Remember your first apartment? The excitement of having your own space mixed with the reality of monthly rent? Well, buying your first home is like that – but with way more zeros involved. It’s exciting, overwhelming, and sometimes feels like trying to solve a puzzle while blindfolded. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
( reading time: 6 min 24 sec ) The term ‘spaving’ is so new that Wikipedia hasn’t listed it yet. Unplanned spending because it saves you money is the best of intentions, missing actual reality. Most of us are guilty of this justification for spending. It is not a question of whether we have done…
Many of us feel that our income is a barrier to our goals. Even when our income increases, we feel we are on the wrong side of a wall. Eventually, we may achieve our goals, but something says we should be able to reach them sooner.
What mystery secret transforms personal finances from what appears to be a barrier into a breakthrough? It isn’t a one-time quick fix; it is the answer that keeps on working. That answer is preparation. It isn’t procrastination hiding behind preparation. It is the practice of preparation along life’s journey that changes everything.
Yesterday was a mix of wins and losses, treasured memories and regrets. We need to understand how to deal with each memory in a healthy way.
Our positive memories can be as much of a distraction as our negative memories regarding growth and preparing for tomorrow. It is also true that our failures are not a signal to turn back. They are a signal that something didn’t work. If we classify these experiences into the correct categories and act according to what we learn from them, we have a future to look forward to.
Retirement was something that didn’t exist, and then it was a long-term employee benefit. Now, it is about personal investments and hoping social security doesn’t slip into the pages of history.
The first goal at any age is regular, steady progress until the goal is reached or exceeded. We also want to continue to enjoy life while we make progress on financial freedom. Delaying progress on this goal should be rare, but the delay is sometimes the right choice. We also don’t want to aim at opportunities that are more of a gamble than an investment.
Many people say they lack character. They speak of character as genetic or a chemical reaction outside their control.
What if there were a way to change our minds? It has been said what you don’t know cannot hurt you, but science studying confirmation bias doesn’t support that cliche. After coaching many clients, we have found a common strength to those getting budget traction that is missing from those who don’t get traction. That strength is clarity. While many methods approach helping with this target, a particular mix wins today and in many generations past.
Sometimes, we feel good about the future, and sometimes our feelings don’t motivate us. Feelings can work in our favor and against our best interests.
So, the answer to better results is multilayered. We must understand when our feelings contribute to a better future and when they are distracting. Sometimes, we choose a season of discomfort for the promise of greater rewards. That is our best guide; acting on rewards and avoiding regret will give us the best life.
Education can provide a path to our dreams. Education allows us to bring more knowledge to more people. There are multiple options for learning things to influence our future.
Education is a wonderful option for me when it gives us the foundation to deliver knowledge and skills in the future. We need to know the cost and expected reward beyond having a degree or certification. The educational choice should move toward our financial goals, and it should be something we can engage with year after year to reap those rewards.
It’s so much fun to get a financial boost. It can relieve stress when you feel like you are drowning in bills and barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. It can provide funds to buy that special something or to do that project you’ve wanted to get to.Â
Spending it will still be exciting in ten minutes or ten days. We must let our emotions settle and make a plan that brings us happiness today and satisfaction when considering our decisions in six months. If we want to make our goals and obligations part of this event, we must get intentional.
