A few years back I launched a reader survey to see how I could serve all of you best. I thought you might want some help planning meals, or learning new grocery shopping savings strategies, or how to save money online.
Boy, was I wrong. Want to know the common thread expressed throughout the survey? You want help managing your money.
Many of you actually seem desperate for help. Some of you have lost hope that your financial life can be different. You see yourself as a pawn in this money game. And many of you sound like a victim. Your expenses, your income, your life is happening to you and you have no control.
And I get it. I really do.
My husband and I were sitting where some of you are currently at in 2006. I was oblivious about our financial situation (ignorance is bliss) and Will was losing sleep every night wondering if that “thing” we bought would mean our mortgage wouldn’t get paid.
It was ridiculous — we had enough money. We were earning big airline miles by using our credit card for all our expenses and paying it off every month. But there was still a real and persistent fear that all could come crashing down because we didn’t have a plan.
Just about the time Will was about to explode from the financial stress he was bearing (while I was spending money like a madwoman), we attended Financial Peace University. What we learned absolutely changed our lives. I’m not exaggerating one bit.
We learned how to make a plan for our money, how to modify that plan based on what was currently happening in our lives, and how to plan for the future in a way that gave us security, peace, and excitement about the legacy our family could leave.
While none of us could have predicted the crisis we are currently in, these TYPES of things are what we plan for. When we are writing our budget, spending responsibly, creating an emergency fund, it’s all to help in a time like this. Accidents, illness, job loss, natural disasters. These are all things that CAN HAPPEN. And what we are living right now is concrete proof of that fact.
Where ever you are at right now, how ever you are feeling, we want to give you hope in the form of resources, education and encouragement.
TO START: In the video below, we talk about how to get your finances ready NOW in preparation for what’s coming down the road. Give it a watch and let us know what you think!
NEXT STEP: Check out these resources on mastering your budget and living the life you’ve always dreamed of!
What it takes to start living on a budget
6 simple changes you can make to start off on the right financial foot
Why using cash is so important
How to establish good money habits
How to create your first monthly cash flow plan
How to eliminate your family’s unexpected expenses
The best cash envelope wallet systems
5 steps to tightening your budget belt
Looking for more resources for living on less?
- A realistic look at living with less — the good, the bad and the ugly
- 5 simple tips for living a frugal life
- 3 things to remember when living a frugal life isn’t easy
