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Joel covered a lot this week, so here's a quick outline of what you need to know to get yourself on your way to financial happiness:
One of the things that is almost never talked about when discussing budgets and money is the anxiety surrounding money. Joel recently spoke to Lindsay Bryan-Podvin about money anxiety on his podcast. If you're feeling anxiety around money, know that you're not alone. There are a few things that you can do to help yourself with your anxiety.
- Feel your feelings. Avoid the urge to tamp down your feelings. Let them out and then work on fixing the issue.
- Assess your other habits. Make sure you're eating well, getting enough sleep, and working on healthy habits.
- Focus on what you can control.
- Create a dedicated time for your finances.
- Break down big goals into small, actionable ones. Instead of focusing on saving up $10,000, focus on saving a little bit each week or each day.
- Get an emergency fund.
- Chat with a professional.
The housing market has been in the headlines for a long time now and you may be in the market to buying a new house. Now there may be a couple things that you need to consider before buying a house. The first is how long you'll be staying there. If you're planning on putting down roots and staying in the area for 7 years or longer, that's a good indicator that getting a house may be a good idea. But if you're only going planning on staying for a year or two, renting is a much better option.
The second thing to consider is what's the purpose of the house? Obviously it's to live in, but are there rental capabilities? Determining what the purpose of the home and possibly renting so you can offset the cost of the mortgage can put you in a really good spot.
It's also important to know what your debt-to-income ratio is. Paying off debt or getting a raise can help with your overall financial decision, but it can also help you qualify for a loan!
Don't forget to check out the 'How to Money' Newsletter and website!
Check out this week's show below!