If you’ve got a decent income, changing your brand of coffee or being the last person in your zip code to buy an iPod just isn’t going to get you very far. To make a real difference, you are going to have to cross out a major line item. The private school. The house with the great address. A parent staying at home with the kids. Or the plan to retire early. These are not frivolous, spendthrift things. Responsible grown-ups can choose among them. It’s just that most of us can’t choose every single one of them. 

The columnist makes a good point about making choices. Although certain incomes cannot afford private schools. Though the salary may be covered, there are also other extras, such as fund raising events, and other expectations from the school. Buying a home in an area you cannot afford is what happened to many people. Though a person might be able to pay the mortgage; it’s the extras that make a difference. In the case of a home, taxes, maintenance, and utilities add up to large extras. Other choices, require big changes and additional strains on your wallet that you may or may not be able to make. 

If people are truly living within their means and make changes to their daily living they can do things. A parent staying home with the kids if both parents are making minimum wage is very difficult. Early retirement, without a sizeable nest egg is not easy to do.

The private school. The house with the great address. A parent staying at home with the kids. Or the plan to retire early. 

All of these items seem like luxuries, because having a house with a great address does not mean that there is a less expensive house, in a safe neighborhood with an address that is less chic. Private school is more costly than public school because of tuition and even with public school there are fees to be paid, fundraisers, field trips and other expenses. If some of the people were responsible and honest with themselves about money and what they couldn’t afford, then they might not have to make those decisions after they have become entrenched in a certain lifestyle.

Making reasonable choices that do not affect the quality of life for people is a personal decision. Taking a child out of a private school to make new friends, depending on the age of the child can be traumatic. Changing schools can be stressful depending on the child. 

Balancing your budget realistically means that when you buy a home, utilities increase, taxes increase even if you have a fixed mortgage, tuition increases just as cost of living if you decide to retire early.

I disagree with the author, little changes really will make a difference. Yet, sometimes you have to make the hard decisions up front.