Financial literacy the essentials

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Financial Literacy - The Essentials

!With the cost of living quickly surpassing the wages we make, necessary to maintain an “average” lifestyle, more and more employees are beginning to seriously consider the option of working from home.!

As you're the boss, setting and keeping your hours, keeping all (or most of the proceeds for yourself), saving on travel time and gas, allowing for as much vacation time as “necessary,” it all has its perks. It certainly seems that way, especially for many woman who may not want to stop working or can’t afford to, but also want to stay home with the kids or be home when they get back from school.!

But, this growing trend, even with all its apparent benefits has many experts cautioning stay-at-home workers and warning them about the potential perils of home-based businesses due to common human error.!

Some of the most common (and most damaging) include:!

!• Going In Blind: Sure you need confidence, guts and faith to start your

own business, but you also need to know what you're getting into. That means diving FIRST into doing the necessary research about the type of business you are interested in starting. Experts suggest finding out as much as you can about your potential venture and its potential for success in your area. Find out about your competition, note how much they are charging and pinpoint your target market. Rely on books, trade shows, conferences and the net to gather your materials and information.!

• Becoming A Lone Venturer: Keep in mind that starting ANY business is difficult, especially in its initial stages. Starting your own business is the most crucial time for you and your venture, and you’ll need all the love and support you can get. One of the biggest mistakes, say experts that new entrepreneurs make is not getting the necessary support from spouse of family. Besides maybe helping with the housework or kids, he or she may also want to lend a hand in your business or at least lend support and encouragement as to work to get things going.!

• Leaping Without A (Financial) Safety Net: Most of us are used to bringing home a specific amount of income (give or take) each week,

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creating a “comfort” zone that new business owners need to give up, say experts. According to professionals, most new business owners won’t see a profit for several months. In fact, they suggest having at least six months (monetary) reserves on hand.!

• Spreading Yourself Too Thin: While you certainly want to please the consumer and build your client base, it’s important to remember that you won’t be able to please all of the people all of the time. They suggest not spreading yourself too thin by creating a mission statement for your business defining your purpose and your goals. Include what your business involves, what makes it stand out, and where you see yourself a few months to a year down the line. And, they add that you should make it a point to check your statement periodically and make all the necessary adjustments.!

• Getting Too Comfortable: It’s easy to take advantage of being at home, especially when you don’t have to punch or Watch the clock. But, according to experts, sticking to a regular work schedule is imperative. Keep your schedule flexible (that’s what working from home is all about) but set limits and boundaries that will allow you to focus without any interruptions, and be productive.!

• Not Having A Space Of Your Own: For some a private office may not be feasible, especially if you’re a stay-at-home parent. But, according to experts, it’s imperative that you designate a specific space to conduct business. It is also important that you have all the necessary office essential to efficiently conduct your business. Sharing the space, and sometimes supplies are necessary, but you should have your own for maximum efficiency.!

• Selling Yourself Short: Want to beat your competition (price-wise) is a smart move, but seriously underbidding yourself, and your worth may not be. Know what the competition is charging and make reasonable adjustments remaining firm and confident in what your product and ability…and always leave a little room for “play”.!

• Putting Off The Paperwork: While most of us don’t enjoy the paper trail that often goes along with owning a business, it’s an essential part of operations, especially when it comes to keeping track of inventory and finances. Make sure to do all you shipping and receiving and related filing promptly, as well as sending out timely invoices. Keep in mind that most consumers take up to 90 days to pay, so you’ll need to bill them as soon as possible. And also, don’t forget to keep track of your expenses to know what is coming in and what is going out.!



• All Work And No Play: Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you never leave the house again. In fact, a very important part of any business is networking. So, think about maintaining your professional appearance and joining some professional organizations that can put you in touch with all the right people….and even though chat boards and blogs can offer you the same, making a personal appearance is ALWAYS a nice touch.!

• Expecting Too Much: Considering working from home as anything but “work”. While you may have the freedom to make lots of your decisions, you’ll also have a lot more responsibility, and that means learning how to manage your time (between work and career) like never before.!

!!Tips And Strategies On How To Maximize Your Personal Finances!

!!Dealing with one's personal finances is one of the hardest aspects of life. However, with some helpful advice, learning how to deal with your finances can be simple. The following article is going to provide you with this advice, and when used properly, you will find your whole financial situation improved.!

To improve your personal finance habits, pay off your debt as soon as it is possible. The amount of interest on loans is very high, and the longer you take to pay them off, the more you pay in interest. Additionally, you should always pay more than the minimum that is due on your loan or credit card.!

You should buy items that you use a lot in bulk. Often it's cheaper to buy things like toilet paper, paper towels, plates, mustard, canned good, etc. in bulk. Eventually, you'll use everything, and in the long run you'll save yourself some money.!

Do not use the ATM. It is too easy to forget how much money you are spending, when you are withdrawing and paying with cash. Instead, make yourself a budget and use your credit or debit card, so that you



can track your expenditures. You will find that you spend much less this way.!

If you need to compare prices for a mortgage or a loan, do it within the same week. If you live in the United States of America, credit inquiries will cause your score to drop, but if the inquiries happen within a few days, they will be considered as one single inquiry. Plan ahead of time so you can visit as many agencies as possible in a week. Make sure you discover how your country reports your credit worthiness and make smart choices accordingly.!

You can save money by tweaking your air travel schedule in a little bit as well as by shifting trips by days or off peak seasons. Flights in the early morning or the late night are often significantly cheaper than mid-day trips. As long as you can arrange your other travel requirements to fit off-hour flying you can save a pretty penny.!

An example of a home based business model could be creating homemade custom built knives. Handcrafted knives can yield into the thousands of dollars per knife, once a person has established their name and the quality of their knives. People who are already interested in knives often fall into this line of work through following what they like to do. Financial success can is achievable through a variety of ways. Whether it is producing knives or a myriad of other plausible products and services, success is waiting for those that dedicate themselves.!

To best manage your finances, prioritize your debt. Pay off your credit cards first. Credit cards have a higher interest than almost any other type of debt, which means they build up high balances faster. Paying them down reduces your debt now, frees up credit for emergencies, and means that there will be less of a balance to collect interest over time.!

As stated at the beginning of this chapter, it can be hard to deal with with your personal finances. But, now if you use the tips provided to you above, you will see your finances will be more secure. In turn, you may find your whole life improving.!

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Debt Restructuring – Helping You Gain Control Of Finances!!Restructuring your debt will help you gain control of your finances once again. You can consolidate payments into more manageable amounts at a lower rate. Or you can also turn to third parties to help you deal with your creditors.!

!Taking Advantage Of Debt Consolidation!

!Using a debt consolidation loan will help you take charge of your monthly payments once more. Disposing of your high-interest credit cards for a low-interest home equity or personal loan can easily cut your rates in half.!

By restructuring your debt with a new loan, you can also rearrange the payment structure. So you might decide to retire your debt with a small, easy to manage monthly payment over several years. Or you can opt for a short loan period with larger payments to quickly improve your debt ratio.!

Once you have consolidated your bills with a new loan and retired old accounts, your credit score will have a minimal impact. And with regular payments, it will quickly improve.!

!Outsourcing Your Financial Restructuring!

!In some cases, you might want to turn to a company to help you regain control of your debt. A debt consolidation company can manage your short term accounts and lower your rates on credit card accounts, helping you to stay out of bankruptcy.!



By turning over control to a third party, you save peace of mind and money. But your credit score will have a temporary decline as creditors place holds on new credit applications. For at least a year, they want to see that you will indeed be making regular payments.!

If you just need some advice, a credit counselor can help you develop a budget with short and long term goals. They may also refer you to a debt consolidation company or other financial services. With their training, they can help you see your finances more clearly.!

!Check Before You Sign!

!Before you sign any contract, make sure you check out several companies before settling on one. Ask for the cost and compare it to others. Fortunately, the internet saves time when shopping for services. In less than an hour, you can be on your way to better finances with a reliable company.!

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The Importance Of Planning Your Retirement And The Consequences Of Not Doing So!!

!!Bob is a 65-year-old graphic designer that is very financially secure. His colleagues, friends and family define him as a prosperous “fly by the pants” kind of guy. From as far back as he can remember, Bob has always hated planning and believes that his “spontaneity” and ability to think creatively while implementing new ideas has made him successful.!

For the past 30 years or so, Bob believes that his non-planning methodology has worked well for him. Well, Bob is now tired of the working rat race and decides that it is now time to retire and have some fun. He doesn’t know what he’ll do exactly when he retires in 6 months other than have a good time. However, he knows that he won’t plan his days and will do whatever pleases him.!



!Let’s take Sam, a 60 year old attorney who is also financially secure. He is a “plan it to the bones” type of guy that loves planning and believes that his impeccable organizational skills have enabled him to accomplish all of his goals. Some might say that Sam is a bit particular but he disagrees and believes that his planning methodology has served him very well the past 35 years or so. His motto is “great planning makes a great man.”!

Like Bob, Sam is ready to retire. He’s had enough of the hustle and bustle of being a senior partner in a big law firm. Sam is ready to retire so that he can pursue one of his lifelong dreams of becoming a volunteer for several organizations. Unlike Bob, Sam has already started planning out his goals, activities and has designed a “downsizing plan” that will enable him to retire in less than six months to pursue his dreams.!

Now, let’s flash to the future. It is six months later. Bob is retired and is downright bored. Although he initially enjoyed not planning his retirement and found much pleasure in doing things on the spur of the moment, he is getting a bit bored with bar hopping, going on weekend fishing trips, and hanging out at the health club. He is also getting bored with himself and is starting to wonder if there is more to retirement than simply having fun. He is even considering going back to work or perhaps taking on some work projects to give him something to do.!

On the other hand, Sam is having the time of his life. He’s right on schedule. The first few months, he rested and relaxed and enjoyed himself immensely. Now, however, he has transitioned to his non-paid volunteer activities and has become a valuable resource to two prominent nonprofit organizations. Sam is truly enjoying his retirement and looks forward to a busy, scheduled day of providing volunteered activities.!

So, what has this taught us? It has taught us that planning for your retirement is more than simply deciding that you have enough money to retire on a certain date. It is about planning how you’ll spend your time while accomplishing your goals. In fact, according to Christina Wright, a Retirement Specialist, “Many professionals don’t plan for their retirement. Although they evaluate their finances and are sure that they can support their lifestyles, they don’t plan how they’ll actually spend their time day in and day out. This “lack of planning” often leads to intense boredom and dissatisfaction with their newfound freedom. As a



result, many of these professionals go back to work part or full time, not for the money, but to obtain some mental stimulation and excitement in their lives. Boredom and dissatisfaction could have been avoided by simply planning out their goals and working hard to accomplish them.!

We have talked to hundreds of successful retirees and found that like them; you can accomplish your retirement goals through the implementation of these five easy steps:!

1. Have a positive mental attitude. You should have a positive mental attitude about this new phase in your life. You must know what retirement means to you and be willing to do whatever it takes to make you happy.!

2. Be committed to your goals. You should make sure that you are 100% committed to living your life the way that you visualize it every single day.!

3. Transition slowly and visualize success. You should be willing to transition yourself from a working professional to a retired person. You should visualize how great your life will be in a lifestyle that will give you the satisfaction you desire once you retire. For example, if you see yourself as lounging around all day, you have to ask yourself some hard questions like; will this truly make me happy? Can I see myself doing this for the next 25 or so years? If I find this isn’t fun, are there any activities that might make my days more fun? If so, what are they?!

4. Plan your days. Regardless of whether or not you intend to lounge all day or engage in many activities, it is always a great idea to plan out your days. Planning doesn’t have to be a mind-boggling task, and you don’t have to use a fancy planner to be successful. Instead, you simply have to think about your activities a day or week in advance, and plan how you’ll spend your time.!

5. Find pleasure in accomplishing your goals. Find satisfaction in accomplishing your new life’s goals in retirement whether you are volunteering at your favorite organization or going fishing with a friend.!

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!In conclusion, taking and maintaining control over your retirement is up to you. By having a positive mental attitude, being committed, transitioning yourself, planning your days and finding pleasure in your accomplishments, you can make your retirement dreams come true!


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Financial literacy the essentials