Sunday, November 20, 2005

Personal Finance

This is the one we all do, right? We plan financially for our futures by investing, saving budgeting or all of the above. We deprive ourselves of that new car, new house, big boat, new motorcycle, new furniture, etc, etc, etc. We do all this because we’re good financial planners and we want to plan for that rainy day. Actually, financial planning is a smart idea. If done right, we may be able to plan for our financial future and still have a little fun today.

Probably the most important step, and certainly the step you should take first, is to figure out how much you can afford to spend. If you haven't set up a budget that shows you how much you're spending on everyday things, now is the time to do it.

It’s hard to get rich quickly but it is easy to get rich slowly. The greatest use of money is to secure freedom; freedom from want, from dependence, from boredom. Your goal is to provide that freedom for yourself and your family. Eventually, you will spread that “freedom” and assist others to reach that level.

Now that you have begun to track your spending and are making money through the “Multiple Methods of Making Money” outlined in the previous chapter, don’t forget the basics. Save 10% in a savings account, 10% investing (real estate and business ventures) and 10% for charity. The charity element is ESSENTIAL! The pure gratification and ability to make a difference in this world through monetary contributions and volunteering your services to help others is indescribable and life changing. Remember, you can get everything in life you want if you help others get what they want.