Category: Personal Finance

Financial planning for 2022 now is not thinking about it too early. Planning for the future is complicated at best and can be a stressful, challenging process. There are so many events and deadlines to keep track of. And when it comes to personal finances, missing an important date could be very costly. To add a little sanity to your life, start planning now with a personal finance calendar covering all the essential dates for 2022.

What Does a Personal Finance Calendar Look Like?

A personal finance calendar lists monthly and other money and financial events, tax deadlines, holidays, and other important dates. Whether you’re a novice investor or just trying to save as much money as possible, it’s worth comparing your calendar of birthdays, anniversaries, and personal events such as weddings or retirement plans to a real list of key dates. This will ensure you won’t miss anything that might impact your finances. That’s why I recommend it and why you need a calendar.

When COVID-19 hit us all back in the beginning of 2020, we were shocked, surprised, endangered, and depressed. It seemed like the world was ending or at least that it might be as we stopped being the people we were and fear took over. If you were lucky enough not to actually get sick, you still probably stopped working, stayed at home, and hunkered down waiting to find out when life would resume to being normal again. We are still waiting for it even though over a year and a half has gone by. In our lifetime, this is the biggest disruption we’ve ever experienced. But with the financial challenges facing us in 2022, could it become the worst year ever?

What Happened?

First of all, I do not want to minimize the fact that 700,000 Americans have died during this pandemic and millions more around the world. That is the definition of a disaster. Millions more were and are ill and who knows the ultimate long-term effect these health problems will wreak in the end. No one does.

It seems every week we are hearing news about inflation and coming up with new names for an old problem. It is something to worry about especially when you may not be keeping pace with the rising cost of so many of the items you buy…if you can find them these days. So now a new one, shadow inflation! What is it?

Less Is Not More “Bang for the Buck”

Consumers may be getting less “bang for their buck” as companies have now begun to offer fewer services in lieu of raising prices. Yes, paying the same or slightly more for something, but getting less, can fly under the radar and some companies are starting to figure that out.

Mr. or Ms. Average (or Mx. Average for you non-binary folks), is that you? Congratulations if you live in the world of average income, drive an average car, and even have an average of 1.93 kids (which actually might be tragic even though it’s the average for families right here in the good old USA). Being average is, well, average.

But here’s the thing, despite what Seinfeld said when he said “not that there is anything wrong with that”, being average isn’t a very good be all end all goal for anyone to have, is it? Even those who are currently at the bottom of the scale financially speaking shouldn’t shoot for average. Average is not full human potential. Average is not the final stage 5 place you go to die. Average is non-distinct and is a horrible financial strategy.