By: Mike Cashion, MFF Director of Operations
REMAIN OPEN MINDED AND ADAPT
We are living in a weird time where the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to reshape what we would have referred to as normal. Whether we like it or not, things are what they are for now. That may sound negative, but it is not intended to be. We have or are adjusting to our new day to day. We have to embrace it and look to the good and what can be positive. For me, I have been spending far less money, finding new ways to fill my time and looking for opportunities to thrive during these weird times.
A GREAT TIME TO SET ASIDE SAVINGS
Much of what we could previously do is drastically different or not an option. Travel and vacations are not all that fun right now… Trust me, I recently traveled for work and it was subpar at best. The experience and customer service at hotels, restaurants etc was a huge bummer. Most events have been cancelled. With all this said, you can find fun ways to spend your time at little or no cost. I take more walks, run, bike, visit the local parks, cook at home, read more, take online classes and volunteer my time. All of which are things that I wanted to make more time for.
My guess is that you are probably not going out as much as before. This translates to spending less money. Now is a great time to save. Why spend it on subpar experiences when you could save it and work towards some of your financial goals? It is much easier now (depending on your situation) to save because we have far fewer options to spend our money on. Why not develop good spending and saving habits now that will pay dividends in the future?
YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THINGS
I recently read a book titled I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Remit Sethi. One thing that stood out was when Remit talked about how everyone’s definition of a rich life is different. Much of the advice out there will tell you to cut expenses, regardless of whether or not they are meaningful to you. It sounds awful to do absolutely nothing for the sake of saving…. For me, I love going downtown everyday to buy a coffee. I do enjoy the taste of coffee. The true value and what I really enjoy about getting coffee is going downtown to see my friends, to break up the day, sit outside or work out of the house for a couple hours. Much of the time I will walk or ride my bicycle down the street to enjoy my coffee. This saves me some money on one side (gas, parking, time, parking tickets, etc) while spending some on the other side (coffee).
WHAT ARE YOU AIMING FOR?
It is always nice to have something to aim at, even if you do not necessarily hit the exact target every time. Do you want to move out of your parents’ house? Do you want to purchase your first car? Do you want to have a well funded emergency fund, so you no longer need to worry? Are you thinking about starting a family? Want to buy a house? Pay your class tuition instead of borrowing? Do you see a business opportunity and want to start a business?
Since life has slowed down with the pandemic, it is a great time to reflect on your goals, adjust or set new ones and take steps toward those goals.
MAKE THE MOVE TOWARD FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
At MFF, we believe that everyone should have the chance to learn to be financially independent. Our team continues to build out free online programs so that you too can start your journey to financial independence. Get started TODAY with our Standards of Financial Literacy Program!
