Morning Nicole, Nicole here. Your video this morning made me realized how different our generations are. I'm 70 years old. In my life I made several mistakes financially in the name of enjoying my life. I quit my 15 years of corporate work life in order to backpack around the world. I made over 1,000 skydives, I moved from Canada to the US (without a green card) in order to jump all year around in bigger airplanes. I did have a lot of fun and I am still able to enjoy a fairly comfortable retirement. Watching your video today it hit me that I probably would not have had the freedom of doing all this in today's economy. Young people today must feel so financially insecure compared to my generation. We had so much room to mess it up and still come out of if just fine. Take care of yourself.....I like your style.
You are so right. There are a lot more indulgences/temptations/extra expenses nowadays for people who are less aware of how damaging all these advertisements are that hit us fr every angle. Capitalism from greedy entrepreneurs has gone out of control so, yes, I think it's harder to save money nowadays. I feel sad for the young ones bc they are so easily manipulated and they can't realize that there's so much more to life than giving in to that overpriced luxury accessory, that worthless diamond ring, or anything just for show. People should work on deep-rooted insecurities rather than cover them up with shallow, temporary gratifications. We are subjected to a lot of negative exposures but at least there are good ones, too---influencers like Nicole to spread awareness.
So you're born in 1953, raised in the 50's & 60's as a kid all the way to the 70's I guess when you were an adult. I feel really bad for you folks. You guys didn't even have colored t.v's., Video game systems, Rotary phones, no cell, no internet, nothing of technology, crappy cars that sucked a lot of fuel, mom & pop shops because Walmarts & Amazon don't exist.... Heck Blockbuster video & things booming in the 90's didn't exist when you were a kid & even young adult. Then for work, no direct deposit & had to go to the bank & wait in line & again a lot of mom & pop stuff.
@@tonyp9313 The average house had about 1,200 sf with 3 bedrooms. Today it is over 2,500sf for a 3 bedroom. XBox was called "outside", and we got our driver licenses at 16 - like immediately. If we wanted something, we worked and saved for it - credit was for the rich. Almost nobody saw a job at McDonalds as a career, but as a stepping stone. We were in better physical condition, because we had to ride a bike or walk everywhere (at least until 16). There were 3 channels of TV (4 if you got PBS), and everyone watched the same group of shows (FYI - the quality was generally higher). There was ONE TV in the house, and if you were the youngest you were the remote. Air travel? That was for the wealthier among us, and people dressed up to fly. Air conditioning was also for the wealthier folks, and if you had it it went into your parents room first (window rattler). We NEVER expected to have everything our parents had right off the bat - we worked and saved for it (again, credit wasn't a common thing for the working class). Not everyone was steered toward college then, many were steered toward the trades and HS shop classes actually prepared them. I think the big difference today is expectations v realities. If you are grounded in financial thinking and as a person in general you will meet success. Thus, it has always been. I get tired of folks thinking Boomers had it easy. We didn't. Our expectations were different, and better grounded. I accept that times have changed, and I can point to several key things that happened in the 50s, 60s and 70s that caused the issues. A key point there though is WHO was in charge of the big companies then. Hint - it wasn't Boomers, but we were better prepared to deal with it. Sorry, long rant. I just get a bit tired of being blamed for a bunch of shit that is fixable if you quit whining and do something to unfuck yourself.
I sold my soul to Corporate America but I also put the maximum I could in my 401K. In retirement I am actually living the life I want. Too bad that I waited so long to really enjoy life.
Hi Nicole, first I love your videos. Ever since I started watching them I’ve been declutterring so much crap I have and feeling a lot of regret at donating so much stuff I’ve recently bought. I have also been writing down all my expenditures and seeing how much is coming in. I’ve always been quite good with money as I’ve never had much of it so I learned to stretch it. My circumstances have drastically changed but my relationship with money hasn’t. Perhaps another topic you could explore, muse about if you will: how to tackle money goals as a couple. Especially when your spouse likes to spend money. We have this system where I save near enough every penny I can and he spends a lot of his and uses his credit card which worries me. I rarely use my credit card and it’s otherwise fully paid off. I also have money saved as an emergency fund. It makes me feel good to save money. I’ve also never understood the desire to have the latest iPhone, I think I have an iPhone 7 and I will use it until it dies! Anyway, really enjoy your videos. Hope you get loads of subs.
I know this will sound harsh. Get the H out that relationship. Money eventually will cause incredible resentment, fights etc, ask me how I know. Lost every single dime I worked so hard for and he lived it up, working when he wanted. It beat me down so bad over the years that walked out with my clothes and books only. Funny when I went to sign the house(joint ownership) to him free and clear, he didn't want to pay the ONE dollar to do it. lawyer had to tell him to pay up!.You will come up with so many reasons to excuse his behaviour. Just bite the bullet and get out. Find someone that has same attitude towards money, or go it alone. This goes for men as well. Don't put up with it for any reason. Promises will never be kept. You will feel like a nag and will be gaslit. Life is/can be so much harder now than when I went thru this. Don't screw up your life for someone else thinking they will change. When people show you what they are believe them is so true.
Was that the kids name? 😂 Been a while since i brushed up on my simpsons general knowledge..... i kinda remember the kid having to run 200 miles to get to the neighbours house to ask about toilet flush direction 😂
Great advice! Ive always been good with money but I can’t help feeling that the system is set up so that the average person working for a pay cheque will never get ahead financially. It seems that the average middle class worker will always struggle to keep their head above water
Can we PLEASE stop saying things like, "The system is set up so that the average person can't get ahead...". Just stop. No. It's not "the system". The system is not out to get. you and the average person. It's about YOU and the daily decisions that YOU make. You're not poor or struggling because "this" person is in power, or "that" side of the aisle in congress. Life will not be better if only "they" were not there. Its YOU. It's not because eggs are so expensive and interest rates are so high. It's about you being financially literate. It's about you working hard, making hard choices, teaching yourself about personal finance, and making slow and steady progress. So tired of people always saying it's "The Man" and that's why they can't make any progress.
Ok but also a handful of billionaires are hoarding most of the wealth in the world and capitalism is designed to keep people struggling so they’re too burned out and busy to revolt.
I am a super rich person! I am married and have a daughter. We have a roof over our heads and 3 healthy meals (homemade). I almost have no debt and my car is paid off.
@@Bachconcertos Two :D I have very nice clothes, time for myself and family and I rent nice appartment. But I considered myself rich because I have food and roof over my head. Everuthing else is luxury!
@@Bachconcertos lmao, what does that have to do with anything ??? i have no job and im willing to bet i have more $$$ than you and more to the point,,, WHY IS IT YOUR BUSINESS ?????
My way of spending money is to always tell myself that I don't have it. What I currently have is off limits, except for necessities. So I tell myself if I want something that's not necessary I need to save up for it. If it's $1000 then I'll save at least $3000 before I spend $1000.
I don't know where i went wrong. I guess because I've never had a "support system" ?? ..idk. I'm 50 and FINALLY have a proper place to live after 10 yrs of couch surfing. But I've worked so hard I've had a few total emotional & mental breakdowns. Apparently it's called "autistic burnout" --when you can get "depression attacks" and even though i definitely was NOT unn-lifey, one day i suddenly (like a robot & against my will) almost did the deed!! WTF??!! scarey as hell. And i had no close friends to help. I love your content. But life has almost killed me. Decades of survival mode has actually changed me, and NOT in a good way. Humans don't have infinite amounts of strength & energy! If i died today, nobody will have known who i was. And it was such a waste of a life... working for food & shelter. Wow! Not. lol. I ALWAYS used to be a very positive and a "can do" person. I only have about 3 more decades left on earth. I reeeaaaallllly hope i get to know what it feels like to live instead of just survive.
A retired Army coworker once gave me some great advice. Patience. Whatever your major purchase is, whether it be a repair or a purchase, do one thing at a time. Pay it off before doing another. And, build an emergency fund for the things that happen in between.
Agreed. And as for that person that's telling you "you deserve this today, just charge it", follow the money. Pretty good chance they want some of the money in your pocket to move to their pocket :)
I agree with you 💯 percent,most people live paycheck to paycheck and I don't know how they can keep their head above water everyone needs a rainy day fund
As somebody who dug myself out of the payday loan debt slavery fueled by addiction, I can now proudly say I am addiction free, debt free and have 6x the basic emergency saving amount. I can definitely say even having a small emergency fund is a HUGE load off the mind. Even if you can only save $20 a payday, just start saving something. You'll thank yourself later.
Thanks for the pep talk, especially about telling people you can't afford something. The pressure to validate other people's spending choices can be intense, and a lot of us go along with it to reduce friction. I still constantly have to say no to friends who "just" want to go out for a beer or latte, which becomes beers and appetizers and full on restaurant tabs and quickie trips to a casino. I counter with "come on over, I have beer AND coffee and food and music" which works some of the time. Doesn't work for the people who want to be seen in choice public places or blow a wad gambling but then you know who really values your company. It also helps to tell them there's something special you're saving up for, because some people just frown on frugality as a default like it's some kind of character defect, like you're just a downer person who is puritanically opposed to having fun. I value fun, but on my own terms, and that means that I have a nice vacation trip to look forward to that I have a realistic prospect of affording because I'm not buying overpriced beer and fried crap all year long. Whew.
I have been feeling depressed because I just got fired from my job. But your video helped me to see I am doing good financially because I have over 6 months of expenses saved up and I am getting unemployment so I will be fine until I get another job. I need to budget better so I can save more money.
I just cancelled 3 subscriptions which ate my money monthly. It's feels like miracle as usually you have to pay the going out fee, the months you got left, but I was given special gift and all cancelled without any fees as good gesture. Sometimes people just need to ask and usually the companies making their millions, so they are quite understanding.
You are the most real person I have come across on youtube so far! You have such Wisdom and inspiration, I learned so much from your videos and I thank you!❤
Love this video. Me and my husband are definitely that type you describe "makes 50k and spends 30k" roughly, so we're pretty confident in our decisions but there is always room for improvement and making great moves with our money. I love the attitude you share here about driving your older car with pride, and so on. It's so good!
I live on a disability income of $1100 a month, I'm debt FREE. I drive an 18 yr old car, and I've been on another NO SPEND year that I started on July 1 2022. I have been "no spending" now for so long that it has become second nature to me, n I don't see that ending, it really is easier than think.
This year 2023 is the first year Sue and I have been totally debt free and using a budget app to see where our money is going. Between money we put into our HISA and 401Ks we are saving 50% of our income. We have 10 months of expenses (FU money) in saving in our HISA. 7 years ago we were paycheck to paycheck, now on basically the same income we are saving 50% of our income. All this with the current inflation rates. We have gone from complaining that we need more money to saving 50% that means we are not spending money willy nilly. 5 years of no spend misery---now we keep most of our money.
I've just been through the second mass layoff by a major Fortune 500 company. American businesses are swapping out US citizens for foreign workers, to lower wages and labor costs. They've been doing it for over a decade. You can do nothing wrong, and they will sack you. So having multiple income sources is very important, as Nicole says. And frankly, I consider it an honor to be among the discharged. In an environment where your boss cannot do your job, you're always in danger.
Getting fired or laid off has always helped me despite, at the time, thinking that it has not helped me. The reason being that just changing jobs results in a huge salary increase.
I get bonuses at my main job. Bonuses for signing on clients, bonuses for good Google reviews, and money for mileage. Couldn’t be happier 😅. Beats working for myself and trying to find clients
The points you make in this video as well as some others should be used in a high school course titled Life Skills or some such thing. Teaching about money, credit, retirement, wills, contracts, investments, budgeting, estates, mortgages, all the things we'll likely be faced with in a lifetime. I know I could have used it but I managed to figure most of it out along the way.
The thing hardest for me is the guilt over the slightest waste or mistake.....brings up memories of the old folks in the 1950s who anguished over every quarter and annoyed everybody around them. I was told many charge hundreds or thousands online and keep it a secret from their spouses.....with me it's $5 and $10 mistakes. Since I hate buying cheap slave goods that really keeps me out of a lot!!!.
Love the fact you have a record player, I live a relatively minimal lifestyle too, except for one thing- my 600 LP collection haha. I will always hold onto it!
One recent thing I did that has really helped my spending is to have 2 separate checking accounts. One for all basic bills and the second for all discretionary spending and savings. Because I want to save I clamp down on unnecessary spending.
Phenomenal video. My partner & I watched together and couldn’t agree more with you. Also, this was the perfect financial pep talk we needed to hear around the holiday timeframe to get us focused again:) Keep it up, Nicole! Your videos are amazing and truly help people.
Wealth not equaling become has hit me recently. I have a friend who makes 3x my income, owns a home, travels lots, Has brand name and fancy things. But she’s 30k in credit card debt, car debt, student loans, over drawn, and worried about refinancing her mortgage next year…. Where as I am consumer debt free, will pay off my car this year, have paid down my student loans, have half an emergency fund, and retirement. So in a few years I’ll be in a much more secure place than her.
No to the second job. Second income may or may not make sense. The best second income is investment income as rentals, IRAs, 401ks, and other similar sources. Second jobs are usually a problem because they interfere with first jobs. The world needs a best ditch digger more than it needs a half ass accounting clerk who half ass stocks shelves at night.
When you are in a type of insolvency, your practicioner won't allow you to hold savings. (UK, personal example. ) I can keep up to 10% if I have overtime, that doesn't happen very often. 19 months to go, I plan to double my car payment when my IVA is paid. Second income would have to be paid in to the IVA, so I don't bother. All of this made me learn the hard way, how to handle things correctly. Never going back to the old ways
I used to be always in debt it doesn't matter what I do, until I discovered Dave Ramsey the baby steps and that has changed how I manage how I spend. Started to budgeting. Watching all things has to do with finance like this kind of videos. Now my debts are gone, I have an emergency fund and saved over 50k in the last couple years. I used to have zero save and deep in debts. One advice I wish I know since my first paycheck is PAY YOURSELF FIRST. That's how I was able to saved 50k the last couple years. If I knew this years ago I will probably a millionaire by now and I'm not joking.
But better to have started a couple years ago then to have not started at all. Investing is just like planting trees. The best time to start doing it was 20 years ago, the 2nd best time is today ;)
NICOLE, DOWN IN THE LOWER 48 WE ARE PAYING 22 PERCENT OF OUR TAKE HOME PAY FOR FOOD PER MONTH. MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SHOP AROUND. WALMART IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST FOOD OPTION. HAPPY HOLIDAYS LET'S HOPE 24 WILL BE BETTER.
I’m disabled, on social security, debt free and several thousand in the bank. Most of you could do it too, but you probably wouldn’t want to live where I live and drive what I drive.
When budgeting, round up your expenses and round down your income. Works for me anyway. Also, have the right attitude. I think it was Marcus Aurelius who said "to feel wealthy, want less." You don't need to go hungry, just understand there is a difference between "need" and "want." Having taken lots of marketing classes I can honestly say that my professors would call me a heretic and never speak to me again if they knew that I said that, because a fundamental strategy of marketing is to blur the line between need and want. Don't let them tell you how to determine you needs.
Great vid Nicole. Just to add to your comment on shopping around, I do it online all the time, it's so easy and a great feeling when you nail an item which you really need, and it can be half or less than another seller...example, I needed a good quality, high spec PTC Ceramic Fan Heater recently, cost on Amazon 114 $...found one on eBay 43 $ (which I bought brand new and exactly same brand and specs) I would echo everything you proclaim in your video Nicole and it's a great feeling of self satisfaction to live thrifty and be able to put away the savings for a rainy day.
Our key family strategy has been to live with family or friends instead of solo, to save money on rent / mortgage. Some of us can even carpool to save on gas
I'm not a fan of "I can't afford to." I much prefer "that's not in my budget." And it's more truthful anyway. The reality is that pretty much anything my friends could suggest to do that costs $, I CAN afford, I just don't want to waste money on it. Plus, to me, to say "I can't afford it" sounds kind of pitiful. Also, who was that YT guy you put in your video who had that meltdown because the caller didn't have an emergency fund? He looks entertaining.
not doing as bad as i thought. i have a plan. debt free at the end of this year, will happen. flesh out emergency fund asap and 2nd stream of income by april 2023. great vieo. great advice. thanks!
Every year I buy stuff that is so bad but its all accounted for in my selling stuff on Marketplace that I pick up for free one way or another and repurpose what has value in it. It helps that I am almost a hermit to not over spend. This video made alot of sense!
its kind of like all these people you see in new york renting apartments ect they get paid a lot but most not all but a very many are living month to month and need the deposit back to get another one they are living moment to moment but it can fall down very quickly
FYI, if you want to keep your phone number, I know for a fact, Boost will make it very difficult. Very difficult. I watch this channel because there's always more to learn. One of the things I want to say is, when you're freaking out about a repair, it helps to take stock. First, is it that bad? A couple of winters ago, it go COLD here. I'm from up north, I'm cool, know how to handle this. Woke up, my kitchen was flooded. Of course, first thought was broken pipe. Freak freak. I called my pseudobrother, whom I thank the Cozmic Muffin for everyday, and he talked me down. It's okay. A little calmer? Go look now. And what I'd done was left the water dripping, but the pan under it had filled and overflowed onto the counter, then the floor. Not so bad. I stuck my foot through the. bedroom floor a few months back. That reaction was more, "Oh, shit." I have two accounts, one I use for bills and other spending, the other is the emergency account. Well, emergency account is pretty much gone now, but I have a solid floor. I put most of the money away any time I sell something, like refurbished furniture, or a fancy dress I made. Takes a while, but I had it when I needed it. With my regular income (social security retirement, totally unimpressive) I still put some of it away. My car is 10 years old, a little Hyundai, but it's what I need. I live in a mobile home, but my kids are grown, and have their own homes and families. I don't need a big home. Or a new one, for that matter. My idea of having it all is having what you want. A functional car, my home, My jewelry, such as it is, I got from Claire's or someplace like that. I do my own baking, dehydrate my own jerky, garlic powder, et al, can up fruits and veggies from my yard. In my mind, I have it all.
We got rid of cable tv and the wireless phone contained within the 'bundle' we had about 15 years ago. We now use antenna tv and an OOMA phone VOIP connection. Last I looked, we have reduced that cost by at least $100.00 per month. Doing some quick math, we have saved in the neighborhood of $18,000.00 over the past 15 years doing just this. We have only wireless internet which runs about $70.00 per month as of today. Things really add up over time!
NB * PEOPLE ,....I found a money saving loophole for people in Canada or winter climates.I research everything and found that physics says that tires are safe for 6 years and then they lose 10% safety ( EVERY YEAR ) nd blow out after 6 years. Two sets of tires winters and summer is stupid and bothersome and about $ 1,600. extra if you count the 2nd rims and tire changing appointments twice a year.I went to Bracebridge north of Toronto to " KAL TIRE " a chain in Cananda since 1964.They have these excellent rugged Alterian tires from Japan for $ 233.00 a tire. A KO2 or KO3 Alterian is about twice the price and my KAL alterrain tires are very quiet, good in ice and snow, have the snow flake for insurance discounts in car insurance. Next I buy a water tank for the home to benefit $ 3,000. over 15 years.
Almost all of things have absolutely nothing to do with your financial circumstance. Im on the verge of being homeless every fucking month, been behind on rent several months in a row and unable to hold a job. Doesn't matter if im financially literate or don't overpay stuff, im financially fucked. Im convinced this person has so much more money than she thinks she does compared to the average American, she has no idea how good she has it or how bad other people have it. Shes right that lots of people are stupid with their financial choices, but people are struggling even if they do everything right. I can't be doing better than the majority of the population. If I was doing literally any worse id be dead. Or homeless, but then id just (censored) myself its over at that point.
Hiya Levi! Please tell Nicole that I enjoy her content and thank her for her insight and that I appreciate her immensely. I know she is a good human by all the ways she spoils and adores you - take care of her and yourself. You're the best dog. Texas sized pats and kisses.
My IRL friends call me a dragon 'cause of how protective I am of my money, lol. I just don't want to be caught unawares (and my BPD/NPD mom threatens to kick me out all the time, so I want to be prepared in case it actually happens...). I save virtually every cent that doesn't go to my parents for rent/phone/groceries that are only mine, etc (I do have fun, though! I buy video games on super sales! Luckily, my other hobbies are basically free, lol), and I don't make much (minimum wage job, sadly, no matter how hard I try to get out), so the fact that I have a SHIT TON in the bank (at least/espec for my age and station, espec compared to my friends my age) is, at least I've been told, very impressive! lol.
i know im doing well, better than most 1 yup 2 i keep track of EVERYTHING, but i have no budget, i spend what i want 3 i love a bargain , but i have 4 streaming services , INCLUDING PRIME , its great !!!!! 4 lol way more than $1000 5 yup , more than 2 sources of income (you made a comment there about you can lose a job at any time ppl say they are independent, BUT IMO if you work for someone, if you rely on someone to pay you a paychk, IMO you are not independent) 6 never cared what others think lol 2 crappy cars, but that will change soon 7 not really , maybe in the past 8 ya sorta but do i really need a plan ? no not really
The comparison of the person that makes 200 000 a year and spends it all vs the person that makes 50 000 a year but saves 20 does not show that the person saving 20 is doing financially better. They are most definitely not doing better. The person making 200k can most likely save 50k if they wanted to. Meaning they have 2 or 3 years extra time compared to the less fortunate person to fool around and still end up with the same amount of savings, but living much better life style. The person making 200k a year is doing much better than the person making 50k, no matter who saves more. It's much easier to cut down on expenses than it is to suddenly increase one's income by 300%. That is extremely unrealistic expectation. But cutting a high income/high expenses person's expenses by a third? Probably a piece of cake. High income is always better than low income no matter how you spin it.
Statistically, this retired couple with a "poverty level income" should be hanging on by a thread. But we thrive! We're healthy, first of all. (If you are shelling out for medical stuff, I'm sorry for you. 😮💨) We own the acreage we live on, hold zero debt, and drive 19 & 25 y/o better than good vehicles, which we keep maintained, of course. We also have substantial COH. I ❤ your channel. You're level-headed..a rarity.
You Rock Nicole. Been a big inspiration for me to get my finances in order. My day job barely pays the bills ... but I've decided I ain't living without savings any more!!! Some interesting side jobs coming my way lately as a result
Hey, I use Mint Mobile. I pay by the year, so it's like $15/month. Good deal and they have good phones deals, even though I'm rocking a 5 year old iPhone 11.
Thanks for that! I do most of those things and sometimes feel deprived in comparison to my friends but they don’t have a problem with debt and for me debt is so untenable! It makes me so uncomfortable. I am retired and watch my money closely. I don’t want to work at this stage of my life so I have to know where every dollar is going. I use the every dollar app which is so helpful. I am glad I found your channel. I know you are young but would love to see some content for retired persons. I am lucky to have a great pension.
Hi Nicole your videos have helped me so much. I'm a formerly shopaholic who chased instant gratification and started bingeing Dave Ramsey (which was not good) however only started doing better when I watched your videos. I can now say I am on the way to all of the signs you listed in this video
Thanks to your videos, I started my own RUclips adventure (and you even had a look one time on my video's, leaving a comment and even responding to a personal email!) but I also learned a lot about financial stuff and the way I am budgeting right now! I'm from nature a big spender and I have a husband who is from nature a minimalist. He really owns only a keyboard and an amplifier and some clothes and shoes, and that's really it! So with me and my thousand and one hobby's; it's not easy to budget. Especially with our children. But now, during a couple of months, I threw out a lot of clutter (it's still not completely clutter free but I'm getting there) and it's feels so freeing. Every room in this house is breathing right now. Even downstairs. No hidden dump somewhere. It feels organized. And also I made the choice to live more intentionally. I have the luxury to live from my foodtruck which I started 6 years ago and now doing the whole RUclips thing and trying to become a professional painter. I'm already selling my paintings! Now I cut down a lot of unnecessary expenses. I cook my own meals like you said. I take better care of myself (and so also my family). I try to consume less, and needing less money this way. I feel free as a bird and proud that I have my own income from my very own business with a 6 figures revenue. Not bad for someone who was tested with multiples mental disorders and an IQ lower than the average!
Great video once again! I think that another sign that you're doing better than you think you are is if you always know exactly what to expect when a package arrives at your door. I used to have a coworker who would blindly order so many things online and send them to our workplace, and she usually had no idea what it was until she opened it. I've seen enough memes and reels on this to get the sense that this is pretty common thanks to Klarna, two-day shipping, the plethora of "sales" in November and December, etc.
Today when I left to buy soda, I came home to find theres a soda recall. Thats spooky. But it didnt effect Wisconsin's soda. Hope Levi is a happy puppy this Christmas week
I like the way you think. Also, after watching several of your videos, I am realizing that you are the exact opposite of my ex-wife. She put me in bankruptcy, twice. The first time it was her fault. The second time it was my fault for not leaving her after the first bankruptcy.
I was doing good until we got to "$1000 saved up for emergencies." I thought to myself "Uh-oh, Nicole's going to be pretty disappointed in me," but then I realized that if a true emergency happened, I know that my credit union would float me up to 3k with just a signature. Not ideal, I know, but at my income level, whatever's left over at the end of the month usually goes to one of my hobbies (ham radio, drums/bass, or my project car). It keeps me sane though.
Hi Nicole! It was nice seeing a positive video this time around! Lately I’ve had some pretty huge life changes. I think my next goal is to own my house completely in the next 5-7 years. I think I’m starting to realize that even if my bf and I were to get married in the next few years I want my house to be my asset. I want to fully have the piece of mind that if the relationship doesn’t work out it’ll still be my home. I’m not really sure how all the details will work out but I’m thinking definitely talking to a lawyer before I ever sign a piece of paper. Or maybe not getting married at all 😂 not really sure!
Guess I'm one of these money 'smart' people. No debt except the mortgage. I am a cheap Canadian with Scottish roots - it's in our blood. I'm on Rogers for $20 a month for cell phone - Think I'll stick with it. I have $3000 in the bank so I guess I'm in good shape. I've got a fulltime job and resume filled with various skills along with a side hustle where I get steady $$ - not a whole lot but at least something. I am a minimalist and actually just replaced my Braun toothbrush that I LITERALLY HAD FOR 20 YEARS! That's how much I hang on to purchases - unfortunately that toothbrush had a battery that finally died....20 years is damn good though. The plus side is that the new Braun brush i bought it BETTER and it actually cost a fraction of what I paid for my Braun brush back in 2003. Hopefully I can make this one last another 20 years...
Yay!! Love to see art on your walls!! You totally deserve to see nice things in the house you worked so hard for. Glad to see you seizing the opportunity to spice things up!
Morning Nicole, Nicole here. Your video this morning made me realized how different our generations are. I'm 70 years old. In my life I made several mistakes financially in the name of enjoying my life. I quit my 15 years of corporate work life in order to backpack around the world. I made over 1,000 skydives, I moved from Canada to the US (without a green card) in order to jump all year around in bigger airplanes. I did have a lot of fun and I am still able to enjoy a fairly comfortable retirement.
Watching your video today it hit me that I probably would not have had the freedom of doing all this in today's economy. Young people today must feel so financially insecure compared to my generation. We had so much room to mess it up and still come out of if just fine.
Take care of yourself.....I like your style.
You are so right. There are a lot more indulgences/temptations/extra expenses nowadays for people who are less aware of how damaging all these advertisements are that hit us fr every angle. Capitalism from greedy entrepreneurs has gone out of control so, yes, I think it's harder to save money nowadays. I feel sad for the young ones bc they are so easily manipulated and they can't realize that there's so much more to life than giving in to that overpriced luxury accessory, that worthless diamond ring, or anything just for show. People should work on deep-rooted insecurities rather than cover them up with shallow, temporary gratifications.
We are subjected to a lot of negative exposures but at least there are good ones, too---influencers like Nicole to spread awareness.
must be nice to be a boomer
So you're born in 1953, raised in the 50's & 60's as a kid all the way to the 70's I guess when you were an adult. I feel really bad for you folks. You guys didn't even have colored t.v's., Video game systems, Rotary phones, no cell, no internet, nothing of technology, crappy cars that sucked a lot of fuel, mom & pop shops because Walmarts & Amazon don't exist.... Heck Blockbuster video & things booming in the 90's didn't exist when you were a kid & even young adult.
Then for work, no direct deposit & had to go to the bank & wait in line & again a lot of mom & pop stuff.
@@tonyp9313 The average house had about 1,200 sf with 3 bedrooms. Today it is over 2,500sf for a 3 bedroom. XBox was called "outside", and we got our driver licenses at 16 - like immediately. If we wanted something, we worked and saved for it - credit was for the rich. Almost nobody saw a job at McDonalds as a career, but as a stepping stone. We were in better physical condition, because we had to ride a bike or walk everywhere (at least until 16). There were 3 channels of TV (4 if you got PBS), and everyone watched the same group of shows (FYI - the quality was generally higher). There was ONE TV in the house, and if you were the youngest you were the remote. Air travel? That was for the wealthier among us, and people dressed up to fly. Air conditioning was also for the wealthier folks, and if you had it it went into your parents room first (window rattler). We NEVER expected to have everything our parents had right off the bat - we worked and saved for it (again, credit wasn't a common thing for the working class). Not everyone was steered toward college then, many were steered toward the trades and HS shop classes actually prepared them.
I think the big difference today is expectations v realities. If you are grounded in financial thinking and as a person in general you will meet success. Thus, it has always been. I get tired of folks thinking Boomers had it easy. We didn't. Our expectations were different, and better grounded. I accept that times have changed, and I can point to several key things that happened in the 50s, 60s and 70s that caused the issues. A key point there though is WHO was in charge of the big companies then. Hint - it wasn't Boomers, but we were better prepared to deal with it.
Sorry, long rant. I just get a bit tired of being blamed for a bunch of shit that is fixable if you quit whining and do something to unfuck yourself.
Yes, it was terrible. You had to go into the bank and stores and talk to friends, neighbors, and people in the community. lol
I sold my soul to Corporate America but I also put the maximum I could in my 401K. In retirement I am actually living the life I want. Too bad that I waited so long to really enjoy life.
Better late than never.
Hi Nicole, first I love your videos. Ever since I started watching them I’ve been declutterring so much crap I have and feeling a lot of regret at donating so much stuff I’ve recently bought. I have also been writing down all my expenditures and seeing how much is coming in. I’ve always been quite good with money as I’ve never had much of it so I learned to stretch it. My circumstances have drastically changed but my relationship with money hasn’t. Perhaps another topic you could explore, muse about if you will: how to tackle money goals as a couple. Especially when your spouse likes to spend money. We have this system where I save near enough every penny I can and he spends a lot of his and uses his credit card which worries me. I rarely use my credit card and it’s otherwise fully paid off. I also have money saved as an emergency fund. It makes me feel good to save money. I’ve also never understood the desire to have the latest iPhone, I think I have an iPhone 7 and I will use it until it dies! Anyway, really enjoy your videos. Hope you get loads of subs.
I know this will sound harsh. Get the H out that relationship. Money eventually will cause incredible resentment, fights etc, ask me how I know. Lost every single dime I worked so hard for and he lived it up, working when he wanted. It beat me down so bad over the years that walked out with my clothes and books only. Funny when I went to sign the house(joint ownership) to him free and clear, he didn't want to pay the ONE dollar to do it. lawyer had to tell him to pay up!.You will come up with so many reasons to excuse his behaviour. Just bite the bullet and get out. Find someone that has same attitude towards money, or go it alone. This goes for men as well. Don't put up with it for any reason. Promises will never be kept. You will feel like a nag and will be gaslit.
Life is/can be so much harder now than when I went thru this. Don't screw up your life for someone else thinking they will change. When people show you what they are believe them is so true.
💥💯 All great advice that I actually have been following myself for years.
House, check, car, check, credit card. Check
Now to build an emergency fund
Aussies are never gonna live down that "900 dollarey doo's" guy....
Thanks a lot Sam Simon 😂
TOBIIIIIIIASSSSS
Was that the kids name?
😂
Been a while since i brushed up on my simpsons general knowledge..... i kinda remember the kid having to run 200 miles to get to the neighbours house to ask about toilet flush direction 😂
👍🏽❤️👍🏽❤️👍🏽
Great advice! Ive always been good with money but I can’t help feeling that the system is set up so that the average person working for a pay cheque will never get ahead financially. It seems that the average middle class worker will always struggle to keep their head above water
Most ‘middle class’ buy new cars and go out to eat a lot so they ‘feel’ middle class. Cutting that out will save a lot of money.
Can we PLEASE stop saying things like, "The system is set up so that the average person can't get ahead...". Just stop. No. It's not "the system". The system is not out to get. you and the average person. It's about YOU and the daily decisions that YOU make. You're not poor or struggling because "this" person is in power, or "that" side of the aisle in congress. Life will not be better if only "they" were not there. Its YOU. It's not because eggs are so expensive and interest rates are so high. It's about you being financially literate. It's about you working hard, making hard choices, teaching yourself about personal finance, and making slow and steady progress. So tired of people always saying it's "The Man" and that's why they can't make any progress.
Ok but also a handful of billionaires are hoarding most of the wealth in the world and capitalism is designed to keep people struggling so they’re too burned out and busy to revolt.
@@AccordingtoNicoleHi Nicole, How many years did it take you to save for a house?
Oh yes, the ol´ "avocado toast" narrative....🤣🤣@@thetapheonix
I am a super rich person! I am married and have a daughter. We have a roof over our heads and 3 healthy meals (homemade). I almost have no debt and my car is paid off.
🙌🏼
Do you have a job?
@@Bachconcertos Two :D I have very nice clothes, time for myself and family and I rent nice appartment. But I considered myself rich because I have food and roof over my head. Everuthing else is luxury!
@@Bachconcertos lmao, what does that have to do with anything ???
i have no job and im willing to bet i have more $$$ than you
and more to the point,,, WHY IS IT YOUR BUSINESS ?????
That's not rich😂
Ok 👍 I achieved all 8 signs here🙌!!! Keep your informative videos coming👍👍👍, Nicole!
My way of spending money is to always tell myself that I don't have it. What I currently have is off limits, except for necessities. So I tell myself if I want something that's not necessary I need to save up for it. If it's $1000 then I'll save at least $3000 before I spend $1000.
I don't know where i went wrong. I guess because I've never had a "support system" ?? ..idk.
I'm 50 and FINALLY have a proper place to live after 10 yrs of couch surfing.
But I've worked so hard I've had a few total emotional & mental breakdowns.
Apparently it's called "autistic burnout" --when you can get "depression attacks" and even though i definitely was NOT unn-lifey, one day i suddenly (like a robot & against my will) almost did the deed!! WTF??!! scarey as hell. And i had no close friends to help.
I love your content.
But life has almost killed me.
Decades of survival mode has actually changed me, and NOT in a good way. Humans don't have infinite amounts of strength & energy!
If i died today, nobody will have known who i was. And it was such a waste of a life... working for food & shelter. Wow! Not. lol.
I ALWAYS used to be a very positive and a "can do" person.
I only have about 3 more decades left on earth. I reeeaaaallllly hope i get to know what it feels like to live instead of just survive.
❤
A retired Army coworker once gave me some great advice. Patience. Whatever your major purchase is, whether it be a repair or a purchase, do one thing at a time. Pay it off before doing another. And, build an emergency fund for the things that happen in between.
Agreed. And as for that person that's telling you "you deserve this today, just charge it", follow the money. Pretty good chance they want some of the money in your pocket to move to their pocket :)
Holy shit. I got serious nostalgia looking at you. 😢😢 I miss the early 90s 😢😢😢. Your hairstyle reminds me of those times.
When I’m paying everything for cash, then I’m doing well. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I agree with you 💯 percent,most people live paycheck to paycheck and I don't know how they can keep their head above water everyone needs a rainy day fund
As somebody who dug myself out of the payday loan debt slavery fueled by addiction, I can now proudly say I am addiction free, debt free and have 6x the basic emergency saving amount. I can definitely say even having a small emergency fund is a HUGE load off the mind.
Even if you can only save $20 a payday, just start saving something. You'll thank yourself later.
Thanks for the pep talk, especially about telling people you can't afford something. The pressure to validate other people's spending choices can be intense, and a lot of us go along with it to reduce friction. I still constantly have to say no to friends who "just" want to go out for a beer or latte, which becomes beers and appetizers and full on restaurant tabs and quickie trips to a casino. I counter with "come on over, I have beer AND coffee and food and music" which works some of the time. Doesn't work for the people who want to be seen in choice public places or blow a wad gambling but then you know who really values your company.
It also helps to tell them there's something special you're saving up for, because some people just frown on frugality as a default like it's some kind of character defect, like you're just a downer person who is puritanically opposed to having fun. I value fun, but on my own terms, and that means that I have a nice vacation trip to look forward to that I have a realistic prospect of affording because I'm not buying overpriced beer and fried crap all year long. Whew.
I have been feeling depressed because I just got fired from my job. But your video helped me to see I am doing good financially because I have over 6 months of expenses saved up and I am getting unemployment so I will be fine until I get another job. I need to budget better so I can save more money.
I just cancelled 3 subscriptions which ate my money monthly. It's feels like miracle as usually you have to pay the going out fee, the months you got left, but I was given special gift and all cancelled without any fees as good gesture. Sometimes people just need to ask and usually the companies making their millions, so they are quite understanding.
Greatest 'sleeper' RUclips channel out there... love it
You are the most real person I have come across on youtube so far! You have such Wisdom and inspiration, I learned so much from your videos and I thank you!❤
Always look forward to new Nicole and Caleb videos. Glad you included Caleb with your video today. ❤
Love this video. Me and my husband are definitely that type you describe "makes 50k and spends 30k" roughly, so we're pretty confident in our decisions but there is always room for improvement and making great moves with our money. I love the attitude you share here about driving your older car with pride, and so on. It's so good!
I live on a disability income of $1100 a month, I'm debt FREE. I drive an 18 yr old car, and I've been on another NO SPEND year that I started on July 1 2022. I have been "no spending" now for so long that it has become second nature to me, n I don't see that ending, it really is easier than think.
Me too! I have a 20 year old car. Husband has 19 year old car!
I have a 2003 Town Car...I could get a newer vehicle, but with $26,000 of medical bills(after insurance), I'm about zapped...
This year 2023 is the first year Sue and I have been totally debt free and using a budget app to see where our money is going. Between money we put into our HISA and 401Ks we are saving 50% of our income. We have 10 months of expenses (FU money) in saving in our HISA. 7 years ago we were paycheck to paycheck, now on basically the same income we are saving 50% of our income. All this with the current inflation rates. We have gone from complaining that we need more money to saving 50% that means we are not spending money willy nilly. 5 years of no spend misery---now we keep most of our money.
I've just been through the second mass layoff by a major Fortune 500 company. American businesses are swapping out US citizens for foreign workers, to lower wages and labor costs. They've been doing it for over a decade. You can do nothing wrong, and they will sack you. So having multiple income sources is very important, as Nicole says. And frankly, I consider it an honor to be among the discharged. In an environment where your boss cannot do your job, you're always in danger.
Getting fired or laid off has always helped me despite, at the time, thinking that it has not helped me. The reason being that just changing jobs results in a huge salary increase.
Having savings in the bank and telling yourself your broke is a strong mindset.
I get bonuses at my main job. Bonuses for signing on clients, bonuses for good Google reviews, and money for mileage. Couldn’t be happier 😅. Beats working for myself and trying to find clients
The points you make in this video as well as some others should be used in a high school course titled Life Skills or some such thing. Teaching about money, credit, retirement, wills, contracts, investments, budgeting, estates, mortgages, all the things we'll likely be faced with in a lifetime. I know I could have used it but I managed to figure most of it out along the way.
The thing hardest for me is the guilt over the slightest waste or mistake.....brings up memories of the old folks in the 1950s who anguished over every quarter and annoyed everybody around them.
I was told many charge hundreds or thousands online and keep it a secret from their spouses.....with me it's $5 and $10 mistakes. Since I hate buying cheap slave goods that really keeps me out of a lot!!!.
Yep,
I too am intentional with purchases. Like, so I really need this
😂 The middle finger to n@tflix! Love it! 🎉❤
Love the fact you have a record player, I live a relatively minimal lifestyle too, except for one thing- my 600 LP collection haha. I will always hold onto it!
One recent thing I did that has really helped my spending is to have 2 separate checking accounts. One for all basic bills and the second for all discretionary spending and savings. Because I want to save I clamp down on unnecessary spending.
Phenomenal video. My partner & I watched together and couldn’t agree more with you. Also, this was the perfect financial pep talk we needed to hear around the holiday timeframe to get us focused again:) Keep it up, Nicole! Your videos are amazing and truly help people.
I agree about financial literacy.
& you have a vinyl record player in the background
Wealth not equaling become has hit me recently.
I have a friend who makes 3x my income, owns a home, travels lots, Has brand name and fancy things.
But she’s 30k in credit card debt, car debt, student loans, over drawn, and worried about refinancing her mortgage next year….
Where as I am consumer debt free, will pay off my car this year, have paid down my student loans, have half an emergency fund, and retirement. So in a few years I’ll be in a much more secure place than her.
I ❤️ you Nicole
No to the second job. Second income may or may not make sense. The best second income is investment income as rentals, IRAs, 401ks, and other similar sources. Second jobs are usually a problem because they interfere with first jobs. The world needs a best ditch digger more than it needs a half ass accounting clerk who half ass stocks shelves at night.
When you are in a type of insolvency, your practicioner won't allow you to hold savings. (UK, personal example. ) I can keep up to 10% if I have overtime, that doesn't happen very often. 19 months to go, I plan to double my car payment when my IVA is paid. Second income would have to be paid in to the IVA, so I don't bother. All of this made me learn the hard way, how to handle things correctly. Never going back to the old ways
additional income flow is soooooo hard...
i can't figure it out... 😵💫
Received a $250.00 bonus from my side job. Stocked up on food and toiletries.
I used to be always in debt it doesn't matter what I do, until I discovered Dave Ramsey the baby steps and that has changed how I manage how I spend. Started to budgeting. Watching all things has to do with finance like this kind of videos. Now my debts are gone, I have an emergency fund and saved over 50k in the last couple years. I used to have zero save and deep in debts. One advice I wish I know since my first paycheck is PAY YOURSELF FIRST. That's how I was able to saved 50k the last couple years. If I knew this years ago I will probably a millionaire by now and I'm not joking.
But better to have started a couple years ago then to have not started at all. Investing is just like planting trees. The best time to start doing it was 20 years ago, the 2nd best time is today ;)
NICOLE, DOWN IN THE LOWER 48 WE ARE PAYING 22 PERCENT OF OUR TAKE HOME PAY FOR FOOD PER MONTH. MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SHOP AROUND. WALMART IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST FOOD OPTION. HAPPY HOLIDAYS LET'S HOPE 24 WILL BE BETTER.
WHY ARE YOU YELLING?
@@AccordingtoNicole 😂
i stopped having "Rich" friends years ago, because i won't play that game.
I decided to leave the Rat Race
I’m disabled, on social security, debt free and several thousand in the bank. Most of you could do it too, but you probably wouldn’t want to live where I live and drive what I drive.
When budgeting, round up your expenses and round down your income. Works for me anyway.
Also, have the right attitude. I think it was Marcus Aurelius who said "to feel wealthy, want less." You don't need to go hungry, just understand there is a difference between "need" and "want." Having taken lots of marketing classes I can honestly say that my professors would call me a heretic and never speak to me again if they knew that I said that, because a fundamental strategy of marketing is to blur the line between need and want. Don't let them tell you how to determine you needs.
I like this girl. She gets direct to the issues and gives good advice
Great vid Nicole. Just to add to your comment on shopping around, I do it online all the time, it's so easy and a great feeling when you nail an item which you really need, and it can be half or less than another seller...example, I needed a good quality, high spec PTC Ceramic Fan Heater recently, cost on Amazon 114 $...found one on eBay 43 $ (which I bought brand new and exactly same brand and specs)
I would echo everything you proclaim in your video Nicole and it's a great feeling of self satisfaction to live thrifty and be able to put away the savings for a rainy day.
Great tips. I guess I'm better off than I thought.
Our key family strategy has been to live with family or friends instead of solo, to save money on rent / mortgage. Some of us can even carpool to save on gas
I agree 👍 financial literacy is key. I learned a lot from a course I detested at university: Financial Accounting.
I'm not a fan of "I can't afford to." I much prefer "that's not in my budget." And it's more truthful anyway. The reality is that pretty much anything my friends could suggest to do that costs $, I CAN afford, I just don't want to waste money on it. Plus, to me, to say "I can't afford it" sounds kind of pitiful.
Also, who was that YT guy you put in your video who had that meltdown because the caller didn't have an emergency fund? He looks entertaining.
not doing as bad as i thought. i have a plan. debt free at the end of this year, will happen. flesh out emergency fund asap and 2nd stream of income by april 2023. great vieo. great advice. thanks!
Save as much as you can, & be very frugal.
Definitely need some tips on digging out of my hole. Don’t feel like saving when I have so much high interest credit card debt.
Every year I buy stuff that is so bad but its all accounted for in my selling stuff on Marketplace that I pick up for free one way or another and repurpose what has value in it. It helps that I am almost a hermit to not over spend. This video made alot of sense!
its kind of like all these people you see in new york renting apartments ect they get paid a lot but most not all but a very many are living month to month and need the deposit back to get another one they are living moment to moment but it can fall down very quickly
They're probably living the Social Media fake life aka keeping up with the "in crowd"
FYI, if you want to keep your phone number, I know for a fact, Boost will make it very difficult. Very difficult. I watch this channel because there's always more to learn. One of the things I want to say is, when you're freaking out about a repair, it helps to take stock. First, is it that bad? A couple of winters ago, it go COLD here. I'm from up north, I'm cool, know how to handle this. Woke up, my kitchen was flooded. Of course, first thought was broken pipe. Freak freak. I called my pseudobrother, whom I thank the Cozmic Muffin for everyday, and he talked me down. It's okay. A little calmer? Go look now. And what I'd done was left the water dripping, but the pan under it had filled and overflowed onto the counter, then the floor. Not so bad. I stuck my foot through the. bedroom floor a few months back. That reaction was more, "Oh, shit." I have two accounts, one I use for bills and other spending, the other is the emergency account. Well, emergency account is pretty much gone now, but I have a solid floor. I put most of the money away any time I sell something, like refurbished furniture, or a fancy dress I made. Takes a while, but I had it when I needed it. With my regular income (social security retirement, totally unimpressive) I still put some of it away. My car is 10 years old, a little Hyundai, but it's what I need. I live in a mobile home, but my kids are grown, and have their own homes and families. I don't need a big home. Or a new one, for that matter. My idea of having it all is having what you want. A functional car, my home, My jewelry, such as it is, I got from Claire's or someplace like that. I do my own baking, dehydrate my own jerky, garlic powder, et al, can up fruits and veggies from my yard. In my mind, I have it all.
Good video. It’s nice to see something encouraging as it’s so easy to think about what we haven’t done and overlook what we have done.
Hi Nicole Great video, great advice. If Mint Mobile is available here in the UK, then i'll sign up for sure,
We got rid of cable tv and the wireless phone contained within the 'bundle' we had about 15 years ago. We now use antenna tv and an OOMA phone VOIP connection. Last I looked, we have reduced that cost by at least $100.00 per month. Doing some quick math, we have saved in the neighborhood of $18,000.00 over the past 15 years doing just this. We have only wireless internet which runs about $70.00 per month as of today. Things really add up over time!
I appreciate the Caleb Hammer clips🤣
NB * PEOPLE ,....I found a money saving loophole for people in Canada or winter climates.I research everything and found that physics says that tires are safe for 6 years and then they lose 10% safety ( EVERY YEAR ) nd blow out after 6 years. Two sets of tires winters and summer is stupid and bothersome and about $ 1,600. extra if you count the 2nd rims and tire changing appointments twice a year.I went to Bracebridge north of Toronto to " KAL TIRE " a chain in Cananda since 1964.They have these excellent rugged Alterian tires from Japan for $ 233.00 a tire. A KO2 or KO3 Alterian is about twice the price and my KAL alterrain tires are very quiet, good in ice and snow, have the snow flake for insurance discounts in car insurance.
Next I buy a water tank for the home to benefit $ 3,000. over 15 years.
Almost all of things have absolutely nothing to do with your financial circumstance. Im on the verge of being homeless every fucking month, been behind on rent several months in a row and unable to hold a job. Doesn't matter if im financially literate or don't overpay stuff, im financially fucked.
Im convinced this person has so much more money than she thinks she does compared to the average American, she has no idea how good she has it or how bad other people have it.
Shes right that lots of people are stupid with their financial choices, but people are struggling even if they do everything right.
I can't be doing better than the majority of the population. If I was doing literally any worse id be dead. Or homeless, but then id just (censored) myself its over at that point.
Hiya Levi! Please tell Nicole that I enjoy her content and thank her for her insight and that I appreciate her immensely. I know she is a good human by all the ways she spoils and adores you - take care of her and yourself. You're the best dog. Texas sized pats and kisses.
I love this channel . Great content
lol, I love that you'd wish multiple jobs on your worst enemy! Me too!
My IRL friends call me a dragon 'cause of how protective I am of my money, lol. I just don't want to be caught unawares (and my BPD/NPD mom threatens to kick me out all the time, so I want to be prepared in case it actually happens...). I save virtually every cent that doesn't go to my parents for rent/phone/groceries that are only mine, etc (I do have fun, though! I buy video games on super sales! Luckily, my other hobbies are basically free, lol), and I don't make much (minimum wage job, sadly, no matter how hard I try to get out), so the fact that I have a SHIT TON in the bank (at least/espec for my age and station, espec compared to my friends my age) is, at least I've been told, very impressive! lol.
i know im doing well, better than most
1 yup
2 i keep track of EVERYTHING, but i have no budget, i spend what i want
3 i love a bargain , but i have 4 streaming services , INCLUDING PRIME , its great !!!!!
4 lol way more than $1000
5 yup , more than 2 sources of income
(you made a comment there about you can lose a job at any time
ppl say they are independent, BUT IMO if you work for someone, if you rely on someone to pay you a paychk, IMO you are not independent)
6 never cared what others think
lol 2 crappy cars, but that will change soon
7 not really , maybe in the past
8 ya sorta but do i really need a plan ? no not really
The comparison of the person that makes 200 000 a year and spends it all vs the person that makes 50 000 a year but saves 20 does not show that the person saving 20 is doing financially better. They are most definitely not doing better. The person making 200k can most likely save 50k if they wanted to. Meaning they have 2 or 3 years extra time compared to the less fortunate person to fool around and still end up with the same amount of savings, but living much better life style. The person making 200k a year is doing much better than the person making 50k, no matter who saves more. It's much easier to cut down on expenses than it is to suddenly increase one's income by 300%. That is extremely unrealistic expectation. But cutting a high income/high expenses person's expenses by a third? Probably a piece of cake. High income is always better than low income no matter how you spin it.
My true net worth is well into 8 figures. My 2023 gross income was $700,000.00 (USD). I have NO debt. So why do I feel poor???
Statistically, this retired couple with a "poverty level income" should be hanging on by a thread. But we thrive! We're healthy, first of all. (If you are shelling out for medical stuff, I'm sorry for you. 😮💨) We own the acreage we live on, hold zero debt, and drive 19 & 25 y/o better than good vehicles, which we keep maintained, of course. We also have substantial COH.
I ❤ your channel. You're level-headed..a rarity.
You Rock Nicole. Been a big inspiration for me to get my finances in order. My day job barely pays the bills ... but I've decided I ain't living without savings any more!!! Some interesting side jobs coming my way lately as a result
Like your vids. Can't wait for your unfuck your finances vid. 😎
Hey, I use Mint Mobile. I pay by the year, so it's like $15/month. Good deal and they have good phones deals, even though I'm rocking a 5 year old iPhone 11.
Thanks for that! I do most of those things and sometimes feel deprived in comparison to my friends but they don’t have a problem with debt and for me debt is so untenable! It makes me so uncomfortable. I am retired and watch my money closely. I don’t want to work at this stage of my life so I have to know where every dollar is going. I use the every dollar app which is so helpful. I am glad I found your channel. I know you are young but would love to see some content for retired persons. I am lucky to have a great pension.
This video is very encouraging. Thank you.
Hi Nicole your videos have helped me so much. I'm a formerly shopaholic who chased instant gratification and started bingeing Dave Ramsey (which was not good) however only started doing better when I watched your videos. I can now say I am on the way to all of the signs you listed in this video
Thanks to your videos, I started my own RUclips adventure (and you even had a look one time on my video's, leaving a comment and even responding to a personal email!) but I also learned a lot about financial stuff and the way I am budgeting right now! I'm from nature a big spender and I have a husband who is from nature a minimalist. He really owns only a keyboard and an amplifier and some clothes and shoes, and that's really it! So with me and my thousand and one hobby's; it's not easy to budget. Especially with our children. But now, during a couple of months, I threw out a lot of clutter (it's still not completely clutter free but I'm getting there) and it's feels so freeing. Every room in this house is breathing right now. Even downstairs. No hidden dump somewhere. It feels organized. And also I made the choice to live more intentionally. I have the luxury to live from my foodtruck which I started 6 years ago and now doing the whole RUclips thing and trying to become a professional painter. I'm already selling my paintings! Now I cut down a lot of unnecessary expenses. I cook my own meals like you said. I take better care of myself (and so also my family). I try to consume less, and needing less money this way. I feel free as a bird and proud that I have my own income from my very own business with a 6 figures revenue. Not bad for someone who was tested with multiples mental disorders and an IQ lower than the average!
Always helpful. Always non-judgemental. I love your videos!
Such an irony. She talks about america s bad habits but shows Canadian money😂😂😂
Great video once again! I think that another sign that you're doing better than you think you are is if you always know exactly what to expect when a package arrives at your door. I used to have a coworker who would blindly order so many things online and send them to our workplace, and she usually had no idea what it was until she opened it. I've seen enough memes and reels on this to get the sense that this is pretty common thanks to Klarna, two-day shipping, the plethora of "sales" in November and December, etc.
My coworker orders junk from Temu. I refuse to shop on there. Right, @Nicole?! They can keep their trash
Today when I left to buy soda, I came home to find theres a soda recall. Thats spooky. But it didnt effect Wisconsin's soda.
Hope Levi is a happy puppy this Christmas week
This month I am out if debt. And yes I did it following a plan I wrote down and then seriously followed.
I like the way you think. Also, after watching several of your videos, I am realizing that you are the exact opposite of my ex-wife. She put me in bankruptcy, twice. The first time it was her fault. The second time it was my fault for not leaving her after the first bankruptcy.
I am able to keep my budget because I don’t have kids or a blood-sucking ex 😊
I have 6.000 set aside and i can tell you, that gives you a lot more peace of mind.
I was doing good until we got to "$1000 saved up for emergencies." I thought to myself "Uh-oh, Nicole's going to be pretty disappointed in me," but then I realized that if a true emergency happened, I know that my credit union would float me up to 3k with just a signature. Not ideal, I know, but at my income level, whatever's left over at the end of the month usually goes to one of my hobbies (ham radio, drums/bass, or my project car). It keeps me sane though.
Hi Nicole! It was nice seeing a positive video this time around! Lately I’ve had some pretty huge life changes. I think my next goal is to own my house completely in the next 5-7 years. I think I’m starting to realize that even if my bf and I were to get married in the next few years I want my house to be my asset. I want to fully have the piece of mind that if the relationship doesn’t work out it’ll still be my home. I’m not really sure how all the details will work out but I’m thinking definitely talking to a lawyer before I ever sign a piece of paper. Or maybe not getting married at all 😂 not really sure!
working on my ermergency fund until december; maybe another year or so
Lets not get too excited about these financial polls. They poll a few people and say it represents everyone.
My brother is always invited for drinks by his old girlfriends ( who he never makes) but he has to buy.
Guess I'm one of these money 'smart' people. No debt except the mortgage. I am a cheap Canadian with Scottish roots - it's in our blood. I'm on Rogers for $20 a month for cell phone - Think I'll stick with it. I have $3000 in the bank so I guess I'm in good shape. I've got a fulltime job and resume filled with various skills along with a side hustle where I get steady $$ - not a whole lot but at least something. I am a minimalist and actually just replaced my Braun toothbrush that I LITERALLY HAD FOR 20 YEARS! That's how much I hang on to purchases - unfortunately that toothbrush had a battery that finally died....20 years is damn good though. The plus side is that the new Braun brush i bought it BETTER and it actually cost a fraction of what I paid for my Braun brush back in 2003. Hopefully I can make this one last another 20 years...
i like the stereo set too ;)
I have to agree 100% with this video. Use the KISS method, "Keep It Simple Stupid"
not driving the latest and the greatest to fit in. you keep your debt and ill keep my investments!
Love your videos, thanks!
Yay!! Love to see art on your walls!! You totally deserve to see nice things in the house you worked so hard for. Glad to see you seizing the opportunity to spice things up!