Take money off your worry  list

Take a deep breath

 

Once you've decided you want to get your finances figured out and are ready to get started, pause. Take a deep breath. Maybe close your eyes. Envision how you'd like to feel about your finances. Think about the primary things you'd like to deal with. Imagine how free and light you will feel once you've figured those things out. Now let's go. 

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Dig in and figure out where you are at

 

You need to have a solid handle on what your finances look like now. You will benefit from having a tidy list of your assets like bank accounts and investments, and liabilities such as credit cards, mortgage and other debt. This is your net worth statement. Then, you need to know where your money is going and yes, that means making a budget, outlining all your expenses and comparing that to your take-home income. 

 

Determine what you want to accomplish

 

What are your most pressing needs or desires? You can deal with one at a time or several at a time. This is going to give you a goal to work towards and you will be able to see real progress towards that goal. Massive dopamine hit! This will encourage you to keep going and work on the next goal. 

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Take the time to learn a few important things

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There are many things in life that seem totally mysterious but can quickly feel normal with just a little education. Like when my furnace conked out a couple of years ago. I didn't give a rat's tail about my furnace until it stopped working so I had to learn. With 45 minutes of Google research behind me, I was more confident talking to the furnace company about my new furnace. It's the same with money. A little reading will immediately increase your confidence. Then take it further and you will no longer be intimidated by anyone. 

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Develop a plan and do it

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You can tackle many things by developing a plan. The plan doesn't have to be big or elaborate, or even perfect. It just needs to move you forward and closer to your goal. 

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Enjoy the head space

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With that nagging money worry off your mind, you can use that clear head space for other more enjoyable thinking. Mission accomplished!

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