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9 Specific Steps to Improve Your Money Relationship
1.
Build Better Money Habits
The
New Year is less than a month away and you may be starting to think about your
resolutions. Was 2016 another year where you were always worried about money?
Do you feel that it is holding you back?
You
may feel as though you look successful on the outside but on the inside you are
living in a haze about money. Maybe you feel conflict, shame, or secrecy in
your relationships. Or do you have an
overall feeling that there just isn’t enough.
I
know that feeling. I have been there. It wasn’t until I started to think about
money and emotions in a practical way that I started to live a more authentic
life. I addressed my money relationship and now I want to invite you to take
that step to do the same
2.
Set Specific Actionable Goals
I
know goals make a difference. They keep me focused and give me the
determination, commitment and passion to accomplish them. If I keep my goals in
my head they simply don’t happen. I can walk from one end of the house to the
other and forget why I’m there.
Goals
help me:
• Determine a sense of
meaning, purpose and direction
• Gain clarity to decide
what’s important
• Determine what’s
important versus what’s relevant
• Achieve more and keep
focused
• Increase my motivation to
succeed
• Improve my
self-confidence
Goals
are certainly motivating, but not all goals are created equal: studies have
found that specific and challenging goals led to higher performance than easy
goals, ‘do your best’ goals, or no goals.”
So if you want to give yourself a good reason to improve your financial
habits, you will need specific, actionable goals.
If you plan to make your goals
financially related, here are some suggestions:
·
Set a goal to become debt free. Start by making up your mind not to incur any more
debt. Leave your credit card at home. Next, summarize your credit card debt,
including the balance, interest rate and minimum payment due. Call your
creditors to request a lower interest rate. Pay more than the minimum on each
account. Once an account is paid off, take the extra money and pay it towards
another credit card.
·
Track your spending for 30 days. Whenever you spend money, write down how much you spent
and what you spent it on. Summarize your purchases to determine where you can
reduce your spending. I guarantee you’ll find something you’re spending more
money on than you thought.
·
Organize your financial records. Purge last year’s financial records and get
organized for the upcoming year. Get your shredder out and shred old receipts,
bills and paperwork.
·
Rearrange your financial records, business records and so on. Next purchase a
two-drawer file cabinet and some folders.
·
Determine your net worth, the value of
your assets minus your liabilities. Summarize your assets and liabilities,
including the account number, name and contact information of each
institution.
·
Open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or increase the amount you’re currently contributing
to an existing IRA. In 2017 you can contribute $5,500 annually if you are under
age 50 or $6,500 if you are age 50 or older. Determine the amount you can
afford to contribute. Set up an automatic deduction from your paycheck or bank
account.
·
Make an appointment with an attorney to prepare a will, a living will and durable power of
attorney . Approximately 70% of Americans don’t have a will, which means the
state determines how their assets will be distributed and their children’s
guardian.
·
Establish a contingency fund for unexpected, or
emergency expenses. Consider to
open it in a financial institution that’s not easily accessible makies it
harder to dip into. Set up automatic
deductions from your paycheck or bank account. If necessary begin with a
small amount, but strive to have a balance of three to six month’s worth of
living expenses.
·
Read a book, start a book club, join an investment
club
Attend a
financialliteracyactionnetwork.org webinar, workshop or register for ecourses; check out Brandy Speer Wise a Certified Financial
Education Instructor on Blog Talk Radio; take a class on money, sign up for an
online newsletter, etc.
Don’t
wait another minute, schedule time for yourself to determine your goals for
2017. Remember – write them down and be
sure to include a targeted completion date. “Goals are dreams with
deadlines.” Diana Scharf Hunt
3.
Remove Any Barriers to Financial Success
Now
that you have a goal, what’s stopping you from getting there? Maybe it’s
your Social Media friends encouraging you to spend more money. It could be your coffee addiction that
keeps you spending on your $5 a day habit. Or your resistance to look for
a new job even though you’re underpaid. No
matter the barriers between you and good financial habits, the first step is to
identify the problem. Be honest with yourself and take action to change those
behaviors.
4.
Baby Steps
Take
the slight edge appoach to change your financial behavior, It is about the
little things that we do every day toward the achievement of our goals. Want to
start spending less? Make a habit of quickly checking your bank balance on your
phone before you make an unplanned purchase. It only takes a couple seconds,
and it’ll help you make a more informed decision. Creating new habits is hard.
Habits are usually built over weeks or months of repetition, and motivation is
the challenge.
5.
Automate Your Finances
Possibly
the best way to build great financial habits is to put the decision-making in
someone else’s hands. If you can put it in the hands of a computer, great! A
machine won’t ever be tempted by a new pair of shoes or the latest high
tech gadget. Automation makes the process much easier and gives you one less
thing to worry about.
6.
Target a Money Challenge
There’s
something about facing a challenge that’s especially motivating for a lot of us.
If you’re one of those people, taking on a financial challenge can be a big
help in developing better money habits. We have looked at a number of money
challenges including the 30-day no-spend challenge and the 52-week savings
challenge, both can help you establish better habits.
7.
How About An Attitude Adustment About Money?
The
same way you would improve any relationship with love and respect. You can’t enjoy a good relationship with
money unless you’re willing to love it, through thick and thin.
Love
is a choice and it’s purpose is an emotion, as well as a behavior. When we
choose to love our cat even though he scratched us, that’s love. Or when we
show patience, energy or resources in helping our child to solve a problem;
even though we might be running low on all of those qualities—that’s also love.
8.
Improve Your Financial Knowledge
Knowledge
is power. The more you know, the more likely you are to be able to make
progress and meet your goals — this is true whether you’re working on an
advanced degree or trying to establish better money habits. Fortunately, there
are a lot of great ways to further educate yourself about money out there
9.
Start Today and Take ‘Some Action’ Everyday!
Some Topic Sources
National Financial Educators Council (NFEC)
Jim Rohn: Setting
Goals
Brian Tracy: Goals
Money Magazine
The Mint
Forbes Magazine
PC Magazine: Best Mobile Finance Apps
MY SIGNATURE
FLAN works
with people/communities/organizations/businesses who want to embrace and join
forces to bring the vision of financial education (personal money management)
to themselves, their families, employees and communities
Course participants will learn
how to properly manage their money, save, invest and grow it. It’s about dreams and goals!
Download our
complimentary 60 to 90 minute courses for all ages.
Apply
techniques that work and start to see immediate results. Full course covers key areas designed
to help you achieve your personal financial goals. Money management program
course overview:
·
Financial Psychology
·
Accounts and Budgeting
·
Credit and Debt
·
Banking
Essentials
·
Skill
Growth
·
Insurance
·
Investment
Basics
Financial Literacy Action Network
Brandy Speer, Executive Director
1214 Armorlite Drive, #121
San Marcos,
CA 92069
760.845.5550 |
mobile/text
888.818.5669 |
office
855.455.5550 | Fax
brandy@flanetwork.org
| email
www.FinancialLiteracyActionNetwork.org
| website
