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Wait, do I actually have my life together?

Psst, I make money on some of the links in this post at no cost to you. It keeps the lights on around here. Amazon links are affiliate. 

It was the summer of 2016. On a whim, I decided to meet up with a few of my old sorority buddies for beer. Over the next few hours we caught up on each other’s lives, talking about the good ol’ days.

After we were done giving our life updates, one friend said, “Wow, Mrs. Picky Pincher. It sounds like you’ve actually got your life together.” My immediate thought was to look behind me and say, “Who, me? Is that the impression I give off?”

I was flattered to hear someone thought I was getting ahead in life, but I didn’t feel that way. I had a mountain of Debt and was in the frustrating process of trying to buy a house.

Years later, this makes me wonder: what does it mean to “have it together?”

We millennials are famous for the concept of “adulting,” where it’s funny to act like you don’t know WTF is going on in your life. “Haaa, eating Poptarts for dinner! I’m adulting!” I never thought adulting was funny because it infantilizes our generation. It was cute when we were 16 and learning to drive, but that’s about it. I think we all need to put on the “adult” hat and get to it–we’re in our twenties and thirties already, guys!

I think we should all strive to be that one person in the friend group who seems like they have it together. Of course, we all know that it’s hard to feel like you actually do have your life straightened out. I think people at age 99 feel just as confident in their life choices as I do at age 26.

Why “having it together” is frugal

Did you know that organization, order, and frugality aren’t mutually exclusive? If anything, frugality directly causes simplicity, happiness, order, and tidiness. My life is a lot less chaotic thanks to living beneath my means.

Simple living and simple finances make life so much easier. There’s less stress and less mental and physical clutter. I can focus on the important stuff, not fretting over past due bills or making rent.

Here’s how I define “having it together.” Add your definition in the comments!

How to know when you have it all together

1. You’re paying down debt

Many of my sorority counterparts are in debt. We went to one of the priciest private universities in Texas, so that’s not a big surprise. The difference is that I was able to eliminate my $25,000 debt in seven months.

Debt payoff isn’t easy. Anyone who says otherwise is trying to sell you something.

This was only possible because of the Money journey we embarked on in 2015. We were living paycheck to paycheck like most American households. The idea of a savings account was a total joke.

But if we wanted to make our dreams of home ownership a reality, we had to get our finances together. And that’s when we made the plunge to pay off debt, first cutting expenses, then increasing our income.

To me, paying down debt is a sign of maturity. It doesn’t matter how fast or how much you pay it down; just pay it down and get rid of the damn debt!

Debt is the biggest and spikiest shackle around your ankles right now. Once debt is gone, there’s a big pile of money leftover in your bank account each month. That surplus money equals freedom, something we all dream about.



2. You get enough sleep and exercise

One of the hallmarks of a good life is treating your body well. (I know this is coming from someone who inhales Doritos, but just hear me out)

I’m the first to say that I despise exercising. But I prioritize it each day because I know it’s important for long-term health. Even though I mumble, “I hate myself,” while on the elliptical, I know it’s the right thing to do. #Adulting

You don’t have to twist my arm to get more sleep, but I know many  adults don’t get the recommended 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night. Once I started exercising and following a strict sleep schedule, I noticed that I felt more energized and positive. With this energy, I was able to get more done throughout the day and stay productive.

That sounds like gettin’ it together to me.

Sleep is essential, especially for kitt-os.

3. You have savings

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve seen people my age beg for money to cover small emergencies they should have covered themselves.

There’s a crazy amount of blogs out there that will tell you to save X amount of money in a savings account. But here’s the thing: the amount of savings you need depends on your lifestyle. If you’re a single person and own very little stuff, you aren’t going to need as much in savings as a person with three kids and a mortgage.

Just have something. Seriously, anything. When I was first starting out, I had a meager savings account of just $600. I was self-conscious about my teeny savings, but I’m so grateful I had it. I switched jobs and went without a paycheck for a month, and I lived off of that $600 without going into debt.

Savings is a debt-destroyer. No one likes dipping into it, but you need to have something saved to potentially save your ass down the line.

4. You’re investing

This is a biggie. Too many people in their 20s aren’t investing because they think they can’t afford it. And hell, people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s are guilty of the same thing!

But if we truly want to get our lives together, we need to be investing. I’m still relatively new to the world of investing, but getting your feet wet is the best way to learn. Mr. Picky Pincher and I have a 401k, Roth IRA, and I just started putting funds into Vanguard ETFs this year.

Time is the most valuable asset we have in both life and in investing. “Today” and “right friggin’ now” are the best times to be investing, not “tomorrow” or “next year.” Americans don’t save enough money for retirement as it is. Be the one to reverse the trend!

I’d say having a fully funded retirement is pretty responsible, wouldn’t you?

5. You do things that fulfill you

Let’s say your finances are kickass. You’ve got a routine on lock and you’re crushing it at work.

But what do you do when you come home?

You surf on Facebook and watch Netflix for a few hours before going to bed.

Hmm.

A big component of “having it all together” is leading a joyful, fulfilling life. You can have all the money in the world and not be happy. Truly successful people know that it’s important to prioritize the priceless moments in life, like watching the sun rise, doing hobbies they love, or spending time with their family.

This is the only life that we have. We can “get it together” if we remember to create meaning for ourselves every day.

The bottom line

Is there anyone you look up to who seems like they have it all? I think we all have someone in our lives that we admire for their success. My definition of “having it together” includes both personal and financial traits for lifetime harmony.

We want to know: How do you define “having it all together?”


The post Wait, do I actually have my life together? appeared first on Picky Pinchers.



This post first appeared on Picky Pinchers | A FRUGALITY AND LIFESTYLE, please read the originial post: here

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