November is Financial Literacy month & I couldn’t think of a better time to launch the Personal Finance series I mentioned at the end of Summer! The series will involve a periodical Personal Finance blog post & IGTV segment surrounding Financial Literacy. The aim of these series is to empower the women (yes you working chix!) in my community to build confidence in financial matters, empowering you to take control of your personal finances & foster financial freedom. I will tackle subjects like financial knowledge regarding Savings, Debt, Budgeting, Retirement Planning, Investing, etc., as well as financial behaviors & attitudes surrounding that knowledge. I hope that in turn this will allow you to build financial resilience & financial well-being.
As a CPA, CA, I felt compelled to share my financial knowledge. In having conversations with female clients, friends & acquaintances, I noticed that a lot of women are not comfortable with Finance related subjects, some out of lack of interest, but most out of the lack of knowledge. And rightfully so, because our education system has failed us. Financial literacy is not taught in schools, yet it should be a requirement for all, not just business students. Managing your money is one of the most important life skills that brings upon financial success, happiness & stability through financial freedom. I love sharing my love for Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle with you all, but I want to add more value to your lives, and I hope these posts will do just that. I will do my best to make this content digestible and fun. Finances don’t have to be boring! And no, you will not need to give up your daily Starbucks, trust me ;)
In order to kick things off, I would like to introduce two books I read recently that are the perfect preamble to our Personal Finance adventure:
The first book is ‘Wealth Building for Beginners’ by Edward R. Williams. He’s been a Financial Planner for 23 years and wrote this book in order to help individuals and families to get rid of debt & create more wealth for themselves and plan for retirement. It’s a great book covering simple concepts everyone should be aware of. Having made financial mistakes in his life, the aim of his book is to demonstrate in a transparent manner that “You can start from anywhere, it’s never too late” & to provide a practical system that will motivate and inspire you to learn and build sustainable habits needed to thrive financially. I truly admire the author’s candor and I admit that I have made financial mistakes while I was young as well and have recovered from them with focus, dedication & the accumulation of financial knowledge. The book is a very easy read and walks you through the following key topics: Habits that are wealth destroyers to avoid, things you should know about insurance, highlights on saving, debt & investing, as well as important consideration for retirement and estate planning. Each piece of knowledge is accompanied by a personal story or anecdote, making the book fun & a quick read (total of 150 pages).
The second book is ‘Happy go Money: Spend Smart, Save Right, and Enjoy Life’ by Melissa Leong. Each chapter of this book provides practical advice on topics such as spending, saving, debt, budgeting, investing, and being mindful with money, but it’s infused with fun anecdotes & humor that make the book easily digestible. I had a lot of fun reading this book and flew through the 250 pages in just a few days. I learnt new things, found myself in these pages & got empowered to take action on things like calling up my service providers to reduce my monthly spending (thanks Melissa!) It’s a great book to help you create a healthier relationship with money so that you can enjoy more happiness in your life.
I recommend both books as the perfect starting point, a 1st step towards a healthier financial life. I am so excited and honored to begin this Financial journey with you all! Stay tuned for the 1st topic: Debt & Savings coming shortly!
Wearing: Lambert Bag, Max Mara Coat, RW&Co trousers, New Balance Trainers, Ted Baker Sweater, BonLook Sunnies
Kisses,
WCX