Focal Point Financial Group

Smart Things To Do (That Many Won't) In A Down Market

brent@focalpointfinancialgroup.com (Brent Hoskins) — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 13:33:23 GMT

When the stock market declines, the resulting steady drumbeat of negative news reports can drive many people to flee the markets. Making decisions out of fear (or any other emotional trigger) rarely leads to successful long-term outcomes. It's hard, because one of the most unsettling aspects of market downturns is the fact that they are out of your control.

Here is a list of suggested actions to consider - which historically have resulted in helping to weather market lows.

Tune Out The Noise

It's ok to not check your portfolio balance when the market is falling. Turning off the financial news might be smart if it keeps you from making mistakes based on emotional decisions.

Revisit Your Asset Allocation

If you happen to be near retirement or in retirement, or if you simply lose sleep over downturns, you may need to reevaluate your risk tolerance. Together, we can figure out the balance of stocks and bonds best suited to your comfort level with risk and other personal circumstances.

Control What You Can: Costs

Expenses eat returns, and their bite is particularly painful during market corrections. We can explain options for removing high-cost investments from your portfolio in ways that minimize the taxes due from their sale.

Set Realistic Expectations

U.S. stock and bond markets have posted remarkable returns in the past few decades. Statistically speaking, it would be prudent to expect lower returns in the future. Together, we can develop a plan that still achieves your goals, despite potential headwinds of lower returns.

Stay Diversified

Downturns offer case studies in how different asset-class and sector exposures can help to insulate your portfolio. Having conversations about risk tolerance, as mentioned above, helps us to better understand your investing style and what's most important to you. With this greater insight, we can go over diversification options for your portfolio that blunt the impact of downturns while putting you on track to achieve your financial objectives.

Remember, you don't have to follow the crowd and you don't have to make emotional decisions. Stick to sound investing principles, have a plan, and let us know if we can help.

About the Author-

Brent Hoskins is a Kansas City-area fee-only financial planner . Focal Point Financial Group provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management to help individuals and families organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Brent Hoskins is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.

Chasing the Wind: The Futility of Materialism

brent@focalpointfinancialgroup.com (Brent Hoskins) — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 15:33:15 GMT

Attempting to find meaning in "things" can often lead down a dangerous (and unending) path toward dissatisfaction and can put people in a vicious cycle of desiring more and more and yet feeling as if they never have enough.

Solomon shares a number of helpful insights on materialism in the book of Ecclesiastes. I love the way author Randy Alcorn summarizes and paraphrases some of Solomon's statements from Ecclesiastes 5:10-15 :

“Whoever loves money never has money enough” (v. 10). The more you have, the more you want.

“Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (v. 10). The more you have, the less you’re satisfied.

“As goods increase, so do those who consume them” (v. 11). The more you have, the more people (including the government) will come after it.

“And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?” (v. 11). The more you have, the more you realize it does you no good.

“The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (v. 12). The more you have, the more you have to worry about.

“I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner” (v. 13). The more you have, the more you can hurt yourself by holding on to it.

“Or wealth lost through some misfortune” (v.14). The more you have, the more you have to lose.

“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand” (v. 15). The more you have, the more you’ll leave behind.

So here we have someone (Solomon) who never lacked having enough money, concluding his remarks by stating: "When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun" Ecclesiastes 2:11.

Money is a tool... not something to endlessly pursuit, or you (like Solomon concluded) may just be "chasing the wind".

About the Author-

Budgeting That Works For Your Peace of Mind

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 08:19:08 GMT

Over the past 20+ years working with clients, one of the biggest factors I’ve seen in people being able to meet both their short-term and long-term financial goals is the ability to create and sustain a positive cash flow margin.

Over the past 20+ years working with clients, one of the biggest factors I’ve seen in people being able to meet both their short-term and long-term financial goals is the ability to create and sustain a positive cash flow margin.

That sounds pretty straightforward and even “easy” on paper, right? Debt.com reported last year that 93% of their respondents agreed that everyone needs a budget, but only 33% actually maintained a budget. So, why such a big gap? Why aren’t more people budgeting if they think they need it? One of the biggest explanations for the gap is that BUDGETING IS HARD!

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

Thomas Edison

Some of you reading this may be successful budgeters (gold star for you!), but the reality is that most people reading this have probably tried to put a budget together and have just fallen short in its completion. Is there a way to budget that actually works?

What is Zero-Based Budgeting?

I’ve tried numerous systems and tools through the years and the one I keep coming back to is an approach called “zero-based budgeting”. Let’s dig a little deeper…

In a nutshell, zero-based budgeting means taking your income for the month (or whatever time period you’re budgeting for) and subtracting out your expenses (including amounts to pay down debt or put into savings) until it equals zero. Don’t let the “zero” fool you…It does NOT mean operating your bank account at zero!

Zero-based budgeting means taking every dollar received for the month and assigning it a specific job or role (i.e. groceries, family vacation, etc.). It’s a forward-looking budgeting process as opposed to a backward-looking one (more on that later). It helps prevent overspending before it happens and works with what you currently have (money in the bank) versus what you might receive in the future.

Consider this example:

Family has $6,500 of spendable income for the month.
They give each dollar a job in their budget and start with the highest priority items (essential expenses) first.
If money is left over after funding their essential expenses, they move down the budget to put some money aside for future expenses (taxes, car repair, etc.).
If money is left over after funding future expenses, they can then assign some dollars to discretionary items (eating out, fun money, etc.).
After funding all the expenses, there was still money available to budget in this example. That means they were also able to assign some funds to other goals for the month (additional giving, increased emergency funds, extra debt payments, etc.).
In the end, their budget total for the month balanced out to $0.

I know this is a simplified example, but hopefully, you get the point. You only work with dollars you HAVE and you give EVERY dollar a job to reduce overspending and waste. In this example, I’m showing you a monthly budget. When the new month begins, the process starts all over again.

If this pattern repeated itself over the course of 12 months, they would have money in their bank account earmarked for:

Paying down $1,200 in additional debt payments.
Adding an additional $1,800 to their emergency fund.
Making additional charitable gifts of $600.
Contributing $600 towards college savings.
Contributing $1,200 into additional retirement savings.

Why I Like Zero-Based Budgeting

This method of budgeting has many advantages in my opinion, but let’s look at how it compares to traditional budgeting:

Zero-Based BudgetingTraditional BudgetingForward-lookingBackward-lookingProactiveReactive“What do I have available to spend?”“How much did I already spend?”Prevents overspendingIdentifies overspendingCan adjust during the month“Try to do better” next monthBudget the money you currently haveBudget the money you think you’ll haveEasy to handle “irregular” expenses (car maintenance, taxes, etc.)More difficult to account for “irregular” expenses

There are many other comparisons that could be made, but the biggest in my opinion is just the proactive style versus reactive style of traditional budgeting. Instead of looking at what happened last month (traditional style) and saying “Well, I’ll try to do better next time. I shouldn’t have spent that much money on…”, you can get ahead of that overspending BEFORE it happens. Traditional budgeting is like trying to drive your car forward while only looking in the rear view mirror.

What Is The Best Budgeting Tool?

There are lots of budgeting apps and sites available to help people with their cash flow planning, but not all of them work the same way. The key is finding one that you’re comfortable with and that you’re willing to stick with. There is a learning curve with any new process or tool.

Two of my favorite budgeting tools are YNAB (You Need A Budget) and EveryDollar (Dave Ramsey’s budgeting tool). Both offer subscription-based plans and both work off a zero-based budgeting principle .

YNAB

Offers a 34-day free trial
Can sync with your bank & credit card to pull in transactions
Offers free online workshops and email support
Allows you to set customized savings and spending goals
Website + Mobile Apps (Android & iPhone)
Good for both beginning budgeters and experienced ones

EveryDollar

Offers a 7-day free trial (for their premium version)
Comes with access to other Ramsey+ products (FinancialPeace, etc.)
Can sync with your bank and credit card to pull in transactions
Website + Mobile Apps (Android & iPhone)
Email support
Good for beginning budgeters

Closing Thoughts

I recently heard a great analogy from Jesse Machum (founder of YNAB). He was asked what made his tool (and zero-based budgeting approach) different than most of the other backward-looking tools on the market (Mint.com, Personal Capital, etc.). He drew the comparison to the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report and a CSI crime show.

Zero-Based Budgeting – it’s like Minority Report… with the precogs, they ANTICIPATED upcoming crimes and put people in jail BEFORE the crime was committed. Their job was PREVENTION.

Traditional Budgeting – it’s like CSI… they came on scene AFTER there was a dead body. Their job was figuring out what ALREADY HAPPENED to the person in an effort to solve the crime.

Don’t get me wrong, any budget (even one that looks back at your historical spending) is better than NO budget, but at least in my experience (both personally and professionally) the zero-based budgeting approach is one that really works.

About the Author-

What Documents Do I Need To Keep?

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 07:19:08 GMT

Ever wonder how long to keep your tax records?

What about all those receipts sitting in a box on your desk? it’s amazing how many files (paper & digital) we accumulate over time, but what do you NEED to keep versus what can you discard with clean conscience?

Grab a cup of coffee, download this helpful guide on “What Documents Do I Need To Keep On File?”, and feel a bit of refreshment as you organize (and downsize) your file collection!

About the Author-

How To Review Your Budget Or “Spending Plan” In 4 Easy Steps

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:19:08 GMT

Whether you have spending regrets around the holidays or other “I shouldn’t have done that” type expenses last year, a new year provides a fresh start and allows you to make a better plan for 2022.

Step 1: Look Back – Evaluate 2021

Whether you use bookkeeping software (Quicken, etc.), budgeting sites (Mvelopes, Mint, YNAB, etc.) or paper bank and credit card statements, the first step involves looking in the rear-view mirror to see what happened the previous year. What was your total income for the year? How much were your expenses? Did you have a spending plan for 2019? If so, how did your plan compare to your ACTUAL results? Before moving on to 2022, you have to know what happened in 2021.

Step 2: Look Ahead – What changes do I see in 2022?

Spending plans are always changing because the variables that impact them are always changing. You’ve seen from Step 1 where your income came from and where you spent money. Step 2 involves seeing if that will be similar in 2022 or if there are changes you need to account for. Will your income change? Did you get a raise at work? Did you lose a stream of income you need to adjust for? Were there any one-time expenses you won’t encounter this year (i.e. the birth of a child in 2019, milestone anniversary trip, etc.)? Are there any NEW one-time expenses you’ll face this year (vehicle replacement, moving to a new house, home repairs, etc.)? Will any of your reoccurring expenses change (i.e. utility bill increase, rent/mortgage increase, insurance premium increase, etc.)?

You don’t know how 2020 will shape up, but you have to at least put a draft spending plan in order so you don’t get caught unprepared.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin

Step 3: Adjust – Make it Balance

Now that you’ve penciled in the income you expect and the expenses you need to plan for in 2022, it’s critical that we get these items to balance. The goal of any successful spending plan is to create positive cash flow margin. Cash flow margin is a key ingredient to helping you make progress towards meeting longer-term financial goals (retirement planning, education planning, charitable giving, debt reduction, etc.).

This is where some of the hardest (but most impactful) work takes place. If your expenses are more than your income, in its simplest form that means you need to find a way to do three things: decrease expenses, increase income, or perhaps even both.

Decrease Expenses – paying for that monthly Netflix membership you rarely use? Still paying for the gym membership (you’ve yet to use) that you bought 11 months ago? Maybe your dining out expenses seem abnormally large?. Replace a dine-out meal (or two) a week with a meal at home. Cancel any unused or unnecessary memberships. There are many ways to trim expenses. Get creative and be realistic around what expenses you really use or need. Try to come at it with an open, objective mindset.

Increase Income – maybe you’ve cut expenses as best you can and the plan still isn’t balancing. Can you work to get overtime pay? Do you have a talent or skillset other people can benefit from that you can do on the side (teach piano, tutor kids, woodworking, dog-walking, etc.)? Are there things around the house that you can sell? There are many ways to generate a little extra income. Again… be creative.

Step 4: Don’t Do It Alone – Talk it Over

This step can easily be overlooked which can greatly diminish the effectiveness of a good spending plan. This step can also take many forms.

First, in your family. If you’re married, the spending plan needs to be mutually agreed upon to be the most impactful. Both parties need to understand what the goals are and where the limits are being set. Whereas you might think this could feel enslaving to be “limited” to a spending plan, it should work to be quite the opposite and produce a feeling of freedom and unity with both sides understanding what’s at stake and where you want to head. If you have kids (probably 10 or older), bring them into the conversation so they know what the plan is for 2022. This can take some of the pressure off those last-minute expense requests for camp, concerts, costly birthday party experiences, etc.

Second, tell someone else. Whether you or your spouse have a tendency to overspend or not, there is great benefit in bringing in a third party to aid with your accountability. Many of my clients have asked me to function as their “spending coach” where I can periodically check in on their spending plan results. If you don’t work with a financial planner, tell a trusted friend or neighbor who can lovingly check in with you 3-4 times a year on your progress.

“Accountability is the glue that bonds commitments to results” – Will Craig

Remember…

Step 1: Look Back

Step 2: Look Ahead

Step 3: Adjust

Step 4: Don’t Do It Alone

Start the year afresh with a new plan, tell someone about it, and don’t be afraid to adjust it as things change (which they will) throughout the year.

Are you part of the 23% of American Shoppers who felt like they overdid it with their 2021 holiday shopping?

What Keyboard Shortcuts Can Teach Us About Biblical Financial Planning

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 16:11:00 GMT

One of my 2019 goals, was to get more proficient with keyboard shortcuts. I’m trying to retrain my brain how to do things in an effort to get more efficient over time. I still have a long way to go, but it’s amazing how little changes can make a big impact on your overall efficiency. As I was using some of these shortcuts (which I’ll share later), it dawned on me how there were distinct parallels between some of them and a biblical view of financial planning (hang with me, I know that may sound bizarre!).

Over the past 20 years, I’ve noticed (in myself and in others that I advise) that it sometimes can feel very “ungodly” or self-seeking when trying to formulate your own personal financial goals. There’s a feeling of selfishness that can accompany the goal setting process as we struggle to weigh the motives of purpose of our goals.

So how do you balance the setting of goals and include God at the same time?

It’s important to know that setting goals and having a financial plan can (and should!) align with God’s purposes.

We’re going to take a lesson from 3 Google Doc keyboard shortcuts as we explore some tips on how to mesh God’s plan for our lives and finances with our own plans.

Center Align (Control + Shift + e)

I hate having things off-center. My perfectionist tendencies get the best of me sometimes when trying to format things and it drives me nuts. Thankfully, there’s a “center align” shortcut for those of us that like things aligned and in place. Phew!

I’m even more thankful that God’s plans are perfect. They are always “center aligned” because His ways are higher than our ways ( Isaiah 55:8-9 ). His wisdom and sovereignty far surpasses that of our own. His plan is anchored in truth and what’s best for us in our journey to become more like Jesus.

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9

When we look at our own plans, it’s not uncommon to find that they are off-center from God’s will. They’re based on human wisdom and aspirations and not on heavenly ones. In fact, we can hardly even see how to “center align” things because our plans are so big! (more on that in shortcut #2).

The good news is that there is help to re-align our plans. Spending time with God through prayer and through the reading of his Word can help bring your plans back into alignment with His ( Psalms 119:105 ). This should be the first step in the planning and goal setting process, not an afterthought.

So how do you balance the setting of goals and include God at the same time?

It’s important to know that setting goals and having a financial plan can (and should!) align with God’s purposes.

We’re going to take a lesson from 3 Google Doc keyboard shortcuts as we explore some tips on how to mesh God’s plan for our lives and finances with our own plans.

Center Align (Control + Shift + e)

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9

Here’s what it can look like sometimes when “My Plan” becomes

Align your plan with God’s…not God’s with yours

Decrease Font Size (Control + Shift + <)

I’m a big fan of small font sizes. Call me strange, but I like small print. I like to cram as many words as a I can on a single page whether it’s on a screen or the written word. I find myself using the “decrease font size” shortcut quite often in my quest to fit more words on a page.

Similarly, I find I often need to “decrease the font size” of my own plans and aspirations. If fact, when I think about financial planning and goal setting as a whole, sometimes I can barely even see God’s plan if my plan is so big. As John 3:30 states, we need to “decrease” in order that He might increase ( John 3:30 ).

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30

Only when we see our plans in this proper perspective (smaller) to His, do we start to gain clarity with His will. Here is what it looks like once I’ve decreased “My Plan” relative to His:

God’s plans are bigger than our plans

Bring to Front (Control + Shift + UpArrow)

The last shortcut I’ll mention is one I’m still trying to master. As I create presentations or other documents, sometimes I’ll have layers of pictures or images but I want to bring one particular image to the front in order to not get missed. This introduces us to the “bring to front” shortcut.

Sadly, even after decreasing the importance of our plans relative to His (shortcut #2), and recognizing that His plan is always perfectly aligned (shortcut #1), we still tend to put our own plans front and center which can blur the lines of what God’s clear plans are. We might be able to see glimpses of his plan, but only as a backdrop to our own.

We have to learn to bring God’s plan to the front and make that our priority and focus ( 1 Timothy 6:17-19 ) and not our own agendas and often selfish aspirations.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6:17-19

I Timothy gives us a snapshot of what some of God’s plans often include (i.e. not putting hope in wealth, but putting hope in God, being rich in good deeds, acting generous, etc.). In the end, our goal setting should look more like this, with God’s Plan at the forefront:

God’s plan should be front & center

Summary

Setting goals and putting together a financial plan by itself isn’t bad if done through the proper lens and perspective. In fact, the goals and plans you set (with God’s guidance) can actually help you accomplish His plan for your finances. God can use you (and your plans) to implement his larger initiatives in the world.

The problem (and temptation) we have is to put a plan in motion while not recognizing what God wants to do in our lives and through our finances. We often come to God only when our plans fail instead of involving Him in the process from the beginning.

Remember…

“Center Align” – begin your planning by seeking to hear His voice through prayer and time in the Word.
“Decrease Font Size” – don’t make your plans bigger than God’s. Keep your plans in proper perspective relative to His.
“Bring to Front” – make God’s plans your focus and priority. Use your financial plan to help implement the God-given goals He’s laid on your heart.

The Complexity Trap

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 16:22:00 GMT

There’s something strange deep within us that for some reason desires complexity. I can’t fully explain it. Maybe it’s the pressure to keep pace with those around us, or gain some sort of advantage, or perhaps it’s just the refusal to accept the notion that anything simple could be of any value.

Regardless of why we have this urge to complicate, the results of over complicating can be seen in numerous aspects of our lives. Over Complication can lead to:

Greater chance of error (due to too many moving parts to effectively manage)
Increased stress & anxiety
Greater demand of your time, talents, and resources

It’s ironic in the sense that sometimes we add complexity under the guise that we do it to benefit other people. “I’ll add another evening of work to boost our income”, “I’ll try to do my own taxes to save money”, or “I’ll make more money for retirement by opening more accounts”. We do these things normally with good intentions, with the hope that they are truly adding value to someone or something. However, the unintended consequence sometimes of adding complication is that it takes you AWAY from those you are trying to help (in terms of your ability to spend quality time, can cause emotional disconnect, leads to physical and mental exhaustion, etc.).

I love helping people simplify. I get great satisfaction in helping people unwind (or avoid all together) unnecessary complication. I’ve observed in people’s personal finances where folks are trying to better their position (or the position of someone they care about) so they add more complexity. I’ve seen this lead to people getting so overwhelmed with their finances, that they simply avoid making any further decisions…too intimidated to deal with it anymore. Worse yet, I’ve seen where the person that created the complexity passed away, leaving someone else to try to weave through whatever financial maze was created.

It’s not to say that all complexity is bad. For example, if someone’s trying to save money for their kids’ education, a “simple” way to do that might be to open a savings account or perhaps buy CD’s to park their education savings. This would certainly be a simple solution and easy to manage, but will it help you accomplish your goal of paying for a college education? Maybe, but probably not. Adding some complexity in the form of some investments might be necessary to help you reach your desired goal. You just have be aware of and fight the urge to add more complication than what’s truly needed.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo Da Vinci

In some ways, complexity can be a trap. We find ourselves thinking it will always add equal (or even greater) amounts of value for every unit of complexity we add. However, there reaches a point (which we’ll call the “Complexity Trap”) where the perceived benefit far outweighs the actual benefit of adding complication to a situation.

Which leads us to examine what areas of our lives have strayed too far away from the simple?

What are you currently over complicating?

What things do you find you are unnecessarily doing?

In regards to finances, what areas of your financial life can you look to simplify and still reach your goals?

Lastly, what’s your action plan to simplify? Who can help you?

Here are 9 “simple” suggestions to consider as you begin to travel down the road of simplifying your finances:

Gather Your Information – you can’t fully begin to simplify until you know what you’re dealing with. Gather up those bank statements, tax returns, investment reports, etc. that you’ve conveniently been avoiding and pull them all together.
Organize – Throw away what you don’t need. Come up with a system to stay organized. Figure out what should be kept and how long you may need to keep it.
Consolidate – there may not be a need to have 3 bank accounts, 4 old 401k plans, and 3 brokerage accounts. Keep in mind, the more spread out your finances are, the harder it can become to manage and stay on top of them. Look for overlap and for opportunities to streamline things.
Manage Credit Cards – you probably don’t need 5 credit cards (average American household with credit cards have 3.7). Be aware of the consequences of canceling cards before you go down this road but consider what card(s) make sense to keep.
Automate Bill Payments – reduce the risk of missing payments and the stress related to manually paying each month by signing up for automated bill payments. Many vendors offer this service for free or little charge.
Go Paperless – you’ve put in the time to gather up and organize your information, don’t fuel the complexity fire again by inundating your mailbox with EVERY paper statement. If you need it (tax documents, annual statements, etc.) save a soft copy or simply print it off to file.
Pay Down Debt – the average American household with any debt carries an average of $135,768. Not only could this handcuff you financially, but it also brings unnecessary complexity to your life. Take the opportunity to come up with a plan to reduce or even eliminate your household debt.
Set Up Automatic Investments – consider setting up automatic investments from your bank or paycheck to fund accounts like IRA’s, 529 College Savings Plans, etc. Not only does it help you avoid making impulsive or emotional decisions with your money, but also gives you time back to your schedule and more simplicity to your financial picture.
Be Patient – this is a process and not an overnight fix. It took time to build your web of complexity… and it will take some time to unravel it. Don’t give up!

5 Savings Tips for the Fall

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 19:45:00 GMT

1. Cook & Freeze Meals

The average family spends upwards of $3,000 a year eating meals outside their home, that’s $250/month out of their monthly budget! This is in addition to another $4,000 a year for groceries. Consider reducing your dine out budget by cooking and freezing more meals at home. The number one reason people eat out is due to convenience. Why not have the meals all ready to go from your freezer to eliminate the temptation of eating out? Whether you choose to make a month’s worth of meals in a day , or join a meal planning subscription , there are lots of good resources to help in this area.

2. Adjust Your Thermostat

By making small adjustments to the temperature in your home (both while you’re in it and while you’re away) you can shave dollars off your heating/cooling bill . Save on your monthly bills by being more aware of your thermostat. If you’re going to be out of your house most of the day, don’t keep your house at a toasty 72 degrees while you’re gone! Little changes can make big impacts.

3. Take Advantage of Free Events

Not sure what to do this weekend? Instead of automatically going to a evening movie or paying to attend another entertainment event take a look at what might be going on in your area for free. Take a look at this Fall Festival Guide for Kansas City to get some ideas.

4. Have Your Furnace Checked

We just had our furnace guy come out to make sure everything’s on the up and up with our furnace for the winter. Doing so can not only avoid some unwanted surprises (like not having heat when it dips to 10 degrees at night!), but it can also save you some change by being proactive. Here is a list of some tips and tricks for maintaining your furnace. If you’re like me, I would rather hire a professional to do it, which is a separate tip in and of itself.

5. Review Your Budget

Christmas is right around the corner! Fall is a good time to assess where you are with your budget for the year (what you planned to spend versus what you’ve actually spent). Knowing if you’ve already overspent or not can help you as you plan out your Christmas season budget . Planning ahead can help avoid any budget or credit card surprises in January!

4 Tips For Transitioning Back to School (& Managing Your Finances)

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 17:29:00 GMT

Hard to believe that many kids head back to school this week. It’s often a challenging time of year, but a new school year also brings forth new opportunities! Here are some tips to keep in mind to help with the transition along with some interesting parallels to one’s finances: Hit the Reset […]

What sounds better, a mud or apple pie?

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 20:47:00 GMT

We can probably all remember times in our childhood when we did and experienced things that were INCREDIBLY amazing at the time, only to find out as we get older that there were far greater, far more satisfying options available.

C.S. Lewis wrote about the narrowness of our desires in his famous work “The Weight of Glory” where he talks about kids contently making mud pies:

“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Much like the child who can’t imagine there’s anything better, we often short-side ourselves with our narrow desires. Narrow desires are easy, more controllable, and don’t require any big steps of faith. But what are we missing?

In the book of Acts, Paul quotes Jesus’ words when he says:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

In the Old Testament, we read in Proverbs 11:24-25:

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed”.

Sometimes we treat generosity as a mud pie. We’re content with our current level of giving or our current level of pouring into others’ lives only because we can’t imagine anything better. In doing so, are we short-siding ourselves and our ability to experience God in a deeper way? Mud pies may seem great at the time, but once you experience what God can do in you and through your generosity… you’ll never settle for a mud pie again.

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The Importance of Focus…

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 20:54:00 GMT

Focus can mean a lot of different things in a lot of different contexts. I like the definition that describes focus as “a guiding or motivating purpose or principle”. With that broad definition, focus can be applied to many aspects of our lives…. Our vocation, relationships, spirituality, health, and even finances. Despite which aspect of life we are talking about, focus (or focal points) are necessary to provide meaning to our actions and give us a clear guide for our behaviors and decisions.

“When why is clear the how is easy”. – Anonymous

Having a focal point helps you answer the “why?” behind any action you take. For instance, I went for a walk this morning before work, not because I was bored or because I didn’t have anything better to do, but because I’m trying to focus on improving my health. That drove my decision and answered “why” I chose to get up early. Just an important, it also helps you understand and prioritize what you should say “yes” to (things that move you closer to your focal point) and probably even more important, when you should say “no” (when it could move you further away). For me, that means I had to say “Yes” to taking the dog for a walk last night and I had to say “No” to the delicious donut I saw laying on the counter at home (it definitely would have moved me further away from my focal point).Focus keeps us from spending unnecessary resources (time, abilities, money, etc.) on things that don’t really matter, and allows them to be made available for those things that do.So how do we improve our focus?

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure” Proverbs 4:25-26 ESV

The writer of Proverbs gives us some tips…… look directly forward

We can learn from the past, but we can’t dwell on it. Find something worthwhile to fix your eyes on and keep looking directly forward. There are plenty of enticements just waiting to grab your attention. Eliminate the noise and the distractions and look ahead.

... ponder the path of your feet

Think about and know where you want to go. What are you striving for? What are you passionate about? What’s most important to you? Don’t just go through the motions with things but take the time to ponder the path you’re trying to pursue and stick to it.

… all your ways will be sure

When you focus on the right things, you’ll have greater confidence in the decisions you make knowing they are in alignment with your passions, convictions, and goals.

Focus is something we can work on, but it gets even more powerful when we invite others to participate. Be accountable. Tell a trusted friend, family member, pastor, financial planner, personal trainer…tell someone that cares for you. When you let others in on what you’re trying to accomplish and focus on, you’ll be amazed when you watch them come alongside you to keep you on the right path.

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So how do you balance the setting of goals and include God at the same time?

Center Align (Control + Shift + e)

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

So how do you balance the setting of goals and include God at the same time?

Center Align (Control + Shift + e)

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Align your plan with God’s…not God’s with yours

Decrease Font Size (Control + Shift + <)

God’s plans are bigger than our plans ﻿

Bring to Front (Control + Shift + UpArrow)

God’s plan should be front & center ﻿

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The Importance of Focus…

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9

“…so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9

God’s plans are bigger than our plans

God’s plan should be front & center