Tag Archives: finances

One of the Best Financial Habits You Can Make During the Month of December

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As we are filling up our carts with an abundance of gifts for your loved ones along with some presents for yourself, it is very easy for your December spending to go above and beyond your daily spending. Remember that it is only once a year and it is also good to remind yourself to still find ways to enjoy this festive season of generosity and to not feel stressed over the extra money that is spent. The money you spend will ALWAYS find a way to come back if you develop a good relationship with your money and you continue to develop an abundance mindset. These are habits that you can focus on year round and goals that you should make a conscious effort each and every day.

In the month of December, we are closing out another year and this is a good time to actually REFLECT on your money for the past year. Did you increase your net worth? Are there areas of your life that you overspent? How well did you manage your money in the past year? The ultimate way you can answer these questions is if you go through your credit card statements or if you take it a step further and keep a journal with all your expenses, this would be a good place for you to look at where exactly you spent your money and how much. While this for some might sound tedious and increase your stress levels, try to look at this as a way to set yourself up for a brighter future ahead. With the new year coming, it is good to look back and assess your current money habits so that you can create even better ones for the following year. If you don’t currently have a money reflection at the end of the year, it is never too late to start and let this December kick off this new financial habit before we ring in the new year!

Money Saving Tips After Overspending on Black Friday

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I don’t know about you but I definitely spent a lot more money this year from all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals this past week. Not only did I spend a lot of money over that weekend but even the weeks leading up to Black Friday–there were a ton of online sales that began before actual Black Friday! Nowadays, the sales are not limited to just Black Friday or Cyber Monday but the sales can go on for days or even weeks. Personally, I did all my Black Friday shopping online. I haven’t shopped in-person on Black Friday for many years now. Mainly due to the fact that I don’t like to deal with large crowds but I also believe that many of the deals are better online anyhow. As I go through my credit card statement, my first reaction is okay, it’s only the beginning of December and it is time to scale it back now! At the same time, we are moving onto the abundant holiday season where it is inevitable that more money is to be spent on gifts for the people I care about most along with other holiday expenses. So what is my advice on how to save some money this holiday season?

Go Through Your Previous Purchases and Return What Is Unnecessary – It is so easy to get cart happy and add lots of items simply due to how low the prices are. However, realistically, many of the items are impulse buys and not necessarily things that you need. Many retailers have a great return policy at this time where you have as much time as after the holidays to bring back any returns. Don’t be afraid to return any items that you actually don’t need at the moment.

Make a List and a Budget (and Actually Stick to It) – It is always a good plan to plan ahead when you are spending money over the holiday season. Start off with a list of people who you want to shop for along with a tentative budget that you are working with. This way, you are making a conscious effort on establishing not only who you want to spend your money on but also how much you are looking to spend. Also keep in mind when it comes to gift giving, sometimes handmade or inexpensive gifts with a lot of thought are just as valuable as monetary gifts so there is no need to feel obligated to spend a lot of money in order to please all the people on your gift giving list.

Pick Up a Holiday Side Hustle – The holiday season is a great time to find an extra source of income and to find a part-time job to work some extra holiday hours. Many retailers could always use the extra holiday help and if you find a job as a waiter or waitress, you will most likely make higher tips as people tend to be more generous during the holidays. This might also be also a good time to pick up a holiday craft and find craft fairs to sell your goods. If you have the extra time, it does not hurt to find extra work to keep up with all the costs that naturally come this time of year.

Financial Compatibility Matters – Why You Can’t Be Afraid to Discuss Your Financial Situation with Your Partner

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They say that one of the number one reasons why relationships fail is due to money matters. While many do not want to believe that, I can see how this can happen. It can be stressful enough making and managing your own money. Then factor in your partner’s money habits which can either make your life more stressful or potentially easier. Let’s also forget that money does NOT buy you happiness. Sure, maybe it can make your life easier and there is more financial security but money does not buy a happy relationship. It is for this reason that it is important to recognize that being with someone who has a lot of money does not necessarily guarantee a lifetime of bliss with this person because at the end of the day, you want to find someone who you love unconditionally–with or without a big bank account. There is also a reason that there is the saying, “more money, more problems.” When someone is rich, with that comes more financial responsibilities and also the risk of mismanaging their wealth which could mean being in a ton of debt later in life. On the opposite extreme, being with someone who is a broke bum can understandably bring upon added stress to your life. It can also be an extremely sensitive subject to discuss because you do not want this person to feel even worse about their financial situation. So is it important to still talk about finances and is there a safe way to approach it appropriately?

The short answer is: YES, of course it is important to talk about money in your personal relationships! I can understand why people do not want to because you may feel that it is not your right to know but if you eventually plan to buy a home together, pay joint bills, and essentially merge your adult lives together–then having some money conversations are absolutely needed if you want to build a strong financial foundation together and to ensure you both see eye-to-eye when it comes to money. So often, you see one person who is a great saver and then someone who cannot save a dollar if their life depended on it. This can cause a lot of arguments and tension if you have two people who simply do not agree on how their money is spent. Looking at it from both points of view, does the saver want the spender to spend all their money? Does the spender want to feel deprived and that the saver is constantly controlling their money? These are things that couples really need to think about. From personal experience, I have dated people who were bad with their money and did not know how to save. Over time, it got very annoying and although that was never the definitive reason as to why I would break up the relationship, this was something that was always a consideration because I did not want to be with someone who had zero discipline when it came to saving their money and did not prioritize their financial future.

There are a few safe ways to approach the subject without necessarily bringing it up directly right away. For starters, observe your partner’s behaviors when it comes to money. Is this person very frugal when they order food from a restaurant or does this person like to order everything from the menu? What are things that this person likes to spend money on–is it a daily coffee, vacations, material goods, and/or spending categories? Does this person talk about money goals such as paying off their student debt, saving up for enough money for a house, etc.? There are many things you can observe without asking.

As time goes by within your relationship and you get to know each other better, it is okay to open up the conversation and to talk about each other’s personal finances. It is better to be open and upfront than for it to be a guessing game or to feel like you can’t talk about these things. People should not be afraid to be open and honest, even when it comes to their financial situation. It will either bring two people closer together or further apart. If it does end up being a conflict within the relationship, it is much better to know now and to break it off rather than to stay and then find out when it is too late that the two of you are not financially compatible.

Lifestyle Inflation – What It Is and Can It Be Avoided?

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It is hard to understand how someone with a high income could be living paycheck to paycheck but it is more common in today’s society than ever before. While there is no denying that high levels of inflation can be a culprit, there is also a phenomenon known as lifestyle inflation which is making it even harder for people to save money. An example of lifestyle inflation could be when a person gets a work bonus or a new job with an increased salary, then this person feels more justified to buy luxury goods or spend more money than ever before. While it is good to treat yourself and spend your hard earned money, it is still really important to prioritize investing and saving as much money as you can because you not only need it for your future but you also might need it for an unexpected emergency.

In your youth, it is very easy to fall into this lifestyle inflation trap because maybe you want to own a fancy car or dress in designer clothing. If you can afford it right now, you might be thinking: Why not? Again, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself but this cannot be an ongoing habit or this is going to lead to a lack of savings and potential debt. The right mindset to have is asking yourself, how do I build my net worth? If you place your focus on building wealth over time, then it will become easier for you to resist overspending on things that you truly do not need. As you get older, it will probably become a more conscious decision to save for retirement or to find investment opportunities rather than overspending. 

The best way to avoid lifestyle inflation is to first shift your mindset as I mentioned previously. For me personally, my mind is more focused on seeing more money in my savings and investment accounts than in my closet because I am a practical person with an understanding that excessive material goods really is not a necessity nor is it really making my life that much better in the long run. Whereas in my youth, I cared very much about having new and stylish clothing including designer labels. Once you have made a mindset change, then the next step is to develop the right habits to support your beliefs. In this case, that would mean to allocate your money towards necessities only and to commit to your financial goals. It can take time to develop the right habits but as long as you start implementing them, then your habits eventually become much more automatic. 

How to Teach Your Children to Become Financially Independent

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One of the greatest spiritual gifts that you can give to your children is teaching them how to be financially independent. Many parents seem to believe that they are doing their children a favor by giving them everything that they can provide them and by paying for all their expenses. Even if parents have an abundance of wealth, it is still wiser to teach their children how to earn their own money and not to consistently receive financial handouts. In the long run, when children are given free stuff all the time without having to work for it, this creates entitled, spoiled, helpless, and lazy adult children. In order to break this cycle and to prevent this from happening, as a parent, it is important to teach financial independence from the start. This might require some tough love on your part but it will ultimately ensure that you raise children who become self sufficient and financially secure adults who are not dependent on mommy and daddy’s bank account. This is a positive thing and should not be seen as a selfish act as you are forcing your children to grow up, preparing them for the realities of the real world, and building their self worth that they are fully capable of doing this themselves. So where do you begin? The short answer is–as early as possible! There are also some other tips that I would recommend.

Encourage Your Children to Work and Earn Their Own Money – As soon as they can get their working papers, encourage your children to go out in the real world and get a job. Even if the job is not glamorous or high paying, it is still better to push your kids to work and make their own money as opposed to just supplying them with your credit card or money whenever they want something. They are going to eventually need to find a career path but in the meantime, it is smart to have them gain some work experience which will build their work ethic.

Make Them Pay for Everything – I know this might be tough to enforce if your children do not have a steady job or source of income yet but it is essential to make your children pay for everything from the start. Then they will not rely on you for every little thing and expect free handouts. Is your child at an age to drive a car? Do not give them a free car–have them work for it! In addition, they should pay for their car insurance, gas, and the maintenance costs. If you tell them that they need to pay for these things, they will figure it out. This might mean working a job after school or saving strategically but these are great skills to possess. You want your children to be doing these things. It might take them more time to buy the things that they desire but that’s okay. You want to teach your children to know how to pay for things and put in the work that is necessary to earn everything.

Be Okay Saying No When Your Children Ask for Material Objects – It is understandable that your children are going to constantly be asking you for new stuff. It is important to establish what are actual needs versus wants. Oftentimes, the items are not necessities in which it is okay to say no. If the child wants something badly enough, it is a good idea to teach them the benefits of saving any money that they receive or earn to eventually buy the item themselves because it will always be more valuable when it is earned as opposed to being given things for free. It is also good to say no so that the child learns to appreciate what they have as opposed to becoming materialistic and acquiring too many unnecessary possessions.

Teach Them the Benefits of Both Saving and Investing Their Money – Most children are not wise enough to think about the long term effects of their everyday habits. That is why it is natural that they want to spend money to satisfy their need for instant gratification. However, if they were aware of the benefits of compound interest over time and/or the value of saving money for an emergency fund, they would be be more inclined to start saving and investing at a young age. It is up to you as a parent to teach your children financial literacy, especially considering that this is not a subject that is taught in most schools. The best way to teach this is through example and during their younger years so that they can start making the right financial decisions from the start.

Don’t Let Your Adult Children Live at Home for Free – I know this sounds harsh but adults should learn to become adults. That means taking on responsibilities such as moving out of their parents’ house, paying their own bills, managing their personal finances, etc. When you let your adult children live at home for free, they tend to become freeloaders who have no motivation to work or do anything. Do you blame them? Why work when they don’t need to?! It is for this reason that you should encourage your children to move out and learn how to navigate adulthood on their own. Aside from financial lessons, there are so many other life lessons that are gained from living independently such as becoming more responsible and self sufficient. If you allow them to live at home still, maybe consider having them buy their own groceries, contribute towards utilities, pay rent, and/or do extra chores around the house. This might encourage them to want to move out or at the very least teach them that living at home comes with a cost.

How to Save Hundreds of Dollars – A Money Saving Tip That Many People Overlook

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When people talk about saving money, people think of the basic things such as cutting back on how often you go out to eat and/or pick up a coffee, shop when there are sales, focus on just buying your daily necessities, and one that many people dread to hear–create a monthly budget. While these are all great starting points when it comes to saving your money and things that I agree will help you save more money from month to month, there is something that people often overlook and never really talk about but it comes down to your consumption of your resources. The good thing is, this can apply to many things in your everyday life and it is never too late to start!

Think about it, if you used a smaller amount of your daily goods, you would not need to replenish them as often. This could include basic items such as your skincare products, shampoo, makeup, etc. If you used just a little lesser of an amount of these items or perhaps they are items that you use sparingly, then they would last you for a much longer time meaning that you wouldn’t need to buy them as frequently.

While I would agree that going out to eat can be costly, you can still treat yourself to a nice meal but that does not mean that you need to go overboard and buy an appetizer, main course, drink, a dessert, and etc. Maybe just getting a light appetizer and a drink is enough where you feel satisfied. Another thought is to get a meal that provides a large quantity and plan to only eat half of it so that you have the other half to take home which would provide you a second meal. This way, you paid for one meal but it will last for two meals.

When you are home, do you pay attention to the energy that you are consuming? If you are not using a light, then shut it off. The same also goes with your water usage where you can control how much you are using. If you do not really watch much TV, maybe it is a good idea to cancel your cable package or reduce it so that you just have the basic channels. In other words, there is no need to pay for more than what you need.

While many of us rely on cars to get to work, there are still ways to cut back on your gas costs. Maybe when you run your daily errands, try to coordinate it where the locations are within a closer distance to each other so that you are making fewer trips. If there are scenarios where you can carpool with someone, then you should. There are definitely little ways in which you could reduce your gas usage which could save you extra money each month.

At the end of the day, making the conscious effort to conserve your resources could literally save you hundreds of dollars in a month and within the course of the year! While it might take some discipline on your end, if you actually take the time to pay attention to how you use your resources and cut back on the areas that you could, you would be amazed with how you are are able to get more bang for your buck on your daily expenses. Even if you have financial stability or you are in a good financial place in your life, who doesn’t want to expand their savings even more and accumulate more wealth? Some of the wealthiest people who you know are wealthy because they know the secret of cutting back on their spending and already have applied these habits in order to increase their wealth. Again, if you can save more, why not? 😉

A Great Money Quote to Share – “Making Money Is Action…”

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I stumbled across this from a YouTube comment and looked it up to find that it is an actual quote. I thought it was valuable enough to share with my readers and something that I also agree with. In order to attract financial abundance, it is important to actually take action by going out there and working for it! Unfortunately for most people, money doesn’t just fall from the sky or land in people’s bank accounts for no reason. Often people complain that they are broke and if this is the case, then it is time to dig deep and find ways to take action to change this. This might mean that it is time to change careers or find multiple streams of income. There are unlimited opportunities in this world to make money and many that do not even require a professional degree. In other words, you do not always need a formal education in order to make a living and ultimately it all starts with taking action.

While generating an income is important, having the right habits and behaviors to ensure that you are saving what you can and not overspending is equally essential and oftentimes even more so. Meaning that no matter what you are starting with, you have the ability to control the way in which you spend your money and you can actually build up a good savings, even if you are not making a lot of money at the present moment. The best ways to go about this is to track your spending so you can examine exactly where your money is going, set savings goals to keep in order to stay hyper focused, and make a conscious effort to not spend beyond your means which might mean cutting back in certain spending areas in your life.

While the last saying in the image above is labeled as “growing” money, I would say another word that can work in place of it besides growing is investing. I would agree that this does take extra knowledge and research in order to find ways to invest your money in order for it to grow over time. While many people think for today, when it comes to your money, you need to think about your future many years down the line to ensure that you have money during all stages of your life which also means your retirement years. Even if that seems very far away from now, you still should start investing at a young age so that your money continues to grow abundantly.

Is There Such a Thing as Being Too Frugal?

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When it comes to money, I always tell people that money management is an essential life skill. If someone makes a good salary but does not know how to keep the money in the bank, then this is definitely not in an ideal financial situation. It is for this reason that people should get better at saving their money and cutting back on their everyday spending. However, is there such a thing as being too frugal? I think too much of anything typically is not a good thing and that it is smart to find a balance with both of your money saving and spending habits.

While it is important to conserve your money, you also do not want to do so to the point where you are depriving yourself of living your life to the fullest or having everything that you desire. It is healthy to spend money on the things that you value and/or mean something to you which is why you should make it a point to do so. If you are constantly depriving yourself, that is also sending the wrong spiritual message out into the Universe that you are not deserving of nice things. Furthermore, it also on a subconscious level is hindering you from attracting abundance into your life if you are obsessed with saving every little penny because putting such strong limits on yourself comes from the belief that you cannot afford things or that you are not worthy of having something which is the total opposite of an abundance mindset. If you are faced with a lot of debt that needs to be paid off, then I would say that this is a situation where it is crucial to live within your means and to stay disciplined until you can get back on a good financial track again. There could be instances where being overly frugal might have to be the reality but it should only be a temporary one as opposed to a permanent one because as I mentioned, you are deserving of a full and happy life! 🙂

My Thoughts on Inflation and What Can Be Done About It

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It is no secret that inflation is at an all time high right now. It is said that the rate of inflation has not been this high in about 40 years. While there are many contributing factors such as the pandemic, supply chain shortages within many industries, the war in Ukraine which affects the global economy, and many other things that are not within our control–there is something that we can all do to control the situation. The answer is: ADAPT. While I know on the surface, that might come off as ignorant because not everyone is in a good place in life or have the financial means to simply “adapt” but what I want to address is the point that we as individuals have to take life as it comes. People are so quick to complain about exterior things or to blame the outside world for the problems that we face or how we are impacted on a personal level. While I admit that I by no means am in favor of inflation, I do not let it get the best of me and you won’t hear me make an issue of it. Why? For one, in the grand scheme of things, it is the least of my concerns in that I choose to put my mental focus on the positive things in life and what I am most grateful for. Internally, we all have control on how we react to situations and it is best to not let the outside world bring our lives down. I know that might not seem easy at times but it is something that we all can consciously get better at. As I mentioned previously, it is all about how we choose to adapt to situations.

Although I am not a science person whatsoever, I do want to point out the basic principle that what goes up must come down. While this explains gravity, this concept actually applies to so many things in life! Inflation is inevitable but the high elevation rate in which we are experiencing right now is only temporary and is not sustainable. Eventually prices on certain things such as gas and real estate will eventually have to drop in price. People have to learn to stay positive and hang in there during these uncertain times because things are bound to level out over time.

If you are someone who is having a tough time keeping up with the rate of inflation as far as your finances are concerned, my advice is to take this as a time to level up your life. That might mean putting in more hours of work a week, picking up a second job, finding an extra source of income, or cutting back in certain areas of your life if it comes down to that. It is easy to blame inflation for not being able to keep up with daily expenses but I look at it that the underlying issue in this situation is SELF and not inflation. In other words, the money issues probably existed before inflation so rather than declaring that as the problem, it is better to take a deeper examination of self and find ways to develop better spending habits and finding ways to make more money so that you can live a more comfortable lifestyle that does not leave you struggling during these times of uncertainty. It is essential to both save and invest your money not only for a brighter future but also when unexpected emergencies arise such as situations like this where having extra funds as backup is incredibly beneficial.

How to Cut Spending Without Feeling Deprived

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I haven’t really written a financial related blog in quite some time and I feel that while this is always a topic of interest, proper money management is also a much needed life skill. As important as it is to amp up your salary or to find multiple streams of income, someone can make all the money in the world and not know how to manage it or overspend it where they do not have much money at all. That is why it is beneficial to know how and when to cut spending but to do so without feeling deprived so that you can still live your life in abundance.

Which leads me to the point that although it sounds like an oxymoron to preach about having an abundant life but then you have to cut back on spending money, the truth is that you can actually do both at the same time. For one, it is important to be thankful for what you currently have because practicing gratitude actually attracts more abundance into your life. Also consider that if you are happy with what you have, you will likely be spending less money on things that are not a true necessity which is a good thing because that means that you will be spending less money on things that you do not need.

Everyone has different areas in their lives that they are willing to spend more money on and things that they do not care about or prioritize as much. I would suggest establishing what areas that you can cut back on and the ones that you are willing to splurge on. For example, for me personally, I think it is a waste of money to buy lunch all the time or to purchase coffee daily so I do not spend much money on these items as I prefer to save the money and make my food and coffee at home. On the other hand, I know that there are people who find it to be quite enjoyable to buy their lunch and/or coffee on a daily basis because it is a luxury to them and just makes their lives more convenient. My point is, what I might label as a “waste of money” might be something that is very valuable to another individual so that is why I said that everyone needs to determine what they like to splurge on and then what areas that they can save their money on. This way you will have a balanced approach to your spending where you can have the things that you really care about but then you can also save money as well by cutting back on the things that are not essential to you personally.