Hey, it's Mark!
Continue learning. It doesn't kill you. It'll only make you stronger
I'd say that I took interest in learning how money works by accident. When I moved to a small town in Alberta for work coming from a busy city of Toronto, reading is the last resort I took to overcome my boredom and it worked.
It's been a decade since I first started saving and investing and I'm by far not an expert. I'm a late bloomer, eh! I've lost tens of thousands of dollars during that period trying out what I've learned about money and there's no guarantee that It'll all work out this time, never.
It's not fun losing your hard earned money, but hey, I'm still in the game. As Barbara Corcoran tweeted, "You can't reverse a failure, but you can stay in the game and not feel sorry for yourself. Sooner or later you'll get a good card". I like that.
The question though is, what are you going to do so that you don't get wiped out in the game?
I have collected some articles that answers this very question. It has helped me and I hope it'll help you too.
Be well!
Personal Finance
Paying yourself first
There is perhaps no single piece of financial advice more frequently repeated than “pay yourself first.” And with good reason. It’s tough to grow savings if you prioritize all your spending needs and wants ahead of putting money away. While some of us fully intend to stash whatever is left at the end of each month, too often that leaves nothing to save.
This tendency to spend everything we earn is something governments understand well. That’s why they make sure they get their share—income taxes—before you even set eyes on your paycheque. Saving with the “pay yourself first” method follows the same principle. And this step-by-step guide shows you how to do it.
Retirement Planning
Simple daily practices that will empower you financially
I’ve been researching positive money psychology for more than a decade, and I can say for certain that many adults face financial obstacles in three areas — debt, money mindset and skills.
To get over limiting beliefs and gaps in financial know-how, targeting these three areas cannot only be empowering, but change the financial course of your life.
Here are a few pro tips on where to focus your efforts.
Smart Spending
Here's how to create a realistic holiday budget that you can stick to
The holiday season is nearly upon us and, according to both a recent report and common sense, the pandemic has had a negative impact on potential spending capabilities. Lost income and an uncertain economic future are particularly joyless realities.
But the joy of gift-giving is still very much a possibility. With the right mindset and tools, you can manage your cash flow with the prowess of an accountant. Setting a budget, making a list of expenses, tracking them diligently, and staying consistent will give you the stress-free holiday season you deserve.