Page 54 - Making It To The End Of The Month

MAKING IT TO THE END OF THE MONTH
some willpower to start. We will need to reject the prevailing culture of today’s market economy and all its advertising, such as so-called offers of ‘Buy Now and Pay Later’ and special cash-back offers, ‘If you buy this item we will pay you a cashback of £x’. Today, as a society, we have acquired more possessions than our ancestors ever did, but in reality, since we purchase nearly everything on credit or using instalment plans, we actually own less.
While we are quick to acknowledge the vicious cycle of outward, physical poverty in our world, we tend to ignore the vicious internal cycle of spiritual poverty. The latter is not recognised since it is camouflaged in apparent wealth, and the cycle is kept in motion by the availability of credit. Yet, it causes suffering for many individuals. Those who are caught in this trap face the potential of loneliness and isolation, with the result of a hardened heart. The spiritual poverty of the soul can become the burden of the ‘Buy Now’ culture, but it is overcome by exercising patience. Applying patience removes the urge to buy now and leads to good spending habits that will improve anyone’s financial situation. In chapter nine, we’ll address spending habits in more detail.
Having money and purchasing possessions can bring you material comforts and some level of protection from the inconveniences and
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