MONTHLY FAVORITES FOR MAY 2017
7:00:00 AM
It’s time for monthly favorites again! Time flies so
fast, we’re almost reaching the half of the year already. How’s your year going
so far? If you ask me, my year is going as planned, for most days I’m doing
something that contribute to the progress of my goals.
One of the keys in achieving your goal is being equipped
with the right tools, such as apps, gears and gadgets that give you leverage.
For this month, I’d share with you some stuff that helps
me keep in line with my financial goals. Let’s jump straight into it!
MONEY APP on iTunes
This is the app I’m using to monitor our finances and it’s
close to being a legit accounting system. Trust me on this, I’m an accountant
and Finance is totally my jam.
With this app, you can keep track of your spending,
budget and bank balances. A few clicks and it can record your expenses, choose
the bank account to use to pay the expenses and voila, your expenses are logged
and your bank account balance is updated.
Also, you can set up a budget and it will monitor your
expenses for you to keep you aligned with the budget you set.
Another good this about this is it’s not too technical so
even if you have zero knowledge in personal finance, you can get the hang of
it. An important reminder, however is to read the guide that comes with an app
before using it. This will help you set up the app well and maximize all of its
features. Heads up, it is a long guide, but bear with it you need it.
This app costs USD 1.99 but it’s totally worth it!
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan
for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey
If I can only recommend you
one personal finance guidebook, it has to be this book. In this book, Dave
Ramsey shared his 7 step proven plan to help you succeed in your personal
financial journey, and I will say, it works!
If you’re new to personal
finance, a fresh graduate or someone who’s in debt or bad financial condition,
this book is perfect for you. However, if you are in pretty good shape in terms
of finance and you’re looking for an investing guide, skip this book. Although
it has some investing guide his approach is very conservative.
One thing I want to point
out, some of his advice is not the most financially sound advice. Case in
point, his snow ball approached to paying debts, will make you pay more
interests on loans. However, this approach will help you create momentum in
finishing your loans and will likely make you stick to the plan of totally
getting out of debt. So be open to his ideas and give it a go, practice what he
teaches you.
Without a blueprint, it’ll
be chaotic to build something. Same thing goes with your goal. You need a
blueprint to see it materializing, and for that, my goal sheet comes in handy.
Part of my morning routine
is to check on my goal sheets and transfer the action items from my goal sheet
to my To-do list. This way, I’m sure I tackle accomplishing my goals first,
before I endure life’s daily chore.
Sometimes we focus on doing
stuff without realizing weren’t accomplishing anything. We put priorities on
chores like laundry, meetings or cleaning up and put the goal’s action items
for later, until later never comes.
Not that I’m saying doing the laundry isn’t
important. But if your day only allows you to do one thing between doing
laundry and going to the gym (an action item for your fitness goal), by all
means, put away the laundry and hit the gym! Your laundry can wait, but your
chance to lose a calorie so you meet your goals won’t.
My goal sheet keeps me
focused and aligned with my goals. You can use it too, and its free to download
here.
That’s about it! Have you
tried using any of these things I’ve mentioned? Let know in the comments below.
If you have other tips for personal finance, I’d love to hear from you as well.
Thank you very much and see
you in the next post!
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