So, what are my five tips to make personal finance approachable? I thought you'd never ask!
Have a Plan
There's a lot of power in knowing where you're headed, and it's the same with finances. If you follow a plan that you understand and is in alignment with your values and goals, then you're so much more likely to see it through and ultimately succeed. We following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps, which it isn't an overstatement to say have completely changed our life. But there are so many options out there! I'd encourage you to check out You Need a Budget, The Budgetnista, and anyone else that might inspire you. Then do your homework, learn more about their plans, and decide which you'll implement going forward.
Automate, Automate, Automate!
In the episode I share a technique my family and I use to automatically send money from each paycheck to specific bank accounts as well as retirement savings. We use one checking account for fun money and non-bills spending, another checking account for all recurring bills and payments, and finally a savings account to continue growing our emergency fund. Whatever method you choose, I would encourage you to automate as much as possible. We, as humans, can easily become undisciplined. But if you give yourself guardrails to keep yourself on track, financially speaking, then you can't sabotage yourself if disbursements are being made to your accounts automatically when you're paid.
Think Big Picture
And by that I mean, know you're net worth! I personally track our net worth using the Personal Capital app. It's easy to link all of your accounts and see where you really stand financially. I find this big picture to be super motivating when make decisions, and it keeps me accountable to my goals because I can see our progress each month.
My affiliate link for their site wasn't working, so I'm in the process of fixing it. If you're interested in using it to get the free $20 Amazon gift card, awesome! Shoot me a note back here and when my link is fixed I'll send it right along.
Accountability
Tell someone about your financial goals! It's so much easier to work towards something when there's someone cheering you on and keeping you accountable. This could be a friend, mentor, or confidant. We personally went through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, and that not only educated us but also gave us a community of like-minded people to tap into!
Keep Learning and Be Inspired
As in all things where you’re striving for growth, keep educating yourself and surround yourself with others that inspire and mentor you...even if that’s online! Below are a few people who've helped me along this journey.
