Where do we begin?
We are bombarded with a multitude of information on a daily basis which makes it even harder to know where to begin. Every single day someone is telling you that you should do this and you should do that. They think they know what is best for you, but ONLY YOU know what is best for YOU!
First of all, you are here because you have made the decision that you are ready to make a change in YOUR own life. You have reached the point, you are ready to pursue your passion and determine what you want to do with the rest of your life. In order to do this, it is our opinion that you first need to make a commitment to maintain your finances to give yourself the absolute best opportunity for success in whatever you decide to pursue from this point forward. This does not necessarily mean that you have a large cushion of cash saved up (but that doesn’t hurt either)! However, it does mean it would benefit you to have a firm grasp and understanding of your finances. This includes, but is not limited to, tracking your income (paycheck, social security, dividend payments, interest on checking accounts, child support, alimony, etc.), regular expenses (mortgage/rent, cell phone, power, cable/internet, groceries, eating out, etc.), creating an emergency fund (account for when the car breaks down or the refrigerator quits), savings, etc.
We are products of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Even though the path to Financial Peace learned from this program was not a huge change in our lives initially, it has served us well over the years. For example, my wife is able to work part-time now so she can pick up our 3 kids from school in the afternoons to ensure that homework is complete by supper and to get our kids to after school activities. Some people go through this program and have to make really big changes to their lives to gain control of their finances, while others may already be on the right track and do not have to make huge changes. No matter which path you come from, the transformation in the end is the same. If you gain the confidence needed, take control of your money and tell your money what to do, you can accomplish so much more in life!
For those of you that are not familiar with Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps (or just a refresher for those that are familiar with them):
Baby Step 1 – $1000 in an “Emergency Fund”
Baby Step 2 – Pay Off Debt Using The “Debt Snowball” (except the house)
Baby Step 3 – 3 to 6 Months Of Expenses In Savings
Baby Step 4 – Invest 15% Into Tax-Favored Accounts (ROTH IRAs and pre-tax retirement)
Baby Step 5 – Fund College For Your Children
Baby Step 6 – Pay-off Your Home Early
Baby Step 7 – Build Wealth! (Mutual Funds/Real Estate)
The actual process of setting up a budget seems scary for a lot of people. This process can be as simple as using a pen and paper to write down your income for the month, your bills/expenses for the month and your savings for the month. Don’t make it any more complicated than it should be. Once you do a budget a couple of times, it will get easier. If you have questions about this process, please feel free to contact us below.
Next Step: Grow Your Wealth
If you are comfortable with your budgeting process and want to look at ways to increase your income with a side hustle or want to create some passive income, then let’s take a look at some options.
Start by thinking about what you like to do (what is a hobby you have). Many people are able to create additional income doing something they love to do. For example, maybe you like to bake or crochet or ________ (fill in your hobby), these hobbies can bring in additional income for yourself doing something you love. There are many options you can choose from, you just have to evaluate the pros and cons of your options. Personally, we wanted to create as much passive income as possible. With working our regular jobs and the busy schedules of three children involved in various activities, we needed to use our limited available time as wisely as possible. You have to evaluate your particular situation and make the most of your time.
No matter what type of business you plan on pursuing, the availability of information has never been more readily available than it is today. Most of this information you can access at your leisure in the comfort of your own home. We will be sharing many of these types of training options on our website. So, if this interests you, sign up for our email list. We will notify you when we release new information on different types of training. There are numerous trainings and courses available out there that you probably don’t even know exist. It is our goal to show you what training and information is available and give you the opportunity to find the information that will work best in your particular situation.
