Money excuses are abundant. Everyone has at least one and none of them are helpful. We all have experienced financial frustration. Few will take responsibility for their poor choices, bad behavior, and money mistakes. Blaming circumstances, situations, and luck seems to be the popular thing to do.
There are plenty of money excuses available to soothe our financial egos. Being raised on the wrong side of the tracks is a popular one. Lack of education gets a ton of press, too. Inflation is nuts! These money excuses are lame and reveal a lack of faith in God. When anything is exalted above the providence of God an idol has been created. Excuses for financial failure are idolatrous.
Victimhood is unattractive. Excuses reflect immaturity. Yet, people continue to offer them over and over again.
The law of reciprocity is cold and indifferent to our intentions, feelings, or needs. What we have today is a direct result of what we did yesterday.
God was clear to Noah when He said, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” in Genesis 8:22.
Attempts to override that law are futile.
This law is so vital that I wrote an entire article on it. Click here for the article titled The Financial Seasons of Life.
The law is immutable so instead, we make money excuses to ease our conscious.
Here is a truckload of lame money excuses. If you’re embracing any of them it’s time to kick them to the curb, immediately. Rid your life of them ASAP!
#1 Money Excuses — Lack of Education
Woke society has built an entire cottage industry around worthless college degrees. High schoolers and their aloof parents have bought into the lie. Young adults are told that a college degree is needed to succeed in life. That’s only partly true.
There is evidence suggesting that those with degrees earn more, on average than those without advanced education. The devil is often in the details, though. High school graduates, in some cases, outearn their college-educated peers.
A lack of education should never stop you from pursuing jobs, careers, or businesses that pay well and generate wealth. College does not guarantee a large salary.
Here are seven college dropouts that seem to have done pretty well for themselves:
Person | Business | Net Worth |
Bill Gates | Microsoft | $102 Billion |
Mark Zuckerberg | $48.1 Billion | |
Oprah Winfrey | Harpo Productions | $2.5 billion |
David Neeleman | Jet Blue | $400 million |
Amancio Ortega | Inditex | $55.1 Billion |
Harry Truman | 33rd President | It’s okay he was prez |
Travis Kalanick | Uber | $4 billion |
Hustle and grit are more valuable than a degree in underwater basket weaving.
If you want something bad enough you will find a way to get it.
#2 It’s The Government’s Fault
The government is a speed bump for every person. Politicians find ways to put up roadblocks for individuals and businesses. It’s not going to change.
You can either find ways to work around them or blame them.
My grandfather, bless his heart, was convinced that the government kept the little man down. He believed that they limited his ability to generate a positive income. He was right.
The person who believes that the government is an inconvenience to overcome is also right.
It’s your call. Blame the government and get permanently derailed. Overcome the state and generate wealth.
#3 The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Stay Poor
Jim Rohn eloquently declares that “Disappointments are not special gifts reserved for the poor. We’ve all had them.”
The rich are an easy target for the financially frustrated. However, rich and poor are subjective terms.
A person earning minimum wage in the United States would be considered wealthy in many countries. The median global income is $850 (smartcapitalmind.com). Those earning $41,000 per year would be in the top 3% of wage earners worldwide (that’s around $20 per hour).
Wealthy people are not keeping the financially frustrated broke. This excuse has kept thousands in financial bondage. It’s time to stop perpetuating this money myth.
#4 Money Excuses — Taxes
Taxes are terrible but they don’t keep people from winning at wealth. Yes, taxes are a financial inconvenience but they are not the thing keeping you down.
Everyone pays taxes of some type. Some pay more than others. The broke and financially frustrated are not paying the most in taxes.
The top ten percent of wage earners paid over 70% of the total taxes paid (taxfoundation.com). That means the remaining 90% paid less than 30% of the total tax burden.
Taxes, although painful, are not your nemesis. My biggest adversary is me. Yours is probably you. As soon as we identify our enemy we can get to work.
Imagine if the Bears were playing the Lions but were convinced that they were playing the Dolphins! We do it all of the time. We think that taxes and the government are our key problems when it’s usually the person in the mirror.
#5 No One Hires Felons
Those with records might have a tough time weeding through companies it’s not the key reason they are struggling financially.
Starting a side hustle or business is easier now than ever before.
There are dozens of legitimate ways to make money. Our past can haunt us but it does not have to keep us on the financial sidelines.
#6 Money Excuses — Inflation
Inflation is climbing higher and higher every day. A dozen eggs a few months ago were less than $1.00 and it’s now nearly $3.00.
Contending with inflation is aggravating. Complaining about it will not change it, though.
Deal with it. Find ways to make more money and save some too. Whining, crying, and thumb-sucking does neither.
#7 I Didn’t Have A Dad (boo hoo)
Having both parents in the home has its advantages. Unfortunately, divorce is commonplace. Kids grow up with one parent quite often.
I don’t want to make light of this situation. The pain is real to me and it’s real to many of your reading this.
Just don’t allow it to derail you financially. Deal with it with grace and compassion. God will heal your wounded heart and be a Father to the fatherless.
Money Excuses — Stop Them In Their Tracks
We’ve all made bone-headed money moves. When it happens get up and start over. Don’t sit in a puddle of tears looking for a scapegoat.
Yes, you might have been victimized. The choice of being a victim is totally yours, though.
I will leave you with one last bible verse for your consideration.
Micah 7:8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will stand up; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.