Reality Check: Are your financial troubles as bad as you think?

It is hard to take a step back from something you have grown accustomed to. I truly do feel for people who in the midst of a financial or other personal struggle have to give up something they value. 

But sometimes I wonder, do we need a reality check?

The Yacht

Years ago, as I was working hard to finish paying off a few debts before buying my first home, I got a call from an uncle that I hadn’t heard from in years. As we caught up on what is going on in our lives I thought maybe he would tell me “good job” for how far I had come. Instead he told me that yeah, money is tight. And he proceeded to tell me that he might have to give up his $50,000 yacht. 

Although I care that he was having to give up something he enjoyed, a part of me wished I could put things into perspective. He didn’t live near the water. He rarely got to use his yacht. I am sure his time on it was something that he looks forward to. But the way he was carrying on you would think he was facing something much more serious.

Renting a modest home

More recently someone told me about the very modest home that they would be renting. But they could handle how modest it was for a little while because the rent was so cheap. … Their “cheap” rent wasn’t much less than what I earn in a month. I don’t know how big the house is, but their land is more than 50x the size of mine. 

I am not trying to be bitter or jealous here. If anything I wonder how much I blow my own problems out of proportion. I struggle financially and my credit card debt keeps slowly growing. But my bills area always paid on time.