Investing! This is consistently given as one of the most confusing topics individuals face. In this series, I wanted to share some basic investing fundamentals. My goal is to help you understand this topic better and walk away with practical steps.

STEP ONE  Evaluate & Diversify 

STEP TWO  Automate Your Investments 

STEP THREE  Get the Free Money 
Yes, I said FREE money. Many employers will match a portion of your contributions into a self-directed retirement plan! I encourage you to go to your human resource department and sign up for the retirement plan. Start investing money into it immediately! Contribute enough money to obtain the entire employer match. Remember, this is really just FREE money!

Each company is different, but most companies will usually match up to a certain percent of your pay. I worked for an employer that matched me dollar-for-dollar up to 8% of my pay (100% automatic rate of return!!). Another matched dollar-for-dollar up to 6% of my pay. Still another matched dollar-for-dollar up to 3% of my pay. Whatever your employer is willing to give you is FREE MONEY!

It is baffling that many people don’t take advantage of this opportunity. I have heard several excuses about why people choose not to, excuses like:

• “I can’t afford to contribute.”
• “I’m living paycheck-to-paycheck already.”

These people are basically saying they can’t afford to be given free money. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. This is an opportunity to receive 100% return on your investment! DO NOT WASTE THIS CHANCE!

Next Steps:
– Talk to your employer TODAY and sign up for your company’s retirement plan. Start contributing something – at least enough to get the full match.
– As quickly as possible, increase your investing contribution to at least 10% of your gross income. I know this is a lot of money, but you will NEVER regret this decision.
– Recommended Resource ==> OXEN: The Key to an Abundant Harvest – Learn how to maximize your money through investing

Investing! This is consistently given as one of the most confusing topics individuals face. In this series, I wanted to share some basic investing fundamentals. My goal is to help you understand this topic better and walk away with practical steps.

STEP ONE  Evaluate & Diversify 

STEP TWO  Automate Your Investments 
Make your investments automatic! Your bank account can be set up to auto draft money into different investment plans (401k or a child’s 529 college-savings plan).

When your investments are automated, it prevents you from forgetting to transfer money each month. It also eliminates the possibility of using that money for splurge purchases. This is awesome for those of us who are highly susceptible to spend any and all extra money! You’ll also see your net worth increase every single month.

One thing to note, if you have to ever switch banks, you’ll need to set up the auto-drafting again at your new bank. I would try to do this ASAP! I know from firsthand experience how hard it can be to write a check to your savings account or 529 college-savings plan when the auto-drafting isn’t set up. There are moments where you will think, “Wow! I could really use this money elsewhere!”

If I had to write a check every month to my investments accounts, there is a good chance that my investing plan would be seriously off-track. Make it automatic!!

Next Steps
– Set up auto-drafting with your bank (via phone or online) and start automating your investment account(s) , such as a 401k, retirement account, or 529 college-savings plan.
– Recommended Resource ==> OXEN: The Key to an Abundant Harvest – Learn how to maximize your money through investing

Investing! This is consistently given as one of the most confusing topics individuals face. In this series, I wanted to share some basic investing fundamentals. My goal is to help you understand this topic better and walk away with practical steps.

STEP ONE  Evaluate & Diversify 
Before we begin, you need to assess what investments you currently have. You might be saying, “Joe, I don’t have any investments.” My question to you would be: do you contribute to some type of retirement plan at work, own a home, or own a business? Investing is much more than owning stocks. To start, let’s make a list of all your investments. (A great place to list these investments is on the asset side of the Net Worth Calculator.) Now that you have all your investments listed, lets evaluate to make sure they are diversified.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. This directly relates to investing! A key step when investing is to diversify your investments. For example, you should not put all your money into one company’s stock, instead spread your investments out. By spreading out your investments you greatly lower the risk of your investment.

You can research countless times where people have put a large portion of their money into one company, only to have that company fail. Several people lost large sums of money when they invested solely in Enron during the early 2000’s and the company went under. If these people would have diversified their investments, they could have softened the blow.

An easy way for you to diversify is to invest in mutual funds. A mutual fund allows you to purchase a portion of many stocks and bonds with a single share purchase. This purchase automatically diversifies your investments, even though you’ve only bought one share! Also, don’t just think stocks. Invest in a new business or a home that can be rented out. Investing is much more then the stock market. You have a world of things to invest in – real estate, land, new businesses, or even your own business!

Next Steps:
– Review your current investments. Are they diverse?
– Are you only investing in one type of company? If yes, take steps to address right away!
– What other investments could you make outside of the stock market?
– Recommended Resource ==> OXEN: The Key to an Abundant Harvest – Learn how to maximize your money through investing

When it comes to spending money, we all need a little guidance sometimes so I’ve put together 5 questions to ask before spending! It’s my hope that this series will provide you with practical questions to ask when preparing to spend a substantial amount of money (or any amount of money). Hopefully, these practical questions will help you truly understand the enormity of the decision and help you make the decision that is best for you and your family.

Let’s review questions 1 – 4:

QUESTION 1:  Is this a want or a need purchase?

QUESTION 2:  Will this item INCREASE or DECREASE in value?

QUESTION 3:  Do I have the money to pay CASH for this item?

QUESTION 4:  Will this purchase generate or take away income?

QUESTION 5: Will this help me achieve my future plans, hopes, and dreams? 
I believe the number one reason that people fail with their financial plan is a lack of organization and lack of a plan. Without a long-term perspective, it becomes extremely easy to fall into the trap of living for the minute and immediately spending everything we earn. As one develops a long-term perspective, it really helps us recognize that spending all of our money right away will rip our future dreams away from us!

When my family first started improving our financial future (December 2002), I noticed that we started looking ahead a few months. Now, twelve years later, my entire perspective has shifted. You see, I want to leave a legacy for my children and community. I want to start a university. I want to leave a huge inheritance to my family, church, and others. My wife and I want to give our children a paid-for-college education. We desire to teach them to manage their finances, recognizing that it’s not just for them but it’s FOR THEM TO HELP OTHERS!

Statistics say that I’m already halfway through my life. Time is short. Too short to spend all of our resources on stuff that does not support our plans, hopes, and dreams.

What are your future plans, hopes and dreams? What purchases will help you achieve these?