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100 Words On: How Debt Troubles Are Usually Related to Your Diet

By Len Penzo

Many folks who tally their assets and liabilities after years of modest but steady increases in income often end up scratching their heads, wondering why their net worth is nothing to write home about. Whether they’ll admit it or not, those dumbfounded individuals usually have a lot in common with the chronic couch potato who can’t understand why he weighs 450 pounds. Both have management issues — the former, cash; the latter, calories.

The bottom line: Wealth is the difference between the value of what we produce and consume. Control your consumption and you will, over time, almost certainly increase your wealth.

Photo Credit: public domain

November 26, 2015

Comments

  1. 1

    Lance@MoneyLife&More says

    Devis clearly does not have the self control noted by Len to gain wealth and stay healthy. This is apparant by his blatant spam… poor Devis…

    (If Len deleted devis’s post it was a spam commenter talking about electronics, just so you know)

    • 2

      Len Penzo says

      Thank you, Lance. Devis has been given a 10-month comment misconduct penalty and banished to the penalty box to serve his time.

  2. 3

    PK says

    And all too often they’ll complain about it and blame someone else for their troubles. Well, maybe you’ll get a financial bailout, but good lucking getting someone to diet for you.

    • 4

      Len Penzo says

      Good point, PK.

  3. 5

    bonnie w says

    So true! My husband and I are working on our debt snowball and hopefully will gain the willpower to lose weight as well.

    • 6

      Len Penzo says

      If you have the discipline to whittle away your debt, Bonnie, I am confident you and your hubby will eventually lose the weight as well. 🙂

  4. 7

    Kelsey says

    I indignantly disagree! I’ve been working out faithfully and watching what I eat and I’ve still been gaining weight for the past 6 months!! I’m due in February, though, maybe that will help. 😛

    • 8

      Len Penzo says

      Ha ha! Congratulations, Kelsey!

      (My birthday is in February too!)

  5. 9

    krantcents says

    Is that why rich people are thin? LOL! Taking control of your spending is difficult, but doable! Anything worthwhile is difficult.

    • 10

      Len Penzo says

      Oops. I didn’t mean to imply that being fat and wealthy are mutually exclusive. LOL! 🙂

  6. 11

    Brooke says

    The same changes in behavior help both arenas. Self control is so easy once you get on the train, it’s just difficult at first to get the momentum going. Make it easy for yourself to go out for a run and get yourself excited about the change and it’ll happen almost magically.

    • 12

      Len Penzo says

      I like how you describe the process as one of building momentum. I think that is very very true. It also works in reverse — once you get that momentum really going it’s also harder to stop being responsible in both arenas.

  7. 13

    Paul @ The Frugal Toad says

    I think we can sometimes make things more complicated than they really are. Spending involves choice just as saving does. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it happen!

  8. 14

    Simon N @ CafeCredit says

    It’s always easier to decrease spending than it is to increase your income!

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