Am I a Sucker for Paying My Bills?

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

I am a member of the middle class.

I do not come from a family of means. I am the daughter of school teachers. That means that I am frugal, with a few well-researched splurges every now and then.

My money goes into my savings account, not a stock market or casino. Credit cards are paid off every month to avoid paying interest. My lunch comes in a bag from home. The house I live in is small and affordable, and we own it outright with no house payments. Vacations are spent in nature in small towns, with lots of laughs and adventures. My favorite piece of clothing is an Eddie Bauer jean jacket that is almost 20 years old. The small car I drive gets great gas mileage. I buy make-up from a drugstore, not Sephora. The only jewelry I own with a diamond is my wedding ring that is 30 years old.

In the financial race to the top, I am a turtle taking it slow and steady.

I am proud that I have a savings account that can handle an unexpected home repair or medical emergency. I also realize how lucky I am.

In spite of all that, I am still wondering if I’m doing this wrong.

I’ve noticed lately a lot of people I know or read about who are in the middle class are living large while carrying a huge amount of debt. Sometimes, they take the extraordinary action of consolidating…