Family Financial Wellness
Presented by Robert Blakely, CFP®
Summer is almost here! Children will be out of school, and that means more time together as a family. What will you spend your time doing? Do you already speak to your children about financial matters? Perhaps this summer, as a family, you can focus on your family’s financial wellness.
What is family financial wellness? Simply put, it is how you and your family, together, prepare for the future.
Managing your finances can be stressful and take time. If you are not proactive and do not put a plan in place, your physical and mental health can be affected; you can lose sleep and lose focus. So it is imperative for a healthy family and your peace of mind that you follow some simple steps to ensure financial wellness for all.
There are four components to becoming financially well as a family: savings, expenses, debt, and risk protection. These can be crucial to your family’s financial wellness and improving in each area should be a priority for you and your family. The following are some simple steps that can help as you start down the path of family financial wellness.
To begin:
Spend less than you earn.
Begin by creating a budget. Keep track of every dollar that comes in and every dollar that goes out. This will allow you to see where you are spending your money and where you might be able to cut back.
Set up an emergency fund.
Relatively small expenses can be devastating if you do not plan for them. Set up an automatic transfer each month and put a portion of each check into this emergency fund. Then make a promise to yourself and your family that you won’t spend it unless it is in a true emergency.
Pay down your debt.
List all of your debt, including the monthly minimum payments and interest rates. Decide which you will pay off first and commit to that. Just do it!
Protect your family.
Purchase life insurance which will give you peace of mind knowing your family is taken care of should the worst happen.
Save for retirement.
The best way to do this is to participate in your employer’s offered retirement plan. Many employers offer a match, so make sure you contribute to the plan so you can get this ‘free money’ and maximum benefit. If your employer does not offer any type of plan, make sure to contact a financial advisor to set up an automatic transfer into a retirement account.
Taking these simple steps – and working together as a family – will help promote a healthy relationship with money for your children but also put you on the path to financial wellness as a family!
Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other expert advice we can provide towards your financial well-being.
ROBERT BLAKELY, CFP® is a financial advisor with BLAKELY FINANCIAL, INC. located at 1022 Hutton Lane, Suite 109, High Point, NC 27262. He is the founder and president of Blakely Financial, Inc.
Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals.
Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Fixed insurance products and services offered through CES Insurance Agency or Blakely Financial, Inc.