There is so much personal finance advice on the internet, through podcasts, classes, and more these days. How do you know what to subscribe to? Who is right, who is off the rails, and who is working from a scarcity mindset?
You may have heard of some of the big names out there like Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey and David Bach. Each has their own philosophy (you could also call it their niche) when it comes to personal finance.
Suze Orman looks at what people are doing wrong. She doesn’t accept excuses for poor financial situations. And helps them learn to trim the fat out of their financial problems by learning what they want versus what they need.
Dave Ramsey has a rigid 7 Baby Step program that you are shamed for deviating from. His steps are geared towards being prepared for emergencies, getting out of debt and staying out of debt for life, then building wealth.
David Bach has so many different books but they come back to the same few principles: save, pay yourself first, and set automatic payments.
Each of these financial gurus became that way because what they said resonated with the people listening, they learned something and applied that advice. I started by hearing Dave Ramsey’s words and thinking to myself, although I don’t believe everything he is preaching I can hear the common sense in some of it.
On my own personal financial journey I have discovered that I do not subscribe to any one person’s financial advice. That is because my journey is unique to me. My thoughts, my dreams, my income, my goals, my values, and so much more. My journey is paved the way I want and need.
I do not sit here and tell you that you must pay off your debt before you invest or that you need to trim things out of your life. Instead, we find how to live your best life.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some parts of a journey that everyone needs: your why, your goals, you values, your budget, and your personal journey through your mindsets around money. But this looks different for everyone. I believe that each person has to find what works best for them.
How do you find what works best for you? This is done through trial and error. You have to do things ‘wrong for you’ to learn what works best for you. It is not failing, it is learning Look back at what you have tried in the past. What has worked and what hasn’t? Start there and continue to improve.
No rigidity here. Life Changes by You ebbs and flows with you and your life.