~Financial Responsibility~

What makes a person financially responsible?

I have often thought of this as I'm talking with people who have major financial problems. The conclusion that I've come to may surprise you....FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS A CHOICE. Period.

As an adult we can blame our situation on our parents because they didn't set a good example. We could blame the economy. We could blame God (totally advise against this one...doesn't end well). We could blame the President (really?). We could blame our employer. We could blame it on Jocko (Jocko was my childhood dog that is no longer living, however he still gets blamed for things at my parents house. It's a running joke!)

OR

We could wake up and decide to make the CHOICE to act responsibly with our finances. That would mean knowing what it feels like to "want" things. Sometimes knowing what it feels like to actually "need" something. Take a moment and think about the last time you truly "needed" something. We are so blessed.

I understand that situations happen that are beyond our control. Wouldn't it be awesome to have a plan for such an event? Wouldn't it be great to have funds set aside for emergencies? We can't predict the future, but as my Mom is always saying "It's gonna rain. Maybe not today, but it WILL rain. Better have an umbrella!" Dave Ramsey suggests an emergency fund of 3-6 months worth of living expenses. Imagine how secure you would feel to know that you have money set aside just in case a situation arises that is beyond your control. It would feel pretty comforting and take off a great deal of stress.

Back to being responsible....Regardless of the financial model that you have studied (usually your parents), you can choose to start today and make a difference for your future. Do you have financial goals for your future? Do you only think about this month? I encourage you to set some financial goals for you and your family. Make a plan and get excited about it! Saving money is always so much easier if you have a goal. The more you save, the more you want to save. It makes you really think about each purchase.
Recently, we (my fav Coach & I) have been discussing our bucket list. Then I decided we needed to set up a financial bucket list (more on that later).

I hope this post has encouraged you to want to save more, spend less and really think about making the choice to be financially responsible...which leads to financial freedom!

Blessed~
SHO

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart"
~Psalm 37:4~