April 1, 2010
Are they broke? Nobody in your family likes to talk about it and it's definitely not neighborly to bring the subject up if the neighbors don't. Even so, you can't help wonder how the Joneses managed to build their McMansion and put a Mercedes and a Jaguar in the driveway. If you want to know whether they have been bitten hard by the Great Recession or are maxed out on their debt, here's 7 telltale signs to look for.
The Grass Doesn't Lie:
As the Spring turns to Summer, you'll notice that the neighbor's lawn has a new color - a light shade of brown. Water is downright expensive in many places and when money is tight, the sprinklers get turned off. If you live where mother nature provides plenty from above, look for lawns that resemble a Southeast Asian jungle as the telltale sign. When people don't have any cash, the mowing service gets cancelled and the grass starts reaching for the moon.
Bye-Bye Mercedes-Benz!
You raised an eyebrow when your neighbor brought home that shiny S class Mercedes, or was it a Cadillac sedan? Either way, you suspected that it was leased. When they pull into their driveway with a used 1999 Kia Sephia, your suspicions will be confirmed. This one is worthy of the question to your neighbor, "So what happened to the Cadillac?" If the answer includes something about "being green" or "wanting a commuter car", smile and nod your head and give them a pat on the back for learning the virtues of living cheap. Better late than never.
5 Pounds of Mail, Every Day
Take a minute and watch your neighbor grab his or her mail one day. If they come away with stacks of paper and it's not the holidays, you'll know something is up. Miss a few mortgage payments or property taxes and everyone and their cousin starts to flood your mailbox and they're not sending you love letters. And if your neighbors are late making payments on their credit card bills, they'll get notices piled high. If you see the Joneses with wheel barrow or duffel bag each day to grab their mail, it's a sure sign that there's no love lost between them and their creditors.
Landscape Me Not:
Spring time usually ushers in the new round of flowers, plants, and typical landscaping improvements. But if your neighbor's yard doesn't change a bit after years of top of the line grooming, it might be because the credit cards are maxed out and the checking account is more than a little light this year. Lots of people are skipping landscaping in this the third real year of the Great Recession.
Lights Out: Early and Often
Electricity rates just keep heading higher thanks to the need to fund fat electric company pensions. But this year, your neighbor won't be supporting the cause because their house at night will resemble a black hole. Those impressive lawn lights that illuminated the facade of their beautiful McMansion will sit dark or be lit for a brief hour in the evening. That great hall chandalier that made such a strong impression will be dimmed for "green" reasons. And in the summer, you might notice that your neighbors house feels more like the sauna at the gym because the air conditioning is set at 85 degrees. Christmas lights? Don't be surprised if the the ornate show is a little more modest this year.
Vacation Me Not
Disney? Hawaii? A Grand European Vacation? Not this year. You'll be seeing a lot more of your neighbors during their Staycations. If in years past, they've raved about the beaches in Maui, the slopes in Aspen, or the Great Barrier reef you may be a little shocked when you hear them expounding on the joys of setting up a tent in their backyard. You'll know what's up. It doesn't take a genius to figure out their financial health when the hotdogs on the grill have been substituted for 5 star French cuisine in Paris.
Tag Sale
If you wake up one morning to walk the dog and see a sign for an "Estate Sale" at your neighbor's place, it might just be that they realize that Cash is King and they don't have any. When they are doing well, most people don't bother with Tag Sales. It's easier to donate stuff and take the tax writeoff against good income. But it takes a year before you see your donations make a dent in your tax refund. The tax benefits also don't mean squat if there isn't much income. So if there is a yard sale at your neighbors for the first time this year, it might just because they're scraping bottom and need to raise cash in a hurry. Help them out by acquiring that hardly used LCD TV from their second living room. Or was that the 7th bedroom?
Any single one of these signs won't mean much, but any three or more will tell you all you need to know. Never gloat about your neighbor's misfortune. Help them out when you can. Loan them your lawnmower so they can cut their own grass. Give them tips on how they can paint their own home. Invite them over for dinner or a backyard barbecue. Good neighbors help each other out - especially in hard times. And don't forget to send them our way. A few lessons learned on LiveCheap.com can set them on the right path and teach them how to live the good life cheaply.
Are they broke? Nobody in your family likes to talk about it and it's definitely not neighborly to bring the subject up if the neighbors don't. Even so, you can't help wonder how the Joneses managed to build their McMansion and put a Mercedes and a Jaguar in the driveway. If you want to know whether they have been bitten hard by the Great Recession or are maxed out on their debt, here's 7 telltale signs to look for.
The Grass Doesn't Lie:
As the Spring turns to Summer, you'll notice that the neighbor's lawn has a new color - a light shade of brown. Water is downright expensive in many places and when money is tight, the sprinklers get turned off. If you live where mother nature provides plenty from above, look for lawns that resemble a Southeast Asian jungle as the telltale sign. When people don't have any cash, the mowing service gets cancelled and the grass starts reaching for the moon.
Bye-Bye Mercedes-Benz!
You raised an eyebrow when your neighbor brought home that shiny S class Mercedes, or was it a Cadillac sedan? Either way, you suspected that it was leased. When they pull into their driveway with a used 1999 Kia Sephia, your suspicions will be confirmed. This one is worthy of the question to your neighbor, "So what happened to the Cadillac?" If the answer includes something about "being green" or "wanting a commuter car", smile and nod your head and give them a pat on the back for learning the virtues of living cheap. Better late than never.
5 Pounds of Mail, Every Day
Take a minute and watch your neighbor grab his or her mail one day. If they come away with stacks of paper and it's not the holidays, you'll know something is up. Miss a few mortgage payments or property taxes and everyone and their cousin starts to flood your mailbox and they're not sending you love letters. And if your neighbors are late making payments on their credit card bills, they'll get notices piled high. If you see the Joneses with wheel barrow or duffel bag each day to grab their mail, it's a sure sign that there's no love lost between them and their creditors.
Landscape Me Not:
Spring time usually ushers in the new round of flowers, plants, and typical landscaping improvements. But if your neighbor's yard doesn't change a bit after years of top of the line grooming, it might be because the credit cards are maxed out and the checking account is more than a little light this year. Lots of people are skipping landscaping in this the third real year of the Great Recession.
Lights Out: Early and Often
Electricity rates just keep heading higher thanks to the need to fund fat electric company pensions. But this year, your neighbor won't be supporting the cause because their house at night will resemble a black hole. Those impressive lawn lights that illuminated the facade of their beautiful McMansion will sit dark or be lit for a brief hour in the evening. That great hall chandalier that made such a strong impression will be dimmed for "green" reasons. And in the summer, you might notice that your neighbors house feels more like the sauna at the gym because the air conditioning is set at 85 degrees. Christmas lights? Don't be surprised if the the ornate show is a little more modest this year.
Vacation Me Not
Disney? Hawaii? A Grand European Vacation? Not this year. You'll be seeing a lot more of your neighbors during their Staycations. If in years past, they've raved about the beaches in Maui, the slopes in Aspen, or the Great Barrier reef you may be a little shocked when you hear them expounding on the joys of setting up a tent in their backyard. You'll know what's up. It doesn't take a genius to figure out their financial health when the hotdogs on the grill have been substituted for 5 star French cuisine in Paris.
Tag Sale
If you wake up one morning to walk the dog and see a sign for an "Estate Sale" at your neighbor's place, it might just be that they realize that Cash is King and they don't have any. When they are doing well, most people don't bother with Tag Sales. It's easier to donate stuff and take the tax writeoff against good income. But it takes a year before you see your donations make a dent in your tax refund. The tax benefits also don't mean squat if there isn't much income. So if there is a yard sale at your neighbors for the first time this year, it might just because they're scraping bottom and need to raise cash in a hurry. Help them out by acquiring that hardly used LCD TV from their second living room. Or was that the 7th bedroom?
Any single one of these signs won't mean much, but any three or more will tell you all you need to know. Never gloat about your neighbor's misfortune. Help them out when you can. Loan them your lawnmower so they can cut their own grass. Give them tips on how they can paint their own home. Invite them over for dinner or a backyard barbecue. Good neighbors help each other out - especially in hard times. And don't forget to send them our way. A few lessons learned on LiveCheap.com can set them on the right path and teach them how to live the good life cheaply.
Closed November 2010
Woo-hoo!
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