{"id":26160,"date":"2016-07-02T08:06:01","date_gmt":"2016-07-02T12:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/?p=26160"},"modified":"2025-01-21T07:16:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T07:16:42","slug":"when-youd-rather-be-a-redneck-than-a-rich-girl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalskyweb.co\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/2016\/07\/02\/when-youd-rather-be-a-redneck-than-a-rich-girl\/","title":{"rendered":"When You’d Rather Be A Redneck Than a Rich Girl : The Saturday Weekend Review #179"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just because you call yourself a redneck doesn’t mean you are a funny talking, uneducated, financially unstable hick who only thrives in the country-side.<\/em>
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Being a redneck means you don’t give a rats about high society or being part of what some would consider a life draped in gold without the essence of understanding the true meaning of the words, living the dream<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So often I see status updates on social media alongside a photo that says, “Living the Dream” and honestly there are times where I’ve wondered where in the photo that dream was. It occurred to me that what someone else finds motivating, entertaining, peaceful and rich is not how others view it.<\/p>\n

However, when we compare people who have money society believes they are in fact the lucky one’s who are living the dream, whatever that is. It all boils down to the ability to have “stuff” and potentially less financial stress. Not all rich people have vanished money concerns either because as their estates, adventures and toys grow so does debt and bills.<\/p>\n

While enjoying the Canada Day festivities yesterday we went to our friend’s house for some backyard fun in the kiddie pool, cold beers, freezies and catching up conversation. Before we even made our way over to the house a text came in telling us not to mind the mess in the house. No big deal we thought, you should see our place at times with a toddler running around.<\/p>\n

When you have kids you have to pick and choose what you do based on what is happening throughout the day. One of our conversations revolved around chores and how tough it was as a parent to keep a tidy household inside and out.<\/p>\n

Our conversation continued to revolve around how being a redneck was better than having to live life defined by what other people think you should or should not be doing. Back many years ago my friend’s wife was dating a wealthy man who bought her anything her heart desired.<\/p>\n

As the years went on she had to conform to be who his family thought she should be especially if she were to marry him. That meant that they had house cleaners and most of her time was spent getting ready to look good in public doing things she didn’t care to do. It was all about business relations and making money and not enjoying life.<\/p>\n

Most times she was bored and just wanted to let loose and live a little. She admits that money was the motivator in why she began dating him but she didn’t think it would be as complicated as it turned out to be. It’s hard to say no when a guy is spending money on you, she recalls as the memories come flooding back. Money can control a relationship by dictating the type of lifestyle that you must lead.<\/p>\n

As she took a sip of her homemade wine she looked at us both and said, “I don’t care what people think especially since we don’t have lots of money. I’d rather be a redneck over being a rich man’s girl again.”\u00a0 As jaw-dropping as some people may take this there are some of you reading this thinking that this girl has her head screwed on straight. It doesn’t matter though because it’s her life, her choice.<\/p>\n

A mutual friend of ours is wealthy and looking to buy a cottage on the lake. She likes big, fancy things because she has the money and wants to spend it. She also likes to show off what she has earned although most people don’t care. All they want to know is how much money she has and how she earned it because it becomes part of the comparison game which can be deadly to our emotions.<\/p>\n

Not all wealthy people live like this as there are many people who have a fat bank account and would rather live a redneck lifestyle. You may not even know your buddy is a millionaire because of the way he chooses to live his life but he very well could be. Heck, my wife and I consider ourselves a redneck couple because we aren’t that flashy type of couple who likes to make sure everyone knows we have cash in the bank. It’s just so much more than that, but in a good way.<\/p>\n

Look…here comes a redneck<\/span><\/h2>\n

What is a redneck?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A hillbilly, cracker, white trash individual with no motivation to be successful. There may be some truth to this however labelling everyone the same doesn’t make any sense based on how they choose to live their life.<\/p>\n

The term redneck<\/a> is a derogatory term chiefly used for a rural poor white<\/a> person in the Southern United States.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you live in Canada you know the word redneck is widely used which means it’s not only an “American” thing it’s part of Canadian culture as well.<\/p>\n

You might consider yourself a redneck if you’re not made of money and like to live the simple life without the worries of what other people think and say about the way you live. Creating visions from what other people may consider rubbish and learning to have fun with what you have makes for some pretty cool friends to have in your circle.<\/p>\n

You’ve seen the photo circulating around Facebook where there are a few guys who put a plastic liner in the back of their pick-up truck, filled it with water and called it a pool. The photo depicts the men relaxing in the truck pool, smiling with beers in their hands. That my friends is what a redneck life is all about, creating memories without having to run out and buy them.<\/p>\n

Your redneck friends may be creative in the kitchen, garden and all other facets of life. If you want to know how to do something for cheap or how to re-purpose something your redneck friends will tell you how to get the job done.<\/p>\n

I had no idea what a redneck was when I moved to Canada as I was not familiar with the term. My wife would often compare something\/someone to being redneck and I’d have to have her explain what she was going on about. Now that I’ve lived in Canada for 9 years I’ve been more than exposed to Canadian culture and different ways of life.<\/p>\n

Related<\/strong>: How I made my move to Canada from the UK<\/a><\/p>\n

We have friends who live in the country-side who are redneck, city-folk who are redneck and wealthy peeps who are redneck without the trail of gold. My wife’s best friend is what society would consider a redneck and she is one of the most creative people we know.<\/p>\n

She may be loud but she sure can draw, sew, garden, cook\/bake, hunt, fish, paint, ride a motorcycle and is 100% beautiful in her own fashionable way. Her house is filled with stuff she got second-hand or free and decorated with love.<\/p>\n

We consider her family and couldn’t imagine her any other way. Even if she came into money I don’t think she’d change the lifestyle that she has grown up with as she considers it her way of life. Money doesn’t change the person you were it only buys more stuff and can pay the bills if budgeted properly.<\/p>\n

You Might Be A Redneck<\/span><\/h2>\n

Redneck word of the day is…<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you really want to know what a redneck is check out the outrageously funny stand-up comedian Jeff Foxworthy who has a show called “Redneck Comedy” which is funny as hell and worth the watch. Although he has a laugh about being a redneck himself most of what he says is true but it’s not a bad way of life. In fact a redneck likely has more life experiences than someone who grew up bathing in money or with parents who had no financial hardships.<\/p>\n

My definition of redneck is that it is a glorious absence of sophistication Jeff Foxworthy<\/p><\/blockquote>\n