The economy has been at the forefront of discussion in the national and local news for the better part of 4 years since the Great Recession of 2008. And of course with a Presidential Election in our near future the focus on the economy has intensified. Regardless of your political persuasion, I think we can agree that there are two basic arguments about how to best get the economy back on track (lets assume for the moment that the government actually has the ability to make that happen):
- Increase taxes on corporations and high income earners so the government has more funds available for social programs to help those in great need and help everyone reach a basic standard of life.
- Reduce taxes and regulations to spur investments and hiring by businesses everywhere, hence increasing the influx of cash into the economy and eventually improving conditions for everyone.
So it is either “more government and more taxes“ or “less government and less regulation/taxation“. Both options will campaign for your vote and both will promise that if you vote for them your future will be secure. But what about a third option? If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I don’t believe elected officials from either side of the aisle hold the key to your financial future. Don’t get me wrong: I will vote in this election and I know why I will vote the way I will vote. However, I have both prospered and struggled with money under administrations from both parties. It had very little to do with them and a lot more to do with me. I had to decide to take control of my finances because that was the only way to prosper. It took time, effort, and sacrifice but it was worth it.
What if all of us took charge of our money? What if we truly learned to live on less than we make? What if you had no payments? What if you had money in the bank? Then maybe we could start reversing these trends:
- 1 in 5 Americans (20%) are dependent on the government. This is the highest percentage of dependence in our history.
- The average consumer owes $15k on auto debt, $173k on mortgage, $26k on student loans, $48k home equity debt and $6k on credit cards.
- The ratio of household debt to personal income in the United States is now 154%. In other words, for every $100 of personal income, the average household carries $$154 in debt.
- One in four Americans (25%) have more credit card debt than they have in emergency savings.
Imagine if you had no payments. What could you do? Anything you wanted to do! Where would you go? Anywhere! Who could you bless? Anyone who was in need! Did you know that only people with money can help others? That if you are deeply in debt and if you have no savings you can’t help anyone?
So my first vote of the year is for you. I believe you hold the key to getting your finances on track, the key to changing your family legacy. You can completely change the picture so you can be in a position to really help others. Choose to get your money under your control. I can show you how.
Remember: You can only share hope when you have hope.
“Difficult choices involve painful sacrifices, advance planning or just plain guts.” – Seth Godin
Presione aquí para ver este artículo en Español
