Time to make a financial plan

THE financial world is forever harping on about how women need to be smarter when it comes to money.

Financial advisors and research papers tell us that we need to learn how to manage our money better and they say that in comparison to men we lack financial confidence to make the smartest decisions possible when saving or investing.

Of course understanding money helps women, families or business people work towards their goals and secure their financial well-being, but by being told you are bad at something isn’t necessarily the best way to encourage a woman to sharpen up on her financial literacy.

A lot of financial dialogue can be pretentious and overwhelming, thus causing some women to become even more scared to approach the subject of money. It doesn’t have to be this way, however!

For starters, just keep in mind these small positive steps and you’ll be on your way to a more confident financial you.

Get started – Don’t let financial jargon frighten you. Set a plan in action to address your money management. Budgets, saving, investing – sit down and put some ideas on papers. Getting started is the first step.

Avoid unsolicited advice – The advice of family and friends is invaluable in certain instances, but that doesn’t mean they are the best people to approach for financial advice. Find a financial advisor that you feel comfortable with or a knowledgeable friend or family member who can give you unbiased advice.

Do it your way – Budgets and financial plans are not set in stone. Each person has different needs and therefore designing a budget or method of money management that you are comfortable with is the most important part of building your financial know-how.

If you don’t ask you don’t get – Never shy away from asking your boss for more money. If you are a hard worker and truly believe you deserve a raise then there is no harm in asking.

Breathe – Managing your money, properly, for the first time can be tricky so don’t panic if you make some mistakes. Giving up is not going to help, so just ask for some help to  see how to face the issues you are facing.

Believe in yourself – If you enter any challenge lacking confidence in yourself it is going to take twice as long to overcome any obstacles you may face. Confront money management with a broad smile on your face and believe you have the capability to get money smart.