In 2016, my wife and I moved to Spokane, Washington from Austin and we were excited to find a home on the South Hill near Manito Park. The area was beautiful we hoped that our equity from our home in Austin would be the difference for getting into an old craftsman in this historic area. Then reality hit us when we realized we were priced out of the area. Our budget was $250K and virtually everything was higher. Buying a home on a busy street was our answer.
Location, Location, Location
This is a classic line for realtors and Dave Ramsey. It is a cliche, but it’s incredibly true. A great neighborhood like the South Hill in Spokane or the North End in Boise is the kind of place that is always headed up and constantly has strong demand. The trick is finding something that causes others to pass over a home in these neighborhoods. In our case it was the fact that the home was on a four-lane road.
Japanese Gardens in Manito Park – Right in the Heart of Spokane’s South Hill
What is the right compromise?
For us, a house on a four-lane road was the compromise we were willing to make. Our bungalow was blocks away from a beautiful park and walking distance from one of the best elementary schools in the city. There were plenty of other benefits to this move. We looked at several houses that would have been complete overhauls and that was too much for us. We also saw houses that had weird layouts. Those weren’t compromises we were willing to make even though they may have still paid off in the end for the investment.
Don’t be Scared of the Dropping Price
In order to find value in the housing market, there has to be a price drop. This seems obvious, but dropping prices also have a tendency to create a stink on a house. It’s easy to start to wonder what others are seeing that you might be missing. When we bought the home on the four-lane road it was on its third price drop. I looked at the massive backyard and the refinished interior of the home and then I felt the doubt creep in. What was I missing? What had others seen?
The simple fact was that it was a home on a busy street that had scared most people off. Most people hadn’t even checked the home out. I wasn’t missing anything. I had just found a deal.
Homes on Busy Streets Go Up in Price at the Same Rate
Our home will not sell for the same price as similar bungalows just blocks away on the quiet neighborhood streets. However, it still goes up at about the same rate as the surrounding neighborhood. The neighborhood has gone up in value at a higher rate than the surrounding areas in Spokane and so that is what matters for my investment. In the end, this was a win over what we would have gotten from other parts of Spokane and even beat out the growth on the home we sold in Austin.
Why is this important right now?
The main thing I hope anyone gets out of this article is that it pays to be open to homes that others may shy away from. Whether it’s a home on a busy street or a granny house with terrible wallpaper. Going into 2025, the housing market is softer than it was when I found my home in 2016. Homes that aren’t nicely dialed in tend to drop further then they should. There is value out there to be found even in high demand neighborhoods.
By: Chris Bemis
I woke up to the fact that I was on a financial journey at 28, right after the birth of my son. I was a high school science teacher in Austin, Texas and up to this point money had always been an afterthought.
Everyone starts somewhere
My wife and I had just finished working for a Christian college ministry for the majority of our twenties and so we had next to no money to start the family phase of our life. We had just moved to Austin and so she had picked up a part time job at a yoga studio. Needless to say, our starting place to building wealth was far from ideal.
No value dwelling in the past
I struggled for years with my decision to work in ministry because of how it set us up financially for our transition into parenting. Did I think I heard God and just miss something? There were so many thoughts that ran through my head, but nothing in it was valuable. Others may deal with bigger challenges than me like debt or a failed business, but not matter how rough the situation, dwelling on it never helps.
Don’t Focus on how you compare to others
Feeling behind is a constant for most people. We have so much visibility to people who have made it big and so its easy to feel like you are stuck on the wrong track. For me it was made worse by being a young dad. I looked at other families with kids of similar age and I was typically looking at guys who were 7-10 years older than me. Regardless, it was so easy to compare and feel like a loser.
Finding Grace for the Season you are in
Grace is simply the experience of finding favor for yourself and your situation regardless of the circumstances. I personally looked to God for this, but the important thing is to find it however that works for you. It is about finding a calm place to say that “Where I’m at is okay,” and “I can always move forward.” This ends up being the foundation to keep moving forward.
Focus on Gaining Ground Each Week
In the tough years that we had with small kids, the one thing that kept me on track was to focus on the journey in terms of weeks and not years. The bigger the picture, the more overwhelming it felt. I could focus on weeks and keeping us on track. I could make sure I did everything at work to build my career which soon moved to pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Learning to Enjoy a Frugal Life
In Austin, we enjoyed a fun life even though money was super tight. We had our big dinners out at Central Market instead of a fancy restaurant. We were regulars at every park in South Austin and also did a lot of laps around the neighborhood with strollers. It was simple, but we also learned that it could still be a really full life.
Hit the Reset Button when needed
In our tight budget years, we had good weeks, but we also had crappy weeks where we just had to hit the reset button. That was the biggest way that we needed grace for the journey. The ability to reset when we went way over our budget or had unexpected expenses was the only way to fight back discouragement in the tough years.
The most important thing
Finding Grace for your financial journey isn’t important because of how difficult things can be at times. The reason its so important is that if we stay on track and continue doing the right things, the weeks turn into years and the results can surprise you.
Over time, the paychecks grow and businesses break through. After years of struggle, a few breaks can suddenly open things up.
Simply staying out of debt can transition to increasing investments and building wealth. That is why finding grace for the journey is so important.
By: Chris Bemis
One of the biggest challenges of raising mentally strong kids is that for the process to work, they need to start taking ownership of small aspects of their life. They can’t have parents who just take charge of everything and are in constant care taking mode. This is where school lunches come in because it’s a super easy item to hand off and help kids to own from the grocery shopping to packing up each morning.
If kids know they own it, they will step up.
This is the biggest thing for the school lunch hand off. Parents need to really let them own it and be ready for some potential for a few less-than-ideal lunches. The huge thing is that if a child detects or experiences that they can hand this back then they will. This is just human nature and doesn’t mean they are lazy. If the kids can read that parents are committed and its been clearly communicated, then they will step in and own it.
For our family, this partly happened because I’ve always worked really early and so my wife was solo getting the kids ready for school. Our kids walk to school and so the morning routine has always been pretty independent. The funny thing was that we noticed how much the kids would flex the whining in other aspects of life, but the morning lunch routine had just become the norm and so they didn’t fight it at all.
Bringing the Kids into the Shopping Trip
It’s pretty typical that I drag my kids along with me to the store on Sundays when we need to reload for the week. I tell them that they have to come to make sure that we have what they need for lunch. We look at the fridge together beforehand, but they are responsible making sure we grab what they need to complete their lunches for the week.
It is good for kids to pull items off the shelf and see the prices for the items. This helps them start of slowly understand the cost of things and can also spark good conversation if Dad makes them put back a certain item because its twice the price of something that is nearly identical.
A side note on this is that now that my kids are in middle school, this is a cheap trick to get a little extra time with them. From experience they know that I will forget what they need at the store and so they are willing to come with me to make sure we get it. The little bits of conversation along the way are a great bonus.
Raising Mentally Strong Kids, but also Making it Easier for Parents
A big thing that has helped with this lunch routine is that it takes the edge off the mornings getting ready for school. As I mentioned prior, I’m normally wake the kids up as I head out the door and so it provides one less thing for my wife to worry about as she still helps them get going each morning.
Our lives are plenty busy and so this one little thing to take the edge off each morning is more than welcome. This is a small thing that our family is doing to help our kids gradually step into more responsibility and resilience in their life. We view it as a small workout that they do for their resilience muscle each day that keeps this aspect of life fresh for them. The big hope is that this helps them step into life when they are out of the house well, but it sure does make our mornings calmer right now.
By: Chris Bemis
If you like this article, check out two more on this topic:
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Involving them in Home Improvement
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Helping them Understand the budget
In her book, Not the End of the World, Data Scientist Hannah Ritchie lays out some guidelines for a diet that will help limit land use and carbon emissions. The goal for Ritchie is to point people in a general direction that will lead to a more sustainable path for our food.
The interesting part of what Ritchie lays out in her book is that it is also good for the grocery budget.
Eat Less Beef (and less meat in general)
This one comes through overwhelmingly in the figures in Not the End of the World. The land use and greenhouse gas emissions for beef production are vastly higher than that of pork and chicken. For greenhouse gas emissions, beef is connected to 50 kg of emissions per 100 grams of protein. Pork comes in at 8 kg and chicken at 6 kg. Plant based options are all lower still. The delta for land us is even more vast with beef requiring over thirteen times as much land to produce the same amount of protein.
Where this gets interesting is that beef is often the most expensive meat at the store. Steak is more expensive per pound than cuts of chicken or pork. Starting food prep with plant-based options drops the price point further still. It makes sense that this is the case given how much greater the inputs are for beef versus the other less expensive options.
Eat food that was produced efficiently, not necessarily locally
This one makes the head spin a bit because conventional wisdom would say that locally sourced food would have a much lower carbon footprint than vegetables shipped from Mexico. However, Ritchie makes a strong case in her book that the shipping contribution to the emissions is minimal for all food types.
The big thing Ritchie points out is that when food is grown where conditions are optimal, it is the most efficient and therefore the best for the overall sustainability of the system. This can be apples in Washington or avocados in Mexico. In the end, the impact of shipping is minimal compared to the impact of production.
Where this makes the biggest difference in the budget is buying items in season from their various primary production areas. When different areas are at peak production and they are dumping tons of produce on the market, the prices are lower.
Organic farming requires much more land
This is another one that doesn’t land very well with the Whole Foods crowd, but Ritchie makes a compelling point. Her primary incite from the data is that conventional farming methods have produced the high yields that fuel the abundance of the modern world. If the world moved to an organic farming model, then more forests would need to be cleared globally, and we still may not have enough space. The greater need is actually to get the modern farming methods to areas like Africa to enable poor areas to increase yields.
Non-organic food is the best path to a sustainable future for global food and so we shouldn’t feel guilty about not buying organic when its often much more expensive. There are times where organic options are potentially healthier and so this isn’t a push against buying any organic products, but its good to know where it fits in the path to sustainability.
Final Thoughts
None of these items are intended to be attacks on how anyone shops for food. The goal is to give helpful ideas for how to tweak shopping patterns. The data is pointing to some clear ideas for a sustainable future and those happen to also help the average family grocery budget. There are a lot more insights in Ritchie’s book, Not the End of the World and so its highly recommended for anyone looking for a level-headed look at the future of the planet.
By: Chris Bemis
The principles of Personal Finance are relatively simple. The goal is to spend less than you make over time and then ensure that the money saved is invested so that it grows. The end goal is to build wealth.
Winning at Personal Finance is about Maintaining Momentum
The challenge of winning at personal finance is that a great month of saving and investing doesn’t do a whole lot. What is needed is good years and strong decades.
As we try to make solid financial decisions over time, we are confronted with a world that aims with surgical precision to make us feel discontent with our current path so that we click to spend money on some random product.
This gets to the core of why websites like this exist. It is a small refuge where you can always find some inspiration for your personal finance journey.
We need Fresh Ideas to Help Stay Motivated
Our brains crave novelty. New things are always intriguing. This is the part of our nature that all the adds trying to get us to buy random stuff on the internet are attacking.
This is the part of the brain that the Feed on Personal Finance Blogs is working on. Instead of scrolling random Instagram posts or Amazon, you can spend some time scrolling unique perspectives from different blogs across the internet.
The cool thing about running into different blogs is that it causes us to bump into different ideas and values that can help us refresh our thoughts on our financial journey.
The end result is fresh perspective and hopefully a boost for the road ahead.
Human Perspectives are Getting Buried on the Internet
One of the most obvious consequences of the rise of AI is that it is taking a forever increasing role in answering the questions posed on the internet. Companies with refined strategies to sell us products based on our searches and what you have is a situation where unique human perspectives get buried.
This is a massive challenge for anyone trying to put their thoughts out into the world. Some breakthrough, but most get washed away in the deluge. That is why Personal Finance Blogs creates a space where these perspectives are brought together without the wave of random ads.
The goal is that this site provides a space to find refreshing ideas and a boost in momentum for anyone looking to live well and build wealth.
By: Chris Bemis
We live in the age of extremes and in no area of life is this more apparent than with fitness. There is the cross fit crowd on one side of the table that pay well over $100 and possibly up to $200 per month to work out with a bunch of other lovely, jacked people in a converted garage. On the other is the seemingly unstoppable rise in obesity that has only been paused by drugs like Ozempic. Americans are having a rough time with fitness even though the most fit keep going to greater extremes.
In this article, I want to dig into the comment from the great fitness thought leader, Nate Bargatze, who looked at the before picture on a P90X DVD and wondered what that guy was up to. What does it mean to be okay at fitness and is that part of the answer to the challenge from the average person.
What does it really take to be reasonably fit? As it turns out, it really doesn’t take a ton of effort to maintain and active lifestyle. The most critical thing is figuring out what you will actually keep doing week over week without getting board. Here are a few thoughts to help us all out.
Figure out a Fun Fitness Activity and Make it regular
For me, the fun fitness activity is playing basketball with a group of friends at a local school where we rent out the gym. I would never work out as hard as I do each Monday if it wasn’t for this time. We enjoy the fact that now we know how each other move on the court and there is decent flow during our games. The game has gravity that keeps us all coming back. Its huge for keeping a bunch of 40-something dads from falling into the trap of crappy health that still stalks us as a nation.
Keep Dumbbells and a Bench in the House
It’s easy to build up momentum for 15-20 minutes of simple weights when all you have to do is step into another room in the house when you get home from work. Even better, if you work from home, you can take this during the day to refresh the brain. A set of dumbbells can sit in the corner of a home office and be plenty to engage multiple muscle groups every day. It allows for quick workouts which makes it easier to be consistent and its the consistency that is the key for maintaining fitness over the long term.
Get a Dog and Walk Everyday
This has been the secret to my father being in great shape for a 73-year-old. He has never been someone who cares to go to the gym, but he did start taking the beagle that they adopted from us on a 2 mile daily walk for a few years when he turned 70. My dad has the same level of workout motivation as I do and so he needs a reason to get out and be active. The responsibility to try to keep an old beagle from starting to look like a blimp was enough to get him out walking. The consistency of this “OK” level of activity has produced outsized results as time has gone by.
The Big Takeaway
Linking up weeks, months and years of consistent, physical activity really has some significant results for our health. Additionally, for those with tight budgets, it is good to know that a gym membership isn’t a requirement for health. There is plenty that can be done at home or by simply adopting an old beagle and hitting the trail.
By: Chris Bemis
Mental Health challenges amongst young adults is at an all-time high and many experts point to the fact that kids are being over-protected by parents and not allowed to step into their own ability to solve problems. An amazing way to combat this is to involve kids in home improvement projects. It can slow the process down a bit, but the payoff for their confidence is well worth it. Another aspect is that extra hands can move some projects along much quicker and when kids know they were involved in actually speeding a process up the boost to their self-esteem will be tangible.
It’s easy to read books on parenting strategies like the groundbreaking book on this topic by Dr. Daniel G. Amen and Dr. Charles Fay, but the true challenge is finding opportunities to apply these truths in daily life.
Kids don’t have enough opportunities to be involved in real problem solving
School assignments are generally paper or computer based and very controlled to the lesson at hand. This doesn’t provide opportunities for the mind of your child to engage in the kind of problem solving that almost any home improvement project comes up to. It’s great to see a parent work through what to do if a piece of baseboard is cut slightly short or to work to reset a paver that isn’t quite level on a patio. A major reason to involve kids in your simple projects is that these projects still run into complications and if they are around and engaged with the resolution, they will feel some level of power to deal with these things themselves. This will require patience (sometimes more than I have) and it could slow a project down, but this is the practical way to use the power of neuroscience to raise resilient children.
Becoming Mentally Strong starts with actually feeling useful
I have been involved in building two short fences and a paver patio with my kids and these projects all made me think of the big farming families that exist in the distant past. For the fences, my younger daughter was helping with a small nail gun (with me right next to her guiding) while my son held each plank in position. This allowed me to use my hands to ensure the nail was in place and the planks were precisely in the correct spot. This little system got us moving quickly through the installation of about 30 planks on a short front yard fence and we all felt quite pleased at the end. It honestly went much faster than I could have done it by myself or even just with my wife.
The three sets of hands, even if they were small were super helpful. It provided a first time to get hands on a project which allows them to begin to understand what it takes to see a project through. This is critical to becoming resilient children and young adults who know how to problem solve.
Types of Projects That Work for Kids
Obviously, the scale of the project needs to be right for this to work. The mental strength and patience that I am trying to generate by having my kids help is obviously not something that has much supply now. I’ve found that fences or replacing siding on a shed have been awesome for this. The kids are genuinely useful and we see a ton of progress quickly. Other items that I think fall into this category would be installing vinyl plank flooring since the kids could be staging to allow a parent to move through the placement or for an older child to actually do the placing while the parent is doing quality control.
Similarly, installing new baseboard is a great home improvement project where extra hands are tremendous and it also allows one of the kids to use a nail gun (with a parent right next to them, once again). This allows the parent to focus on positioning and the child can drive the nails. Cutting baseboard is definitely something that only a teenage child should help with, but if they are ready, this is a great next development step.
Experiences are the way to build mental strength and confidence
The major underlying theory here is that experiences are the currency for building self-confidence and resilience. In the United States, these types of experiences simply aren’t coming to kids at the same rate that they were in past generations. It takes intentional, effective parenting to create these experiences and home improvement projects provide a perfect, organic way to do this. It won’t be perfect, but its 100% worth bringing kids in to help with these items and also plant the seed for them to catch the DIY bug as adults.
All parents want to avoid power struggles and behavioral problems from children of all ages and the foundation that is required is to help build resilient children in their early years to insulate against these challenges.
By: Chris Bemis
If you like this post, check others related to this topic:
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Helping them Understand the budget
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Letting them Pack Their Own Lunch
Buying a house is tough and it can be even tougher in older neighborhoods that are often highly desirable due to their character and proximity to downtown areas. If you are someone who loves the idea of walking down streets with large trees and unique homes from these earlier eras. Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to be a person who puts Dave Ramsey’s wisdom into practice and buy the cheapest house on the street and then get ready to quickly add equity. The three examples below were all present in a house on the South Hill in Spokane, Washington in the 99203 Zip Code which is among the most expensive in the city.
Overgrown Landscaping that is Easy to Remove
Many older homes have landscaping that was carefully planted over 30 years ago and now has grown to a point where a significant amount needs to be removed. However, once you remove some of the overgrown portions, what is left is still mature, beautiful landscaping that simply can’t be duplicated in newer homes without spending a small fortune. This is a perfect example of a house where two trees next to the house are completely covering up the window to the dining room, but once those are removed there is still a fully mature landscape in front of the house. A day of yard work and a run to the dump could instantly add significant value to the property.
Weird Decisions that Tank Home Value but are Easy to Undo
In older neighborhoods where the homes have been with the same owner for many years, it’s pretty common for decisions to be made that are either a preference of the owner or some simple convenience item that are pretty devastating to a home’s value. In the same house pictured for this article with the overgrown landscaping there was a bathroom where a shower was removed and then the room was painted a dark red. This is the type of thing you do when you’ve been in your house for decades and you have the place paid off. You don’t need the shower and you like the color so go for it. For many people looking for a house, this is a total deal breaker. It’s weird and the house only has one total shower so most people will simply walk away and never give it another thought. However, the bathroom has plumbing hidden behind the new wall and floor and so it is likely a relatively simple remodel.
The dark red paint is a funny one because the entry in the home we currently live in was also painted this same color and along with the ancient light fixture in that area it made it feel like we were entering a cave. The principle is the same though, it causes an instant ick factor for home buyers, but it only took a couple hours to fix the whole area.
Expensive Updates Complete, Simple Stuff Left Unfinished
This is another one that my wife and I have seen often enough largely because people will fix the biggest eyesore in their house like an old shower, but they are used to the peeling paint in the bathroom so they don’t care to get that fixed. For an older person, all the little items like painting or replacing light fixtures are a bigger ordeal and its expensive to hire contractors so its not uncommon to only see the higher value items completed. This is still a situation that can turn off many homebuyers and bring down the overall feel of the home even though a little paint is one of the easiest DIY opportunities. In a situation like this, the home improvement is simply repainting a few walls and then the value of the bathroom skyrockets.
The big takeaway is that in a softer housing market like it has been in 2024 and likely will be in 2025. These little items can add up and make houses sit longer and drop further in price than they should. These issues caused this home to fall $50K from its initial list price and there are hundreds of homes like this in neighborhoods across the country. A smart, scrappy buyer who pays attention to this stuff and isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty can potentially snag $30K-50K in equity.
By: Chris Bemis
Mental health challenges amongst kids today are at an all-time high and many experts point to the fact that kids are being over-protected by parents which is in turn leading to a generation that hasn’t developed the ability to deal with the natural stress of live. When the challenges of being a teen or young adult confront many kids, they have not developed the coping muscles due to being overly sheltered. This aligns with the parenting strategies outlined by Dr. Daniel G. Amen and Dr. Charles Fay in their bestselling book with the end goal of helping our kids reach their full potential. His groundbreaking book is loaded with practical advice for parents, but it’s up to us to put this evidence-based help into practice in our day-to-day interactions with our kids.
The following are three ways the helping your kids understand the family budget and live within it will help them be emotionally strong and hopefully lessen their anxiety as they become young adults. The best thing parents can do is give kids their first time exposure to the realities of life in a setting where we can show them what good decisions in the real world look like. As parents we obviously want the best possible mental health for our adult children and these small opportunities, we get with them as kids are the steps to build this foundation.
Learning to Wait for Things for a Real Reason
One major aspect of developing mental strength for kids is learning to wait. The challenge is that it can be a power struggle if parents are just saying no to requests and then deal with the onslaught of questions. Rather than just starting a fight with, “Because I say so” it can be super helpful to just share what the family has budgeted for the particular area and then explaining when the item fits in or why it doesn’t fit at all.
In this way, parents are just pointing to a bigger reality which in turn helps kids start to understand the world has more to consider than what they want right now. We can share that it’s smart to wait on some of the random stuff they want because this month the car needed work done. As they internalize the larger picture over time from interactions like this it helps them lay the foundation to become resilient children and young adults. This is how the power of neuroscience can be on our side as parents if we set up simple opportunities for our kids to develop mental strength.
Learning to Choose between Two Desires
This item is usually centered around something bigger that a child wants like a video game system or a bike that takes a little more time to save up for. If a kid really wants the bigger item, then its is a helpful way to push back on every request that seems to come up at Target or from seeing a new product on social media.
Once again, its connecting to the bigger picture rather than letting the desire in the moment run the show. The family budget can be a practical tool for helping children of all ages grow in this skill. It doesn’t require a child psychologist like the team at Amen Clinics to make progress like this if parents use the opportunities well that arise in daily life.
Becoming Mentally Strong starts with knowing you aren’t always in charge as a child
This is a big one because this is what kids really want. They don’t want their parents to be pushovers and give them everything they want even if the complain and use all the tactics that make every parent cringe. Children need to understand that their parents have a plan and are moving the family in a direction that is more complicated than their momentary wants.
This is also an area that can help parents recover if you (like all parents at some point) deal with saying yes too much to your kids. A new budget for the extra expenses that come along with a trip to Target can be a great way to take background if your kids have gotten to a level of whininess that you aren’t feeling great about. The key is that restoring this balance is the key to raising mentally healthy kids. This also helps avoid behavioral problems during the teen years that often arise from a lack of effective parenting in the early years.
Giving kids a picture of the real life that they are headed towards
This is huge because talking to kids about the bigger aspects of the family budget starts to get pictures of adult reality in to the mind of your child. They can start to see that its not scary or super complex, but that adults have to live in reality. The biggest part of reality is that you have to spend less money than you make.
Another aspect of this is that it gives us as parents a bit of built-in accountability to know what we are doing with the budget since we’ve opened up this world a bit to the kids. As kids get older, some of the specific numbers for groceries or how to use a credit card can be shared to help them wrap their mind around what life really costs. In the United States, its so easy to skip past these opportunities to help develop resilient children due to the lack of focus that is a constant challenge in a world full of social media distractions.
By: Chris Bemis
If you like this post, check out two more on related to this topic:
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Letting them Pack Their Own Lunch
Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Involving them in Home Improvement
In today’s fast-paced world, where financial decisions are often driven by external influences and societal pressures, practicing mindful money management has become more crucial than ever.
Mindful money management involves aligning your financial goals with your personal values, setting priorities based on needs versus wants, and making conscious choices that reflect your values. By incorporating mindfulness into your financial decisions, you can create a sense of balance and harmony between your money and your values.
In this article, we will explore the principles of mindful money management and how it can help you achieve financial well-being while staying true to what matters most to you.
Understanding Mindful Money Management
Mindful money management is a holistic approach to handling finances that involves aligning your financial goals with your personal values. It goes beyond just budgeting and saving to encompass a deeper understanding of how your money choices impact not only your financial well-being but also your overall happiness and fulfillment. By being mindful of your financial decisions, you can ensure that your money is being used in ways that truly reflect what matters most to you.
For example, many Americans reported feeling stressed about money at least some of the time, with a handful experiencing extreme stress. Mindful money management can help alleviate this stress by bringing awareness to your spending habits and helping you make intentional choices that are in line with your values.
By understanding the principles of mindful money management, you can begin to see how your financial decisions impact not only your bank account but also your overall well-being. This awareness can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling approach to managing your money, ultimately helping you achieve greater financial stability and peace of mind.
Aligning Financial Goals with Personal Values
Aligning your financial goals with your personal values is essential for achieving true financial well-being. When your money management reflects what truly matters to you, you are more likely to feel fulfilled and satisfied with your financial decisions.
To align financial goals with personal values, start by identifying what is most important to you in life. This could be family, health, education, environmental sustainability, or any other values that resonate with you. Once you have a clear understanding of your values, you can then set financial goals that support and align with these values.
For example, if you value environmental sustainability, you may choose to invest in socially responsible companies or allocate a portion of your budget towards eco-friendly products. Many consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable brands. By aligning your financial goals with your values, you not only contribute to causes you care about but also make a positive impact on the world.
Another example could be prioritizing education if you value personal growth and development. Allocating a portion of your budget towards furthering your education or that of your children can be a direct reflection of your values. The average cost of tuition and fees for the 2024 school year is $42,162 at private colleges, $23,630 for out-of-state students at public universities and $10,662 for in-state students at public schools.
By aligning your financial goals with your values, you invest in a future that aligns with what matters most to you.
Setting Priorities: Needs vs. Wants
When it comes to mindful money management, a crucial aspect is setting priorities by distinguishing between needs and wants. Needs are essential for survival and well-being, such as food, shelter, healthcare, and transportation. Wants, on the other hand, are desires that are not necessary for basic living but can enhance our quality of life.
The average American household spends a significant portion of their income on wants rather than needs. In fact, 40% of Americans would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between needs and wants.
To prioritize needs over wants, start by creating a budget that allocates a higher percentage of your income towards necessities like housing, utilities, and healthcare. Limit discretionary spending on non-essential items like dining out, entertainment, and luxury goods. By consciously evaluating your expenses and differentiating between needs and wants, you can ensure that your financial resources are directed towards what truly matters for your well-being and long-term financial stability.
By making informed decisions and prioritizing needs over wants, you can achieve a better balance in your financial life, ensuring that your resources are aligned with your values and goals.
Creating a Budget that Reflects Your Values
Creating a budget that reflects your values is a crucial aspect of mindful money management. By aligning your financial decisions with what truly matters to you, you can ensure that your spending habits are in harmony with your personal beliefs and goals.
To start, identify your core values and priorities. For example, if supporting sustainable practices is important to you, allocate a portion of your budget towards purchasing eco-friendly products or investing in companies with strong environmental policies. If giving back to your community is a priority, consider setting aside a specific amount each month for charitable donations.
When creating your budget, it’s essential to track your income and expenses diligently. Use tools like budgeting apps or spreadsheets to monitor where your money is going and identify areas where you can cut back or reallocate funds to better reflect your values. For instance, if you realize that you are spending a significant amount on dining out, you may decide to cook more meals at home to free up funds for causes you care about.
By consciously designing a budget that mirrors your values, you can feel more empowered and fulfilled in your financial decisions, knowing that your money is being used in ways that align with what is important to you.
Mindful Spending: Making Conscious Choices
In the realm of personal finance, mindful spending is a crucial aspect that involves making intentional and conscious choices about where your money goes. It’s about aligning your spending habits with your values and long-term financial goals. By practicing mindful spending, you can avoid impulse purchases, reduce unnecessary expenses, and prioritize what truly matters to you.
One key strategy for mindful spending is tracking your expenses. By keeping a detailed record of where your money is going, you can identify patterns and areas where you may be overspending. For example, you might realize that you’re spending a significant amount on dining out each month, prompting you to cut back and reallocate those funds towards savings or investments.
Another approach to mindful spending is practicing delayed gratification. Instead of making impulsive purchases, take the time to consider whether the item aligns with your values and financial goals. For instance, if you’re tempted to buy a new gadget, ask yourself if it’s a necessity or simply a fleeting desire. By pausing and reflecting before making a purchase, you can make more conscious choices that support your overall financial well-being.
By adopting mindful spending habits, you can alleviate financial stress and cultivate a healthier relationship with money.
Investing in What Matters Most
When it comes to mindful money management, investing in what matters most is a crucial aspect that aligns your financial decisions with your personal values. This involves putting your money towards things that hold significance to you, whether it’s supporting causes you care about, investing in sustainable companies, or saving for experiences that bring you joy and fulfillment.
One way to invest in what matters most is through socially responsible investing (SRI) or impact investing. These strategies allow you to put your money into companies that align with your values, such as those focused on environmental sustainability, social justice, or ethical business practices.
Another way to invest in what matters most is by prioritizing your long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement, education, or a home. By allocating your resources towards these goals, you are investing in your future financial well-being and security.
Ultimately, investing in what matters most is about consciously directing your financial resources towards the things that bring you fulfillment and align with your values, creating a sense of purpose and meaning in your financial decisions.
Giving Back: Incorporating Philanthropy into Your Finances
Incorporating philanthropy into your financial plan not only benefits the causes you care about but also adds a sense of purpose and fulfillment to your financial journey. Giving back is a powerful way to align your financial goals with your personal values and make a positive impact on the world around you.
One effective strategy for incorporating philanthropy into your finances is setting aside a percentage of your income for charitable donations. For example, you could commit to donating 5% of your monthly earnings to a cause that resonates with you.
Another way to incorporate philanthropy into your finances is by volunteering your time and skills to organizations in need. By donating your expertise, you can make a meaningful contribution without necessarily spending money. For instance, volunteering at a local food bank or offering pro bono services to a non-profit can have a direct and immediate impact on those in need.
Remember, giving back is not just about the amount you donate but the intention and impact behind your actions. By incorporating philanthropy into your financial plan, you can create a more meaningful and purpose-driven approach to managing your money.
Balancing Short-Term Gratification with Long-Term Goals
In the realm of personal finance, one of the key challenges individuals face is finding the right balance between short-term gratification and long-term goals. It’s easy to get caught up in the instant pleasure of impulse purchases or indulging in luxuries, but it’s essential to consider the impact these decisions can have on your financial future. By practicing mindful money management, you can strike a balance that allows you to enjoy the present while also securing a stable financial foundation for the future.
For example, instead of splurging on a designer handbag or the latest tech gadget, consider redirecting that money towards your long-term goals, such as building an emergency fund or contributing to your retirement savings.
Another way to balance short-term gratification with long-term goals is to set up automatic contributions to your savings or investment accounts. By automating your savings, you ensure that a portion of your income goes towards your future goals before you have the chance to spend it on impulse purchases. This approach helps you stay on track with your long-term financial objectives while still allowing room for occasional treats or splurges within a mindful spending framework.
Cultivating financial well-being through mindful money management is essential for achieving long-term financial stability and personal fulfillment. By aligning your financial goals with your personal values and making conscious choices about how you earn, spend, save, and invest your money, you can create a solid foundation for a secure financial future.
Cultivating Financial Well-Being through Mindful Money Management:
One key aspect of cultivating financial well-being is to prioritize saving and investing for the future. According to a survey by Bankrate, only 16% of Americans save more than 15% of their income, while 21% save nothing at all. By setting aside a portion of your income for savings and investments, you can build a financial safety net and work towards achieving your long-term goals, such as retirement or buying a home.
Another important aspect of financial well-being is managing debt effectively. The average American household carries over $8,000 in credit card dent. By practicing mindful spending and budgeting, you can reduce your debt burden and avoid high-interest payments that can hinder your financial progress.
Additionally, incorporating philanthropy into your financial plan can bring a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Research shows that charitable giving not only benefits the recipients but also enhances the well-being of the giver. By donating to causes that align with your values, you can make a positive impact on society while also improving your own sense of well-being.
Summing up, cultivating financial well-being through mindful money management requires a holistic approach that considers your values, goals, and priorities. By making intentional financial decisions and staying true to your values, you can create a sustainable financial future that brings both financial security and personal fulfillment.
Conclusion
Incorporating mindfulness into your money management practices can transform the way you interact with your finances, leading to a more fulfilling and purpose-driven financial life.
By aligning your financial goals with your personal values, making conscious spending choices, and investing in what truly matters to you, you can create a sense of financial well-being that extends far beyond your bank account.
Start your journey towards mindful money management today and watch as your financial decisions become a reflection of your values and aspirations.