As you know, April is National Financial Literacy Month. April is a perfect time to get started establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits for yourself. If you are afraid of anything financial or don’t like numbers, and not sure where to start, here are some easy ideas.
Pick one article or short video per week (or month) that deals with a topic area you want to learn more about. Make sure it is something relevant to you. Pick anything from basic budgeting, to savings tips to reach a goal, retirement, Social Security, real estate, charitable giving, personal taxation… you name it. It’s your choice!
Read the article or watch the video and if you don’t understand everything the first time through, no problem! It’s not about grasping all the details the first time; it’s about making the effort to learn more. You can always re-read, look up terms you don’t know, or ask a professional.
Another idea, pick a favorite finance app, social media site or blog (like mine), website, magazine, or even look for broadcasts on your cable package dealing with personal finance. Find what resonates with you, in a format that you like, with content that is manageable and that you enjoy. Approach the content in small doses so you don’t get overwhelmed.
To recap: take the first step and decided to learn more, make it personal, take it slow, and start with a topic of interest to you. Commit to learning one new concept at a time and don’t overload yourself; pick an area that is interesting and applicable to you; use technology if that helps, or go old-school and find a magazine, book or newspaper. Put the personal back in personal finance and make it enjoyable. Once you do, you’ll be on the road to establishing and maintaining savvy financial habits.
Once you get started, make it a habit. You can apply this new skill beyond National Financial Literacy Month and make it a year-round activity. This will really help you build your financial literacy savvy and put you on the path to establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits.
Remember, you can always reach out and ask a professional. As an independent Certified Financial Planner™, I can help you establish and maintain better financial habits. Contact me and let’s get started! #talktometuesday #education #Hireaplanner #FinancialLiteracyMonth #NationalFinancialLiteracyMonth #financialsavvy