Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I know someone who has problems dealing with her finances. She goes around and around between paying her bills on time, and then she decides that she wants some new, shiny thing [that she doesn't have the cash for]...

So she buys it. On credit.

Then, when the bill comes in, and the payment is higher [!!], she's upset because she doesn't have the disposable income to do the things that she wants to do.

So, she borrows more money. Sometimes she pays off the lower interest rate stuff, but instead of cutting up the cards, she runs them back up, effectively doubling her debt.

At the present time, her debt payments equal half her take-home pay. It stresses me out just to think about it.

Is she ignorant about finance, and genuine wealth generation? No.

She just wants what she wants, when she wants it. And consequences are for other people.

At least until she can't pay the bills, and needs a consolidation loan. Again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

:sigh:

So now, I've learned to listen without speaking when she tells me her latest tale of financial woe.

Now, I have to learn not to bang my mental head against the mental wall as I'm listening.

Because she's not really interested in easing her pain.

I remember a story that someone told me once, here it is:

Once upon a time, a man had an old hunting dog that lived with him.
One day, the man found the dog lying on the porch, howling mournfully. The man had a friend with him, and the friend asked him why the dog was howling.

"Because he's lying on a nail," replied the man.
"Well, why doesn't he get up off the nail?" demanded his friend.
"Because it doesn't hurt enough", was the reply.

As her friend, I can only hope that she'll see what she is doing to herself and her family