a low price per month, we are able to regularly pay for our utilities, our two house helpers at home and the kids’ tuition fees in school and we set aside a fixed part of our income for our tenth to the Lord and offerings we give at church. These are all we need. What more? Inch by inch, we are acquiring things at home that we believe we need: computers, camera, appliances and kitchen essentials. We use them to enhance and make our lives more easy but not complicated.

I just want to wake up every day without any bills overdue. I know I’m not spending wisely when after a purchase, I’d feel the pangs of ‘guilt’. Blessed me, I have a husband who trains me to tighten my grip when it comes to finances. If you receive 5, keep the 3. I am no expert when it comes to budgeting so I work together with my husband. He gives me the authority to equally designate amount to our payables and he, on the other hand is the one saving and making payments for our dream car, house and lot. I am learning to think ten times first before pulling any paper bill or coin out of my bag. I had also learned how to say no to any tempting ‘credit’ or ‘installment’ privileges offered by friends and relatives on things and particulars I believe I CAN LIVE WITHOUT. We do not travel or even avail promo airline fares on credit, we do not buy cellphones and cameras using bank credits, we do not do grocery on credit and of all the things, we do not use credit. We always use and pay in cash and the cash we use are not loaned or whatsoever. I can breathe freely thinking I don’t have any due date to cram up with.

Sorry, but am totally not for credit cards and post-dated checks. My husband has clients having troubles with these forms of payment thru. This is glued on my mind, “Credit is no good. Pay in cash.” And what does it have to do with this post’s title? Our economy is unstable. If you can’t afford to pay in cash for something, why opt the credit payment and pay for the interest you don’t deserve when on the very first place you deserve to be debt-free? Why spend money you (still) don’t have? One could not be hundred percent certain if money, salary, honorarium, donation, pension and financial support would arrive on the day expected. Even field and farm harvest, businesses and firms and any produce and source of income are 50-50 to life until the very minute you have the thousands and millions in your bank account, in your hands and in your bag. One can never put the future in his hands – this goes with everything.

When life is full of unwanted debts, interest loans and credit card overdue – house and lot even home appliances reach the point of foreclosure? Credit card companies, loan institutions and people are after us - what more can we give? Do we still have more to pay for our impulsive spending? 90-95% of whom I know have credit cards and have loans with cooperatives even with what the government offers did not live a peaceful life. How can life be simple, be simplified if we are facing so much of the troubles resulted by debt?

The word debt is mentioned in the Bible but it is not written in the Scriptures to conform its rate. It was however practiced in the Old Testament but given with clear and profound construction by King Solomon and more of its instructions during Jesus’ ministry. Debt is good when paid in time. Debt is good when the money borrowed is used wisely. Debt is ok in cases of emergency. I too could not state a final fact that on the days ahead, I might need the use of credit – when life is at stake. But to use payment thru just to please the flesh – why would I? The lust of the flesh is one of the three temptations Satan used to defile Jesus in His 40-day fasting.

Simplicity for me is not to abstain from money, from spending, from entertainment, enjoyment and buying of things. It is rather to live within or less within our means. True happiness can’t be found in worldly wealth. Real happiness is when you are living in accordance to the will of God to be worry-free and debt-free. We are redeemed from sinful debt when the Son of God died on the cross. Matthew 6:33 – “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you.” Knock and the door will be opened. Seek and you will find. Ask and you will receive.