Are You Guilty of Self-Sabotage?

It's hard to think of the future when you're living paycheck to paycheck - consider the freedom that healthy budgeting habits can provide.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Browser View]( [Wealthy Retirement]( How to Avoid Financial Self-Sabotage Matthew Carr, Chief Trends Strategist, The Oxford Club [Take a Look at This Strange Device]( [Lynchpin Device](It can fit in the palm of your hand... Weighs less than a can of soup... And uses less energy than a night light. But it could change EVERYTHING. [Discover its astonishing power now...](  Editor's Note: We get it honest enough... Overspending is just as common as overeating during the holidays. This season, many of us will realize we've fallen into the ages-old trap of holiday overspending. And in some cases, it'll take us months to make up the difference. And if the overspending extends beyond the holidays, or if it's still hard to find a budget that fits, it could be a sign of a larger problem. That's why this holiday season, we've brought in Matthew Carr, Chief Trends Strategist at our sister e-letter Profit Trends. Matthew will share the story of how he's watched self-destructive tendencies keep friends stuck in the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. If this sounds like you, don't worry. It's a common enough problem, and it's certainly fixable. Consider talking to a financial advisor and take a look at [this piece by Marc]( to set a plan for getting back on track. The holidays may be about honoring traditions - but financial stress doesn't have to be one of them. - Mable Buchanan, Assistant Managing Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------  [Matthew Carr]  It's the holiday season. And like many of you, I've been getting cards, letters and emails from family and friends wishing me and mine their best. Though, recently, one of these bothered me. It was an email to a close-knit group of friends from one whom many of us hadn't seen in several months. The note itself was pleasant enough. There were the usual updates on kids and family. But one sentence in particular saddened me: "We're just trying to survive like so many of you..."  My wife and I both had the same reaction to reading it. It was likely true. Even our closest friends - many of whom are doing quite well incomewise - are just trying to "survive." They're caught in this cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. It's a vicious circle so many people can't seem to break free from. And during the holidays - despite the mania of joyous spending - it seems like so much more of a burden. The problem is so many people struggle because of self-inflicted wounds. And the worst part is that it's hard to convince them to stop. It's like there are these self-destruct sequences programmed into us that are nearly impossible to disarm. Growing up poor, I was told that money couldn't buy happiness. I don't know if it was a self-defense mechanism. I don't know if it was an actual realization. But it was always implied that the wealthy people living in those big houses on the nice side of town weren't really happy. That they were somehow immoral at their core. We've all heard that "The love of money is the root of all evil." This idea gets instilled in us, especially if we don't come from money, that if we somehow have more than we need, we are or will be corrupted. But what if I told you it's these perceptions that are the root of our financial struggles? Studies, like those from financial psychologist Dr. Brad Klontz of Creighton University, show the more negative your attitude is toward wealth and the wealthy, the more likely you are to have a lower income. Basically, a hatred of the rich and money ends up making you poor. This is a practice called "money avoidance." Essentially, this is financial self-sabotage.  [Bill O'Reilly - Truth Trump Economy]( Bill O'Reilly: "The real TRUTH about the Trump economy" [Click Here > >](  It ranges from overspending to an unwillingness to educate yourself on money matters. It lures people into the trap of not planning for retirement or even developing an irrational fear of money. This is why 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt within five years. And why people who receive a large inheritance blow through it just as quickly. The concept of money - what it really means - is lost on them. I never developed a hatred or a love of money. What I did develop was an understanding of what money truly meant. At least to me. And that's freedom. Freedom to do whatever I want. Freedom to be as generous as I want. Freedom to not be stressed about money and the future. Freedom to walk off into the sunset whenever I feel like it. And a lot of it begins with our necessities. No matter your income level, no matter what "percent" you're a part of, we all must pay for necessities - homes, clothes, food and even our retirements. According to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, more than half of employees are stressed out about their finances. Meanwhile, 42% of baby boomers have nothing saved for retirement. And of those who do, 38% have less than $100,000 squirreled away. It's a dangerous financial situation. And more and more older Americans are being forced to work later and later in life. Not because they want to. But because they have to. We're all going to need money. But our income-earning days will eventually come to an end. We can't fall into the traps of money avoidance - of just "surviving" another year. That's not living. We have to face our fears and misunderstandings about money and wealth... And we have to recognize if we're guilty of self-sabotage. If we are, it's never too late to change. Good investing, Matthew  [Click Here to Comment](  [Rub This Where It Hurts]( [Amanda Heckman Showcasing CBD Bottles](Here's a new, natural, fast-acting pain-relief solution that's taking the world by storm. It's potent... it's doctor-recommended... and it's 100% THC-free. [ACT FAST]( and claim three free bottles today (while supplies last)!  - Wealthy Retirement Is Proud to Support -  [Nica Clinic](   [Facebook]( [Twitter](   [The $1.1 Million Mistake (That Could Make YOU Rich!)]( Marc Lichtenfeld just made an innocent keyboard error on his supercomputer... and it unlocked [a hidden gold mine in the stock market]( that you've likely NEVER seen before...  [The Wrong Key](  [Check out the crazy story behind Marc's discovery right here.](  You are receiving this email because you subscribed to Wealthy Retirement. To unsubscribe from Wealthy Retirement, [click here](. Need help with your account? [Click here](. Have a question or comment for the editor? [Click here]( mailto:mailbag@oxfordclub.com?subject=Wealthy%20Retirement ). Please do not reply to this email as it goes to an unmonitored inbox. To cancel by mail or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Wealthy Retirement | Attn: Member Services | 105 West Monument Street | Baltimore, MD 21201 North America: [1.855.402.3939]( | International: [+1.443.353.4057]( | Fax: [1.410.329.1923]( Website: [www.wealthyretirement.com]( Keep the emails you value from falling into your spam folder. [Whitelist Wealthy Retirement](. © 2019 The Oxford Club LLC All Rights Reserved [Oxford Club] The Oxford Club is a financial publisher that does not offer any personal financial advice or advocate the purchase or sale of any security or investment for any specific individual. Members should be aware that although our track record is highly rated by an independent analysis and has been legally reviewed, investment markets have inherent risks and there can be no guarantee of future profits. The stated returns may also include option trades. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in their own securities recommendations to readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after online publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publications prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended by The Oxford Club should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. Protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. The information found on this website may only be used pursuant to the membership or subscription agreement and any reproduction, copying, or redistribution (electronic or otherwise, including on the world wide web), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of The Oxford Club, 105 W. Monument Street, Baltimore MD 21201. Â