Sharing a Very Harsh Reality
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (93299)
United States
January 1, 2025 6:27pm CST
This is not a brag, nor is this a scolding. What this is, is a harsh reality that I face not only here but in many other places.
I've managed to save a little bit of money. My wife and I have been fortunate. By design. I've spoken about the importance of investing, the methods of investing, ways to find money, and how to spend it wisely. I've shared tips on knowing your threshold prices, how to shop accordingly, managing your pantry to maximize savings, and even playing games to force yourself to save money. I've recommended high interest savings accounts for your funds. I've provided a wealth of free information on saving, investing, creating passive income, and getting ahead.
Yet, I continue to read about people struggling, hear about poverty, and see people searching for their next dollar. I hear people thinking they can't achieve financial freedom, and the only conclusion I can draw is this:
The rich get richer and the poor stay poor for a simple reason. The rich share their secrets, and the poor simply do not listen.
So, how do we change this?
The thing that bothers me is that there is so much opportunity out there. Too many people want to sell books and courses. All I want to do is get people out of ruts, achieve their dreams, have the money they want, and not have to work so damn hard.
The question I have is, why does no one listen? Why does no one take action? Why does no one believe it's possible? Why does everyone ignore the advice and keep on struggling despite it?
And how are the rich expected to feel sorry for you if you don't take the time to understand what they are telling you is the path out of your situation?
It truly does beg my curiosity, and I am very interested in your thoughts about this. If you are poor, you clearly don't have the answers. So why do you feel so comfortable pretending you do, and choose to ignore the answers someone who does know offers?
I am just very curious here. Why do you allow yourself to struggle when someone says you don't have to and explains to you in great detail how not to?
What exactly is the mentality that drives this?
22 people like this
17 responses
@RasmaSandra (81194)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Jan
Let me just say I never got the chance to save any money, Rightly or wrongly that is a facet. However, I am able to keep a roof over my head, feed myself, and my cats and live a quiet and comfortable life, I need nothing more but the Lord to guide me, Having said all this I occasionally see people on the site where all the members of my community can exchange thoughts and other things with each and everyone it shocks me when I read that people ask their neighbors for help because they are having hard times and can't feed their pets, If I can with the very little I have then surely they can too,
7 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
3 Jan
The funny part of this is that getting rich actually isn't even that hard. It's not quick. It's not without requiring some commitment and effort. But it's certainly not hard. I think most people simply think it is, but that's because they don't listen to people who know it isn't hard who tell them that and explain why it isn't hard. They either don't want to hear the truth, or they are incapable of accepting it. Worst case scenario, they don't want to let go of their excuse for being poor.
2 people like this
@marguicha (224064)
• Chile
2 Jan
We can manage easily our money when we can get a job or when we are healthy. When we get ill, hospitals, doctors and medicines take away a big part of our money, at least in my country.
5 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
2 Jan
Hardships and major expenses happen. It does not have anything to do with accumulating wealth nor does it prevent it. It makes it harder, sure. But what I have been talking about over the years has been very specific, addressing all of these things that get in the way that we can all still work around. I actually wrote this post mostly to gather thoughts and perspectives, like yours, for an article I plan to write wherein I want to know exactly what people are thinking when it comes to money, their prospects, and why they think the way they do. Like I said, I'm curious. lol
6 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
3 Jan
@Kandae11 They do. And I will be the first to admit that where you live in the world, namely what country you live in, does change the argument. But if one lives in a developed country, hardships and major expenses have no bearing on the ability to save money and get ahead.
3 people like this
@andriaperry (117291)
• Anniston, Alabama
3 Jan
People DO NOT want to give up buying.... The new phones every year, the new cars, etc. people want wealth to be instant.
Today's society is NOW!
I'm not wealthy by any means but I'm not poor either, it's takes years of discipline, and I'm guilty of the impulse buys sometimes.
I call it " keeping up with the Jones" syndrome.
That's my opinion.
However, I do understand some people have low paying jobs or can't work at all due to illness, so they live the best they can.
4 people like this
@andriaperry (117291)
• Anniston, Alabama
11h
@porwest I have gotten through to one couple and they're doing fantastic.
They learned fast about setting up the LLC.
@porwest (93299)
• United States
11h
Even impulse buys can be okay sometimes, but of course, only when you can afford them and even account for them in some way. I have long lived by a few mottos. One of them being, "Save on the things you need so that you can afford the things you want." In other words, take great care to save on essentials and when you decide you want to take a nice vacation, you can do it and not have to be as worried about the money. Another one is, "Save the principal and spend the proceeds." In other words, money makes money. It's better to save and invest as much as you can of every penny you earn, be patient and wait, and when you do spend, spend the dividends and interest rather than the money that earns it.
It's VERY hard to get these messages through. Too many people allow themselves to be slaves to their money and slaves to their jobs, and no matter how much you try to convey the idea that money can be your friend if you treat it well, people choose to simply not believe it's true, and like to spend more time making excuses than making progress.
I WILL keep trying though. If you can get through to just one person, it's worth it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161216)
• United States
4 Jan
Some of the problems are generational. I did not have a good example and it has taken me a long time to get out of that mindset. I doubt if I will ever be rich, because my partner is not looking to be rich, but he spends like he is well off in some areas. I am in a program paying down debt and at this time we do not have any. I was fortunate to get the grants I got to work on my house. I have some of the tools I need and I need to figure out more. My son is actively thinking about and taking classes about this and other life improvements, even though he is in prison.He says he has come to believe that no matter how little you have, you can save. So I think his generation is ahead of mine. My daughter says "the Lord will provide" but I wish she had a little more interest and ambition. Just my random ramblings. I think I need to go look at other things you have said.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (72626)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Jan
I see poorness and porvity as a cycle. A lot of people believe they can't get out of it. Even when you spell out what to do, there's going be someone tought to believe, 'I can't do that' I don't have enough money to put aside. Another argument I often hear is 'I don't want to loose my benifit'. I feel most people are afraid to break the cycle. They are afraid they can't do it. They don't want to put in the work to put in the investments, or put money into a saving's account and leave it alne.
3 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
2 Jan
I think everyone WANTS more money. But I agree that the last part of your answer is right. I think about so many people who get these ideas; I'll do some surveys. I'll sell on Etsy or eBay. I'll do crafts. I'll drive for Uber. None of these things REALLY make money, and they are very time and labor intense. And while they do all of these things, they literally walk right past REAL money that could be theirs if all they did were change a few spending habits, save and invest.
Thanks for the response. Working on an article and gathering perspectives. 
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41870)
• United States
3 Jan
I'm sorry, I think I suggested your own post to you!
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (81194)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Jan
@1creekgirl thanks for the suggestion
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121823)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jan
I agree for the most part, but I will say that for many a disability or prolonged illness may have sidelined them and put them in serious debt that they are struggling to get out of. But that aside, there’s no reason why people can’t take steps to at least start saving, or paying down debt.
3 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
3 Jan
The circumstances you bring up are few and far between. Sure, those are going to be factors. They are simply factors that do not apply to the vast majority of people who are poor or living paycheck to paycheck. 99% of people I talk to about money with have closed minds, preset notions, and a complete unwillingness to listen or understand. It's what amazes me. You can be right before them as a glaring example that you might know a thing or two about what you are talking about, and yet, they still refuse to believe you know anything at all.
When I say, I started from nothing, I mean, I started with nothing and got to where I am from that nothing. The amount of money I made or what I started with had absolutely nothing to do with what I was able to achieve, and to me, that's the point everyone misses when you have these kinds of discussions.
I actually posted this to try to gain some insight for an article I am planning to write on this very topic. I want to know what people think, and so far some of the comments have been...interesting.
2 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
11h
@mishocat05 Oh. For sure. I have been writing about this sort of thing for decades. Literally.
@mishocat05 (75)
•
21h
@porwest Interesting! Do you have a blog or something where you have shared your secrets?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183178)
• United States
2 Jan
Can you imagine our situation if we hadn't been savers and investors? As it is, I don't know how long our retirement fund will last. Have a good day.
3 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
2 Jan
You're so right about that. Your situation is a perfect example of the importance of saving and investing, even if in the end the money has to go to things like long term care. All sorts of things can happen that even when we do save and invest, it can all be wiped out. But when we don't try, the gig becomes all that much harder—yeah, I can't even imagine how different things might be for you if you didn't have at least something to cover the expenses of what you are dealing with right now.
I appreciate your response—working on an article and I figured I'd write this post to get some real perspectives. Plus, understanding those perspectives and how people think is also helpful to find new angles to go about offering advice, even if I know none of it will be heeded no matter how hard I try, or how detailed I am when offering it. It is what it is.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (183178)
• United States
2 Jan
@porwest Some people don't think enough about the future. I don't care how young you are, you have to think about retirement. Until this rehab stuff came up, we were very comfortable.
4 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
3 Jan
@LindaOHio One of my aunts was always a "live for the day" kind of a mentality. What I tried to explain to her over and over again was that you can do BOTH. And in fact, if you save and invest, you can live BETTER in the day because you would have more money to do it.
She never listened. She still doesn't believe it today. She's been in her house for 50 years and still has a mortgage to pay that is twice the amount she originally paid for the house. She has no retirement savings whatsoever. And she currently continues to work at the post office at age 74, full time.
Even standing before her, at age 51, living mostly off dividends, she continues to believe it is not possible. She is a prime example of what this post is about.
2 people like this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
3 Jan
A lot of rich people I know gladly share at least their ideas about the basic ways to save and invest. And actually, most rich people actually gain no benefit at all if the people they want to sell things to are poor and can't afford what they are selling. The more money the bottom has, the more that can trickle upward, and so, most rich people want people to have money to spend.
Granted, there ARE bad players. But I think they are few and far between, and I think it's more of a misconception than an actual reality. Poor people need someone to blame for their situations, and it's easy to blame the rich even if they have nothing to do with it.
Poor people have no idea how the rich ACTUALLY get rich, which is WHY they are poor. At least, for the most part.
The funny thing is that MOST poor people talk to and listen to other poor people, and they are more inclined to believe what the other poor people are saying rather than listen to the rich guy who says they are wrong and can prove it.
2 people like this
@mishocat05 (75)
•
21h
Well, nobody has told me. :( I am not exactly struggling, but it would be nice to have a nice stash somewhere so that I can travel like crazy and not worry about income.
1 person likes this
@porwest (93299)
• United States
11h
It's right there in front of you. No matter how much or how little you make. No matter how small you start. It's right there. Trust me. You have accomplished the first two most important steps. Listen to those who know and take heed of what they say, and most importantly, believe no matter what that it's possible regardless of your barriers. Onward and upward. 
@kareng (62757)
• United States
3 Jan
I think a lot of them don't want to change. They are dependent on government aid and therefore, do not HAVE to work and are content. They get amenities that they wouldn't get without the aid and have become accustomed for all of the free aid. They are living free, so why work or save money? That is the mindset I see a lot.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (52168)
• Philippines
3 Jan
It's hard to save money, when there's needed spending you got to spending. But then when you get the chance to loan you take it. Ends up paying more from the loan.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (2654)
• India
3 Jan
You got the answer right - the listening part but there is more to it. Most poor think that the advices are for the greater benefit of the rich than for the poor (even if there is no truth in that statement). Second , they are skeptical to take actions. What if it fail , why take this risk , can I do that etc. Plus , another big truth- people do not like coming out of their comfort zone. They believe in free money and in miracles such as winning lottery (the odds are very very low ). If anything comes within their comfort zone , they would grab that and if not they just ignore. Again they believe only in one single source of income since they were bought up or see such a world. For me , I do have debts , but then I explore every means to bring it down. I am not looking at one single source of income. The views I expressed are based on my experiences and talking with people. Take care Champ!
