Margin: Creating Space with our Finances
Look, I know it's not fun to talk about money for most of us. But, take a look at some of my top tips and favorite resources for being more wise, intentional, and abundant in our finances.
Part 2 of 4 on the book, Margin by Richard Swenson
Contentment...the biggest secret for financial margin.
In terms of our finances, Margin = Our Income - Our Expenses.
If you have no money left at the end of the month or if a $500 emergency would cause you significant financial damage, you are not alone. Actually, you're in the majority in the US!
If you've followed me for any length of time, you've heard about our financial journey and some of our debt story. You can catch up on that more here. But, suffice it to say that we were totally NORMAL with loads of student loan, car, and credit card debt. Around the time our son Glendon was born we decided to make a change and do something different.
And, absolutely, getting your income higher, paying attention to expenses, and lowering them where necessary are key elements to margin.
But, contentment is the hidden ingredient to financial margin. Without it, we'll constantly struggle for more, more, more and it will never be enough.
In my experience, contentment is a mindset that is easily lost in our media and social comparison driven society. Gratitude and faith development can really help with this!
Gratitude helps with contentment
When we take the time to be grateful and notice all that we have, our contentment will go up! If you want to take time to intentionally work on this, I highly recommend a gratitude journal. Just 5 min or less a day can make a huge difference in your outlook on life.
If you want to try a fun workshop around this topic, you should join us this Saturday! Find out all about the event on Facebook.
My Fave Financial Resources
Contentment, however, is just a piece of the financial puzzle. Here are some of my favorite resources for help with creating financial margin.
The Budget Mom--The ultimate resource for simple, easy-to-follow solutions to help you budget your money, pay off debt, save more, and crush your financial goals. I really like to follow her Insta Stories.
Dave Ramsey--This is where we started our financial margin journey, with Financial Peace University. It changed our lives and our marriage forever. If you haven't taken this class yet, I think you should!
Rachel Cruze--She's so fun! She loves to spend money on fashion, pizza, and activities with her family. Her YouTube channel is quite popular and she talks a lot about contentment and how a budget can give freedom rather than restriction.
Profit First--This book specifically addresses how to have a profit margin in your business. So good! And very practical.
I hope these resources and ideas are a help and encouragement to you. You CAN gain financial margin in your life!