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Life Planning vs. Financial Planning

I'm often asked about money issues: but life planning: not so much. It may surprise you to know that the two are closely linked in my eyes: if you don't see it, allow me to explain.

I am a believer in quality of life. For most people who meet me for the first time, their concern is money: financial planning, retirement planning, college planning- all good intentions which are very real in need, but where does quality of life fit into these categories? First, I believe. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are unhappy or have a poor quality of life, no amount of money is going to bring you happiness or good health. The place to start with all of the above planning needs is quality of life, and how the above will affect it. You may start a savings plan to diligently save for the future or a second home, but if you are living on a shoestring trying to get there, or eating hotdogs every night (and I love hot dogs!) then you have to consider how you are living today to add how you are saving into the equation. Unfortunately, when we are born, we don't come stamped with an expiration date on our bums, and I have seen people who had saved diligently for decades unfortunately pass away before they got a chance to retire and live the good life. It is truly unfortunate.

No different than planning a vacation, there are so many issues to take into account when you do your planning, including your present quality of life. Housing, food, even vacations should be included and not avoided because it may get in the way of your long term goals. Statistics have shown that many spend more time planning a vacation than planning their future…while I don't agree that this statistic is very sensible, planning the vacation should be included in your planning time. But, always remember not to let the short term goals get in the way of the long term goals- incorporate them, and include them- it makes for a much happier lifestyle...

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