Divas, MPH

When we talk health, we think physical…. and then maybe mental… and if we are getting really introspective we consider our emotional and spiritual well being.

But complete health and wellness means living a balanced life. And life doesn’t just boil down to the physical, mental, and spiritual. We must consider other aspects, like our social health which includes our relationships and (ever so important to all other facets of health) our behaviors. How about environmental health? Small decisions like “paper or plastic”, to concerns of lead paint in the home, to catastrophes like the BP oil spill impact our daily lives in a major way!

And what about financial health? Most of the time when we talk about improving our health we aren’t talking about money — but we should be. Finding balance in life includes balancing the books. Can you really be optimally health if you’re stressed about creditors’ harassing calls, or if you don’t have the resources to eat as well as you should? Of course not.

Being a diva isn’t just about red bottom pumps (as much as we love them!) and designer handbags; because, honestly, we can’t try to look like a diva if we aren’t living like one. The time to gain control of our financial wellness is right now! Here are some tips & resources I’ve used in my quest to financial freedom, try them out, let me know what you think, and share yours with us:

1. Come up with a plan. Look at everything you owe, and everything you’ve got. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with debt, we tend to ignore it. But those school loans, that car payment, your Nordstrom credit card… that’s all money you OWE, and need to make a plan to pay. The faster, the better!

2. SAVE! It’s hard to find really good high-yield rates on savings in this time of financial crisis. But online savings accounts, such as those offered by banks like INGDirect offer fairly competitive rates. Get direct deposit into your savings every time you get paid, so you don’t even have to look at the money. Having online savings makes it a bit harder to access, and thus harder to spend. Log on and watch your savings grow!

3. Improve & maintain healthy spending habits. I love Michelle Singletary! Her books really helped me on my quest to financial freedom when I decided to buy my first home. She’s a columnist for the Washington Post, but also the author of several great guides like The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom. Check her out – she’s got tons of great advice.

4. Stick with it! Forget about the Jonses. The whole country is underwater trying to keep up with them! It’s time for us to get back to the basics. Credit is NOT money… it’s credit. We put so much emphasis on looking like we got it,  when we really don’t OWN much at all. Remember: if you’re still paying on it, it isn’t yours.

5. Lastly, invest. Start small, but once you’ve got some savings tucked away spend money on making money. Do your research, look for free seminars in your community, and continue to build your assets (FYI: cars & clothes are not assets).

We all can do better when it comes to our financial health. Lets us know the steps you’ve been taking to improve and what resources you’ve come across. We’d love to hear from you! And as always…

Be happy. Be healthy. Be wealthy.

Miss. Madie