Live Free

From John's Book "The Frugal Prosumer Debt Workbook"   

   In America, we have life and liberty, but do we really have the ability to pursue happiness? Why do few find happiness, and so many trade away liberty? Time is money and once spent it can never be replaced. Too many people don’t know how to invest their time to free themselves. Instead they are spending it in a way that does not lead to true happiness. Folks are chained to debt while freedom lies within arms reach. Can and will you be open to a new way of thinking?

   A commonly held belief is that money brings you freedom. Most of today’s families will earn a million dollars or even more in their lifetime. That means that all of us have the potential to be millionaires! The “million dollar” question is, how much of that are you actually going to keep?

   Financial freedom is not about how much money you earn. It is about how well the money is
managed. Many define wealth by possessions. They consider someone rich if they have a $350,000 home and a $35,000 car. But if both spouses need to work long hours to acquire these things, they may be less free than someone who has less, owes no one, and has a surplus at the end of every month. One can earn lots of money but have their personal freedom compromised through increased expenses and debt. Factor in the likelihood of emergencies and the personal economic fall can be really bad.

   Unfortunately for many, debt is stealing their freedom and wealth and the debt is being transformed into someone else’s wealth.

You can be financially free by being a:

1. “Filthy Rich Person”: Have more money than you can possibly spend.
2. “Holy Man”: Having no expenses and no need for money
3. “Wise Man”: Have enough money to cover expenses. Have no debt. Have an emergency fund.

   Few are in the first category. That eliminates most of us. Most think this is the only way to financial freedom. Few come close to the second category and most would not desire it. People in this category are sages, priests, homeless, living primitively away from civilization, and those who are institutionalized. That also eliminates most of us. The question is why do so few achieve the third category when it is obtainable by almost anyone. To do this, they need to understand and implement the following concepts.
Keys to living free:

• Spend less than you earn. It’s not how much you earn but how much you can keep.
• Avoid Debt. Take the money you would have spent on debt and invest in passive income. (Passive income is money not earned from working at a job, but from some form of investment). This can give you real freedom and/or time freedom. This lets you be free to do what you want, retire when you want, to leave a job you hate, or pursue a passion.
• Be a prosumer. Produce a portion of what you consume instead of just purchasing products made by someone else.