What would you do if your transmission went out tomorrow? If your identity were stolen and your credit frozen, would you be taking the bus to work? If your uncle offered to sell you his mint condition Ford Mustang for only $5,000, would you be able to come up with the cash? We’re apt to take many of the great things in our life for granted, up to and including out income. In our culture,…
We’re new and improved! The latest version of ThriveWealthy is now available, and you can start using it today, for FREE, to create more options and less stress for yourself! What can this tool do for you? Good Advice Here’s a statement you might not expect from a financial expert: you should spend all your money! In fact, you should spend the entire month’s income, even before the month begins. You should spend it…
Guess what’s coming soon? Christmas!! Even though it’s the same date every year, it sure can sneak up on us! Christmas is a wonderful time, full of joy and celebration. We give gifts to each other in honor of God’s gift to mankind: the baby Jesus, born in Bethlehem, that we might be reconciled to God. It’s good to get carried away in the spirit of the season, but one area we must work hard…
What if there were a way that you could have more of the things you want in life? A better car, more time with family, better and more frequent vacations, or anything else you can think of. Would you be willing to make a few changes in your life in order to get these things? Have You Lost Your Dreams? Most people are good dreamers when they’re young. We imagine what life could be: the…
What would you think of a person who drove his 2013 Corvette convertible around while wearing a blindfold. How about someone who kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror as he blazed down the highway? Would you think that person is nuts? Would you consider that person dangerous? Would you be surprised if I told you this is exactly the way most people operate a major aspect of their life? The illustration above is…
Why make a plan for your money? Isn’t it more fun to just grab what you want whenever you want it? Growing Up Living your financial life with the foresight of a 3rd grader may be fun in the moment, but to have what you want next week and next month, a longer term vision is required. Problem is, even when people become convinced of the value of budgeting to their peace and financial freedom, their…
What would you think if I told you that you have two sets of priorities? Or that you have two sets of values? Perhaps you will deny it—“of course not! I know what’s important to me, and my values are clearly sorted in my mind.” Maybe so, if you’re like many people, your bank statement will demonstrate quite a disparity between the list of priorities in your head and the true priorities according to which you spend your money.…
Last week, we discussed the importance of including unusual but predictable expenses in your budget. Items on this list include things like car repairs, home improvements, large gifts, or vacations. By allocating a fixed amount each month, these big expenses don’t have to catch us off guard. For example, my wife and I set aside $60 each month for car repairs, which has been plenty for the minor repairs and maintenance that our vehicles have…
Most of us have been through the following story at some point in our lives: We resolve to “do better” with our money. That credit card company has taken advantage of us for the last time! We’re angry that we let ourselves get into such a vulnerable position and we’re angry that the credit card company hit us while we were down. So, we get out the yellow pad or the computer spreadsheet and we…