money matters

Financial stress is never funny!

‘Money money money.  Always funny.  In a rich man’s world.’  Unlike the ABBA song, money has never been funny in my life.  Rather a source of endless confusion.

In my family, sound financial planning was regarded as the weekly purchase of a lotto ticket.

Often advice about money is given by those who have a lot of it. They make it seem so easy. Just budget. Invest. Plan. 

But what if you’re like me? Bills overdue. Credit Card debt. Savings? Never had any.

These days there is label for most things, so I’m going to invent ‘financial avoidance disorder’.  You fear money, avoid it, and live in an endless cycle of failing with it.

But I’m trying something new this time.  I’m thinking of money as something I enjoy– like gardening. I spend time with it each week, like I do in my garden.  What bills do I pay? Where does it go?  How much did I spend on coffee?! !

Find a friend who does budget and save. Make a little plan for your money that you can achieve.  Make it small, simple and something you can achieve. 

Get a bit of confidence up, then take the next steps into the wider money world.  But baby steps first.  And I don’t see any harm in the odd lotto ticket either.

article by Dr Maria Hennessy