When I was young I had a hard time living within my means. I had been known to go without food for clothing I coveted and do without other things that are needed to survive to afford the lovely things I wanted. I later built up to making enough money to afford what I loved but would not change a thing about my adventures in shopping during my life!

Do you have difficulty living within your means? If so, where do you over spend?  Do you live within your means and if so, what do you miss? What do you believe can be a marker in the chart for living beyond one's means?  How is your Jupiter?

I have the means to live....................is that the same thing?

I want to live far outside my means by building a McDonalds in my Basement.

Nope, I live within my means, I will go with out luxuries if I have to. I'm lucky that I needs are simple. But the one thing I would like to afford to do more is travelling. But I will this year. I've got a better job and someone to travel with. YAY!

Sounds like fun, Sunny! Where will you travel?

It would seem that living indoors and driving a vehicle [not to mention food & utilities] are outside of my means ! I just had to pawn one of my guitars the other day, just to tide us over to next month. I'm possessive of them, so it was agonising.

I'm currently in school full-time, so I'm on a fixed income; but I've been seriously broke for the past eight years. Supporting myself and three kids alone has had me [well, us] going without lots of things. I marvel at the contrast between how we lived when I was married, and how we've gone along since the disasters that unfolded in the 2000's.

All over Ireland and Europe! I'm  super excited about it!

Yes, although I'm getting very tired of having such limited means.  Exploring career options to change that.

But I've never seen anything else as an option.  This is how I was raised, and I think it's right.  I've seen people get themselves into huge financial trouble over the stupidest things.

I wish I could afford to dress the way I'd like (and travel! Which seems like a distant unlikely dream at this point), but it's just not going to happen right now.  I'd rather eat.

We live within our means.  Doesn't mean we manage our money all that well- but, at least we don't owe anybody anything.  The only thing I wish I was able to afford more often would be traveling too.

Uggh. No, I don't. We finally had to face the music in 2011 and we are getting a little smarter by the month. Learning the hard way...

I have Neptune in Sag in my 2H. Money is not very important to me -- I don't feel the need to store it. I have to MAKE myself do that. Hubby has the exact same placement. My Jupiter is in my 10H in Virgo conjunct my Leo Mars. They fight it out quite a bit lol On the one hand, I am one cheap bastard. I hate spending big lumps of money on one thing, even if it's important or necessary. But then shazam!! I will go on a spree when we have any extra money and not bother to look and see if we have enough to cover all of it. I know "there's more money in there" this month, so I spend "more money." For having Virgo Jupiter, I really hate bothering with money details. I mean hate hate. I am aa 5H Aries sun, which I'm told are notorious spenders. I like to think I am not a spender, because my husband is ever worse! We are both putting ourselves through financial remediation right now, but it is like taming heroine addicts. It's soooo stupid. I don't think this is admirable or "cool" or really truly "funny." We're in our mid-30s now, so I think reality is kicking in that ohhhh....you have to SAVE some of this crap lol Ah ha....

And what do I spend my money on? Health food and fun organic beauty products or teas. Exotic food in restaurants. Coffee. Mostly food. Venus in Taurus maybe? I spend very little on clothes, but that's really what I need. I hate my clothes but can't seem to justify spending $50 on even a full outfit when I can spend $50 at an exotic restaurant. Isn't that weird?? Immediate satisfaction. Does not pay, that's for sure. Feels so good in the moment...gives the illusion of wealth. Hubby and I both grew up poor, so I think we developed some silly money habits there too...off to finish my therapy lol Thanks, Annalisa :) 

I am terrible about furniture purchases.  I will buy on credit with really high interest rates, instead of holding off the purchase and saving for the new bedroom and hallway flooring and the sidewalk I really want.

And there's no other "thing" I would accept these interest rates on, I'm usually pretty savvy.

I do, without fail.

Yes. Capricorn. I squeek when I walk.

I opened a savings account as a preteen. That may be my Taurus rising & Jupiter.

I'm married to a Cap moon. We plan and save for purchases.  (Tangent: He once said marriage was a legal business partnership. Since he's a Sag, I forgive him. )

Absolutely not. All that Leo's gotta have the good stuff. :)

But I'm still a young adult so don't judge me.

:P

Yeah, basically :)

I absolutely do. I am obsessed with remaining independent, and if I do not live within my means then I risk putting myself at the whim of someone else's circumstances. Also I have a pretty serious hard on for personal responsibility, which feeds into the same loop.

Ahem. Sun/Saturn, anyone? In the first, even.

I've got Mars/Venus in the 2nd but I give this one to the Sun/Saturn combo.

Shannon just listed my main reason, independence, as a reason to live within my means.

I even keep some utility bills in my name alone for the credit rating it gives me. Been divorced once!

I do. Hate debt. live a pretty routine life, not much opportunity to spend...

I used to for long periods, and definitely think it's very desirable, but on my present income (a minimum basic pension) it would be impossible to do, without paring my life down to mere existence. It's pretty pared down already! - I very rarely go out, even just for a drink

I really should give up my car, given I'm no longer getting enough work so that it pays for itself, but it represents my independence and my ability to see people I love who don't live anywhere near me; also my ability to enjoy my surroundings etc. I know almost nobody here; life without my car would be pretty narrow :( and very very difficult, living in a village)

ETA Astrology - Lots of Cap, but a Taurus Moon (enjoys beauty, and creature comforts), likes good food especially. Neptune H1/H2 (not certain which) - and Chiron/Jupiter H2: 'Something will turn up....'

My Cap sun and saturn keeps me in check most of the time, though I do spend well out of my means during Jupiter transits. Only on absolute necessities, but high quality, EXPENSIVE necessities...it's the final push on my endless cap ruminating, "will I, won't I"....and then Jupiter does it all before I can even blink.

Caprion, my Jupiter transits used to get me every time! I took a long time to learn my lessons about living within my means due to so much Sag. I know what you mean when you say Jup transits can send you into a spin!

@Annalisa, I really enjoyed hearing of your clothes obsession when younger! I had the same (have the same) problem. It's so embarrassing, especially as I come from a super scholarly family, and here all I can think of is how I'll fund my clothes/shoes/blazers purchases. :)

I do. It's one of the reasons I'm where I'm at now. In TO it was too expensive to live within my means lol.. not without more job security.. and it was becoming even more piecemeal..  I thought "they" were crazy to expect a certain percentage of my income to go towards home ownership or renting. lol. Still do.

But I also like to spend on social things.. Going out.. going to movies.. i don't have a lot of friends so this doesn't happen too much.. but I enjoy the freedom of "not worrying" about money.. Knowing it's there to use. So I hate being in debt. Hate it so much that it's usually what pushes me to earn more. At least after pluto transited my 2nd house. I have neptune in the 2nd.. I never really know about money so i just like a + sign in my account.

I do tend to squirrel, save, shop 2nd hand.. and then splurge. And I am paranoid about partnering with someone who doesn't earn an income. Did that and it freaked me out for life. Do NOT tell me that maxing my income for stuff is a good idea. ugh.

Edit: I grew up with not a lot of money.. but money was spent where needed - food being number 1, house, clothes were sometimes 2nd hand. And my grandmother had 10 kids with not a lot of income and made do.

Liz I can't partner with someone who isn't earning either - that's what destroyed my first great love affair, when it comes down to bare facts: that's my Cap stellium I guess, esp Sun/Venus. There's barely even enough for me and often not even that.

Live within my means now. Clothes were always my thing too, Venus in Leo 2nd. Had to be original and would rather be stay home naked than wear what I thought was cr*p, Libra Moon conjunct Uranus 4th. Got into plenty of debt and Saturn/Venus transits to natal and progressed gave me a big wake up call and forced me to find confidence within. Debt free now, great feeling :) Credit cards = devils work. Great shoes and clothes still do it for me but I learnt my lesson. I'd rather be in control and not owe anyone.

Fancy cars and gadgets mean zero, 'oh nice, erm, red car'