Financial Wellness Training
"Goals that are not written down are just wishes." ~ Fitzhugh Dodson
You will be more successful if you write down or record your vision of what financial security is for your.
"A budget is telling your money where you want to go so it is working for your financial future." - Floyd Saunders, author and money coach.
A budget allows you to create a spending plan that helps ensures that you will always have money for the things you need and the things that are important to you. Following a budget or spending plan will also keep you out of debt or help you work your way out of debt if you are currently in debt.
“Beware of little expenses: a small leak can sink a great ship.” -- Benjamin Franklin
"You don’t buy life insurance because you are going to die, but because those you love are going to live." - Unknown author.
Another important building block in your financial plan is insurance. Insurance is a way of managing risks we can't prevent. A tree limb falls on your car, a fire damages the kitchen, disability of a wage earner, unexpected medical bills or even the loss of a loved one are all risks we can't prevent, but can plan to insure they are not financial issue.
“How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case.” – Robert G. Allen
You financial future needs to include a basic understanding of how to invest. The key is selecting the right investments for you.
“In the long run, it’s not just how much money you make that will determine your future prosperity. It’s how much of that money you put to work by saving it and investing it.” - Peter Lynch
“If you are not willing to own a stock for 10 years, do not even think about owning it for 10 minutes.” - Warren Buffett
Saving is good, but investing may be even better
"It's not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for." - Robert Kiyosaki
A mix of stocks and bonds may have greater growth potential than a savings account at a bank. You can keep your investment plan really simple by following a few basic guidelines and see average returns that are better than a savings account.
Investing according to Warren Buffet: “The economy, as measured by gross domestic product, can be expected to grow at an annual rate of about 3 percent over the long term, and inflation of 2 percent would push nominal GDP growth to 5 percent. Stocks will probably rise at about that rate and dividend payments will boost total returns to 6 percent to 7 percent.”
"Retirement can be a great joy if you can figure out how to spend time without spending money." — Unknown wise person
If you expect your retirement money to come from Uncle Sam, you're in for a disappointment. Social Security typically replaces 40 percent of workers' pre-retirement income, according to the National Academy of Social Insurance, a nonpartisan policy group. If you work for a company with a pension plan, then you can expect a pension to provide another 20 percent. So now you are might be up to 60%, where do you get the rest that you might need to enjoy your retirement?
Affording College Now
"When bright young minds can't afford college, America pays the price." - Arthur Ashe
We all know how expensive college can be, but at Really Simple Money we have tips and ideas that will make college a lot more affordable if you are parent or a student planning to attend college now or in the near future.