After July 4th, Consider Steps to Your Personal Financial Independence
On July 4th, millions of Americans shared memorable moments at cookouts, festivals, parades, baseball games, and firework displays. People celebrated the declaration of independence that the newly founded country of the United States of American (13 colonies at the time) gained from Great Britain. Americans showed and expressed their overwhelming pride to be citizens of a country which was founded on the principal that "all men are created equal" and are endowed with the unalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".
For those of you who know your history, you know that these rights were not extended to ALL men (or women). History clearly provides evidence that for a century plus additional decades following July 4, 1776, there were groups of people who were not afforded the rights inscribed in the Declaration of Independence - African slaves brought to this country in bondage, African-Americans born in this country during slavery and those who were born and lived during the Jim Crow segregation era, Native American Indians who were here in this country long before the English colonies were settled, and women of any cultural background are some of these groups. Thus, at different periods of times these groups of people did not have the right to own property or money, the right to own businesses (while many did operate businesses in opposition to the written law as a means of survival), or the right to control their financial independence, which directly correlates to one's ability to control their personal freedom.
As we continue, today in 2011, to ride the tide of the 2008 Great Recession which hit millions of everyday Americans like a tsunami with no warning (resulting in 10%+ unemployment, recording-breaking numbers of foreclosures, disastrous eradication of retirement savings, and thousands of businesses that were forced to close due to the unstable economy), I strongly challenge and encourage you to examine your financial status and implement the following practical tips to move you to financial stability and independence. Your financial health not only determines your quality of life (where you can live, what you can eat, where you can go for entertainment/travel, etc.), it also determines how much control you have over your personal and financial independence and your pursuit of your unalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".
Independence (noun): 1) the state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one's own affairs without interference. 2) Sufficient means for a comfortable livelihood.
1) Face the Man or Woman in The Mirror: This important first step is critical! If you don't have an honest talk with yourself and determine that you are willing to improve your financial situation, make uncomfortable sacrifices, and enter unchartered territories of income-producing ideas and economic opportunities, then none of the following tips will benefit you. At VFS, we firmly believe that your actions (how you manage your money) will not change until your mindset changes.
2) Access Your Situation - Do you have more Freedom Papers or Debt Papers? You must face your true reality - do your debt papers (liabilities) outnumber your freedom papers (assets)? Debt is slavery; a ball and chain that prevents you from doing other things that you would enjoy in life if you didn't have to make that payments for your credit card(s), student loan, car loan payment, etc. - The more debt you have, the less freedom you have. It's important that you take an accurate inventory of your assets and liabilities, and your monthly income and expenses. *Remember that getting out of debt takes time and unwavering determination!
3) The Credit Game: Learn, Play & Score:
LEARN: In any game, if you don't know the rule of the game (even when you may have the talent to play the game), you are positioned to lose the game as a result of errors, foul plays, etc. To learn more about how credit scores work, how credit scores are calculated, and much more, see link in the resource box to watch a great video that will give you detailed information.
PLAY: Your personal credit reports from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) should serve as the foundation to your playbook to improve your credit score. As a U.S. citizen, you are entitled to 1 free credit report from each credit bureau every 12 months, and these can be easily obtained from http://www.annualcreditreport.com. *note: While access to your credit report is free, you will have to pay a nominal fee of $8 - $10 in order to get your credit score on-line.
SCORE: No matter how bad or good it looks, devise a plan to score points to increase your credit score to 700+. Your credit score and report need to be part of your freedom papers. Get incorrect and extremely outdated information removed, pay open bills on time as much as possible, and implement other strategies to resolve judgments, liens, and collection accounts. Go to resource box below to view a video for more detailed info.
4) Time To Let Go Of Some Things: Are your monthly bills more than your monthly income? If the answer is yes and you have completed Step 1 above, then here are two practical actions you can do to create some additional income for your household. Do you have household items, furniture, clothes, shoes, jewelry (costume and the real stuff), electronic items and more that you barely use, have never used, or are just taking up space in your house? - It's time to let them go and transform them into income-producing items. Take some pictures of the items with a digital camera (or your cell phone camera), create an account on Craigslist, and post the items to sell. Or you could hold a yard sale at your house or get a space at a community flea market or yard sale to sell your items. *You may be surprised that you may make $100 or more, depending on the items you are selling; thus, putting money into your household as you pursue your financial freedom papers.
5) Turn Off the Cable Service (literally): Cable - a need or luxury? It's a luxury and you will not die without cable. While some people may feel as though I just cursed at them by saying cable is a luxury, calling your cable service provider and terminating your service will easily put an average of $60/month back into your household budget. If you have a bundle package from your provider with premium features and additional services, then it's possible you could easily put a minimum of $100 back into your household, versus paying it to the cable company. Am I serious? YES! If your budget is bleeding red and you are serious about getting your financial freedom papers, then going without cable for a period of time is just one comfort item that you need to do to have a better financial future.
6) Reduce Eating Out: How much do you spend weekly on buying breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner from fast food chains or dining restaurants? Now, multiply that amount by 4 weeks? Are you shocked by your total monthly outlay of eating out? Many people are shocked at their number as they don't realize exactly how much they are spending on eating out per month. As humans, we view food as a need and it is a necessity; however, how we manage our money on food expenses is a choice we can control. The Solution: Start by making a grocery list and go to the market to buy food. Commit to eating breakfast at home daily, take your lunch to work at least 3 - 4 times per week, and only eat dinner out every other weekend (at a restaurant where you can take advantage of a special deal or use a coupon). At the end of the month, compare how much money you saved in contrast to your more frequent eating out habit. *note: While you could go all the way and not buy any food outside of grocery shopping, I know that for most people this is an unrealistic goal; so, that's why I provided you with a workable blue print that can be achieved to help you save money (while also allowing you to allow yourself a treat here and there - smile).
7) Start a Business: Starting a home-based business or jumping into full-time entrepreneurship is a viable source of additional income for your household. If you are faced with lack of job opportunities in your geographical area, just need to supplement your income to achieve financial stability, or desire to save for a future financial goal, then jumping in with two feet to the world of entrepreneurship would not be the first time that a person became an entrepreneur "by force & by choice". Creativity is usually born in the midst of crisis; therefore, I challenge you to examine your skills, talents, and natural gifts that you can turn into a part-time or full-time, income-producing service or product. If you like people and selling, then consider one of the hundreds of business opportunities available that allow you to be a sales rep/consultant and earn money.
In closing, as an American, I am grateful that in today's world, we have the freedom to determine and create our own destiny with hard work. No, the road and journey of life is never easy, but extremely grateful is what I am to live in a country where even when the playing field is not level, and the economic disparity between classes and races is great, we each have the freedom to freely participate in this economic system, and do our absolute best (with the help and support of others in our lives) to create wealth for our personal families, start businesses and create jobs for other people, and pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Millions of people in other countries of the world don't have the freedom to participate and play in the financial game or have many of the other freedoms of life that we enjoy. I salute every man and woman of the U.S. Armed Forces who has served, and is currently serving to protect our country. A special honor goes out to every man and woman (white, black, brown, red, and yellow) who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in the various wars throughout the history of our country to protect the evolved freedoms that we enjoy today. So, as we celebrate the independence of our country, I again challenge you to consider and implement the above outlined steps that will help you achieve your personal financial independence. Know that you are not alone, as millions of Americans from every economic level are enduring personal battles of surviving the current economic challenges of our country.
For those of you who know your history, you know that these rights were not extended to ALL men (or women). History clearly provides evidence that for a century plus additional decades following July 4, 1776, there were groups of people who were not afforded the rights inscribed in the Declaration of Independence - African slaves brought to this country in bondage, African-Americans born in this country during slavery and those who were born and lived during the Jim Crow segregation era, Native American Indians who were here in this country long before the English colonies were settled, and women of any cultural background are some of these groups. Thus, at different periods of times these groups of people did not have the right to own property or money, the right to own businesses (while many did operate businesses in opposition to the written law as a means of survival), or the right to control their financial independence, which directly correlates to one's ability to control their personal freedom.
As we continue, today in 2011, to ride the tide of the 2008 Great Recession which hit millions of everyday Americans like a tsunami with no warning (resulting in 10%+ unemployment, recording-breaking numbers of foreclosures, disastrous eradication of retirement savings, and thousands of businesses that were forced to close due to the unstable economy), I strongly challenge and encourage you to examine your financial status and implement the following practical tips to move you to financial stability and independence. Your financial health not only determines your quality of life (where you can live, what you can eat, where you can go for entertainment/travel, etc.), it also determines how much control you have over your personal and financial independence and your pursuit of your unalienable rights of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".
Independence (noun): 1) the state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one's own affairs without interference. 2) Sufficient means for a comfortable livelihood.
1) Face the Man or Woman in The Mirror: This important first step is critical! If you don't have an honest talk with yourself and determine that you are willing to improve your financial situation, make uncomfortable sacrifices, and enter unchartered territories of income-producing ideas and economic opportunities, then none of the following tips will benefit you. At VFS, we firmly believe that your actions (how you manage your money) will not change until your mindset changes.
2) Access Your Situation - Do you have more Freedom Papers or Debt Papers? You must face your true reality - do your debt papers (liabilities) outnumber your freedom papers (assets)? Debt is slavery; a ball and chain that prevents you from doing other things that you would enjoy in life if you didn't have to make that payments for your credit card(s), student loan, car loan payment, etc. - The more debt you have, the less freedom you have. It's important that you take an accurate inventory of your assets and liabilities, and your monthly income and expenses. *Remember that getting out of debt takes time and unwavering determination!
3) The Credit Game: Learn, Play & Score:
LEARN: In any game, if you don't know the rule of the game (even when you may have the talent to play the game), you are positioned to lose the game as a result of errors, foul plays, etc. To learn more about how credit scores work, how credit scores are calculated, and much more, see link in the resource box to watch a great video that will give you detailed information.
PLAY: Your personal credit reports from each of the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) should serve as the foundation to your playbook to improve your credit score. As a U.S. citizen, you are entitled to 1 free credit report from each credit bureau every 12 months, and these can be easily obtained from http://www.annualcreditreport.com. *note: While access to your credit report is free, you will have to pay a nominal fee of $8 - $10 in order to get your credit score on-line.
SCORE: No matter how bad or good it looks, devise a plan to score points to increase your credit score to 700+. Your credit score and report need to be part of your freedom papers. Get incorrect and extremely outdated information removed, pay open bills on time as much as possible, and implement other strategies to resolve judgments, liens, and collection accounts. Go to resource box below to view a video for more detailed info.
4) Time To Let Go Of Some Things: Are your monthly bills more than your monthly income? If the answer is yes and you have completed Step 1 above, then here are two practical actions you can do to create some additional income for your household. Do you have household items, furniture, clothes, shoes, jewelry (costume and the real stuff), electronic items and more that you barely use, have never used, or are just taking up space in your house? - It's time to let them go and transform them into income-producing items. Take some pictures of the items with a digital camera (or your cell phone camera), create an account on Craigslist, and post the items to sell. Or you could hold a yard sale at your house or get a space at a community flea market or yard sale to sell your items. *You may be surprised that you may make $100 or more, depending on the items you are selling; thus, putting money into your household as you pursue your financial freedom papers.
5) Turn Off the Cable Service (literally): Cable - a need or luxury? It's a luxury and you will not die without cable. While some people may feel as though I just cursed at them by saying cable is a luxury, calling your cable service provider and terminating your service will easily put an average of $60/month back into your household budget. If you have a bundle package from your provider with premium features and additional services, then it's possible you could easily put a minimum of $100 back into your household, versus paying it to the cable company. Am I serious? YES! If your budget is bleeding red and you are serious about getting your financial freedom papers, then going without cable for a period of time is just one comfort item that you need to do to have a better financial future.
6) Reduce Eating Out: How much do you spend weekly on buying breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner from fast food chains or dining restaurants? Now, multiply that amount by 4 weeks? Are you shocked by your total monthly outlay of eating out? Many people are shocked at their number as they don't realize exactly how much they are spending on eating out per month. As humans, we view food as a need and it is a necessity; however, how we manage our money on food expenses is a choice we can control. The Solution: Start by making a grocery list and go to the market to buy food. Commit to eating breakfast at home daily, take your lunch to work at least 3 - 4 times per week, and only eat dinner out every other weekend (at a restaurant where you can take advantage of a special deal or use a coupon). At the end of the month, compare how much money you saved in contrast to your more frequent eating out habit. *note: While you could go all the way and not buy any food outside of grocery shopping, I know that for most people this is an unrealistic goal; so, that's why I provided you with a workable blue print that can be achieved to help you save money (while also allowing you to allow yourself a treat here and there - smile).
7) Start a Business: Starting a home-based business or jumping into full-time entrepreneurship is a viable source of additional income for your household. If you are faced with lack of job opportunities in your geographical area, just need to supplement your income to achieve financial stability, or desire to save for a future financial goal, then jumping in with two feet to the world of entrepreneurship would not be the first time that a person became an entrepreneur "by force & by choice". Creativity is usually born in the midst of crisis; therefore, I challenge you to examine your skills, talents, and natural gifts that you can turn into a part-time or full-time, income-producing service or product. If you like people and selling, then consider one of the hundreds of business opportunities available that allow you to be a sales rep/consultant and earn money.
In closing, as an American, I am grateful that in today's world, we have the freedom to determine and create our own destiny with hard work. No, the road and journey of life is never easy, but extremely grateful is what I am to live in a country where even when the playing field is not level, and the economic disparity between classes and races is great, we each have the freedom to freely participate in this economic system, and do our absolute best (with the help and support of others in our lives) to create wealth for our personal families, start businesses and create jobs for other people, and pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Millions of people in other countries of the world don't have the freedom to participate and play in the financial game or have many of the other freedoms of life that we enjoy. I salute every man and woman of the U.S. Armed Forces who has served, and is currently serving to protect our country. A special honor goes out to every man and woman (white, black, brown, red, and yellow) who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in the various wars throughout the history of our country to protect the evolved freedoms that we enjoy today. So, as we celebrate the independence of our country, I again challenge you to consider and implement the above outlined steps that will help you achieve your personal financial independence. Know that you are not alone, as millions of Americans from every economic level are enduring personal battles of surviving the current economic challenges of our country.