A few days ago I was talking to a very disgruntled – maybe frustrated is a better word – man on the way to work.
After a few minutes in discussion with him, it struck me that this man – in his mid 50’s – loves his country. In fact, he had served honorably for over 20 years in the Armed Forces. He has a wife, two children, and a government job. I found him to be selfless as he was concerned not for himself, but for his wife and children.
Due to misfortune and circumstances beyond his control, he lost his house and most of his retirement savings have been consumed. Later he had to file bankruptcy. Even though his bankruptcy was discharged, he quickly found himself back in debt with bad credit and, given the financial and auto bailouts and the record high layoffs, he is fearful that he will either be forced to retire his government job.
He related to me that at his current age he has nothing to show for it. He and his wife and two children live in a small one bedroom, one bathroom apartment that he begged the landlord to let him have. You see, he credit was so bad, that he did not qualify to rent an apartment. In most cities, rental companies run criminal background checks and credit checks on you. He also related that there was a time when they lived in a modest three bedroom, two-and-a-half bath house that he had a mortgage on.
I thought to myself, "something is wrong with this picture."
He we have an honest, hard-working man, with over twenty years of military service and no criminal record reduced to this.
I thought it a real shame. What has happened to America? It is almost as if it purposely frustrates it’s citizens.
I quickly identified with this man and felt very sorry for him. I knew what he was going through because I had gone through the same thing in my life. I had many years of honorable military service, a good job, a house, and a car only to have it taken away by somebody.
We live in a system where you are told you can be a homeowner or a car owner. I find that this is a play on words. Why?
Because if you get too far behind in payments, these things will be taken away. Logically, then, did you really own them? No!
My philosophy since my misfortune has been not to trust employer or government to take care of me. Yes, I love my country but I find it unwise to give it or a company control over the direction and length my life goes; that control belongs to me.
My philosophy has also been do the best with what you have, work for yourself, and save for what you need or want.
If you need a new car, save for it and pay cash (or at least a very very large down payment). If you want to really own a home, save for it and buy it whole and outright; no loans, no mortgages. That way you really own it and no one can take it away from you.
Some people say that I am crazy and that this is not realistic. No?
II say look around at the tens of thousands of hard working Americans who have lost their homes and jobs due to no fault of their own.
Many of them cannot find another job in time to recover, if they will ever recover or find another job. I has to be very frustrating.
I was talking to my neighbor – a very intelligent and professional woman – who lost her job due to a company layoff. She had to file bankruptcy. At present, she does not have a job and aggressively looking for anything. The city in which she lives pays her rent and utilities. This soon will run out and she will end up on the street, homeless.
She broke down and started to cry as she was telling me her story. She said she was embarrassed that she had to file bankruptcy.
My initial thought was "Why are you embarrassed? What happened to you was not your fault?"
Here we have another decent, hard-working person stripped of her dignity and hope for the pursuit of happiness. What she received instead was a life of fear, uncertainty, and frustration.
Given the recent financial and auto bailouts, it is clear that corporation and government really do not care about you. They appear to be more concerned about profit than person. They also appear to be confused and do not know what they are doing. They talk a very good game using grandiose words the average person does not understand. There are to many obstacles and too much red tape.
The American government, sad to say, has been successful in frustrating it’s citizens. This is also sad because there are so many good people in America who love this country and hate to see what has transpired.
After the excitement of the January Presidential Inauguration wears off, we will be faced with very trying times. The year 2009 will not be a good one. There will be more job layoffs, fuel prices will go back up as well as food prices. More decent people will become frustrated. My fear is that anger usually follows frustration and we will see much civil unrest.
So what can you do right now to build a shield of protection? What can you do right now to get yourself back on your feet?
Start your own online business!
If it only initially pay a few bills, you can work and cultivate such a business to where you are beholding to know one but yourself.
There is nothing like the freedom of making your own money and setting your own hours. There is nothing like taking a vacation when you want to for how long you want to.
There is nothing like being in control of your financial life.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get your free copy of my new eBook entitled, "Money Making Online Business Ideas That Really Work."
In it you will get some great ideas that are tried and true and won’t cost you a barrel of money to start. Many of the ideas costs less than $50 to start. This fee is mainly for getting your own domain and hosting account.
I don’t wish to sound "doom and gloom" but we are not being told the whole truth or are we being given a true forecast of what is ahead of us.
Yes, the truth can be painful and difficult to digest, but it is the truth; and I would rather know the truth than be strung along by false hopes and even outright lies. A lie purposely told will will keep you stagnant.
It is up to you to take care of yourself.
R. Jerome Harris
