MONEY NEEDS REALITY, NOT FANTASY

Having it all is the American dream. Paying for it all is another matter.

WRITER: AJ COVARD

In today’s world, there is a great dichotomy: fantasy vs. reality. The dream of a fabulous lifestyle, with fancy cars, designer clothes, massive houses, and nightclubbing with friends, is portrayed in the movies and on TV constantly. The other side of that rift is the brutal reality—an economic crisis, an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, and 4.3 million Americans on welfare.

Reality shows, such as “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “Real Housewives,” suck the viewer into a world where money is no object. A shopping addiction and the need for nice things is easily obtainable in this world. Money just seems to come in and all you see is characters enjoying their lives spending it. With an ever-growing fascination with celebrities, the wealthy, and the dream of living a life of opulence, it’s easy for the lines between reality and fantasy to blur for women. But the hard truth is, many women are emulating this fantasy life when the reality of their financial situation is far from glamorous.

Here are 10 signs you are living in a financial fantasy world:

If you are familiar with these signs and know the tricks of your bank to get money, then you need to face a harsh reality: You’re in financial crisis.

It’s a difficult truth to face, but it’s imperative to face it head on, before learning your lesson the hard way by getting evicted, taken to court, or worse. Living for today, financially, will only hurt you tomorrow.

If you feel it’s time for a change, or you’ve already been down that path and are working toward a little more financial responsibility, there is hope, even in this economy. The path towards real prosperity is a long, hard road for most people, but with some consistency, hard work, and the right mindset, living a fabulous lifestyle in your reality is attainable.

Here are four signs you are on your way to being financially responsible:

Living within your means doesn’t have to mean eating beans every meal. Balance in anything is the key, and even a splurge once in a while is healthy. Getting to a healthy, stable path to prosperity is knowing where you are financially and working toward making your financial fantasies a reality.