What keeps you motivated ?

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

My motivation is imagining myself living on the street! That's motivation enough for me!

[tinapbeana]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

as a DINK (love that term, learned it here!), my motivation is being able to live on just DH's salary should my job every go the way of the dodo. it already happened once this year, but between my severance pay and unemployment i was actually doing better for 2 months than when i was working

at any rate, DH's salary is less than mine and his job is about as secure as it gets, so as long as we can make it safely on just his income (or heaven forbid both of us on unemployment for 6 months!!!), i feel fairly secure.

oh, and those reading my blog know that seeing my snowballs in action also motivates me a little

[disneysteve]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

Like others, it is watching the debt balance fall and the savings balance rise that motivates me. I love to follow the numbers and track the change.

[fairy74]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

feeling in control motivates me

[disneysteve]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

feeling in control motivates me

Great point. I also think it is important to have a specific goal in mind. It might be paying off debt by a certain date. It might be saving a certain amount of money by a certain date. It might be early retirement. It might be saving up for a vacation or other special purchase. Saving just for the heck of it can be too vague for many people.

[Ima saver]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

I don't want to become a bag lady either.

[tinapbeana]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

I don't want to become a bag lady either.

well, to me that depends on what's in the bag. if it's stuffed with cash and high limit rewards credit cards, i'm pretty sure i'd be ok with it!

[Fern]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

I am not in debt but i can tell you that what motivates me to continuously save is the empowering thought of FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE and the freedom from being tied to a job i'd rather not do.

I like my current job but want to be in a position someday of not needing to work full time due to ample savings. There are so many more options when you are not tied to debt with a ball and chain.

[Ima saver]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

You are right Fern. That is what I am hoping will happen with my husband. I am hoping that someday our money will earn enough interest so that he could just build houses whenever he wants to, and not work every day.

[abowers]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

Watching my CC balances go down -- watching how I spent less when I automatically deducted money each week into my savings (to go toward Emergency Fund & paying off CCs and saving for wedding) the day I'm paid.

[kealina]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

intangible goals-freedom, security, comfort, independence
tangible goals- house, travel, etc... house is a major one for us due to the high COL here...

[smooper]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

I'm with Fern, employment flexibility... for the average'Joe". Just the thought of it helps motivate. Taking a job closer to home, taking a pay cut...it would all be possible.

[humandraydel]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

Fern's got it right - financial independence is FREEDOM That freedom motivates me to save, save, save!

[lrjohnson]

Re: What keeps you motivated ?

A lot has been said about staying motivated. As an aside, I'd say that once you develop lots of good habits, you can have unmotivated days and be okay. I have a lot of good financial habits, a primary one being not shopping much. This means I can be on auto-pilot for short periods quite safely. I spend low and save a lot by habit.