We are Back!!!

I am back!! And you are very welcome to join me. Together we can journey through one of life’s most important aspects…personal finances.

Since I have last written, I have completed both my Masters and Undergraduate Degrees and I have completed Level One of Professional Accounting Exams. I am proud of this personal achievement. But now I am would like to focus on my own and others’ Personal Finance Lifestyle.

Over the past five years since my last post, I have continued to work with my income and money in ways that I have discussed previously. I would like to continue sharing with you practical ways on how we all can spend, save and work better, efficiently and more prosperous with our money.

My Blogging Goal:

For the next four (4) years I aim to share (blog) money and personal finance techniques, routines and foundations to follow for long-term financial success.  Each week I plan on blogging at least one (1) Practical Post on Sundays and one (1) Reflective Post on Thursdays. All to help and encourage healthy financial lives. 

I hope you follow, share and change your life for the financial better.

My next post will be about budgeting (click here). I will keep it simple to increase our chances of success. Budgets are not scary; they keep us accountable and honest with ourselves. Click here for this post about how I choose to budget each month and also includes a link to the useful budget PDF I use each month.

Being Wealthy VS. Being Rich

Many people want to be rich, to have plenty of cash and excess of stuff. My interpretation of being rich is about monetary wealth and the goods we accumulate over time. We all need money, and the more we have, supposedly, the easier our life can be. But sometimes all of our goods and money can get in our way. Possessions need to be looked after, and once a purchase is obtained, our mood or inner feelings do not change, this is our duty.

So the difference that wealth is in our lives is that it encompasses all of our life's needs. Health, our journey, our family, and our consumption. I believe we must be fully happy in ourselves, warts and all, to be truly wealthy. Money is a responsibility and cannot be forgotten about when in our hands. And can be lost just as quickly as it has been obtained. Wealth is an abundance of life, an overflowing of goodness that is necessary in helping shape the best world we all want to share.

I am reflecting today because at times it can be easy to concentrate on our bank balances, when there is more to life than our riches. After all, what joy would riches bring if life's wealth is depleted? There is a balance needed in order to enjoy our money...so live a wealthy life today.

Pay Yourself Automatically

Over the last ten years, I have read and followed quite a few different financial professionals. David Bach was one of the earliest I can remember. Here is a link to his book Smart Women Finish Rich which I read 8 years ago on a plane journey. I could not put it down and I liked that it was directed towards women. The advice all people could use, but at that specific moment, I needed to feel like what I was doing was special and would provide a successful outcome.

The basis for my post today is on paying yourself. This is essentially what building savings is. You get paid to work, so what do you do with your cash? And there are many companies and services out there on which we can spend our hard-earned money. But at times the only thing we do for ourselves is buy stuff (which is fun!!). In order to build wealth and win at the end of our lives, we must pay ourselves part of the money we earn over our lifetime.

Here is where the automatic part comes from, and one of David Bach's suggestions is to pay yourself automatically. Set up a direct debit or once a week put a certain amount of money away into a liquid savings account. The interest is not important, the automatic payment is. Here a good habit will be created and you will reap the benefits of your payment. You will also feel good about yourself and deserving of all you have because you are placing your trust of your money in you.

So many people choose to impress or live their lives at a certain standard of living beyond their earning levels. Here we are disconnected and extremely discontent. We have lost our way and need to help ourselves. By saving money and paying off debt, you will heal your heart. You will have to be thoughtful and self-aware.

Get started today, even 10 dollars a week to yourself will build something over time. Make a new habit in your life and all things will fall into place.

"The darkness has a hunger that's insatiable. And the lightness has a call that's hard to hear." Indigo Girls' Song

Enjoy the Thoughts,

Anne