Steps to Owning the Lifestyle You Want
JENNIFER STREAKS
Steps to Owning the Lifestyle You Want
If there’s one thing that connects us all, it’s money. Whether it’s in surplus, just enough or barely there, your financial health widely determines the kind of lifestyle you are able to afford. If you’re like me, you are constantly looking for ways to increase your income, become more financially stable, and even create multiple streams of income to reach that “American Dream.”
For those of us dangling in middle class, we continue seeing the same old pattern of financial highs and lows. Crossing that tax bracket to the upper echelon can be extremely challenging… that is if you’re not disciplined enough to make the necessary financial practice changes.
Do you really want to know how to get that lifestyle you’ve always dreamed? Well, allow me to introduce you to nationally recognize, financial and affordable lifestyle expert, Jennifer Streaks.
Streaks has been on every major TV and radio network (MSNBC, FOX, Fox Business, AlJazeera, CCTV, MarketWatch) and has been published in several national magazines providing practical financial advice that everyone and anyone can immediately put to use to see a change in their financial picture.
She earned her MBA from Johns Hopkins University with a background in banking and compliance. Streaks also worked in financial compliance for several large scale banks. In other words, the woman knows all about M-O-N-E-Y.
Through this work, I was able to see how important your credit, debt to income ratio and how much a person has in their bank account mattered. I also realized that this information was not reaching the masses and that people were finding it difficult to buy a home, start a business, save for retirement, etc. I think that everyone wants to live well and should. I don’t think anyone’s purpose on this earth is to just pay bills and die.
You can say that again!
When the housing bubble burst, I really wanted to help families that were facing foreclosure and I was able to help many save their homes by getting loan modifications from the banks. It was an important effort. Many were caught off guard and did not know what to do. I am proud I was able to do my part.
I have found that for most people the challenge with money is two things: knowing where their money is going and being able to save an emergency fund. It is so important to write everything down so that you know how you spend your money and it is important to have an emergency fund so that when emergencies happen (furnace breaks, car needs repairs etc.) you are not wiped out financially.
So what do you do if or when you’re in a situation that has the potential to wipe your account clean? Do you borrow the money? Get a loan? Either way you’re pushing yourself deeper and deeper into debt and ultimately further away from that Pina Colada on the beach somewhere off the grid.
I think that anyone can achieve an affordable lifestyle. I think many of us let instant gratification sink us. I think you can have anything that you are willing to work for, but the way you do it is important.
Instead of buying that car with the really high car note, why not wait another year, save up the money and buy it cash?
Instead of going out every weekend, why not take a money break, save, and start a business or increase a side-hustle?
If I had to be specific, I think with African-Americans, we can be flashy at times and there is nothing wrong with that, but plan to be flashy (I know that sounds funny), but yes, plan for it. If you want to get that outfit, car, purse, plan for it and be sure you have saved money first.
Okay, so if you won’t admit it, I’ll be the first to. I have struggled with saving money. It seems the more I make, the less I have. Honestly, that has a lot to do with my financial practices. It takes pure discipline along with the act of God to keep me from purchasing a new purse. I have tons of them and yet… I still don’t have enough. This is just an example of how we hinder ourselves from achieving financial freedom. Sooner or later the trench we dig by continually setting ourselves back financially catches up with us and then we’re left fighting tooth and nail to climb out.
If you find yourself in debt or some financial rut, get started now getting out of it. Don’t be embarrassed and don’t turn your back on it like it will take care of itself. Start working with your creditors and make payment arrangements, start writing everything down so that you will know where you money is going, and set up an automatic savings so that you can at least start contributing to an emergency fund for yourself.
These methods apply to my fellow entrepreneurs as well.
I always say to them that if they are in debt, get out of it and do not go into debt to start a business. Rome was not built in a day and neither was a successful business. Take your time and build the right way. And when you finally start making money, save, save, save!
Jennifer Streaks has so much knowledge and insight on how to help you live the life you want to afford with her new book, Thrive! … Affordably: Your month-to-month guide to living your BEST life without breaking the bank…
Thrive! Affordably was born from my work in the financial industry. I learned that the biggest mistake that people make is not knowing where their money is going. So I framed the book around that. There are exercises to complete and lists to create so you can understand how you spend your money and why. That is really the first step to effective money management. My book was a true labor of love! I was excited even when I was just writing my thoughts out on paper. I know that it will be helpful to a lot of people.
Streaks has been overwhelmingly successful in her work with a purposeful goal to guide people through their financial journey.
I believe because it is my purpose and that is what makes it come easy to me. What is the saying.” Do you want you love and you will never know a Monday.” Well, I am doing what I love!
You will definitely want to keep up with Jennifer Streaks and her amazing financial tips. Streaks has plans to continue to growing her brand and increasing the reach of her message. With plans already in motion for expanding into a lifestyle line and more TV appearances, Streaks looks to release another mind blowing book in 2017.
