Comments on: It Could Definitely Be Better – But It Also Could Be Worse

By: Cookie

Cookie — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:45:29 +0000

I can totally relate. I eventually had to stop going there because it was like torturing myself. Just be happy you started when you did and keep on going.
It is hard to think wow- imagine where I could be if…

By: Do You Dave Ramsey?

Do You Dave Ramsey? — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:10:34 +0000

This is a fantistic line of thinking… it could be either of those things and that tells me – if I view this continium as a ladder – that I’m glad I’ve climbed the rungs that I have climbed but I’m also mindful of those yet to be climbed. In that way it reinforces our diligence, which is never a bad thing!

By: Candy @ Deal with it, simply

Candy @ Deal with it, simply — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:14:08 +0000

My Grandma always said “Better days are coming!” I have to believe that. Thanks for your post.

By: Gretchen Skovron

Gretchen Skovron — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:13:23 +0000

I agree with the previous post that hindsight is 20/20. There are many things that when we moved to MD from WA 2 years ago I wish we would have taken our time on. Big decisions like expensive furniture was just purchased because we had to sit on something, the kids wanted to watch tv, and the books on the floor never works out. Hindsight being what it is…we have now sold that couch for less than what we paid because it doesn’t fit into our new house and much much more. Keep up the good work. Be mindful of the present and the path will become clearer.

By: Sunday Money Roundup - Playing Guitar Edition. | My Two Dollars

Sunday Money Roundup - Playing Guitar Edition. | My Two Dollars — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:01:12 +0000

[...] Twice reminds us of something important – It Could Definitely Be Better – But It Also Could Be Worse. I could not agree more, and hopefully it won’t get too much [...]

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:38:17 +0000

The progress that you made so far you should really serve you well, though. Since you’ve retired your several of your loans, the minimum amounts you need to pay to keep current with your bills should be much less…a help should anything happen to your income.

You should be proud of all you have accomplished so far. And I’m sure you will keep moving forward, even if the path is a little steeper.

By: Abigail

Abigail — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:04:28 +0000

I think it’s good to keep this mantra in mind.

As two people with chronic illnesses, my husband and I experience a heck of a lot of financial setbacks. But we’re still making our way through.

All this could have come at a much worse time. He wasn’t laid off until a month before the wedding, which actually gave him time to really recuperate from various illnesses before the big day. That was a nice bonus. And his boss gave him a wonderful severance gift of $5,000 which helped us pay off a few bills.

Then between my income and his unemployment, we paid off his student loans this fall. We’re still working on credit card debt, but we’re plugging away.

And if he had been unemployed at any other point, he would have gotten fewer benefits, probably. But now there’s a good chance we’ll get a bit of a reprieve, as the stimulus bill may extend his benefits and give us a bit more breathing room.

Meanwhile, he has actually had time to get his health better under control and give us a realistic assessment of what kind of base level we can best hope for.

If it had happened at any other time, I think things would have been much worse. I guess it’s reassuring that sometimes the timing really does seem to work out — even if the actual events aren’t always ideal.

By: Pokeberry Mary

Pokeberry Mary — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:44:38 +0000

You know, after several years of repetitive job losses in my Hubby’s field–we are not debt free. however-we own a house without a mortgage–albeit one we are ‘working on’ and haven’t moved into yet. And we are NOT acruing any more debt at all. We don’t use credit for ANYthing.

In the long run I hope to be debt free as well as mortgage free–and I think– that will be good nuf.

By: Chiot's Run

Chiot's Run — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:56:27 +0000

The important thing is that you’re being proactive about it. I know too many people that aren’t doing anything at all, just throwing their hands up and resigning themselves to fate. You should be patting yourself on the back for starting and sticking to it for so long, even through these rough times. Just think, next time something like this happens you’ll be completely financially prepared.

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:19:32 +0000

Hind sight is 20/20…

I think Lainey said it best when she said “Even if you were in a better position then you are right now, you would still probably want to be in an even better one.” So true… The only way not have any regrets is to live your present life in a way that will adhere to your future standards and that is pretty much impossible for most of us.

I run the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” scenarios in my head a lot too – sometimes it makes for a nice escape from reality. You’re completely right when you say that things “could be worse” though and that’s the way I choose to look at it as well. I’m happy with my life now, so I most have done something right during the time leading up to now.