Frugal incentive. . .

As a new year begins, with new goals and challenges, I'm finding it both more difficult and more important to track my expenditures. Living beneath my means is still a daily struggle, and I'd like to internalize my strategies enough that it simply becomes a habit.

In reading other blogs about frugality, simple living, and decreasing spending while increasing savings, I came across a recommendation for this online documentary, called 'IOUSA'. It's a 30-minute video that addresses the excesses of our own government, and the ramifications of the huge--and growing---national debt that we (the 'richest' country in the world) carry.

In short, the U.S. has become a debtor nation to such a degree that in thirty years, we may not have enough to cover basic services for senior citizens, let alone the infrastructure needs of our large and diverse nation. It appears, from the documentary, that our elected officials (from both sides of the ideological aisle) are hesitant to take the steps that will help mitigate the impact of our $8.4 trillion dollar debt. No politician wants to radically slash benefits while tripling the taxes that we pay---no politician these days would be reelected with that platform, regardless of the fact that in a generation we may be a bankrupt nation.

I reacted both negatively and positively to the fiscally terrifying information presented in this documentary.

My negative reaction was disgust and fear. Disgust that we've allowed ourselves to get into this situation when tough choices by our leaders could have avoided it, and fear that in 30 years, when I'm a senior citizen, my country won't be able to meet the promises it has made to me during all the years I've paid (and will pay) social security and medicare taxes.

Here's the positive, though. Knowing that my country has---in essence---brought itself to the brink of bankruptcy (like many Americans over the past ten years) makes me more likely to stick with my own objective of living within my means, increasing my savings exponentially as I continue to improve my own finances, and securing my future by preparing to take care of myself, rather than relying on social security or medicare to provide a chunk of my support in my later years.

I urge you to take 30 minutes to watch the 'IOUSA' video. Although it's economics-based (NEVER my favorite topic) it's presented in layman's terms with easy to follow graphics and interesting commentary. If you ever needed a frugal incentive, this is it. And I also urge you to click on the link at the top left of the page, entitled 'Take Action'. You can send an emailed letter to our elected officials, asking them to consider the seriousness of our country's financial situation.