4 People You Need in Your Financial Life
There are people in life that you can really count on.
It’s nice to have that family member who always answers the phone or the friend who will listen to your problems with no judgment. Then there are the people who are good to have in life to help you financially, directly with advice or indirectly by example.
1. The Saver A friend who is a penny pincher is very valuable. First of all, you can plan fun activities together that don’t cost much money, and you don’t have to feel badly saying no to something because it won’t fit in your budget.
Savers understand. Also, you can get inspired by their frugal behavior.
Watching the saver set a goal, work toward it and then meet it can help you do the same. This person is very disciplined with money -- they likely have a budget and stick to it.
If you find yourself tempted to overspend or go into debt, a call to the saver can keep you grounded and on track for your own financial goals.
2. The Spender On the other end of the spectrum is the spender. While this person, who may tend to overspend and live beyond his or her means, isn’t necessarily a good role model for all financial decisions, they can be valuable to have in your life.
A spender can act as a cautionary tale to remind you why you have financial goals and why it is important to stick to them. But your friends who splurges can also remind you to enjoy life.
They remind you that it’s OK to have short-term goals too. In addition to saving for retirement, you can enjoy some of life’s pleasures now. If you are becoming disheartened because all of your goals seem too long term, a call to the spender can help you find a way to spend a little enjoying life now. Just make sure it’s not a big budget buster.
3. The Experienced Having someone in your life who has already dealt with your current financial dilemmas can add a good perspective.
This person has already negotiated for a raise, bought a house or bought life insurance (and possibly done all three). It can be a parent, older sibling, friend or colleague. The experienced person in your life can be a good source when tough decisions come up. You can soak up knowledge from their success and their failures.
4. The Newbie This person is excited to be making money and learning about financial strategies.
Having a newbie in your life can keep you from getting too jaded. It can also keep you engaged in discussions -- perhaps introducing you to new financial experts, strategies or tools that can improve your current situation.
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