Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals

Women are commonly left with the finances after a spouse’s death - and not all wives understand how their husbands handled the money, bills, and other financial tasks. Here, money expert and creator of Navigating Wealth Pam Stearns describes how to start understanding your finances after a spouse’s death…

“It’s very common for women to feel both financially and emotionally lost after a spouse has passed on,” says Stearns. “Women are numb, lost, emotionally drained, abandoned, paralyzed, lonely, fragile, angry, weak, aimless, forgetful, frightened, overwhelmed, disconnected, vulnerable, relieved, pained and guilty.  Some of these feelings surface and some stay hidden.”

If you’ve lost your husband and need help moving forward, click on Widow to Widow: Thoughtful, Practical Ideas for Rebuilding Your Life by Genevieve Davis Ginsburg. And, read on for Stearns’ tips on understanding finances after a spouse’s death.

Read for an easy, effective way to achieve your financial goals? Here’s how reducing clutter decreases your debt, from prosperity advisor and author Paula Langguth Ryan.

Before her tips, a quip:

“Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set,” said Donald Rumsfeld. “Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals.”

Here’s how reducing clutter helps you achieve your money goals - including decreased debt. For more info on money and abundant living, click Ryan’s Bounce Back From Bankruptcy and Giving Thanks: The Art of Tithing. And, read on for her tips on reducing clutter and decreasing debt….

Some financial experts call some debt “good”, while others say all debt is bad debt. Here’s a description of good debt — and two benefits – from financial expert Charles Sizemore.

“Debt is not inherently good or bad; it is simply a tool,” says Sizemore. “It’s a lot like nuclear energy.  Nuclear energy used correctly is a great benefit to society.  Used incorrectly, and it has the potential to “blow up,” taking us all with it.”

Sizemore describes the best way to approach debt below, and describes what good debt is. For more general money tips, click on Enjoy Your Money! How to Make It, Save It, Invest It, and Give It by J. Steve Miller.

Now is the best time to prepare for your retirement, if you want to achieve your financial goals! Read these ten financial things to do before you retire, from Ethan Ewing of Bills.com.

Before the tips, a quip:

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” - Chinese saying.

Don’t worry if you didn’t start planning for your retirement 20 years ago…but get started on it now! Click on The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Retirement Planning by Jeffrey Wuorio for detailed info, and read on for ten financial things to do before you retire…

This simple, easy comparison of compound versus simple interest rates includes two tips for maximizing the benefits of compound interest. Financial expert and author Adam Goodman also describes two surprising facts about compound interest…

Before the tips, a quip:

“Many of the biggest and most far-reaching investments we make in our lives are investments that have little or nothing to do with money.” - Daniel Quinn.

That said, most of us do invest our money in something - whether it’s our home mortgage, 401K or RRSPs, or mutual funds. For solid financial advice, click on The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey. And, read on for Adam Goodman’s description of compound and simple interest, and how interest rates affect investment decisions.