Free your mind and the rest will follow

Over and over again I read stories about people facing difficulty. Lately, a lot of that has been of an economic nature.

Too many people hold on to old ways of life, even when they no longer make sense. I see people selling off camper trailers and motor homes so they can stay in their condo another 6 months. They are hoping that in 6 months, everything will be back to normal. They hope to get a good paying job, or the value of their condo to bounce back, or for Santa to come down the chimney with a bag full of lollipops and low interest loans.

They don't even consider that maybe they could give up the condo and live in the motor home. It may occur to them in another 6 months or so.

Lately I've been pricing out sailboats. Lots of good deals out there. Many of them are sailboats big enough to live on. There are boats capable of being sailed around the world going for less money than the price of a good used car. It can be cheap to live on a boat. All you have to do is to be able to picture yourself doing it. It's easy to find a millions reasons why it can't be done. Yet many people do it just fine. Many find it liberating. They pare material goods down to the basics and find they have a lot less to worry about.

I've seen people sell paid for rustic camps to be able to keep living in an apartment. On the other hand, I've seen just the opposite. One guy was living in a hunting camp he inherited from his dad. Hunting and fishing supplied most of his food. He figured he could live for many years on his meager savings.

How many families are worse off because both parents work? The cost of child care, transportation, work clothes, and take out meals exceed the second income. What if the woman makes more money than the man? My brother-in-law stayed home to take care of the two kids because his wife had the better job. He even found a way to supplement the family income by doing translations over the phone.

Forget keeping up with the neighbors. Forget trying to live the way you've always lived. Be aware of changing conditions. Don't wait until you are out of options. Most of all, don't be afraid to think outside the box.

-Sixbears