after a conversation

Last night I was catching up with Jenn, and she confessed her mother had been pressuring her to buy a house. The funny thing is, for a few years my parents have been doing the same, off and on.

Here's the parent logic: the housing market's in bad shape! You might be able to get a house for much less than usual, ergo, you should buy one now while you can get a good deal!

Here's the reality that is often so difficult for us to convey to our parents: Just because an item is on sale does not necessitate its purchase. If I do not have the money saved to buy a house, I had no prior plans to buy a house anytime soon, and the house I would actually be happy to have bought is way out of my price range, then it is not a wise idea to try to buy a house right now.

If you weren't already going to buy something, a sale is utterly meaningless! You can't count yourself as saving money when, by definition, you're spending money you wouldn't normally have spent in the first place.

Anyway, parental pressures aside, I know I'm not getting a house anytime soon, and I hope Jenn will wait until she can afford one she actually wants.

Ah, debt juggling. It is not fun! I guess it's sort of necessary, though.