The pregnancy test, the ultrasounds, the first contraction, the first time you have money for emergencies — these are life changing moments that help expand our family and our finances.
As first-time parents, we had the crib and changing table set up, room painted and items perfectly placed, car seat installed, and the hospital bag packed with our birth plan all printed inside.
We were so ready.
Well, that was until I sat down on the hospital bed and thought to myself
Oh my, are we REALLY ready?
You know this feeling.
Regardless of all the planning you have already done, you are scared out of your mind.
As you sit and wait for the next steps, you can barely sit still with anxiousness.
This experience is called an awakening.
Your soul and mind are seeing something new for the first time.
Your life is changing forever.
I never knew I could love something so much, until she came into our lives.
I never knew life truly could be better.
The unconditional flow of laughter, love, and presence.
Whether we are expanding our families, our fullness of life, or our finances there is a point at which we can never turn back.
When I first started this financial journey, I knew what I wanted (actually, it was more of what I did NOT want), but I had no idea how to get there.
I did NOT want to:
argue with my husband,
live paycheck to paycheck,
and have my daughter feel the same weight I did when it came to money and debt.
I wanted change.
I wanted life to feel lighter because I had a plan.
Then the switch was flipped.
All I could imagine was:
living life in the present and not worrying about the big oil bill coming in,
living a life where we went on a family vacation,
living a life where money didn’t cause contention between me and my partner.
I am here to tell you it IS possible.
I am living proof.
I work with people who are ready to build this wealth for themselves. I’m a Personal Wealth Coach that helps people establish this type of savings in their finances (heal their relationship with money, build budgets, and pay off debt) so they can live the life they want to. Because I’ve been in your shoes, spinning and not knowing where to start, let me help.
First, we start with recognizing that something is shifting in our lives.
Next, we surround ourselves with experts and the people who are on a similar journey.
Finally, we start with baby steps to help us more forward.
First baby step for you, my dear, is an emergency fund.
One thing we can guarantee is that life will throw you curve balls.
Rather than being sorry why not be prepared?
Depending on the size of your family, the amount will be different. Anywhere from $500 to $1000 is ideal. The goal is to get to this amount as soon as it is reasonably possible and to maintain it until you are able to put more away. This is called Debt Free — we will talk about this in another blog post.
Here are my top five tips to help you establish your emergency fund quickly!
- Have the conversation with your spouse that this is something that is important to you. Since you set a clear intention, you have a focus on executing a plan.
- In addition to the intention, include the emergency fund in your budget. Having this as one of your “need to pay” budget lines, you will fill this fund faster than you think! Think of it as paying yourself first.
- Take another peek at that budget. Are there things you could skip out on this month to allow yourself to have the peace of mind of an emergency fund? Skip the movies this month, call the cable company to see if you can eliminate those channels you never watch anyways, or choose to only go out to eat two times this month. Knowing that it is temporary and will lead to peace of mind will help you keep going!
- Look around your house. Do you have things that are just sitting around? This is a great opportunity to get some money for them. You can have a yard sale, or post it on a local online yard sale site. Social media is a great way to share what you are selling!
- Look at your car/home/renters insurance. Running an insurance audit often saves my clients $300 to $500 a month! I recommend Gerry Gilbert at Profile Insurance in Rochester, NH. He can be reached at (603) 994-7450 or gerry.gilbert@profileinsgroup.com.
Having this money set aside will make you feel safe, secure, and lighter — just like having a little bit of clothing throughout the first twelve months of your baby’s life.
You can do this!
Virtual High Five
