Category: Budgeting

The following blog post is part of The Road to Financial Wellness blog tour. The Road to Financial Wellness is a three-month, grassroots campaign promoting financial empowerment on a national level and encourages people to pursue their dream lifestyle. Find out more about local events near you.

This coming September will mark for me the 20 year anniversary of starting my journey to my financial empowerment. Sometimes, the best things that you will ever do are born out of times that are fundamentally the worst times, such as when you are hurting emotionally and financially and are desperate for control when tough roadblocks occur in your life. That’s what happened to me in September 1996.

Back then, my 25-year marriage had just ended, my divorce became final and I was at my low point in every part of my life from job to family and of course, my financial condition. After a divorce, the division of assets doesn’t leave two halves but rather a pretty big financial hole which means a lot less for everyone involved. You can do one of two things it seems. Either you can wallow in self-pity and think you’re destined to be in that mess forever or you can decide that you can do something about your problems and start to find ways that you can take control again of your financial well-being. It may not be simple and easy, but it can be done.Continue reading“Financial Empowerment – My Road to Financial Wellness”

I know I sometimes make myself crazy thinking about money and how I might earn more and spend less. I don’t think I’m really any different from you though. If you’re a lot like me and everyone else who does pretty much the same thing, I want you to consider something. Are you already thinking about things like getting a new a job or a better job?  Getting a raise in pay? Earning a bonus? Winning the lottery! Whether you are 18 or 80, money is a huge factor in our thoughts, dreams, and lives. But the real question to me is “how much do you really need?” Can lots of money really guarantee your happiness? Maybe you’ll be very happy and then again…maybe not.

If having lots of money makes you happy, then by all means you should go for it. Figure out all the new and best ways you can earn it and perhaps you will fulfill every dream you have ever have dreamed. Wouldn’t that be great! Having money is a way to fulfill your greatest desires for not only for a great life for you, but it can be blessing to help others who aren’t able to make do because of their own problems and misfortunes. You can help yourself and others and that’s very cool.Continue reading“How You Can Live Comfortably on $45/Day”

We all like to think that we have total control of our money, don’t we? We certainly know our salary if we get a weekly paycheck and we also know about those monthly dividend checks, part time side hustles and other alternative sources of income that we receive like tax refunds, rewards from our credit cards and gifts for birthdays. You may even feel you don’t need any advice or input on your finances and you’re doing just fine. But where does your money go?

The truth is that people, no matter how good they are at their finances and no matter how careful they think they are, do “slip up”. That slip up can be a once-a-month thing when an urge to spend might just be so strong and the want so intense that you can’t say “no” and give in to it. Or it can even be just a bad habit you’ve formed that occurs each week or even worse every day. It can be looking only short range and not thinking about the “big picture”.  These “drips” a little bit at a time are like having a leak in your plumbing that’s so small you don’t notice it. But it’s there and it’s doing damage to your finances just like that leaky pipe can do to the walls, floors, and foundation of your home. Don’t think you have a leak? Let me ask you just a few questions then.Continue reading“You May Think That You’re Frugal…But Where Does Your Money Go?”