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Last updated – August 31, 2022
I’ve shared a lot of great tips to help your kids learn spending vs. saving and even about credit and debit. There is of course, more that they need to know.
The principles are the same as with creating any budget at all. The difference is in the amount of money the make and the types of expenses they will have. These differ as your child grows.
When your teenager is first creating a budget, that may be a term that is difficult for them to really fully understand. You might call it a Spending Plan instead. By calling it something other than a budget, it can make it take a positive stand. Now, your teen knows how they get to spend their money instead of a piece of paper telling them what to do. Spending Plan is much more positive than budget.
WHY THEY NEED A BUDGET
There are lot of principles your teen needs to learn when it comes to finances. Their budget, or spending plan, helps set them up for success.
The budget is their roadmap to financial health. Just like they see a doctor and dentist to make sure that they are physically healthy, their budget does the same for their finances.
Help them plan for the unexpected. What will they do if their car breaks down? They need to learn how to be prepared for the curve balls life will certainly throw their way.
How to spend wisely. When spending is documented, it gives teens a better view of where they spend money. They can easily identify the areas where they are spending too much money. A budget allows them to see if they are spending more than they are making and then make adjustments according.y.
Plan ahead. There are expenses which come up only once or twice a year. For example, college books are purchased only a couple of times a year. Paying for these needs to be budgeted all year long. This way, when it is time to buy them, the money is set aside.
Develop a healthy relationship with money. If you look your own views of money, there may be things you do not want your children to do. You might be obsessed with it or fear it. Whatever your views, you want to make sure your teen has a healthy relationship with his or her money.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Making a budget or spending plan is relatively straight forward. Their budget will be a projection of the income they will receive and the expenses they will have. They will be able to use this budget to plan ahead and know which expenses they need to cover each and every month.
To being, you can use a paper and pencil. You can also download our free Teen Budget Worksheet if you would like. You might even want to use a spreadsheet. Any way will work, as long as it is something your teen feel comfortable using.
Have him or her look back at the past 2 – 3 months of income. This will help them determine how much income to include on the budget. The amount to put on the form will be the monthly average.
For example, if payday happens every 2 weeks, total up 6 – 7 paychecks and divide it by 3. That will provide you with the average income every month. This will be recorded on the budget as income.
Make sure all sources of income are included in this total. Some to consider include:
Allowance
Wages
Gifts
Interest/Dividends
Tips
Bonus
Next, have your teen look over the past 3 months of spending. Add up all of the various amounts paid and divide by 3. This will be the average amount for each expense.
CATEGORIES FOR THE BUDGET
A teen’s budget will look much differently than one for an adult. The categories will be different than those you have on your own, as expenses change as you take on more responsibilities. If you are using our free teen budget worksheet, then you will see many categories are already included for you.
If you wish to make your own budget, you can do so, make sure that
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When you think about it, personal finance is about playing the long game. Sure, it’s about other things as well. It’s about paying off debt. It’s about spending less than you earn. But when you think about it overall, it’s about making choices that are harder in the short term for the good of the long term. Here’s what I mean….
Saving for retirement
Saving for retirement, for example, means having less money to spend today. Having less to spend today can help avoid lifestyle inflation, which is generally regarded as a good thing.
However, there are plenty of responsible things that could be done in the short term with that money. For example, you could pay off debt or give to a charitable cause that is meaningful to you. You could stash that cash in an emergency fund or eat organic foods and hire a personal trainer.
None of those are necessarily bad choices. But you decide that taking responsibility for caring for yourself in the event that you are no longer able to work full time is more important, so you play the long game.
Saving in liquid vehicles
Keeping an emergency fund in a “high-yield” online savings account or even a few certificates of deposit (CDs) doesn’t provide nearly as good of a return as many other types of investments. (Notice the sarcastic quote marks around “high-yield,” and even CD rates aren’t much better at the moment.) However, investments that typically provide higher returns are also riskier; that is, they don’t always provide higher returns.
In addition, keeping your funds in other types of investments may mean they are not easily accessible if you need them quickly. By maintaining a reasonable balance in liquid vehicles, you decide that losing out on some dividends or interest is a smarter choice than paying interest to a credit card company when emergency strikes, so you play the long game.
Being insured
Insuring yourself also means having less money to spend today. And sometimes it seems that there is no end to the types of insurance we “need.” I have the following:
And those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head! I’m sure there are some I am missing. In the short term, that is hundreds or thousands of dollars I am “losing” each year to the mere possibility that something bad might happen. However, if something were to go wrong, I could lose much more, and that is what I’m protecting myself against. An event like a car crash (even if it isn’t my fault) or a catastrophic illness or injury could blow through even the beefiest of emergency funds in a single day. So I pay my insurance premiums and play the long game.
Maintaining big-ticket items
Think about the type of maintenance you have performed on your car: Changing the oil, rotating the tires and checking their air pressure, changing the air filters. Now think about your house: Changing the air filters, tuning up your air conditioner or heater annually, flushing the water heater, pruning large trees.
Why do we pay to take care of the things that we own? It’s because the better we take care of them, the better they will work. (You may save on gas by getting better mileage, for example). Not only that, but regular maintenance can help extend the lives of big-ticket items so you don’t have to pay the much higher replacement cost. In this case, playing the long game can mean you’ll be less likely to replace big-ticket items at an inconvenient time.
Replacing big-ticket items
What? We just finished the section on maintaining big-ticket items, now I’m saying replace? Yes, part of playing the long game is knowing how long maintenance and judicious repair are the least expensive options and when replacement will actually save more in the long run.
In the case of our HVAC, for example, a thousand-dollar repair on our 20-plus-year-old unit, coupled with electric bills that exceed $300 during the hottest part of the summer meant that replacement was the better option. We are paying just over $5,500 for our new unit, which is definitely a play for the long game. However, we anticipate saving enough to make that investment worth it, especially since we saved for the purchase and won’t be paying any interest.
Paying off debt
Financing your life with debt is a tricky proposition. Not only do you pay more over the long run because of interest; in essence, you’re also placing a lot of bets that are unlikely to pay off. You are betting, for example, that you will always make as much money as you do now. You’re betting that you won’t retire, be injured, or get sick.
That’s pretty much the opposite of playing the long game! Fortunately, making more than the minimum payment each month on your debts can save some money you would have spent on interest. It can also get those payments out of your life sooner so you can start funneling money into some other aspects of the long game.
Financing big purchases judiciously
As I pointed out above, sometimes it is cheaper to maintain or repair and other times it is cheaper to replace. Similarly, sometimes it is cheaper to save and pay for things outright and other times it is financially responsible to take on some debt. The trick is to be rational about these types of decisions if you can. (Sadly, our relationship with money isn’t always rational!) For example, Jake’s decision to take out student loans for three years to go to law school and gain a skill that would net him a six-figure salary was financially sound. My decision to spend eight years in graduate school accumulating an equivalent amount of student loans for degrees in English was not.
To give another example, the combination of low interest rates and the value that homes in our area lost during the Great Recession led us to conclude that buying when we did was the better financial decision — even though we were unable to put 20 percent down. Waiting would have meant paying a higher purchase price and having a higher interest for an equivalent house, all while paying rent in the meantime.
Priorities and the long game
Perhaps the biggest trick to the long game is realizing that you can’t do everything at once. As the saying goes, you can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything you want. You have to establish financial priorities and create your own personalized long game.
What specific actions are going to save you the most money in the long run (or enable you to earn the most)? What order makes sense for your life and goals? If you haven’t always played the long game in the past, how can you start now and get back on track? Decide and take action!
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Finances are often talked about like some enigma that can’t be cracked unless you’re an accountant, investor, or a CFO. In fact, according to a study from Statista, only 25% of respondents said they considered themselves to be very financially literate, while 4% said they were not financially literate at all.
But the stigma around financial expertise has got to go! By using your resources and taking charge of your own financial standing, you can make a difference in your own life and even inform friends and family who are struggling to manage their own finances.
One of the best ways to glean financial knowledge is to read about it. From financial news and our #RealMoneyTalk series, to the best finance books of all time, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about your money. Whether you’re looking to boost your budgeting skills, try your hand at investing, or want to learn how to save for retirement, you’re in the right place.
In this post, we’re discussing the 16 best financial books of all time. From books by spunky financial advisor Suze Orman to finance books specifically for millennials, there’s something in here for anyone who wants to strengthen their financial prowess.
Looking for a quick book recommendation? Use the links below to skip ahead, or read end to end to get the most out of our comprehensive list of the best finance books of all time.
Best financial books by category
To help you find the right book for your financial needs, we’ve broken this list down into 7 categories, with some of the best book selections in each.
Best financial books for all readers
Whether you’re just opening your first credit card or you’re trying to figure out how to start a budget, there’s a lot to learn in the finance world. But pick up the most recent issue of the Wall Street Journal as a finance novice, and you might feel a little lost, to say the least.
Before you dive into market trends and economic policy, it’s a good idea to establish some foundational knowledge first. Our list of the best financial books of all time in the general category include titles that encourage changing your perspective on money, to a book that gives a cynical yet informative run-down of the top financial terms consumers need to know.
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
In addition to providing advice on finances and wealth, Nobel Prize winning author, Richard H. Thaler tells readers how they can shift their decision-making skills in all facets of life including health and happiness.
Thaler and co-author Cass R. Sunstein include rich behavioral data to look at how humans make decisions and how they can improve their “choice architecture” to avoid investment mistakes, unhealthy habits, and even relationship faux pas. If you’re in search of a new perspective to help you better manage your finances and related decisions, Nudge could be just the push you need to take hold of your personal finances and start meeting your financial goals.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
If you’ve tried budgeting before and you just can’t get it to stick, it could be time to take a closer look at your habits. In his New York Times bestselling book, author Charles Duhigg examines how people create habits and how we can change them.
Duhigg backs his methodology in The Power of Habit with scientific research and anecdotes that readers can apply to their own lives, whether it’s changing financial habits or learning how to be more productive in work and in life.
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
One of the biggest roadblocks in financial literacy can be connected to the complexity of the financial jargon and processes we see on the news and in blogs. But in the name of readability, author Jason Zweig brings these convoluted terms back to earth with witty definitions that Wall Street executives and financial amateurs alike can appreciate.
If you’ve ever felt like the finance world is too pompous or complex for your liking, you’re certainly not alone. The Devil’s Financial Dictionary demystifies everything from Wall Street lingo to general terms you can apply to your everyday life.
Best financial books for retirement
Preparing for retirement is an exciting time. You’ve worked much of your life building your career and saving up money, and now it’s time to start catching sunsets instead of chasing deadlines. But as you’re preparing for your sunset years, a lot of questions tend to arise.
How much money should I have in my 401k? Can I really afford to retire? When can I access the money in my retirement fund?
Sound familiar? You’re not alone—a lot of new and upcoming retirees have experienced the same woes as they plan for life after work. But the good news is, some of the most successful finance experts and authors in the world have taken to this topic to provide consumers with the answers they need as they approach retirement.
With that said, here are some of the top finance books for retirement planning:
You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It
You probably recognize her spunky personality and hard-hitting financial advice from the Oprah Show and Dr. Oz, but applying her advice directly to your personal finances is a revelation all on its own. In her book You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It, author and financial advisor Suze Orman discusses exactly what consumers need to know as they’re prepping their finances for their upcoming retirement.
From choosing trusts vs. wills to maximizing retirement income, Orman’s national bestseller is nothing short of a complete guide to retirement planning.
How to Retire with Enough Money: And How to Know What Enough Is
Ever wondered how much money you need to retire or how much longer you’ll have to work to get there? In her book, How to Retire with Enough Money: And How to Know What Enough Is, retirement planning specialist Teresa Ghilarducci levels with upcoming retirees to tell them how much is enough and how to make your retirement savings grow all in a quick 144-page read.
Ghilarducci also discusses the external factors that might impact your retirement, including politics and the healthcare systems we currently have in place. If you’re looking for a way to ramp up your retirement savings, even if you’re still in college, this book is among the best financial books of all time…at least in our book.
Best financial books for millennials
If you’re a millennial in 2019, you’re likely in a more complicated financial position than people your age in past generations. Perhaps you’re a recent college grad trying to navigate the workforce on your own and you haven’t quite found a balance between entry level experience and a livable wage. Or, maybe you’ve reached the most exciting moment of your financial history thus far and you’re ready to meet another financial milestone such as buying a house or starting to invest in the stock market.
No matter where you’re at with your finances at the moment, it’s an exciting time to learn more about your money. If you’re looking for knowledge and advice specifically designed for millennials, check out these finance books.
Broke Millennial
Ever heard of #GYFLT? Author and personal finance expert Erin Lowry developed the hashtag to send millennials an important message: “get your financial life together!”. Whether you’ve started saving money or you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck , Lowry’s Broke Millennial book series acts as a guide as you prepare to tackle financial milestones such as getting married, buying a house, having kids, or trying your hand at investing.
So far, Lowry has two books in the Broke Millennial lineup: Broke Millennial: Strop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together and Broke Millennial: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money. Did we mention she’s also a contributor to our blog? Click here to read more from Erin Lowry.
Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence
Many of us need a step-by-step guide to help us get our habits in order—whether it’s revamping your personal finances or getting back on your fitness game. With their book Your Money or Your Life, authors Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez, and Mr. Money Mustache team up to give readers 9 simple steps to help them shift how they deal with money to make progress toward financial independence.
If you want to learn the basics of managing money, figure out how to fund your dreams, and start taking control of your financial future, this book comes highly recommended as one of our favorite personal finance books for millennials.
Millennial Money: How Young Investors Can Build a Fortune
If you’ve been considering investing your money, congratulations! That’s a huge step to take in your financial future, and it’s an exciting time to learn about how the finance world really works, first-hand. In his guide, Millennial Money, author Patrick O’Shaughnessy discusses how young people can cash-in on the global stock market to make up for potentially limited access to pension plans and Social Security.
O’Shaughnessy recommends investing early to reap the most reward and provides a basic strategy to help you develop your stock portfolio.
Best financial books for women
From career paths and finances to family structures, women in the 21st century lead very different lifestyles now than they ever have in the past. But along with their triumphs and new opportunities, women today may find themselves facing unique challenges when it comes to managing their own money.
Whether you’re looking for help learning how to balance your family life or financial life, or you’re looking to take over the investment world, there are plenty of empowering finance books for women to boost their financial knowledge.
Here are some of the best finance books for women:
You Are a Badass® at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth
You may have heard some buzz about author Jen Sincero’s premiere novel, You Are a Badass® , also informally known as the young person’s guide to self-worth and stability. Well, the first edition was so successful that Sincero has since released two other books in the series: You Are a Badass® Every Day and You Are a Badass® at Making Money.
In each of her books, Jen Sincero offers empowering advice to readers, along with real strategies to make your personal goals actually happen. In You Are a Badass® at Making Money, Sincero uses humorous personal experiences as the backbone of her monetary manifesto, while teaching readers to:
Find out what’s holding them back from making money
Generate wealth according to their own standards, rather than societal norms
Curate their own financial future instead of waiting for things to happen
If you’re in search of a modern take on money that’s relatable instead of intimidating, look no further than this one.
Smart Mom, Rich Mom
Finding a healthy financial balance can be tough when you’re raising a family…or getting ready to start one. From diapers to diplomas, having kids can end up taking a toll on your finances if you’re not armed with the right resources to keep things in check.
In her book, Smart Mom, Rich Mom, Kimberly Palmer explores different ways women can shape their financial future while raising a family. Palmer covers everything from career growth to creating budgets to help ease the stress on moms juggling household and financial responsibilities. If you’re curious about how you can prepare your budget for kids, or want to know how to repair your current financial situation, this book could be just the financial read you need.
Best financial books for budgeting
Budgeting can be one of the trickiest things to master when it comes to achieving financial wellness, but as you probably know, budgeting is an important skill to learn. Whether you’re wondering why you need a budget in the first place or where to begin, these budget-specific books are here to help.
How to Manage Your Money When You Don’t Have Any
One of the most frustrating roadblocks to saving money is feeling like you don’t even have enough money to cover your bills, let alone save. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 12.3% of Americans were living in poverty in 2017. With that statistic in mind, it’s easy to see that financial challenges are widespread across the country.
If you’ve ever been in a scenario where you’re scraping by to pay your bills but you want to save money, Erik Wecks’ How to Manage Your Money When You Don’t Have Any could give you the insight and inspiration you need to optimize your financial situation. Wecks speaks from his personal experience struggling to make ends meet in order to give context and provide readers with suggestions that might work for them, too.
The Financial Diet
Feeling lost at the thought of crunching numbers or developing a budget? Author Chelsea Fagan’s been there. In her book/life guide, The Financial Diet, Fagan gives millennials and Gen Zers the tools to take over their finances and build a better future. From budgeting to investing and slimming down spending, Fagan’s got your finance questions answered.
Best financial books for entrepreneurs
Are you planning your next business venture or world takeover as you’re reading this? You might want to take a moment to learn from the experts first. In these finance books for entrepreneurs, you can learn from their mistakes, find out how to optimize your business plan, and discover new strategies to boost your business.
You Are a Mogul
Entrepreneur Tiffany Pham has had to adapt to life fast—and she’s done more than just adapt. From attending business school at Harvard to founding her own company, Pham’s had a lot of experience building her empire from the ground up. In her book You Are a Mogul, Pham tells readers all about how she got to where she is and how they too can make their own entrepreneurial dreams come to fruition.
Whether you’re looking for guidance in identifying your passions or want to know how to “Crush it in Corporate Life,” You Are a Mogul includes the resources and real-life advice you need to jumpstart your career.
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t
Have you ever wondered what really differentiates two competing companies when it comes to success? They entered the market at the same time and both have strong branding, but why is one so much more successful than the other?
In his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t, author Jim Collins analyzes what makes a company go from good to great, and why some companies are able to achieve success despite their mediocre reputation. Collins focuses on 4 key findings to support his theory:
Leadership structure
The Hedgehog Concept
Discipline
The Flywheel and the Doom Loop
If you’re thinking about starting your own business or what to optimize your current structure, consider using Collins’ book as your guide toward entrepreneurial success.
Best financial books for investors
Navigating the stock market as a beginner is no simple task. To help you learn the ropes, investment experts such as Warren Buffet and Burton G. Malkiel are spilling their secrets in these financial books for new and seasoned investors.
The Essays of Warren Buffet
As one of the most successful businessmen of all time, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, is one of the most influential figures in the investment world. Lawrence A. Cunningham’s curation of Warren Buffet’s essays include topics from wealth management to investment strategy.
If you’ve considered investing in the stock market but you’re not sure where to start, The Essays of Warren Buffet could be the introductory guide you need to take the leap.
A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Jumping into the investment world can be intimidating, to say the least. But having a lay of the land, working knowledge of the terminology, and some insight on investment strategy, you could be cashing-in on Wall Street in no time.
In his investment guide, A Random Walk Down Wall Street, Burton G. Malkiel educates readers on a variety of investment topics that can easily be applied to the modern marketplace, thanks to updated editions. Malkiel covers just about everything consumers need to know about successful investing—from 401ks to digital currency trends.
More ways to learn about finance
In addition to reading some of the best financial books of all time, there are plenty of other resources out there to help you diversify and expand upon your financial knowledge. Try incorporating some of these strategies to become a self-taught financial expert:
Speak to a financial advisor
Learn more about your credit score by getting a free credit report
Listen to finance-related podcasts
Read financial news and blogs
Participate in conversations about finances with family and friends
Practice managing your personal finances by using a budgeting app
Take a class online or at a local college
Watch our #RealMoneyTalk series
Key takeaways: Best Finance Books of All Time
The financial world can often seem intimidating, but if you just take a little time to learn about it, you may find that you’ll have a better hold on your own financial standing. Use this list as a guide to help you learn more about how money works in general and as it applies to your personal finances.
Have any financial book recommendations of your own? Let us know in the comment section below!
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Empower Personal Wealth, LLC (“EPW”) compensates Money Bliss for new leads. Money Bliss is not an investment client of Personal Capital Advisors Corporation or Empower Advisory Group, LLC.
You are looking for the best investment app to help you save money, but all of them seem too complicated. You want something that is simple, easy to use, helpful, and even better if the app is free.
Empower is an online service for tracking your finances. Before a merger, the company began in 2009, and to this day it has been growing exponentially with a user base of over two million people.
Personal Capital is now Empower.
The app works on desktop as well as mobile devices, giving users the ability to track their spending easily wherever they go.
Empower also offers a suite of tools that help you get out more information about how you are using your money so that you can make better financial decisions.
On this Empower review, we will focus on what they do well, how it works for those who use it, and where Empower could improve.
Don’t forget… here is a list of all of the budgeting apps on the market.
If you are looking for an easier way to monitor your financials and see how healthy your finances really are, then you may want to check out what Empower has to offer.
What is Empower?
Empower is an online tool for tracking your finances.
It has been called the best financial app out there, and I agree with that statement. But, I personally use it as one of the money management tools to help guide our financial decisions.
I have used Empower to track my investments for over six years now, which probably makes me a bit of an expert on this topic because I use it on a regular basis.
Overall, Empower is a financial planning and wealth management tool that users can use to manage their net worth. The product offers tools for managing investments, retirement, debt payoff, and other personal finance goals.
How does it work?
First of all, Empower is a FREE app that helps you keep track of all your accounts. It can help you to invest better and did we mention… it is free to use!
To get the most out of this app, you’ll have to link each of your financial accounts one by one so that Empower can learn how you spend money.
It takes a couple of minutes to create an account and verify your identity.
The longest step is linking accounts to the Empower app. Just make sure you do this step within 7 days to get the most out of the app.
Features of Empower
The features of Empower include the ability to visualize your overall financial picture, keep track of your investments in a dashboard, and see which companies you are invested in.
Most people associate Empower as one of the best tools to help with investing, like a stock screener and an investment calculator.
But, there are many great features available for free including:
Net Worth Planner
Retirement Planner
Fee Analyzer
Cash Flow Management
Savings Planner
Budgeting
College Savings Planner
Investment Checkup
Pros and Cons of Empower
First of all, Empower is free to use. So, you might as well test drive the system and check out if the Empower app fits what you are looking for.
Just like any of the Empower reviews will tell you, there are positives and negatives with every type of money management app available.
You just have to decide the most important features for you. As well as what you are willing to pay.
Pros of Empower:
Free portfolio management tool.
Good for new investors who want a free-to-use tool with minimal features.
Easy to use and can be accessed on multiple platforms.
Can track investments across multiple accounts.
Tracks over 23,000 securities and over 1,000 mutual funds. – check
Offers a free app for on-the-go access.
Offers in-depth analysis and investment research on stocks, bonds, and ETFs.
Cloud-based platform
Free to use!
Cons of Empower:
Sales call from staff
Wealth management service is more expensive than a traditional advisor or simply investing in index funds.
High wealth management fee
Unable to reconcile your bank statements with Empower, but since they are coming from your bank directly, they should already be in sync.
No credit health information
Budgeting Tool needs improvement
Limited transaction management and budgeting
No import option for transactions from any platform including YNAB, Quicken or Mint
Cloud-based platform
Many people report that the Empower app requires $100,000 in investment assets to be eligible. That is untrue. In fact, it works best for those who have at least $100k in some form of investments – 401k, IRA, brokerage accounts, or even cash!
Empoweris incredibly easy to use and has helpful financial planning tools.
Overall, it is one of the many great tools to help further push you to financial freedom.
Empower Pricing
While Empower is free to access personal finance tools, it does come at a small price of annoyance.
Empower is free
Empower is a free online portfolio platform that helps people save and invest their money. It offers tools to track net worth, create investment plans, compare retirement accounts, view savings goals and cash flow, and more.
This is the great part of using this app!
The downside is to make these dashboards free is they are trying to entice you to move to their wealth management services.
You do not need to invest your money with Empower to use this platform.
It is best to keep everything invested where it currently is and use their free tools to analyze and make the necessary changes.
As such, once you sign up, you will receive calls on a reoccurring basis offering you a free analysis. There is no pressure to do this. Once you have said no enough times, they will stop calling you.
For those under $1 million in investable assets, their fee is 0.89%.
As you can read in this book, there are many ways to invest yourself without paying that fee.
In fact, this is my favorite book explaining how much harder and longer you have to work by paying someone a 1% wealth management fee.
However, for a small percentage of people, this may be a more cost-effective way of receiving professional advice, as it eliminates hidden costs from this type of service.
Empower Tools
Empower is a financial management platform that provides tools to help individuals manage their personal finances. The platform offers tools for portfolio tracking, performance analysis, and retirement planning. The company also provides its users with educational resources on financial topics.
Under their free dashboard, these are the tools you can use for free.
Net Worth Calculator
This simple tool will keep track of your net worth. Very simple and always available.
Know where you stand, by downloading the free app to see your true net worth in real-time.
Understanding your personal financial statement is important.
Savings Planner
One of the most asked questions is how much I need to save for:
Retirement
Emergency Fund
To Pay Down Debt
Calculate how much to save each year with a 70% chance of reaching your retirement goals. Learn how much you are currently savings and how much you need to start saving.
Cash Flow
Cash flow is the amount of cash available for expenses at a certain time. This term used in personal finance describes the rate at which one’s income and expenses change over time.
The Cash Flow tool is easy to use because Empower automatically tracks deposits and spending. The time saver feature allows users to see their cash flow, balance sheet, net worth, asset allocation over a period of time.
Cash flow is a budgeting tool that offers limited information on spending. It provides a second check when using another program that gives you more details like Quicken or Simplfi.
Retirement Planner
This is the #1 reason I recommend Empower especially if you are looking to stay away from a financial planner.
Trying to figure out how much you need for retirement by yourself seems like picking a random number from the sky.
The retirement planner is used by millions of people to figure out how on track they are for retirement. Plus get tips on what they can do to improve their chances of success.
Budgeting
Budgeting is a method of allocating financial resources by identifying and evaluating needs, prioritizing them in order to meet goals, and monitoring the achievement of those goals.
Empower includes a budgeting section to help you set monthly spending targets and track your spending. They automatically import the information from linked accounts such as checking, savings, and credit card statements.
Using their free online financial dashboard, allows you to track your spending and investments. There are interactive charts, graphs, pie-charts, and even widgets. All to make sure your budgeting is on track.
Investment Checkup
This portfolio analysis is the process of measuring performance and risk in order to develop a strategy for capital allocation. The goal of portfolio analysis is to improve return on investment, which can be achieved by increasing return on assets, decreasing the risk of losses, or reducing the variance.
The Empower app lets you explore your entire portfolio visually. It also provides asset allocation tools and tax optimization tools to help manage a person’s financial life.
Fee Analyzer
A fee analyzer helps people to determine the annual fees they are paying in their retirement plan.
401K Analyzer also calculates how much your retirement is costing you and provides a breakdown of any hidden fees that may be present within mutual funds with which it has been linked. This Retirement Planner tool uses assumptions about account holdings and investment behavior for calculating expenses against an estimated portfolio value.
Consequently, these fees add up over time and will drastically put a drag on your portfolio and reduce your retirement savings.
Empower Dashboard is Free
Just remember, you do not need to hire an advisor to use the platform.
Empower is a free tool for individual investors.
Empower provides users with access to all of the above-mentioned advanced tools for free. In addition, they offer free financial advice through their blog and social media pages.
It allows users to track their investments and get a personalized financial plan. The service also offers apps for iOS and Android devices, which makes it easy to manage finances on the go.
Empower Wealth Management Review of Services
In addition to offering free financial tools, Empower provides wealth management services.
You get to work one-on-one with an advisor who will give you personalized advice based on your situation.
They help you to invest, save money and track your financial goals.
Their advisors start by determining your risk tolerance and goals in order to construct the best personal financial plan for you.
If you are interested in getting a better understanding of your financial situation, Empower is an excellent option. It gives users the tools to understand their investments, budgets, and cash flow all with one app.
All it requires is that you sign up for free without any obligations or commitments from them whatsoever. You do not have to agree to use their wealth management program.
Personally, I cannot comment on an Empower advisor review as I have not used this service personally.
Empower Investment Strategy
The Empower investment strategy is a simple way to invest your money for the long-term.
This means that you will be able to retire and live a comfortable life without any concern about how you will be able to live.
They employ the tactic called Smart Weighting because they invest equally across all sectors and industries, which can provide diverse returns with minimal risk. The best part of this strategy is it’s easy to use as Empower has created an interface that makes portfolio management simple for users on any device or platform.
Empower’s software is able to identify tax-loss harvesting opportunities (opportunities where the investor sells an investment after it has fallen in value and pays fewer taxes than if the sale had occurred earlier) than investing on their own.
In addition, Empower invests passively for cost efficiency which means that they don’t take any active management into account.
The best part about Empower and one of the key areas I prefer, is they include socially responsible investments as well as an investment strategy to fit any budget.
They identify which companies are doing good work for society and invest in them accordingly. This feature makes personal finance much more interesting and easier than ever before!
Wealth Management Tiers
Many people invest in various financial services and products, such as mutual funds or stocks. They are promised that these investments will generate a good return, but they do not always make the best choice. Wealth management services are a way to help people manage their personal investments. They may charge fees for their service, but that is not always the case.
Depending on your level of assets, will determine the amount of services you will receive.
Investment Services:
This is the most basic level to receive financial and retirement planning guidance from their team of experts.
$100K in investment assets
Unlimited advice from any of the available financial advisors
Managed ETF portfolio
Wealth Management:
This is where you can receive more personalized services and dedicated support to manage your money as you move through new financial challenges.
$200K minimum in investment assets
Two dedicated financial advisors
Access to specialists in real estate, stock options, and more
Regular reviews on your customized portfolio
Tax optimization
Private Client :
This is the most exclusive level at Empower to help you receive comprehensive financial planning. They will help build a customized investment plan to reach your lifestyle goals.
over $1 million in investment assets
Two dedicated financial advisors
Priority access to specialists
In-depth retirement and wealth planning
Wealth Management Fee Structure
Empower charges only an all-inclusive annual management fee at a fraction of the cost of traditional financial institutions. In addition, they do not charge hidden fees, trailing fees, or trade commissions.
First $1 million = .89%
First $3 million = .79%
Next $2 million = .69%
Next $5 million = .59%
Over $10 million = .49%
Overall, if you want a financial advisor or a second opinion, using Empower wealth management services may be for you.
Even if you don’t join, you can still use the tools for free, no questions asked.
My Empower Review from Experience
I have had a lot of experience using Empower in the past. They provide snapshot financial pictures of your personal situation that are very informative.
Plus it is a free tool to use, which is always a bonus.
Empower is one of my favorite online tools to see all your finances in one place.
It is eye-opening to see the overall picture. Also, tracking investments across multiple accounts can be overwhelming, but they make the process seamless and help you stay on top of things.
Personally, my favorite tools are the net worth, fee analyzer, and retirement planner.
I use Empower in conjunction with Quicken. Read my Quicken review.
My Empower dashboard is my overall financial picture whereas Quicken tracks all of my day-to-day spending and helps me remember when we purchased something for a return.
The app has a convenient interface that makes managing your personal financial situation easy, even if you’re not familiar with finance jargon or investing terminology. With this tool at hand, keeping track of where everything stands financially becomes easier than ever before!
Just to note… to get the best financial picture, you must include all of your accounts. The more time you spend in the Empower dashboard, the more helpful analysis you will get from the tool.
Empower Alternatives
In addition to Empower, there are other financial apps that can help you allocate your portfolio.
These include Betterment with Wealthfront also being a viable option for those who want the best of both worlds by tracking their investments in stocks and bonds. However, these alternatives have much higher fees than what is charged by Empower which makes it an appealing alternative if the fee does not bother you.
Also, if you are looking for budgeting capabilities you may want to look at Quicken, Mint, YNAB, or Simplifi.
At the end of the day, you have to decide what your goals are and what you are looking for.
From all of the free and paid budgeting apps, here are our top budgeting apps to check out!
This section may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please read the full disclosure below.
Personal Capital Advisors Corporation (“PCAC”) compensates Money Bliss (“Company”) for new leads. (“Company”) is not an investment client of PCAC.
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Personal Capital is wealth management for the Internet Age. The online platform combines digital technology with highly personalized service to provide a holistic view of a unique financial picture (AKA your net worth).
Make sure to connect all of your accounts within 7 days to set up your Personal Financial dashboard.
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Great way to use cash flow budgeting. Plus uses “envelopes” to budget.
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Is Empower right for you?
Empower is a company that offers tools for personal finance management. This app has more than one hundred different tools to help you with your finances, including monthly budgeting and investing tracking.
Empower also helps people manage their credit card debt, establish emergency funds, track retirement savings progressions, calculate their net worth, and much more!
The smartphone app integrates locations, bank accounts, and credit scores which allows users to access current information on their financial situation.
The online portal allows for comparing available investment options.
This tool allows people to plan out the future of their money as well as provides them with valuable financial information in an easy-to-read format so they can make informed decisions.
As stated before, Empower is a financial app that can help you manage your investment assets. It has many features and it’s not perfect, but it’s the best out there in terms of value for money.
You can always test drive it and see what you learn about your personal finance situation.
Now you can try it free (no credit card required!)
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
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Affirmations have been all the rage over the past few years, and people are using them to achieve their goals.
“I am in control of my finances”
“Money comes easily into my life”
or even “I love money!”
What about you? Do affirmations work for your goal? I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, so let’s find out!
Are you struggling to make more money, even though you work a lot? Do you feel like your finances aren’t where they should be and that there is something missing in your life?
If so, here are some money affirmations that can help.
Affirmations are statements that you say to yourself over and over again.
They can help you manifest your goals by re-affirming them in your mind on a daily basis. They become part of who you believe yourself to be and bring about desired outcomes with ease.
You may have heard these before, but do you consistently say them to yourself? Journal them? Write them everywhere?
I’ve compiled some of my favorite money affirmations for money below. I hope these help give you the encouragement and inspiration to re-affirm what’s important in your life!
What are money affirmations?
Affirmations are a powerful way to change your thoughts and, in turn, your life.
They are simple, positive statements that you repeat to yourself regularly. The purpose of affirmations is to attract whatever you desire into your life- including money!
Why are money affirmations important?
It’s important to remember that affirmations work subconsciously.
You may not see results overnight, but with time and repetition, the desired outcome will manifest. Wealth affirmations specifically focus on money and what a person will do with it after they have made it through the manifestation process.
Affirmations on Money
Although using affirmations is a great way to achieve financial success, they should not be used as the only tool in your arsenal. Manifesting your goals takes time and effort, and affirmation is just one piece of the puzzle. Make sure to take actionable steps towards your goal and be patient!
Affirmations can also be used to create SMART financial goals– specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals that you can track over time for motivation purposes
How can money affirmations help you attract more money into your life?
Affirmations are one way to help you focus on your thoughts and dreams.
When you repeat an affirmation, you plant a seed in your subconscious mind that will grow over time.
This helps to manifest what you want into reality.
These seeds will grow over time and bring about new thoughts, beliefs, and habits into a mindset of abundance. Money affirmations have a “magnetic” effect that attracts like-minded thoughts to your life–helping you achieve your financial goals faster!
There are many ways to bring more money into your life, but using affirmations is one of the most effective methods. Affirmations can help create strong positive emotions that attract money and other forms of abundance into your life. When used consistently, money affirmations can be a powerful tool for attracting wealth and prosperity into your world!
Below we will give you exactly what can I say to attract money.
What is a way specific money affirmations can be used to attract more money?
When it comes to attracting more money into your life, there are many different affirmations that can be useful.
Many people ask, “What are the best affirmations for money?”
Below are a few examples to get you started:
“I am abundant and prosperous.”
“Money flows easily and effortlessly to me.”
“I am safe and secure with my finances.”
“My income is constantly increasing.”
“I have all the money I need and more.”
Do affirmations work for money? Absolutely, yes.
How often should you repeat money affirmations in order to see results?
The more often you repeat your affirmations, the better.
However, don’t feel like you have to do it all day long. Just a few minutes each morning and evening should be enough to start seeing some results.
Remember that affirmations are just like any other habit- the more you do them, the easier they become and the better the results will be. So stick with it!
Do money affirmations really work or are they just a waste of time?
There is a lot of debate on the internet about whether or not money affirmations actually work. Some people swear by them and claim that they have had great success using them, while others say that they are nothing more than a waste of time.
One thing that is for sure is that money affirmations do have some very powerful success stories behind them.
People like Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga were successful before they ever became public figures, and a lot of their success can be attributed to their belief in themselves and their determination to work hard at everything they do.
In fact, many of the billionaire morning routines include starting their days with positive affirmations.
Can affirmations make you rich and come to abundance?
When it comes to getting rich, many people believe that affirmations are the answer.
The idea behind using affirmations is that if you repeat something often enough, you will start to believe it and eventually it will come true. However, this isn’t magic – rather, it’s a matter of shifting your beliefs.
And while affirmations won’t make you rich overnight, they can cause desired results to appear over time.
Mindset and Affirmations
The key thing to remember with affirmations is to maintain a positive mindset.
You want to be focused on attracting wealth and abundance into your life, not just thinking about what you don’t want. Money affirmations can help raise your vibration and shift your beliefs so that you can start attracting more money into your life.
Remember…Mindset is everything.
How do affirmations work?
Affirmations work because we keep repeating them to ourselves. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Our subconscious mind picks up on the positive affirmation and starts to change our behavior over time.
The more effort we put into it, the better chance that our subconscious will start accepting these new thoughts as truth.
Affirmations are conscious and subconscious–both play a role in helping us manifest what we desire. Positive affirmations help us get rid of negative thoughts and replace them with more confident ones. We need to be mindful of our words and truly believe in order for the affirmation to work its magic!
The subconscious begins to accept positive reinforcement over time as long as we continue putting in the work. Eventually, this helps us change our mindset and see things in a different light. “I can” replaces “I can’t.”
This is because affirmations work best when they’re phrased positively!
What do experts say about using money affirmations to attract more money?
When it comes to attracting more money into your life, there are many things you can do to help increase your chances of success. Some people may swear by the power of affirmations, while others find that other methods work better for them.
However, most experts agree that using some type of affirmation is a good way to start visualizing your goals and keeping them at the forefront of your mind.
Affirmations can also help open up your mind to opportunities in a confident way, attracting more opportunities for you. While they won’t create wealth on their own, if used correctly they have the potential to help people create more money.
Keep in mind that affirmation is not a magic solution – it takes hard work and dedication no matter what method you choose – but if you’re looking for an edge, using daily affirmations could be the right choice for you.
What is the science behind money affirmations and how do they work?
When it comes to the science behind money affirmations, there is a lot of research that supports their efficacy.
A study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who regularly use positive self-statements (such as daily affirmations) have increased well-being and decreased levels of anxiety and depression.
The reason why affirmations work is because they help to change your beliefs and the vibrations you emit into the universe.
When you think positively about yourself, you are sending out positive vibes into the world which can attract more good things into your life.
Your words are powerful magic wands when it comes to shaping your own reality. What you focus on expands! So by repeating money affirmations, you are essentially telling the universe that you want more money in your life and that you are ready for it to come to you.
Affirmations are an easy way to change the way that you think, and they can be used as a tool to remove any barriers that are holding you back financially in life. If you’re feeling stuck under a scarcity mindset, start using some money affirmations today and see how they can help you achieve your goals!
Here are 125+ money affirmations you can start using today!
Money Manifestation Affirmations
When you repeat money affirmations, you are programming your mind to believe that it is easy and natural for you to be prosperous and successful.
You are sending a message to the universe saying, “I am open to receiving wealth and abundance.” As you continue to recite these affirmations, you will start to see changes in your life as you attract more money into your experience.
Manifesting a healthy relationship with money is important.
1. “I have more than enough money, and that’s okay.”
2. “It is easy and natural for me to be successful and prosperous.”
3. “My income is constantly increasing.”
4. “I easily attract new sources of income into my life.”
5. “I gratefully accept all the wealth and abundance the universe has to offer me”.
6. “When I put in the work, the universe will provide.”
7. “I anticipate money to work for me.”
8. “Money + abundance happen to me.”
9. “With the power of attraction, I will bring wealth and money into my life.”
10. “I love having plenty of money.”
11. “The more I give away, the more I receive.”
12. “Wealth can come to anyone including me.”
13. “I am enough and my intention attracts money to me.”
14. “My prosperity is unlimited.”
15. “My path leads to riches.”
Money Affirmations that Work Fast
Money affirmations are a great way to attract more money into your life.
They are positive statements that help you focus on your goals and visualize yourself achieving them. Repeating these affirmations will help you program your mind for success and abundance.
16. “Money is a positive force in my life.”
17. “I will make $100 today.”
18. “I will make $1000 tomorrow.”
19. “By design, I will reach my potential.”
20. “I am a magnet for wealth and abundance.”
21. “I believe in myself.”
22. “Money flows easily and abundantly to me.”
23. “Money is my friend, not my enemy.”
24. “By releasing my money blocks, I open myself to letting money flow in.”
25. “I welcome various ways to make money.”
26. “Money allows us to live the life we want and achieve our goals easily.”
27. “I am in control of my future.”
28. “I attract money easily in my life.”
Powerful Money Affirmations
Money affirmations are a powerful way to attract more money into your life.
Repeating these affirmations will help you to change your mindset and start to see yourself as someone who has abundance, rather than someone who is always short on money.
These power money affirmations reassure you that no obstacle is too big and that you have the power to overcome any hurdle.
29. “I am blessed with an ever-flowing stream of prosperity.”
30. “I release all fear and doubt around money.”
31. “More money is coming to me.”
32. “I am confident in my ability to handle any money-related challenges that come my way.”
33. “As a powerful creator, attracting money into my life with the power of my thoughts and feelings.”
34. “I will invest $100 make $1000 a day.”
35. “I know that I can overcome any obstacle and attract more money into my life.”
36. “My guiding belief is my motivation and my reality.”
37. “I am a money magnet; money comes to me easily and effortlessly.”
38. “I am capable of overcoming any money-obstacles that stand in my way.”
39. “Money is a close ally in life.”
40. “Being independently wealthy is a part of my life.”
41. “I am grateful for what I been blessed with.”
42. “I am rewriting my money story.”
43. “Money helps me experience time freedom.”
Positive Money Affirmation
These affirmations underscore the importance of taking a holistic approach to financial health. Self-care is essential, as is developing a strong sense of self-worth.
When you feel good about yourself on all levels, you’re more likely to make healthy financial decisions.
44. “I am worthy.”
45. “I release my limiting beliefs surrounding money.”
46. “Building self-worth will lead to better financial choices.”
47. “I visualize my future self and believe it has already happened.”
48. “Money is just a form of energy that flows to me effortlessly and abundantly.”
49. “I am able to easily afford whatever I want.”
50. “Money is an avenue to have a positive impact.”
51. “I am so lucky that I am able to earn more money than I could possibly fathom.”
52. “Money is attracted to me by virtue of the powerful vibrations I radiate.”
53. “I am not ashamed or feel guilty about having an abundance of wealth.”
54. “Money comes to me in huge quantities through my ability to attract it from the universe.”
55. “It is safe for us to be wealthy and successful.”
56. “I am thankful for the positive impact money has had on my life.”
57. “I love my positive outlook on my life and the riches that come from it.”
Financial Affirmations
While you may be feeling down about your current money situation, know that there are ways to change it. Use a variety of positive financial affirmations for different money goals, such as attracting more money into your life or becoming debt-free. You can also personalize the affirmations to fit your own needs and situation.
These financial abundance affirmations help guide you to where you want to be financially. Learning how to become financially independent starts with believing that you can.
You may not be where you want to be yet, but with time and effort, your wealth situation will improve.
58. “I will have money left over at the end of the month.”
59. “My payday is approaching.”
60. “Money does not control me. I control my money.”
61. “Money comes to me in unexpected and wonderful ways.”
62. “My finances are always in perfect order.”
63. “My income will exceed 6 figures.”
64. “I have complete control over my financial destiny.”
65. “All my needs and wants are always taken care of.”
66. “I love having lots of money to spend.”
67. “Don’t let feeling behind today stop you from building the life you want tomorrow.” — The Financial Diet
68. “I am financially free.”
69. “I am worthy of financial success.”
70. “With hard work, I will attain the financial future I desire.”
71. “I am excited to maintain my budget and reach my money goals.”
72. “Step by step, I will achieve my financial goals.”
73. “Money is a tool available to anyone and I will use it to my advantage.”
Saving Money Affirmations
While your current money situation may be less than ideal, you can use these affirmations to change your mindset and start attracting more money into your life.
Repeating these affirmations will help you focus on the positive aspects of wealth and abundance, and eventually bring more financial security into your life.
74. “Money in the bank makes me feel secure.”
75. “My money situation may not be what I want right now, but I am in better shape than I was last month.”
76. “I will save 10000 in a year.”
77. “I might make a pretty low-income at the moment, but I am still saving money.”
78. “My worth is not determined by my net worth.”
79. “I am saving for my future self.”
80. “Making small sacrifices now will build my increase my savings later.”
81. “Through investing I am able to make passive income.”
82. “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
83. “Financial stability brings me peace.”
84. “I say no today in order to say yes tomorrow.”
85. “I will stay debt-free because money is constantly flowing into my life.”
86. “My saving rate is beyond my dreams.”
87. “The challenge of saving more money lures me in.”
Money Flows to Me Easily and Effortlessly
One of the simplest and most effective ways to attract more money into our lives is through the use of affirmations.
Repeating positive statements about money can help change our underlying beliefs and open up new opportunities for financial growth.
Money comes in both expected and unexpected ways, so it’s important to stay open-minded about how it could enter your life.
88. “I let go of any resistance to attracting money.”
89. “Financing my life is an easy task for me.”
90. “I will double 10k quickly.”
91. “My money situation right now may be tight but it’s changing for the better”
92. “I am surrounded by an aura of wealth and abundance.”
93. “Money comes in many different forms, and it can come to us in both expected and unexpected ways.”
94. “Money is an energy that flows to us in many ways.”
95. “I attract money easily and effortlessly.”
96. “I am open to the flow of money my way.”
97. “Money magnet is my name.”
98. “Money attraction is easy for me.”
99. “I can rely on left hand itching to bring me money.”
100. “I turn money into more money.”
Money Affirmations for Success
These help you cultivate positive beliefs about your ability to earn and manage money. These positive thoughts will help support your efforts as you work towards financial success.
101. “It’s easy and natural for me to be prosperous and successful.”
102. “I am surrounded by people who support my financial growth.”
103. “Money is a tool that lets me construct my life how I see fit.”
104. “I have unlimited opportunities to make more money.”
105. “I am not afraid of achieving success.”
106. “Becoming rich doing what I love is a gift.”
107. “I have super-abilities to be successful.”
108. “Success is the best revenge.”
109. “I don’t need to be a millionaire to be successful.”
110. “I have control of my financial future.”
111. “The sky is the limit to what I can achieve.”
112. “A positive money mindset will serve me well.”
Wealth Affirmations
There are many different money affirmations that can be used to attract more money into your life.
Wealth and abundance come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to find an affirmation that resonates with you. “I am worthy” is a good place to start if you want to build self-worth and confidence, which can lead to better financial choices down the road.
You may not be where you want to be yet, but with time and effort, your wealth situation will improve.
These are positive affirmations for success and wealth.
113. “I am open and receptive to wealth and abundance.”
114. “Wealth and prosperity are my birthrights.”
115. “I am open to receiving all wealth life brings me, not just what is coming today or this month.”
116. “Abundance can come in many different forms!”
117. “Wealth is a step towards how to FI.”
118. “I have more than enough money, and that’s okay.”
119. “Financial freedom will happen sooner than I believe.”
120. “The more wealth I have, the more I give back to others.”
121. “There is plenty of wealth to be made.”
122. “Money can be shared when saying ‘I appreciate you.’”
123. “Wealth flows to me easily.”
124. “Having more than enough money does not mean I love money.”
125. “My wealth is limitless.”
How Do You Write Affirmations For Money?
Regardless of how money comes to us, it is important to remember that we always have the ability to attract more of it into our lives. By repeating positive affirmations about money, we can increase our chances of attracting more abundance into our lives.
Following these guidelines will help you write effective affirmations that move negativity out of your life and bring more money into it!
When you’re writing affirmations for money, it’s important to remember a few key things.
Step #1 – Need a Present Tense
First, always use the present tense; this will help your unconscious mind process the affirmation more easily.
Step #2 – Change to Positive Words
Second, make sure your words are positive–for example, “I only spend money on things I love” rather than “I don’t have to worry about money.” This will help you attract financial abundance and success into your life.
Step #3 – Believe it is Already Yours
Finally, before affirming any goal or intention, take a moment to really feel what it would be like to have that already in your life. Our unconscious minds respond better when we can imagine and experience what we want in advance.
There are a number of books that focus on mindset and how to change it for success. The list below contains some of the best ones that I’ve found.
These books teach you to believe in your ability to shape your own destiny and achieve great things.
Remember you need these essential mindset books to help you change your perspective and achieve success. Remember, it’s not about avoiding or getting rid of obstacles, but turning them into advantages.
Embrace the challenges in life and continue moving forward!
Mindset is everything.
This is a simple but profound statement that has been discovered by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. She found that success in school, work, sports and almost every other area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.
The key to success is having the right mindset – a growth mindset.
In order to achieve success, you need to change your mindset.
This book will teach you how to change your mindset and get the most out of life and some colorful quotes that you will quote.
You will learn how to change what you don’t love, use external forces to kick some serious change in you and find your inner power. You will learn how to embrace your inner vibes.
Each morning start your day with a positive affirmation from this Daily Rituals book. Follow the simple exercises.
By practicing these rituals regularly, you will train your mind and raise your vibration levels.
Color your way to manifest your money affirmations. Unplug yourself and get a well-needed mental break.
Attract the abundance of wealth into your daily life.
Make Money Affirmations Quotes
The best part of all of these powerful money affirmations … you can turn them into quotes!
You can use a simple post-it note and pen! Or upgrade and make them in Canva.
Not artistic? Etsy has you covered! Don’t worry Etsy has plenty of money affirmation quotes.
In fact, we are thinking about designing a package of money affirmations quotes for our readers!
Hang them on your wall as a constant reminder.
How can you tell if money affirmations are working for you?
One way to tell if money affirmations are working for you is to look at your bank account.
If you find that you have more money in your bank account than usual, it is a good sign that the affirmations are working.
Another way to tell if the affirmations are working is by looking at your overall mood and attitude towards money.
If you find yourself thinking about money less often and feeling happier and more positive, then the affirmations are definitely working for you!
Money affirmations take time to manifest, so don’t become discouraged if you don’t see immediate results.
Repeating abundance affirmations can help you to open up to the flow of wealth in your life.
By affirming that you are open to receiving all the wealth life has to offer, not just what is coming your way today or this month, but also the wealth of tomorrow, you start to invite more money into your life.
Check out these millionaire quotes to keep you aiming for the stars!
At the end of the day, you don’t need to feel guilty or ashamed about having an abundance of wealth–that’s perfectly okay!
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further
Over the past five months, I’ve had the unexpected pleasure of traveling the country with Mint to talk in 11 different cities about money in celebration of the book my company recently released, The Financial Diet. My partner Lauren and I, along with our spouses or other members of the TFD team, joined Mint up and down both coasts and in the middle of the country to speak honestly with our audience about what money means to them, and the unique challenges that their city brings, financially. (Oh, and we also drank awesome wine and had tons of great finger food — but that joy was somehow secondary to the genuine love we felt being with the community we have grown over the past few years.)
And talking about money, for us, isn’t just a hashtag, or a way to promote our book. It is the very reason we have done what we do these past few years, the thing that motivates us when we get up each day for work. Because if I hadn’t been lightly pushed by my exasperated then-boyfriend to download Mint four years ago, and forced myself into a conversation about my finances that has grown past anything I could have ever conceived, I would still almost certainly be in a position where money alternately terrified and bored me. I was terrible with money because I refused to talk or even think about it, and everything from ruining my credit score to going into credit card debt felt completely irreversible because of that fundamental fear. But I know now that in talking about money, in confronting it head-on and making it a value-neutral, ongoing conversation in your life, you can overcome any obstacle or fix any mistake, financially. Life is long, and today is always the best day to get started living it well.
It was interesting, though, seeing that even amongst the groups of women who came to our events, who came from incredibly diverse backgrounds and approached their individual finances in entirely different ways, that there were themes which kept reappearing over and over. Yes, there were unique challenges to each city (Austin is growing much too quickly for its residents to keep up, Atlanta is in desperate need of improved public transportation), but there were also common threads that we heard almost without exception at each stop. Here, the four things we heard most frequently while talking about money on the road.
“My partner and I don’t agree about how to deal with money. How do we overcome that?”
One of the biggest recurring themes at our tour events was the idea that couples fundamentally disagreed on how to handle, or even talk about, money. And that’s not surprising — everyone comes to a relationship with money baggage, whether it comes from being raised with a lot of it, very little of it, or something in-between. Some people were raised to avoid the topic entirely, others were taught to micromanage every detail. And as our money and relationships expert Olivia Mellan explains in our book, the most common dynamic in relationships is a spender who is married to a saver, in whatever form they may take. One person simply plays closer and more conservatively with money than the other, and from that fundamental disagreement can stem near-endless problems.
But two fundamental components of any healthy, long-term relationship from a financial view are 1) speaking openly and frequently about money, so that secrets cannot accrue or small cracks cannot expand, and 2) having a separate, independent bank account for each member of the couple which is totally their own. Even if it’s just a very small amount, a tiny discretionary fund, it is so important for each person to feel empowered and fulfilled by what they want to spend (or save) on without having to ask the other person for permission.
In your “fun fund,” you might want to devote half to saving for a girl’s trip and half to spending on skincare products. Or you might want to use it to take yourself to movies and dinner sometimes, or just save for something big you can’t even imagine yet. But having money that is entirely individual provides a release valve for all of the other compromises that will be made on the money you share.
Two people never have to fully agree on money, but they do have to learn to live with one another’s money baggage and differing approaches. Having the topic be an open, value-neutral one, and having that separate money for individual spending, allow that to happen.
“What do you do when you earn much more than your friends, or much less?”
One story I found myself telling over and over on the tour was the experience I had through high school and college, when I was a decidedly middle-class person in an undeniably rich-kid town. I socialized with many, many people whose parents earned (literally) ten times what mine did, and whose lives and access looked wildly different as a result. And aside from profoundly skewing my idea of what “normal” was — I didn’t know then that it wasn’t normal to have many friends who went to a $30,000-per-year high school — it also led me to spend money I didn’t have in an effort to keep up appearances.
I went into credit card debt, tanked my credit score, and drained eight years’ worth of summer job savings all in the span of about a year, wasting that money on a lifestyle that never belonged to me. And from that experience, I learned that the most important thing anyone can do for their mental health when it comes to the finances of your social life is to make sure that you have at least some friends who are close to your level, financially, because being the only one on one side or another of the spectrum will only lead to a distortion of perspective and deep self-consciousness.
Beyond that, it is up to the person who is more comfortable financially to lead the conversation, offer options, be candid with costs, and not expect the other person to follow suit. Having more money in a friendship is a great place of privilege, and one that requires both sensitivity and understanding that the conversation might not come easily to the person with less. But above all, no matter how much you earn, the phrase “it’s not in my budget” needs to be in everyone’s vocabulary. There is nothing chic about going into credit card debt to pay for someone else’s idea of a social life.
“Do I really have to have a retirement account?”
At the risk of sounding like your parents, yes. Absolutely yes.
And although the women at our events were almost universally savvy, motivated women, this question came up again and again. Having a retirement account can feel like that sort of vague, important-in-theory thing you can easily put off, but every day you are not putting that pre-tax money away (and particularly if you are missing out on an employer match) is a day you will be kicking yourself for later.
Although it may not feel that way, we will all want to retire one day, and not having the option to leave our jobs is something that no one should have to face. The younger you start saving, the more time you have to let that money grow and work for you, and although it may not be as immediately-satisfying as spending that money on something you want in the short term, once you start your retirement saving, there is a profound comfort to be found in watching it grow over time and knowing that that money is the nest you are building for yourself, because you care about yourself enough to take care of Future You.
“How do I balance paying off my loans with living life?”
Ultimately, the biggest question that most people face when it comes down to the day-to-day of personal finance is how to live the life you want while doing what is right for you. And for many people, that means balancing their loan payments (which for many people can feel overwhelming) with the other things you’d frankly much rather be doing with your money. But something we have learned over the years at TFD is that, first of all, you probably need much less than you imagine you do to be happy.
When we were first starting the company and could not take a salary for over a year, Lauren and I suddenly saw our household incomes drop by nearly half, and had to severely reduce our lifestyles as a result. And though it was self-imposed in starting a business, it taught us that so much of what we were spending on, so much of what we felt was necessary to our happiness or fulfillment, was really just mindless buying.
Lauren as an example lived at home until she was 25 in order to help pay down her loans, and though she certainly longed to live on her own earlier, she was able to find a readjusted idea of happiness while living with her parents. When I went to community college instead of the four-year schools I dreamed of to save money, I wished I could sign on the dotted line to go to those dream schools, but I learned to be happy in the life I was living.
The greater the gap you can create between “what you could technically afford to spend” and “what you need to spend in order to live well,” the wealthier you will feel, regardless of what you earn. And if repaying loans is part of your day-to-day money life, you must learn to treat that money as never yours in the first place — you can’t count what your life would be like with that loan money and then watch it go out the door, or you will be full of resentment and envy each month.
You have what you have, you owe what you owe, you are who you are.
Now with all that information, take stock of your life. Go through every purchase last month and highlight every one you don’t remember making. Realize how much of your spending is done without even thinking, and how many purchases really don’t bring you much happiness in the long run. And if you can start thinking about your money like that — reduced down to the essence of what matters, and what has real value — suddenly the balancing act won’t seem nearly as hard as you thought.
Like many Get Rich Slowly readers, I credit Your Money or Your Life with changing the way I approach my personal finances. This book transformed my relationship with money, and helped me to understand that by spending beyond my means, I was sacrificing a secure future for today’s passing pleasures.
One of the book’s key insights is that time really is money. Or, approaching it from the other direction, money is time. The authors write:
Money is something we choose to trade our life energy for. Our life energy is our allotment of time here on earth, the hours of precious life available to us. When we go to our jobs we are trading our life energy for money. This truth, while simple, is profound…
Our life energy is more real in our actual experience than money. You could even say money equals life energy. So, while money has no intrinsic reality, our life energy does — at least to us. It’s tangible, and it’s finite. Life energy is all we have.
I know this sounds a little hokey. In fact, when I first read Your Money or Your Life, I dismissed this section as New Age mysticism. That was a mistake. If you can look past the unfortunate terminology, there’s a lot of power to this concept. What Dominguez and Robin are actually saying is that time is money.
Your Money or Your Life uses this notion as the foundation to its philosophy of financial independence: time and money are intertwined, and the relationship between them frames all of our financial decisions. To illustrate, the authors encourage readers to calculate their real hourly wage.
Nominal Hourly Wage
We don’t earn as much as we think we do, write Dominguez and Robin. You may be paid $15 an hour, but your real hourly wage is less than that. Possibly much less.
Let’s say we have a friend named Joe and that he’s a plumber. Though Joe hopes to earn $250,000 a year eventually, he currently makes the national average for his profession, or about $48,000 a year for a 40-hour workweek. His nominal wage is approximately $24 per hour.
Based on these figures, if Joe the Plumber decides to buy an iPod nano ($150), he’s exchanging about six hours of his time for it. (6 hours worked x $24 per hour = $144 total wages, which is close enough.)
Ah, but it’s not that simple, argue Dominguez and Robin. Joe’s real hourly wage isn’t $24 — it’s something lower.
Hidden Expenses
Think about your job. Think of all the things you do and the money you spend that you wouldn’t if you did not work. How long does it take to drive to work? How much does the gas cost? Does your job require that you own a suit or a uniform? Do you have to take vacations to cope with the stress in your career?
Your Money or Your Life lists eight such possible job expenses, including a few which might be applicable to Joe:
Commuting — Joe’s office is 20 miles from his home. Every day, he spends an hour commuting to and from work in his 2000 Ford Focus, which costs about 38 cents per mile to operate. His weekly commute costs 5 hours and $76 (38 cents times 200 miles).
Clothing — It doesn’t take Joe extra time to get dressed in the morning, but it does cost him a little extra money. Several times each year, he has to buy new work clothes because the old ones keep wearing out. Maybe he spends $300/year doing this.
Food — Joe might take a sack lunch if he were on his own, but he works with a partner who prefers fast food. Joe likes McDonald’s and Subway, too, so he’s happy to go along for the ride. Each day, Joe spends about $5 and one hour for lunch.
Though Your Money or Your Life lists several other ways in which work can cost you money, these are Joe’s only expenses. His job costs him about 10 hours per week (or 500 hours per year) and about $107. We’ll round it down to $100 per week, so that’s about $5000 each year.
Real Hourly Wage
Once he’s estimated the extra time and money he spends on the job, Joe can compute his real hourly wage. The equation is actually very simple:
First, Joe subtracts his work-related expenses from his annual salary to find his actual earnings.
Next, he divides his actual earnings by the total number of hours he spends each year on work-related tasks (including business trips and Christmas parties, etc.).
This simple equation produces Joe’s real hourly wage.
Using our earlier figures, Joe the Plumber’s actual salary would be $43,000 per year ($48,000 base minus $5000 for commuting, clothing, and food). Joe leaves the house at 6:30 in the morning, and does not return until 4:30 in the afternoon, which means he’s devoting 50 hours per week — or about 2500 hours per year — to his job.
Joe is spending about 2500 hours per year to earn $43,000. His real hourly wage is $17.20. Not bad, but still much lower than the $24 per hour he thinks he’s earning.
Knowledge is Power
Why does your real hourly wage matter? Remember that time is money — literally. When he’s making $48,000 a year, it only takes Joe six hours to earn enough for an iPod. That’s less than a day’s work. But based on his real hourly wage, it would take Joe nearly nine hours to earn the same amount. To earn the money for anything he wants to purchase, Joe has to spend 40% more time working than he thinks he does.
Computing your real hourly wage allows you to see how much you’re really getting paid, which can change your perspective. When I first did this in 2004, it had an immediate effect.
At that time, I was spending a lot of money on comic books. After I calculated my real hourly wage and applied the number to my expenses, I was able to see how much time each book was costing me. Was it really worth three hours to buy a collection of Aquaman stories I’d probably never read? For me, the answer was “no”, and I began to reduce my spending.
This “real hourly wage” is also a great tool for comparing prospective jobs, especially when there are a lot of variables. All things being equal, a job with a higher real hourly wage is better.
Now that I’ve spent several hours of my life energy explaining this concept, later today I’ll describe an even better way to look at spending decisions, one that takes into account taxes and living expenses.
Note: If Joe really did earn $250,000 a year, and all our other assumptions remained the same, the iPod would only cost him an hour-and-a-half of his life energy.
How Much Time Does Stuff Actually Cost?
After you’ve computed your real hourly wage, you can use it to measure how much things cost. An iPod might cost nine hours of work, or a new sweater might cost three. (You don’t even want to consider how much a new car would cost…)
But does it really make sense to look at spending this way? Does this really tell the full story? During our discussion last week about unconventional money tips, BW wrote with a better way to look at spending. He points out that not every dollar can be counted as disposable income:
I don’t like to think about how many hours I worked for an item I want to buy because it makes the item seem too cheap…A better way to think about it is to subtract fixed expenses from pay first.
He’s right. Let’s say your nominal pay rate is $24 per hour. You compute your real hourly wage as recommended by Your Money or Your Life and find that it’s $17.20. But that’s not the end of the story.
From this money, you must pay taxes, purchase housing and transportation, buy food and insurance, and more. If we make the arbitrary assumption that your fixed expenses (including savings) consume 80% of your pay, your actual disposable income would be $3.44 per hour.
This provides a drastic change to the length of time needed to work for a $150 iPod:
Method
Rate
iPod Cost
Nominal Wage
$24.00/hour
6.25 hours
Real Wage
$17.20/hour
8.72 hours
After Expenses
$3.44/hour
43.60 hours
Using this example, it doesn’t take you just a day to earn an iPod, but an entire week.
Now, I don’t recommend that you walk around evaluating every buying decision based on “real wage after expenses” units. While educational, this is likely to quickly drain the joy from living. (You might run the numbers once and examine some hypothetical scenarios.)
However, I do believe it’s important to be mindful of your spending. Evaluating your purchases based on the time required to pay for them is an excellent way to become more aware of the actual costs for the things you buy.
What Is a Credit Report and Why Does it Matter? – MintLife Blog
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financial wellness. Your credit report includes your revolving accounts — such as credit cards and home equity lines of credit — as well as non-revolving accounts like school and car loans. Credit reports also note any missed payments, the length of your credit history, and your utilization rate on each account. On the whole, the report acts as a central location for measuring your current credit health in detail.
This vital collection of data gathered by a credit bureau helps calculate your credit score and inform potential lenders, landlords, and even employers about your financial wellness, habits, and routines. Your credit report is also a place to keep yourself on track. View your borrowing habits at a glance, make adjustments to possibly raise your credit score, or even catch fraudulent activity. Overall, understanding your credit report is a crucial step in gaining financial confidence.
What Information Is Included in a Credit Report?
You may still be wondering: what is a credit report exactly and how much data does it include? Credit bureaus collect a range of information, from basic, personal data to detailed borrowing history in order to paint a picture of your credit habits. Identification details clarify who you are, where you’ve lived, and a bit about your life. They will list your full name and any alternately used names, your birthday, current and former addresses, social security numbers, and your phone number.
The meat of the credit report includes your account history including the types of credit accounts, how long they’ve been open, and their credit limits. Each month, your balance will rise or fall on your report based on payments or charges. This in turn affects the utilization rate on each card as well. Each account will also note your payment history, noting any late payments for up to around seven years. Your credit report will also include the number of recent hard inquiries, which usually occur when you apply for a new credit card or loan.
Certain public records and legal details — such as lawsuits — may also be listed on your report. It also lists if you’ve filed for bankruptcy, received a tax lien or had a bill sent to a collection agency. Though specifics vary, the majority of these details are wiped from your report after seven years, so there are often ways to improve your credit standing over time.
How Does Information Get on Your Credit Report?
A credit bureau, also known as a credit reporting agency, gathers this information in one place so you don’t have to. Though there are hundreds throughout the world, the three main U.S. reporting agencies are TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. They receive information via lending companies, courts, and local government to build your credit record. Every month, an assortment of data transfers from these locations to the credit bureau database.
If you open a new credit card, make a purchase on your store card, or pay down a balance, this data is sent to update your report. The agency organizes the data and displays information on your credit report in a clear layout for you or a potential lender to view. This constantly updating system means that your credit score may fluctuate at times. It also allows you to take immediate action on any troublesome accounts or in the case of identity theft.
Why Is It Important to Get a Credit Report?
Credit reports are an excellent tool for guiding large financial decisions. Say you’re looking to purchase a home in the next five years. Your report allows you to fully assess how to raise your score and which credit accounts most strongly affect your overall financial balance. Your report is also a glimpse into why your credit score has remained low or stagnant. It could be helpful to request a report before applying for a new credit card or transitioning to a new phase in life like graduate school.
Checking your credit report at least once a year, even if you are not planning any large financial changes, is often suggested for several reasons. Credit reports allow you to catch any discrepancies either in how your data was reported or if someone attempted to open an account under your name.
Where can you get a free credit report? Free credit report programs, like Turbo, can give you a glimpse into your score and history. If you’re looking to improve your credit score, these tools may be useful for frequent tracking and do not count against your credit as a hard inquiry.
How Does Your Credit Report Impact You?
Potential lenders and employers may check your credit report for the same reason you check in on yourself. Your credit report may signal that you can be trusted to make timely payments and prioritize your financial health. Employers have been known to check credit reports in order to confirm you’re able to stick to contracts and agreements.
Credit reports are most commonly used to determine approval for loans, credit limits, and interest rates. If you have some troubling details on your account, lenders may protect themselves by offering higher interest or lower credit limits until you’ve proven a strong history of payments. On a higher level, credit reports affect your mortgage interest rate or simply your likelihood of being approved for the mortgage in the first place.
In some cases, your credit report could also affect your insurance rates and other monthly bills. Some utility companies and cell phone companies determine offers and down payments based on your credit score. Overall, the healthier your credit report, the more chances you’ll have to practice good borrowing habits with a range of accounts.
A credit report is a detailed tracking tool of your borrowing and repayment history. The greater you understand your credit report, the more it can act as a tool for financial growth. Feeling confident about borrowing and managing debt comes over time, and your credit report is there to help track your progress along the way.
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When youâre trying to get your financial house in order, itâs easy to get lost in the specifics. You might stress about how to adjust your budget, where to find some extra cash for the holidays or what funds to choose for your portfolio. But sometimes, making the right financial choices will only take you
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