None of us have time to focus on things that don’t matter. Life is just too short. This video is my personal story of awakening to this truth. The message is the same, no matter what the topic of discussion happens to be. What I want to discuss with you today is how to focus on what matters in regards to your personal finances. Before making any important financial decisions, it’s imperative to have a realistic budget in place.

Nothing else really matters in regards to your money if you don’t know the difference between what you’re making and what you’re spending each month. If you’re honest with yourself, and you really do want to achieve financial freedom, then you have to live within your means. I’ve been a Financial Advisor for a little over 20 years now.  I’ve found that many individuals simply don’t know where to start when it comes to creating a budget.  They are also reluctant to ask for help because they’re embarrassed, or they simply just procrastinate. Does either scenario sound familiar to you?

Procrastination and embarrassment are a waste of time. As we’ve already discussed, life is short. I want to empower you to get a budget in place now if you haven’t already done so. I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Please visit my website at www.emilygstroud.com. When prompted, enter your email address and I will send a complimentary budget worksheet to your inbox. Then all you have to do is fill in the blanks and add and subtract. It really is that simple.

Once you have a realistic budget in place, you will know how much discretionary income you have left over at the end of each month. Discretionary income is simply money that you can allocate to different savings goals each month. Maybe you want to save for a new home. Maybe you are concerned about paying for college for your children, or you may simply want to make sure you’re on track to retire well at a certain age. No matter what your goals and needs are financially, the first step is to have a budget in place and “stick to it like glue.” Please don’t waste any more time. Let’s get your personal finances organized this month. Then you can focus on the fun part of financial planning, which is dreaming and achieving your personal goals. I would love to hear from you if you have any questions. Post your comments below.  #FaithfulFinance