Making a plan to tackle your debt is good for you in the long run. It also probably requires some lifestyle changes. Don’t expect everyone in your social circle to be happy about those changes.
Photo by Lilong Dolrani.
As personal finance site The Frugal Farmer points out, there’s a social cost associated with every financial change you make. Saving money might mean going out to the bar less or missing out on the next big concert. You might not expect someone to give you a hard time because you decided to pay off your credit card, but they might be a little put out if that comes at the expense of something you normally do with them:
Some of your friends and family will wholeheartedly support you on your journey to become debt free. Others will ridicule you, turn their backs on you and criticise you. It’s just the way it is.
The reasons for this don’t matter so much as your willingness to choose to forge the path that’s best for you in spite of what others think. When you’re winning with money, you’ll show ’em. We learned the tough way to say “Screw ’em” and do what was right for us, but it was worth it.
Of course, you don’t have to let the social pressure of others dictate what you do, but it’s helpful to expect it. Perhaps you can alleviate the stress by planning other, more budget-friendly activities to do with your social group. In other cases you might actually need to practise standing your ground and insisting on what’s best for you. Either way, when you’re making life changes around your budget, anticipate a response from those closest to you. Hopefully it will be positive, but don’t be surprised if there’s some pushback.
6 Things You Might Not Know About Getting Out of Debt [The Frugal Farmer via Rockstar Finance]
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