Financial Freedom Kickstart For 2019 – Day 4

Net Worth Analysis
 
All your assets and liabilities should now have been entered into the Net Worth Worksheet and at the bottom of each column, there will be totals. Hopefully, your total assets are greater than the total liabilities. If not, we will create a plan to turn it around!
 
At the top of the worksheet, you will also find a debt ratio calculation. This provides a percentage of your assets to your liabilities. Generally, the lower the debt ratio is the healthier you are financially.
 
Part of reaching financial freedom is to focus on a consistent increase in your assets and a consistent decrease in your liabilities which will result in a lower debt ratio and an increase in your net worth. To track that you will want to periodically complete the Net Worth Worksheet to gauge your progress. We recommend completing it on a quarterly basis when you are just starting out.
 
How can you increase your net worth? By making a plan. We call it a spending plan. The next step is to create a spending plan by breaking down your income and expenses. As well as what you want in your future.
 
As part of the analysis of your net worth, start to consider what you would like the worksheet to look like next year. Then dream further out to five years. What will it look like then? What will it look like in 10 years? Once you have your future plan, we can incorporate that into our spending plan. So start dreaming!

Financial Freedom Kickstart For 2019 – Day 3

Total What You Owe

Many people think in terms of monthly payments instead of the total debt they have accumulated. This is a quick way for you find yourself deeply in debt. To find out your net worth, you must take the total of all your debts to give you a true picture. Grab your current credit card statements, auto loans, mortgages, school loans, medical debts, and any other money you own. Then enter the totals owed in each category into the right liabilities columns to get a total of your debts.

Be sure to save this worksheet because the next step will be to analyze the information to begin to formulate your financial freedom plan!

Financial Freedom Kickstart For 2019 – Day 2

Count up your assets! This is the first step in creating a net worth statement. In order to get where you want to go, you need to know where you are starting from. Click here and download the Net Worth Blank Worksheet from our website.  You will need to list out all the things that you own. Gather up your current bank statements, whole life policy statements, count your cash, any stocks, bonds, annuities, real estate, auto, recreational vehicles, any businesses that you own, retirement account statement, pensions, social security, or simplified employee pension (SEP) statements.

Next, you will list the value of each item into the spreadsheet which will total all of the assets you entered at the bottom of the right-hand column.

Please save this spreadsheet with the asset totals somewhere handy. We will be using it again and again!

Financial Freedom Kickstart For 2019 – Day 1

Let’s start off by getting your mind focused positively on your finances. There can be a lot of negative emotions around money so it is very important to instill positive thoughts by reciting at least 10 positive affirmations about money like:

  1. I am worthy of making more money
  2. I welcome an unlimited source of income and wealth in my life.
  3. I use money to better my life and the lives of others.
  4. My actions create constant prosperity
  5. I am the master of my wealth
  6. Money expands my life’s opportunities and experiences.
  7. Money creates a positive impact in my life.
  8. Money comes to me in expected and unexpected ways.
  9. I am always searching for additional streams of income.
  10. I constantly attract opportunities to create more money.

Recite these affirmations every morning out loud every day for the next 30 days to help train your brain that money is something that is good for you.

6 TIPS FOR UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS 6. TO REGIFT OR NOT TO REGIFT?

Did you ever open a gift and just stare in disbelief? That this person would see this item and think of you? When you opened it you immediately thought of a friend or family member it would be PERFECT for. Consider re-gifting it to someone who would LOVE it. Isn’t that what gift giving is all about? To give something to someone that is right for them and makes them smile. Some people may feel funny about re-gifting an item. Although it really doesn’t matter where it came from, especially if you would’ve bought them the same gift if you had seen it.

 

6 TIPS FOR UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS 5. What To Bring To Store For Returns

Whether you have your receipt or not you should be sure to have a government-issued ID like a driver’s license or a passport. This is a requirement so no ID, no return. Of course, if you have the receipt for the item bring it. It is important to have the items together in a condition as close to the original packaging as possible. Also, patience, kindness, and a smile is a must. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of people trying to return unwanted gifts and the work can become monotonous. Help the store clerk to turn that frown, upside down. Give them a big dose of kindheartedness and chances are you will receive the same.

6 TIPS FOR UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS 4. The Best Return Times

Stores can be very crowded the last few days of the year. Many people have the days following Christmas off and with the stores trying to get rid of inventory before the end of the year sales stores can be busy. The mornings right after opening time tend to be the best time to get in and return your items quickly. Sunday mornings tend to be the least busy, followed by Monday and Tuesday mornings. Being an early bird has other perks too. The store clerks are generally more kind, relaxed, and patient in the morning. Be kind and give a smile at the store clerk. You will find the return will probably go a lot smoother and you just might even get the gift of a smile back!

6 TIPS FOR UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS – 3. Do Your Homework!

Check the store’s return policy carefully. Chances are there is a finite number of days for you to return an item. Hopefully, the store’s policy is to give you the full value of what the giver paid for the gift. Some stores may only offer you the after Christmas heavily discounted sale price.  Get to the store as soon as possible so you can receive as much for the item as possible. The longer you wait, the lower the amount you will receive.

6 TIPS FOR UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS – 2. Returns Without A Receipt

First, if you are comfortable asking the giver where the item came from so you can get another color or size, then do so. If not, you have some homework to do. I suggest starting with an internet search by scanning the barcode with a smartphone app or type in the code of the item to find out where it is sold. That will give you prices and some stores to go to. If the store won’t return it for some reason or it was purchased online, then post it for sale online! You already know what to price the item at, so go on eBay and post it for sale.

6 Tips for Unwanted Christmas Gifts – 1. Gift Receipts are like a Golden Ticket!

If you receive a gift receipt with your gift be thankful because this is the best of all possibilities! You know where the gift came from and best of all you can prove it with the gift receipt to the store. If you were expecting to get cash back though, you may be disappointed to find they only offer store credit. If you didn’t need or want the item, consider saving the credit for something you would’ve bought from your spending plan so you can allocate that money elsewhere (hopefully to pay down debt or save).