by Altimese Nichole | Oct 20, 2015 | Lifestyle+Culture
Growing up in a single family home was tough at times. All financial responsibility for the home fell on my mother – and she worked two jobs the majority of my childhood to make ends meet. In the midst of the difficult journey, my mother took the time to pour invaluable wisdom in my life— after all, we were all we had.
One of the many things she taught me while growing up was centered around finances. Having a financial background and career, she made it a point to teach me core financial nuggets of wisdom. If your heart is open to receive, I would like to share a few with you:
- Credit is EVER-REY-THANG!
So is credit really everything? YES. Credit is EVERYTHANG!!!
“If you have a bill due and no grocery in your house and your contemplating on which one to pay—pay that bill first. Because of your decision to pay that bill, you can easily go to the bank to request a 0% APR loan, which will help you to pay for those grocery for your home. But never, ever neglect your bills unless unforeseen circumstances force you into that position. If that’s the case, communicate with your collectors. If you tell them upfront, they’re more willing to help you through it vs. a lack of communication and an abundance of unpaid bills.” ~ My mom
It sounds crazy but America’s score of your responsibility matters. They don’t see you struggling to pay your bills but that score will follow you wherever you are in life, for the rest of your life. I am a personal testimony of this. While in college, I followed my mom’s advice and used ONE credit card to build my credit (which is still the same company for the one credit card I have now as an adult). Within one year, my score doubled. I needed a car but had no down payment since I was still in school. I went to a dealership and within a few hours I drove off the lot with a brand new car, a 4% interest rate, and no down payment needed. Don’t be fooled; protect that credit score the way you would protect your most valuable possessions.
- Make Credit Cards Work for YOU
“To build credit, get ONE credit card (all you need is one) and put $100 or $200 dollars on it each, and PAY IT OFF. Continue to do that each month and it will trigger your score in a positive way.”~Mom
Never have an on-going balance on your card. By doing so, your become obligated to pay interest. Additionally, get a card that has a great rewards system. This will help you earn points toward free gift cards, flights, hotels, and more. I personally know quite a few people who pay their bills through their cards to maximize their points. Let me explain… Instead of using the money that they ALREADY HAVE in their bank account to pay their bills directly, they go through a process: they pay their bill with their rewards card first, wait for the points to accumulated, and then pay off the credit card in total. IF (and only if) you’re highly engaged with monitoring your card and you’re self-disciplined to do this would it be recommended. However, this method uses the credit card to the advantage of the consumer.
- Use the Cash-and-Carry Method
“Every now and then, assess your spending habits and do a financial clease through the cash-and-carry method. Carry just cash and keep your receipts. At the end of the month, see what you’re really investing your money in.” ~My mom
Have you ever noticed that if you take out money from the bank, you tend to hold onto it much longer than you would the money on your debit card? When we physically see the money transaction, we tend to think twice about our purchases. If you’re trying to get a handle on your finances, I highly encourage the cash-and- carry method, leavening your cards at home. For emergencies, dust that check book off, and carry it with your cash! Why the checkbook? Checks are so archaic yet so very intentional. To write a check, you’re deliberately thinking about the money you’re spending—and you will have access to your account, should life throw you a curveball.
- The Co-signing Trap
“Never co-sign unless you’re married to the person you’re co-signing for. Even in that case, be careful. The co-signer holds the primary responsibility for the loan. So, should the initial borrower fail to make payments, the collector has the right to immediately go after the co-signer. Just don’t do it. Not for friends and definitely not for family.” ~My mom
Her words said it all. No explanation is needed.
- Ignorance Isn’t Bliss
“Just because you don’t know about financial responsibility it doesn’t give you a pass to do immature things when it comes to money. Financial matters involve numbers. Numbers don’t lie and care nothing about concept, ideas, hopes and dreams.” ~My Mom
Make financial education a personal goal in your life. Read books, research the companies your working with, and learn about 401k’s and investment opportunities. Financial matters are personal yet brutally public if not handled properly. Educate yourself. In a world with all information at our fingertips, we truly have no excuse anymore.
Have you ever received great financial advice? Please share with the STRONG community!
by Altimese Nichole | Oct 20, 2015 | Learn + Grow
Through life, it’s so easy to look at another person’s life, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter handle believing that their life is perfect or without life’s blemishes. We forget that life happens to everyone and although social media is great for connecting us- it is also great at masking the true reality in our lives.
Looking at someone, we never know what others are going through. We could see someone daily with a smile on their face and they are the same person crying their sorrows at night. Before placing judgment, criticizing, or sparking jealousy in your heart, always remember that you have no idea the real journey of walking in the other person’s shoes. It’s not always greener on the other side.
Imagine if everyone focused on their own portions in life:
If we focused on our relationship with God.
If we focused on our marriages.
If we focused on nurturing our children.
If we focused on our friendships.
If we focused on our health.
If we focused on our families.
If we simply focus on our own lives, we wouldn’t have time to judge, critic, or condemn another. Additionally, we would realize that our grass could be so beautiful, full, and healthy with a bit of nurture, time, and intentional care.
Don’t leave your grass unattended to because you’re so busy looking at others. Attend to your own portion, and make it lovely.
by Altimese Nichole | Sep 21, 2015 | Faith + Expressions
It is said that you can tell where one’s heart resides by the things (or people) he or she spends the most time and money. It’s a very true statement but can I be honest? As I type this I feel conviction in my spirit. As a woman of God, I say (and truly believe) that God is the most important in my life. But is that reflecting in my time with him? Do I talk to him daily and allow time of silence so I can truly hear His voice when he responds? What about my time in His word. Can that be better?
Absolutely.
However, in all transparency—I knew that I had to do more than simply read. I had to STUDY. I did a bit of research on how to truly study the Word of God as a beginner (meaning a newbie at truly studying and digesting the context of God’s word). While searching, I found this amazing method called SOAP.
The acronym, SOAP means “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer.†How amazing is that? It helps the people like me create a bit of focus and structure to my study time. I seek a scripture that I want to set my mind on for the day, and follow the soap method to go a bit deeper into my time with God. It’s helped me a lot with doing more than just reading—but truly finding ways to apply what I’m reading to my life.
What methods do you use to study the Bible?
by Khojdeshia Denise | Sep 16, 2015 | Learn + Grow
Hey You,
If I could say one thing to you it would be: find your SMILE. Find the place within yourself that no matter what’s going on, you can smile anyway because you know that no storm lasts forever. Even when hard times come and the rain seems like it will never end, remember it will! You can never see the light of the sunshine if your head is held down in defeat. Trust me, I know times get hard, but times have been hard before, and you will make it through this-as you always do. I wanted to take this time to encourage you in case no one else does. I want to remind you to acknowledge the rhythm that continues to pump inside your chest despite any opposition you face. And when the tears cloud your vision sometimes, remember we walk by faith not by sight! No matter what you do JUST HOLD ON. Believe that you can make it and trust that when you do, you’ll gain strength that you never thought you possessed, and yet it’s been right inside you all along.
Just a quick letter to YOU.
LIGHT and LOVE,
Khojdeshia Denise
by Altimese Nichole | Sep 16, 2015 | Learn + Grow
Life is real and sometimes we face challenging times that make us feel as if the next step forward is a thousand miles away. When this happens, here are a few ways to help you during the difficult times in your life:
- Hit the Reset Button
When we hit road blocks in life, the blow can hit us so hard that we lose focus on the bigger picture. Understand that this is okay. It’s called life and the longer we live, the more we experience. When we experience curve balls in life, take a moment to step back and remind yourself of the WHY in your life. This is called hitting your reset button. Your WHY is the things, people, or mission that keep you motivated in life. By taking a moment of reflection (the sooner the better), the more you can embrace the inevitable while remaining in grace and focus through your process.
- Fight thoughts of Negativity
Sometimes we can become our worst enemy through our condemning and self-destructive thoughts. The battlefield begins in our minds; we can make ourselves think we are in the best position possible or the worst circumstance imaginable. Make the effort to cast down negative thoughts that linger because they will simply make root in your heart. To fight your thoughts, speak to them. (Sounds crazy, right? Good. Try it.) When thoughts arise to remind you of the problem you’re facing, speak life (or your desired outcome) aloud. It’s impossible to have your thoughts contradict your words—eventually one must align and words take precedence. Speak life to your situation and watch it shift, first with your mind and then into your reality.
- Find Your Happy Place
Think of the things that make you happy. Is it cooking? Singing? For me personally, my happy place is reading, writing, and nature. They’re my place of escape when I desire to mentally take a break. Seek your happy place to help you find your balance. It can’t make your problems go away but will help shift your mood while you’re in it.
- Spend time with your Core Loved Ones
Relationships matter and the within the core of our hearts reside our core support system. When life gets a little difficult, tune in deeper to the people you love. In addition to reminding you that you’re never alone, they help you cope with moments of hard times. Stay connected and spend time with your core.
Although adversity is inevitable, it’s up to us to ensure the direction of how the issues of life impact us long after they are gone. We can allow them to make us bitter… or better. The choice is ours. Since the only way through it is “Through It,” add these tips to your resource tool box for those rainy days.
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