The Curvy Road to Financial Freedom

This is always a challenging issue for me to write every year. We do a finance issue every year as it is so core to our community and our homes. No family is untouched by the effects of rising prices on everything from groceries to gas to interest rates on everything. 

On the way to work this morning, I heard on the radio that the cost of rent has risen 25 percent in the last four years while wages have not been able to meet that increase. Families are paying more for everything. Business owners are paying more for paper goods, insurance, and anything else needed to run a company. Nonprofits and their services are needed more and have less money to do it with. My own costs for paper and postage to put out this magazine every month have increased 16 percent in just the last year, and I have not passed those costs on to our clients. For me, talking about finances can be really demoralizing.  

However, while it took me investing all I had in retirement and then some to keep the company together and growing the last four years, we made it. While the company had a tough time coming out of COVID (who didn’t?), we have regained our footing and are growing exponentially. That comes with another set of challenges! When and how do you grow? When do you manage expenses and when do you hire more employees? And then, when do I get to think about my retirement being anything outside of this company? Are we in the clear yet? It just doesn’t feel like it yet. If you’re a business owner, you know 100 percent what I’m talking about.  

I love to hear older, wiser business owners talk about the “days when…,” as it gives me a perspective that is bigger than just my today. That times like this force you to get real with your “why” and with the “how.” Here’s what I personally have done to work on my financial freedom in the last year:  

I have begun to meet with a financial advisor who understands my situation and is kind and caring. She doesn’t care that I’m not moving millions to her today to manage. She has created an awesome road map for me that is tailored to my goals and understands what my assets are and how they work. It truly is a judgment-free zone which is needed as someone who has consistently dealt with shame as it relates to money.  

I got intense about following Dave Ramsey’s philosophy about getting out of debt. Again. For the third (maybe fourth) time. Every day is a new day, and anyone can start again.  

I have sold things. This last year I made over $2,000 in cash on things just sitting around in the garage. Nothing was big. It was just $40 here or $60 there or sometimes even just $10! But it all added up — and it paid off a credit card. It felt great … and just a little addicting, too. I think the dog was getting nervous.  

I’m helping my kids learn the value of their own money. It’s been tough. I really must resist the temptation to rescue at times. But it is so rewarding when they call to discuss budget decisions with me, and I see them make better choices than I did at their age.  

And I just keep on trucking and having faith. I believe that I’m in the place I’m supposed to be and as long as I am continuing to try to be a good steward of what God has blessed me with, I will be fine. He hasn’t let me down yet even though I have worried my way through all of it. (I have control issues, but we can leave that for another issue.) 

I know that talking about personal finances and money is hard. Trust me! No one gets more panicky than me about it. Being authentic can take the fear and stress away and give you the sight to take action and next steps! Good luck! We are all rooting for you!