Manure Happens
Manure Happens.
This PG-rated sign I saw at the Cracker Barrel made me laugh out loud! As we say down in Carolina country, “Ain’t that the truth!”
Though we all joke about it, deep down it scares us. Trouble comes in life, and just like manure, there is nothing we can do to stop it. The storm comes, our team loses, our friends get sick, and family members die before we are ready. Life can be hard. Really hard.
Maybe that’s why the future can scare us just as much as it inspires. We don’t know what is coming next.
I believe that is why financial planning can seem frightening to many. It combines two of the factors we worry about the most in life: time and money. In fact, the biggest fear people tell me they have for their retirement says exactly that: what if I run out of money before I die?
This fear eats away at your joy in life. The fear can express itself in many ways; watching cable news constantly, checking the stock market every few hours, worrying if your 401k balance is growing fast enough, or even being short-tempered with your spouse when money comes up in conversation.
Regardless of how fear rears its ugly head, it is based on a crumbling foundation of confusion and doubt.
While we can’t prevent manure from happening or trouble from coming our way, we can prepare for and utilize it. Even though manure stinks, when you expect it to come you can repurpose it for great things like fertilizer, energy, or even construction materials! (Yes, that is a real thing! I looked it up so you don’t have to.)
Financial downturns that you can’t avoid can be planned for by making smart decisions with the choices you do have. For example, a busted water heater isn’t near the catastrophe it could be if you already have an emergency fund saved for those types of expenses.
Identifying the choices you have and evaluating what decision is best for you is all a part of creating a financial plan. Only a true financial plan can prepare you for even the toughest financial challenges life throws your way.
Whether it’s saving for retirement, helping fund your child’s college education, or buying a house, there are things you can be doing right now to set yourself up for success even as life has unexpected turns up ahead.
The truth is you can have clarity and confidence in your finances even while knowing curveballs are going to be thrown your way at 90 miles an hour!
To discuss how to have clarity and confidence in your financial plan, you can schedule a time to meet with us by clicking here. Also, take advantage of our FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES such as Five Tax Strategies Retirees Often Overlook and Six Mistakes Grandparents Often Make.
And remember, education is worthless without the willingness to act, so be proactive and plan your financial future with confidence!