What would you do?

      What would you do if you awoke one morning to see the floor of your house was covered with a strange substance? Would you ignore the problem and continue your daily activities? Of course not! You would clean up immediately! Especially if you have any concern for you and your family!  
     
       This may seem like a silly question but statistics claim otherwise. According to pewreseach.org, more than 70% of the families in America live under financial stress. These financial problems are like a toxic substance spreading among American families. The mismanagement of personal finances has led to many problems, including marriage problems, divorce, and mental stress illnesses.
     
       Whether you know it or not, a significant percentage of the people you know are worried about their personal finances. Some are in serious trouble, facing mountains of debt, considering bankruptcy, or being hounded by lawyers and collectors.

The solution is simple: Develop a plan to clean up the financial disease in your life. Regardless of your situation, the past is over. Let’s work with your present to change your future.  A good plan to get out of debt has 3 steps: Communication, Commitment, and Implementation.

1.     Communication. Without effective communication between spouses, it will be hard for you to succeed. Communication is the key to encourage your wife or husband to get involved. Do whatever it takes to get your spouse interested in the benefits of starting a plan to get out of debt.

2.     Commitment. This is the hardest part of your plan. The level of your commitment will make the difference between failure and success. Part of your commitment is establishing financial goals and setting dates that will hold you accountable. As part of your game plan, you need a complete financial analysis that will help you develop realistic goals.  

3.     Implementation. Now you are ready to start your plan with a complete assessment of your financial situation. Sit with your spouse and evaluate your current financial situation. You need to know where you are financially and what you want to accomplish together.

       My next article will discuss how to build your financial assessment and how to develop a game plan to reach financial freedom.
       For additional details about this article or for a free financial consultation, feel free to contact me by email at eliud@eliudrodriguez.org or by phone at (478)-737-5089.
Eliud Rodriguez, is the Director of Financial Consulting Ministry and an active member of the Hispanic Foursquare Church in Warner Robins, GA.