We are officially midway through the year! This is a great time to pause and review your financial state.
As some jurisdictions celebrate the start of a new fiscal year (July 1-June 30), for their annual budgets, let’s start the new year by reminding everyone that spending less than we make is the primary personal finance goal. Having the ability to do this is the best way to achieve financial freedom.
SPARK JOY WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS Think about what makes you happy: Is it the family summer vacation? The idea of owning your dream home? Retiring early? If you aren’t actively planning for any of these things, why not? Maybe it’s time to re-prioritize your goals. The KonMari method stresses focusing your energy on the things that will serve the person you are now and who you hope to become. When applied to your financial goals, you could think of it as finding a balance between spending on what serves you today, but also saving and planning for bigger things in the future. Thanks to Northwestern Mutual for this great tip
If you have lots of debt, consider consolidation. When you consolidate you combine multiple loans into a single debt with one monthly payment. As a result, you take high-interest debt, like credit cards or student loans, and bundle them into a loan that typically carries a lower interest rate. So, not only does debt consolidation simplify your monthly budget it could save you thousands of dollars in interest charges. Need assistance with this? Click here to find a daily money manager near you.
