It's a tough way to live.

It's not for me to judge anybody's lifestyle or circumstances as not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to do it any other way.

But I do think that there are a large number of people that can change their habits and break the cycle.

It's a no win situation. Anybody living by the week is under severe pressure in case that anything doesn't go to plan. We were talking about it earlier today and how some people moved out foreign to work for a few years and came back with nothing. Every penny that they earned was then spent over the weekend and the cycle was repeated.

Most of it pissed up against the wall as the saying goes. I have no objection to this as the majority of my money went the same way in my twenties and i would do it again if i could go back in time. What i did change by the time i hit 25 was to create a savings account. Since I got paid monthly it was very easy to set a direct debit from my wages coming in that went into a savings account with a two week notice period. That meant if i wanted money form it i had to give two weeks advance notice and by then my next wages would be coming in anyway so there was no point. Instead it was just a matter of cutting out a few unnecessary items and waiting for the next payslip.

They say that it's impossible for young people to buy a house in this country but that's just not true. I could do it on a single wage so there is no reason why a couple could not do it with two wages coming in. It's a matter of choices and priorities.

Breaking the cycle is key.

We are tricked into the consumer cycle.
You want this, you need that, they all have those.

BUY, BUY, BUY!!!

Is the message coming form the tv and the internet. Ad's everywhere and pictures showing you what you need for the perfect life.

I know that personally I don't really need that much. A roof over my head. Friends and family. A decent car. A few days out for dinner or drinks. that covers 90% of my spending and the other 10% is the bits and bobs that always need to be bought.

I see from my friends that it's a different story. They have to go to certain places and need to document it all on Instagram.

If others don't get to see you there then it doesn't count.

The cycle is vicious and hard to break.

Everybody to their own but there is a reason that so many of my age are working every hour of the day and night for big companies. To earn the big bucks. To keep up with these lifestyles. To show everybody else.

And the funny part being that they can never enjoy the money as they are too stressed and busy form trying to pay for it.

There is a reason that hippies look so happy all of the time. Aside from all the weed that they smoke.

They have less and then they worry less. They can enjoy what they have for it's true value and not it's price.

Cutting out some of these items and starting to save or even better to invest for the future is a huge step.

$100 a month might seem small but it can be done so easily. Cutting out a few extra coffees or one night out a month. Imagine doing that and DCA into HBD. 20% compounding and keep it up for a few years.

Then there would be some money there for a house deposit or in case of emergency.

having savings is vital and being able to afford it when you something happens.