Our Secret Sauce, My Recipe - We Love Us More Than Stuff

Our Secret Sauce, My Recipe - We Love Us More Than Stuff

AT ONE TIME, money was reported to be the number one cause of divorce. New studies say no—it’s not money but incompatibility that is the root issue. I always maintained that it was never money or the lack thereof that caused issues in a marriage—it’s what you do with the money that creates friction. And the more you make, the more opportunities you have to focus on your $tuff, instead of your love.

Money is a tricky subject, and as with all things, you and your mate have to find your own way. I’ll tell you our secret sauce ingredient: we love us far more than $tuff. And we believe in cash.

Get out of debt and stay out of debt. Steve and I had a goal when we first married: we’d get out of debt and stay out of debt. In order to pay off our home early, we would not buy the things many of our friends were purchasing; we would not go on elaborate vacations; and we would often tell our children no. This singular focus put us in a comfortable cash position as thirtysomethings. The delayed gratification for other stuff only made the nicer home, luxury cars, vacations, and art more enjoyable when we did purchase them. Even today, Steve and I pay for things with cash.

We believe in having a cash reserve (savings). We do not believe in hoarding, which can be as damaging as overspending; we simply pay ourselves a reasonable amount for a rainy day. For some reason, the average American has discounted the power of a savings account. I read recently that we’re saving less today as a society than ever before. In 2004, for every $100 earned, the average American saved $$180; in January 2005 that number dipped below a dollar and then dropped to zero, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The September 2, 2005, Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. households actually spent more than they earned in July, sending the personal-savings rate to minus 0.6 percent. Yikes!

Thrift is not, as many suppose, a self repression. It is self expression, the demonstration of a will and ability to raise one’s self to higher plane of living. No depression was ever caused by people having too much money in reserve. No human being ever became a social drifter through the practice of sensible thrift. —Harvey A. Blodgett

In our secret sauce, thrift and financial peace are key ingredients.

She has no fear of winter for her household,for everyone has warm clothes. (Proverbs 31:21)

Plan now. A cold front is on the way.