There\u2019s a YouTube channel \u2013 debtmonkeytv \u2013 truly hateful viewing (even for me) with plenty of English distain and lots of cockney mocking \u2014 \u201cHi I\u2019m Ben and I\u2019m the Debt Monkey!\u201d (so happy) \u2026 BTW don\u2019t bother; life is short enough as it is, no need to waste it on that\u2014and I\u2019m 97% sure it\u2019s supposed to be meta-reality a la \u201cthe Office\u201d \u2026 I guess everything is meta at this point so safer to assume the worst \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So \u2026 debtmonkeytv. UnReality television continues its inevitable hellish descent \u2026 people compete to be the \u201cdebt monkey\u201d and have all of their debts paid off, need only humiliate oneself on an episodic basis for the entertainment of others, with gems such as \u201ceven Grumpy Monkey gets hungry, and now eats from the Debt monkey menu \u2026\u201d Yum. Sign. Me. Up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is not that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest obstacles to coming clean about debt is the unwanted judgment that accompanies disclosure. Money is usually a tender spot \u2013 whether you have it, need it, or just want more \u2013 and mismanagement of funds or financial ignorance or spending indifference is viewed with the same sneer as a public fart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t believe that moderately intelligent adults move into a state of debt \u2013 that is, adopt a debt monkey \u2013 with a truly realistic comprehension of the overall impact. Again: money ain\u2019t math, and over time a mindset emerges that, if the account is open and payments are made, maintenance<\/em> of the debt is management<\/em> of the debt, which simply is not true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining your debt = timely payments applied to the total amount due<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing your debt = timely payments applied to reduce<\/u><\/em><\/strong> the total amount due<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a verb there, and it makes all difference SEE WHAT I DID THERE \u201cDIFFERENCE?!?!\u201d CUZ SUBTRACTION GEDDIT \u201cDIFFERENCE\u201d \u2026 \u201cSUBTRACTION\u201d \u2026 no? Just me? [crickets] OK moving on<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, one of the many steps to getting my debt monkey some training was finally getting the understanding that money ain\u2019t math\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n Money = mindset [Prov. 27:23-24<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014and I have to shift my brain gear re money and spending from \u201cit\u2019s fine, whatever\u201d to \u201cdo I really need to spend that amount for this thing … right now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Budgets don\u2019t work \u2014 for me, anyway \u2014 because a budget is a restriction on my money and I work<\/em> for my money to spend<\/em> my money so give me<\/em> my money so I can get the thing I want<\/em> with my money because otherwise what is the point? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, yeh, no debt\/no stress\/no monkey\/no poo \u2026 but more importantly, Money Marriage Motivation #1 and Money Marriage Motivation #2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So \u2013 again, for me \u2013 the discord in my money marriage is not the absence of a budget (because I wouldn\u2019t stick to one anyway \u2026 sorry NOT) but a lack of focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If I didn\u2019t need to eat, or live anywhere, or wear clothes, or be around other people, I would probably spend a lot less. As it is, debt is life (see above) and inattentive spending is how debt becomes just another cost of being alive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I tend to spend (whether via cash in hand or by feeding the monkey) to get the thing I want\/need without any attention to the actual details of the purchase \u2026 Food?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 New shoes?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 Thing Half asked for?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 \u201cWould you like a receipt Nah don\u2019t need to know what I spent\u201d\/ Check.\u00a0 Shiny thing to keep theKid momentarily distracted?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 Gizmo broke\u2013fixed it\/Check.\u00a0 Doohickey failed\u2013got another\/Check.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The older I get the more I realize the less time life allows for introspection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s probably a good thing …\u00a0otherwise I\u2019d spent my days rethinking everything I ever did wrong.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hah! As if I needed another reason to procrastinate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n To recap:<\/p>\n\n\n\n My money marriage is in shambles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My union to Half is fractured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My parental example to theKid\u2014thus far\u2014has been immature and irresponsible, aaand \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n My debt monkey is a gorilla of foolishness quarter million strong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well at least I ain\u2019t dead yet \u2026 and I have great insurance! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There\u2019s a YouTube channel \u2013 debtmonkeytv \u2013 truly hateful viewing (even for me) with plenty of English distain and lots of cockney mocking \u2014 \u201cHi I\u2019m Ben and I\u2019m the Debt Monkey!\u201d (so happy) \u2026 BTW don\u2019t bother; life is short enough as it is, no need to waste it on that\u2014and I\u2019m 97% sure … <\/p>\n