Ok - for the few who actually read my blog - I'm not gonna give you some bleeding heart thing about how we "have to do something" about poverty.

We live in the most economically privileged country in the world. While I acknowledge that there are scattered cases of true poverty in this nation - most of what is considered "poverty" is actually something far more insidious:

Consequences of Our Own Actions.

The reason I am not rich - the reason I have had to live, at times, at near minimum-wage - is because I have made poor decisions with money in my life.

The reason MOST Americans are not at least well-off, if not rich - is because MOST Americans have done the same thing.

When you refuse to take charge of your own life, waiting for someone else to give you "what you deserve" or to "give you a break" - you are condemning yourself to some level of poverty. Economic, moral, or spiritual - when you refuse self-reliance, you are POOR.

When you realize that no one OWES you anything in this country - that there is NO SUCH THING as the PROMISE OF AMERICA - but that everyone has the opportunity to be as big or as small as their own ambition and will to work can make them - then you shake off the bonds of poverty.

I'm not going to recite a long list of "wrong decisions" that lead Americans into poverty. Everyone that reads this has made choices with money that they regret. Everyone that reads this has made "bad decisions" that have cost them money - "stupid tax" is how I've heard that stated before.

Buying a car on payments is a "bad decision" that can make, or keep, you poor.

Doing business with a check-cashing company is a "bad decision" that can make, or keep, you poor.

Using credit cards to live a lifestyle higher than you can actually afford is a "bad decision" that can make, or keep, you poor.

Buying cigarettes, liquor, or drugs when you should be buying food or paying rent is a "bad decision" that WILL make, or keep, you poor.

We are all responsible for our own financial decisions. We must make better decisions with the money we already have - or we will continue to be the fools from whom our money is "soon parted".

We must make better decisions with our money so we can develop the ability to help those who are less fortunate. We ARE responsible for our neighbors - to a point. Abdicating that responsibility to the government because we are too immature to handle money well and therefore handle the responsibility ourselves is a disservice to our own communities.

We must make better decisions with our money - and we must TEACH our children to do the same. We were sold a "bill of goods" by the banks and credit companies - and by our political leaders - who said we can "have it all, and pay for it later" - they LIED! But WE are the ones who actually signed the credit applications, swiped the cards, walked out with merchandise on a "promise to pay" that we don't feel too awfully bad about breaking.

WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

I'm debt-free as of last December. How are you doing?