[squiffy]

Many problems that we face in life have solutions that are simple in theory, but not easy to excute in practice.

I have been where you are. It took years of discipline and hard work to get me to where I am now. I own two homes, three cars and have a net worth of about 700K, depending on how the stock market is doing that day. I am not wealthy, but I live a comfortable life. I define wealthy as not having to work a regular job for a living. I am a lawyer, and unfortunately I do have to go to work each day, but hope someday to retire early.

Anyway, if you are overweight, the solution is simple, but not easy. Eat less and exercise more. Consume fewer high calorie foods and beverages. Drink more diet drinks. Eat smaller portions. Eat only half your meal at the restaurant and take home the leftovers. Do more walking and jogging every day during breaks and after work. The solution is simple, but not easy. I have gone from 160 lbs. to 140 lbs. over the past year.

Most people don't have the will power to do it. What separates the succesful from the unsuccessful in life is that often, the successful people just have more discipline.

Money is similar. If you have problems with debt, you need to earn more and spend less.

It's foolish to take vacations and to have cable and internet if you cannot afford them.

If you keep going down this path, then becoming a lawyer won't necessarily help you or change things. If you start earning 100K, your lack of discipline may lead you to spend 150K or 200K on fancy cars, clothing, and more expensive vacations and gadgets.

So don't delude yourself that graduating from law school will change things. The lack of discipine you are showing now, will not necessarily change, just because someday you may have a bigger paycheck.

Increase your income and reduce your spending. It's that simple.

It's a lot easier to reduce your spending, than to increase your income. Once you start working 60-80 hours a week as a lawyer, you will understand how hard it is to make more money by working more hours. Eventually, your only realistic option will be to reduce your spending, unless you want to die early of a heart attack!!!!!

Best of luck. But I have met very few people in life that have the discipline to follow simple advice. Most of the people I run into weigh 300 pounds and owe tons of money on their credit cards.

The sad part is, that with a little bit of discipline, they don't need to be in that situation. And neither do you.

You should read The Millionaire Next Door and take its advice to heart.

If you are heavily in debt, you need to learn to distinguish between NEEDS and WANTS. You need water, food, shelter, heat, clothing. You don't need high fashion clothing, jelly doughnuts, fancy BMW's, etc. , though you certainly want them.