Well, it’s about that time boys and girls. Mid-term elections are right around the corner, this Tuesday, to be exact. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you vote, regardless of your political affiliation. If you don’t, you are giving up the opportunity to have a say in many things, not the least of which is your financial livelihood.
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Now that I’ve given my public service announcement about voting at the polls, let’s get down to brass tacks and talk about another way to vote, with your wallet. While it is critically important for you to physically cast your vote for the candidate of your choice (and please do your research before you do), there is actually more than one way to “vote.” For example, every time you spend money, you are basically voting with your wallet. Sounds nutty? Well, let me explain a little more fully.
When you make spending decisions, you are either moving toward being financially responsible or away from it. If you are budgeting and saving, you are planning for your future, and possibly your family’s, too. If you are not spending mindfully and saving for retirement, you are putting your future into someone else’s hands and that can be tricky. You may be saying, that’s all fine and good but I’m barely making it as it is. How can I save for the future if I can’t pay the rent today.
Well, that’s a fair point. Having come from a financially insecure family myself, I do know what it’s like to feel as though you’ll never get ahead and it’s not always easy to change course. Turning your situation around takes effort, planning, commitment and a change in mindset. You can change your circumstances, you just have to do the work. I think that work is more critical now than ever. While I have no wish to pile onto your financial angst, I do have serious concerns about the future of social programs designed to offer financial assistance if you get to the point where you can no longer work.
When you are following a budget, spending mindfully and saving for the future, you are taking financial responsibility for yourself and your family. If you are not working to prepare yourself for a time when you are no longer working, whatever the reason, you are rolling the dice on whether or not there will be Social Security and/or Medicare programs to help you make ends meet. I seriously hope I’m wrong about that but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
There’s another way you can vote with your wallet, by spending responsibly. You may have heard me say this before but it bears repeating, if you want your voice to be heard in your community, get your personal finances under control. What does a budget have to do with being heard in your community? I’ll tell you. First of all, when you are financially secure, it gives you the opportunity to support local businesses. This is a big deal. When you spend your dollars in your community, you are strengthening it and supporting everything from your economy to your schools.
Second, it allows you the freedom to get involved and speak up about issues that are important to you. If you are busy putting food on the table and getting your kids to school, or worried about paying the rent, you lose the opportunity to voice your opinion about things that would otherwise be important to you. Some folks even risk their jobs when they start voicing their opinions about issues that matter to them. We’ve seen that in the news a fair amount recently, right? Being financially secure allows you the freedom to advocate for important causes without fear of financial stress or economic sanctions for you or your family. Financial security is exactly that, a state of having no fear of economic insecurity. It’s a peace of mind that is worth the effort it takes to get there.
Finally, my hope for each person is peace, happiness and security. It’s hard to achieve that when we are at each other’s throats in a vitriolic attempt to force someone else to accept our point of view as the only correct one. While we head to the polls, let’s try to remember that we are all in this together. Remember the Golden Rule and do unto others as you would have them do unto you. There is enough room in this world for everyone to live their ideal lives if we can put aside our egos and wish each other well.
I’ll see you at the polls!
P.S. Make sure you check out my online courses, books and resources, too! Investing in your money management education is an investment in yourself. That’s the best investment you’ll ever make, I guarantee it! Don’t forget my weekly Facebook live videos on Facebook.com/newcashview, Instagram @joyalfordbrand and on my YouTube channel NCVTV. You can catch me twice, on Mondays between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. for my Monday Money Management Minute and Thursday evenings between 7:00 and 9:00 (Eastern Standard time), for my weekly NCVTV episode. They are packed full of useful and entertaining money management information! If you’ve missed any NCVTV episodes, you can see the latest on newcashview.com or you can check out my YouTube channel and get caught up! You can get there by clicking here. Remember, like and share the NCVTV videos on Facebook and all your social media platforms, so others can benefit from them, too!
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