Financial literacy

 Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing. Financial literacy is the foundation of your relationship with money, and it is a lifelong journey of learning. 

To be financially literate means having the ability to not let money – or the lack of it – get in the way of your happiness as you work hard and build an American dream complete with a long and fulfilling retirement.

Managing your money is a personal skill that benefits you throughout your life – and not one that everybody learns. With money coming in and going out, with due dates and finance charges and fees attached to invoices and bills and with the overall responsibility of making the right decisions

One of the first building blocks of a successful personal finance plan is the ability to budget. Although it’s easy to understand, it’s also difficult to do because it requires a hard look in the mirror and a willingness to see what really stares back at you.

Budgeting requires that you analyze and, likely, change your spending habits. Instead of your money controlling you, you control your money. Develop habits to save, avoid financial crisis and maintain peace of mind! 

Extending your budget out into the future also allows you to forecast how much money you will be able to save for important things like your vacation, a new vehicle, your first home or home renovations, an emergency savings account or your retirement. Using a realistic budget to forecast your spending for the year can really help you with your long term financial planning. You can then make realistic assumptions about your annual income and expense and plan for long term financial goals like starting your own business, buying an investment or recreation property or retiring.