I used to work in foreclosed homes. My mother's business would receive contracts on foreclosed homes to do repairs and cleanings so the house could go back on the market. It was quite...the adventure.
Sometimes when people would get foreclosed on, they would own up to it and move either all or almost all of their stuff from their home before we came on the scene. Other times, however, people would just leave EVERYTHING. More often than not, the people who left everything were chronic hoarders. Have you seen that show on TV? Wall to wall filth, trash, clothes, etc.? Yeah. Imagine having to clean that out.
There are a few things we would almost ALWAYS see in the foreclosed homes. It got to the point where I would make a mental note of these items, because they were always one of the saddest parts of the job.
First, you would always (and I'm talking always) see old holiday decorations. When you lose your house, I guess you're just not in the mood to celebrate anymore.
Second, we would almost always see family photos left behind. Usually about 9 out of 10 houses would have this. These photos were always of smiling people enjoying their lives, which was sad because I knew that the circumstances that led to my being there was a long journey of pain and loss.
Third, the one thing you would almost always see was the leftover bills, lawsuits, and notice of foreclosure. When these were left behind, you could almost feel the tears shed on the papers. It always made me sad.
When people's lives get out of control, especially their finances, it can lead to devastating consequences. Bankruptcy, divorce, and foreclosure are all brothers who often like to come to the same house at the same time. This is why it's so crucial to get your life and money under control, because otherwise you'll end up with nothing.
In a way, budgeting is like cleaning your house. If you keep your house clean, keep it orderly, take regular time to care for it, then it won't become a hoarded house. If you let the mess get too big, however, you can start to panic about how much work it will take to clean it, and it will just sit there. Then the piles get bigger and bigger until finally you are surrounded by junk and have no idea what to do about it or how you got to that point.
Money is the same. If you keep your money in check, manage it wisely, and take regular time to care for it, you won't become a slave to your debts. Financial problems are just like filth, because left alone they tend to get bigger and bigger until they completely surround your life. You'll be scared, frustrated, and have no idea what to do or how you got there.
When your house is full of junk, there are two options: burn the house down (extreme and not advisable), or put the gloves on and get to work.
When your life is full of financial problems, there are two similar options: bankruptcy (extreme and not advisable), or putting on your gloves and getting to work.
All that junk didn't get there by itself and it won't leave by itself either. Get on a budget and keep the junk out of your house. Not rocket science, just Common Cents.
-Heath
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