My father always taught my siblings and me to live within our means.  Growing up we never bought anything or went anywhere unless we had the money in the bank to pay the bill.  All credit card expenditures were to be paid off monthly and paying the mortgage off quickly was a high priority. 

My parents grew up during the Depression.  Like so many, they knew firsthand what it was like to lose everything their family worked for and built.  It was important for them as they rebuilt their lives to have security. 

I am happy that I was able to learn from my parents’ experiences.  Their lessons have been imprinted in my mind and have guided me through my daily decisions. 

I still function with the mindset that our credit card must be paid off each month and it was a priority for us to pay off our mortgage.   In addition, we are one of those crazy families who own their car.  Financial experts might question paying off a low mortgage rate early or owning your car, but it works for us. 

We make choices so that we continue to live within our means.  We don’t vacation, but my kids play sports. We rarely go to restaurants, but I am able to maintain our pool.  Of course, we would love to do all those things, but that would require a greater stream of income.    

Health care was one of our biggest expenses.  Seeking alternatives to normal healthcare has provided additional operational strength to our household.  We are self-insured through a health cost-sharing ministry.  This alternative to health care has put thousands of dollars back into our pockets.  

That was a risky operational decision, with lots of opportunities along with many unknowns.  After my daughter’s double foot surgery and numerous family doctor appointments, the decision to be self-insured seems to be a sound one for our family.  An opportunity that helps us live within our means.

After moving from Boston, we settled into a modest home that we loved.  As the girls grew older I could see that having more space would be nice for our family.  By the grace of God, we were able to buy and sell our home for the same price.  We significantly increased the square footage of our home while remaining in our neighborhood.   

It didn’t just accidentally happen. I looked at many amazing beautiful homes over numerous years. All of which for one reason or another were out of our means. 

I am very proud of our home and feel very fortunate. It is, however, a home within our means.  We live with things that are out of date.  Our home is full of treasures that people have given us.  And yes, we are creative in finding ways to make our home more beautiful.

We moved to a larger home knowing that we no longer would have a nice bathroom and granite countertops. We have patience in waiting for the ability and funds to make our home what we as a family dream of someday.

Our dining room is simple but nice. Underneath the Italian tablecloth is a slab of wood and two metal legs.  My father made the table years ago to be used as an extra table for Thanksgiving dinner. It is now our dining room table. My father found the chairs on the side of the road and we repainted them.  The room looks just fine and for the most part, I don’t think many people who visit our home notice any of its imperfections.

When I look at this house I see opportunity and how it fits our needs.  At first glance, you don’t see the cabinets that don’t meet, the drawers that are burnt, or the floors that are pealing.  Does it really matter that we have three bathtubs, none of which work?  Not to worry, we have showers!

When my daughter gets bath bombs as gifts, she holds them up, smiles, and says, “Another bath bomb for after I graduate from college and have a working bathtub in my home!” We all laugh.  It’s not that we can’t fix a bathtub.  Right now it’s not a priority. We have showers and a beautiful home that is perfectly imperfect! And we love it!  

We make choices, and we live within our means. Fortunately, I have girls who are able to laugh at the choices that we make. Thus far, those choices have worked out just fine.

Living within your means does not necessarily mean someone can guess your level of income.  Our family is very good at being resourceful. 

I remember years ago spotting purple sparkly UGG boots for my kids at a price that was less than any other winter boot that I could purchase. Right size, fun color, and super warm.  My kids had no idea it was a cool brand.  Admittedly, to look at them wearing those boots, most would have assumed our family had money. 

Fifteen years in the apparel industry have taught me how to spot a bargain.  Not long ago I purchased a black Michaels Kors winter jacket for $29.   Again, my daughters were not familiar with the brand.  After my daughter wore the jacket, she said, “Mom, everyone commented on my jacket.”  I replied with a smile, “People perceive it to be an expensive brand.” 

My daughter came down to borrow a sweater from my closet.  She picked out a blue crew neck sweater.   I said, “You may wear it, but take care of it.  It is a very nice sweater.”  The sweater was passed down to me by my 85-year-old mentor, it is a cashmere sweater.

Later that day my daughter said, “Everyone was touching my sweater today Mom.”  I grinned and said, “Cashmere feels amazing and is not something that normally would be worn by a 14-year-old girl.”  Living within our means and very appreciative of all the blessings in our life.

We all make choices daily.  I know that if our family doesn’t live within our means, I would become very uncomfortable and life would be dysfunctional.  My faith and strength to live within our means have been key to our happiness. 

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