Disclaimer: This piece does not apply to those of you that do have it. Go forth and prosper. But if that’s not you , it’s ok to say, “I ain’t got it”

In a world where we live to impress people with the clothes and shoes we wear. How fly our hair and nails are. How crisp your line up is. Getting the new pair of Jordan’s every time they come out. To driving a car that you may not be able to afford that are laced with rims from Rent and Roll.

It’s easy to get caught up in that world. I know it is because I’ve been there before. I just paid all my debt off last year and it was a great feeling. This debt came from buying things that I didn’t need to impress people that may or may not like me and I may or may not have liked them. Buying things that I have never worn or worn once and never again because I didn’t want to be seen in the same outfit twice.

And then something magical happened…30 started creeping up on me and all the damns were thrown out of the window. If you see me in it twice, then you just do. If I don’t have on the latest fashions, I just don’t. I GOT BILLS.

But back to the subject at hand…

It is ok to skip out on some events, shoe releases, major sales and stunting opportunities if in the end all you’ll have to show for it is a mountain of debt and be living off Ramen noodles. Not even the fancy kind. Just the noodles and the flavor packet.

You can live a fun and productive life on a budget. If you don’t go on that trip that you just can’t afford right now, you won’t die. If you skip out on an event and stay in and watch Netflix, you’ll still be alive tomorrow. The people that you may be trying to impress will not be sitting there with you when your lights are turned off and you’re sitting in your car to charge your phone.

Set a budget for yourself every month, if an activity or a new shirt you want to buy doesn’t fit in the budget, skip it. If you have to decide between your lights and a BCBG dress, please choose the lights. How else would you be able to see how great you look if you don’t have any lights? And how else will you take that mirror picture if there is no reflection to be seen because you have no lights!!!!

You don’t have to stop living to save money. But make smart decisions that will benefit you in the future, not decisions on how badly you want the something right now. You never know, you might catch that something on clearance when your budget allows you to shop the way you want to. And then you’ve won that day. The day was won by you.

I ain’t got it is not a bad thing to say. It’s a smart thing to say and there is absolutely no shame in it.