In the quest for wellness- physical and mental- it is easy to overlook an equally fundamental aspect of our lives: financial wellness. Just as we need to care for our body and mind to maintain our overall wellness, our financial habits, smart monetary decisions, and efficient planning may help establish financial wellness. Much like self-love in mental health, financial wellness has a similar philosophy: showing your finances some self-love.

Simply put, financial wellness encapsulates the overall financial health of an individual, tapping into factors such as financial literacy, planning, money management abilities, financial habits, and confidence and freedom. An understanding of financial wellness moves away from the traditional idea of wealth accumulation, instead presenting a holistic view that incorporates the entirety of an individual’s financial life.

Self-love is a familiar concept; it is a conscious act of taking care of oneself, ensuring that we are nurturing and loving towards ourselves. But how do we transpose this concept into the realm of finance? The answer lies in core financial behaviors and attitudes toward money. Here are some ways we can express this form of love.

#1- Understand your financial situation. Commit to understanding your financial situation by analyzing your income, expenses, savings, and investments. Reviewing your spending habits and identifying areas that need adjustment or improvement is vital since your financial status forms the basis for managing your finances.

#2- Make informed decisions. Taking care of your finances essentially signifies making informed decisions that promote financial growth and stability. It calls for proactive efforts to understand your financial condition, establish clear goals, and efficiently manage your income, expenses, savings, and investments. This gesture of self-love towards your finances is crucial in providing you with a sense of security and freedom, shielding you against potential risks, and being well-equipped to identify your future financial needs and goals.

#3- Nurture healthy financial habits. The idea of financial self-love also involves nurturing healthy financial habits. Healthy habits encompass spending within your means, avoiding impulsive or unnecessary purchases, regularly saving a part of your income, maintaining a healthy credit score, and reviewing your goals and investments. These habits convey a sense of respect towards your hard-earned money, ensuring that it is used appropriately and, in turn, securing your financial wellness.

#4- Protect your assets. Self-love also means protecting your assets against risks. Protection must involve purchasing suitable insurance coverage to shield against unforeseen events or circumstances that could derail your financial wellness. Insurance to protect your assets may include life insurance, home and auto insurance, disability insurance, long-term care (LTC) insurance, and others.

#5- Educate yourself. There is also an indispensable need for ongoing financial education to show self-love to your finances. Continuously upgrading your financial literacy helps you make intelligent financial decisions. Financial education could involve seeking professional advice, attending financial workshops or webinars, or reading articles on financial wellness.

#6- Develop a savings strategy. Regardless of income, saving demonstrates financial responsibility and helps you work toward financial wellness. Establishing an emergency fund to help cushion against unforeseen financial setbacks and save for retirement and other goals is essential.

Showing self-love to your finances is an ongoing journey. It requires consistent effort, patience, and dedication; however, by doing the work, one can work toward a sense of independence and empowerment.  Click HERE to reach out to one of our professionals at TradeWell™ Tax & Financial today for a complimentary review of your finances.