Por Charlestien Harris
Mother's Day is a special day set aside to honor the mother of the family unit, as well as motherhood and the maternal bond.
Mothers have a great responsibility and influence in the dynamics of the family and in the decision-making process when it comes to making ends meet, especially in financial matters. Whether you are a mom that works outside the home or inside the home, there is a balancing act of work, finances, and raising a family. I am very fortunate to still have my mother with me, and I still remember the money lessons she taught me as a young girl. These lessons, or "bits of advice," have remained with me throughout my life and have helped me become the money-savvy person I am today. Thanks, mom.
Por esta razón, me gustaría compartir algunos consejos que mi madre y otras madres han compartido para ayudarnos a guiarnos a través de nuestro viaje financiero en la vida.
1. “Money doesn't grow on trees!" If you are like me, you have probably heard this repeated several times when you were a kid. At the time, you really didn't understand what that meant, except you "knew" money didn't grow on trees because you never saw a money tree. As children, we often thought that our parents were made of money and we could put nuestra solicitud en, and somehow it would just happen. What we didn't realize is that there was only so much money our parents had available to spend. Knowing how much money you have available to take care of your expenses is very important to your financial health and wealth. Know your limits and learn to say no to frivolous or non-essential purchases.
2. "Live within your means!" It is often said that keeping up with the Joneses is what everybody does. But living within your means and not comparing your life with anyone else's can mean the difference between living a comfortable life or struggling to make ends meet on a constant basis. Budgeting is an essential part of being financially responsible for your household. Make a habit of making a list when you shop. Learn to comparison shop for the best value for your money. Set goals to help you live within your means.
3. “Always have some money set aside for a rainy day!" We all can say that all our days will not be sunny because there will be some rainy days ahead. This concept can be transferred to the financial arena as well. Emergencies happen whether we are ready for them or not. So why not be as ready as you can be by setting up an "emergency fund" to help defray the cost or impact that an emergency can cause in your financial plan? You can start small and build a nice sum if you remain consistent with your efforts to maintain order with your finances.
4. "Don't get into debt unless you have to!" Recuerdo que mi madre pagaba en efectivo casi todo. Rara vez utilizaba una tarjeta de crédito, y eso se me ha quedado grabado a lo largo de mi vida. Rara vez utilizo una tarjeta de crédito o crédito a menos que realmente tenga que hacerlo. Casi todo el mundo tiene deudas. No eres el único. Pero para evitar que las deudas se apoderen de tus finanzas, tienes que ser consciente del uso que haces de las tarjetas de crédito, de los pagos de los préstamos y asegurarte de pagar cualquier deuda que tengas. saldos lo antes posible. Salir de la deuda puede requerir algunos movimientos de dinero inteligente, pero es alcanzable si se adhieren al plan financiero que ha creado.
5. Pay yourself first!" With all the day-to-day tasks that have to be performed, paying yourself first seems like it would be easy to do. But when your expenses are due, sometimes "you" are the last on the list to "get paid." Try to develop the habit of pagarse a sí mismo como si fueras una "factura" o gasto a pagar cada mes. Abre una cuenta de ahorro sólo para ti. Haz depósitos regulares en esa cuenta para aumentar su valor. También puedes hacer que una cantidad predeterminada se sustraiga automáticamente de tu nómina habitual y no echarla nunca de menos porque no llega a tu cuenta corriente, de la que pagas los gastos de la casa.
Hable de dinero con sus hijos. Si es posible, intente incluirlos de alguna manera en el proceso de toma de decisiones financieras. Además, intenta que sea apropiado para su edad. Hay muchos recursos disponibles de diversas fuentes para elegir, así que aprovecha la información que hay ahí fuera. Agradezco mucho que mi madre compartiera sus conocimientos financieros conmigo, porque sus consejos me han evitado cometer grandes errores financieros.
If you need assistance with tools and other helpful information to teach your kids about money, you can always access Southern Bancorp's financial education library at www.banksouthen.com/financial-education/. Giving your kids "money advice" can often be a life-changing experience they will never forget, especially since it came from you!
Hasta la semana que viene: ¡manténgase en forma desde el punto de vista financiero!
