Ramen Noodle Days

Do you ever look back at your "ramen noodles days" and say "I'm glad I don't have to eat that way anymore. I finally have some money!"

You've come a long way from that dorm room and you should enjoy your successes and gains. But unless want "ramen noodles retirement days", don't go overboard.

Success brings money, money brings...things!

You can afford the nice dinners, the nice vehicles, the nice clothes, and the convenient dry cleaning.  You love being able to go wine tasting every weekend in the summer and skiing every weekend in the winter.  You should celebrate!

But as with anything, including food and beer, it's all about moderation.

Breaking the habit of spending all of you money is hard - so try not to start in the first place!

For those of us who already have a bad spending habit, here are steps to get back on track.

1) Determine your priorities.

2) Review your cash flow.

3) Make a budget.

4) Follow your plan.

Easy! Plus, none of the steps require you to make a drastic change to your lifestyle.

Though I'm guessing you'll be sick for days when you see how much money you're throwing out the door. You'll think back to the ramen days and wonder how the heck you lived on $25K a year! Now you couldn't make it three months with that.

Or could you?

There are numerous stories of individuals saving 25%, 50%, and even 75% of their earnings, and still enjoying life. You could probably do this too...if you wanted to.

But you don't have to start this big, this can be a goal. Just like being debt free could be a goal.

You don't have to starve to make this happen. Little wins - $25 here, $50 there, bringing lunch to work twice a week - all add up. Just get started.

Soon you'll see results and have the itch for more.

You'll start dreaming even bigger.

Debt free, financially free, financial independence, world traveler, more time with your children, location independent job, and early retirement. All possible!

So enjoy your success, but be realistic. Build a healthy relationship with your money which will last a lifetime.

Do you ever look back at how far you've come? Do you ever pine for the good old days?