Financial planner
May 13, 2009
its time to bump up the next stage of my financial development, and get an actual Planner to discuss my Goals. Who’s got suggestions?
I’ve spent the last 3 years getting my financial life in a more empowered position. I’ve greatly and vastly improved my credit score. I’ve maintained a successful checking account with no overdrafts (for the most part). I have some savings. I have more than one credit card, and while my limits aren’t very big, they aren’t secured anymore, and they are getting larger with time. I’ve taken out small personal loans, and paid them back before they were due so I wouldn’t have to pay heavy interest. I’ve paid off all my long term debt, and now manage the short term debt. AND I just signed up for my first ever retirement account, and didn’t leave the meeting feeling like a total ignorant fool.Woohoo, go ME! I say.
But my long term financial planning leaves me feeling sort of lost. I have found that it’s much easier to “punish and reward” myself in the short stints, rather than actually abundantly give to my own life in the long term. After reading the Automatic Millionaire, I found it incredibly hard to Pay Myself First. I assume, like everything, it will take practice.
So, I want to adopt children. I want to start my own business. Those are the biggies. and I’m not sure where to go Next, with those goals in mind. Should I play the stock market? and then how do I play it, aggressively, cautiously, or the way grandma would, by stuffing bills into mattresses?
When do you know to stop researching and start ACTING?
I feel the growth spurt financially the way that teenagers hurt when their bodies grow too fast. And I’m asking for help. So if you know a good financial planner, that can work with a 30-something single woman in the Bay Area, who’s got some juicy plans up her sleeve, hook me up.
Or share your story here! I love to talk about money, because it really is an emotional topic. Anyone who tells you it’s just Business isn’t being honest. It *is* more than Business, it’s our LIVES. Amen.
Photo cred-
http://www.advice.com/images/uploaded/article/7/e/7e2bd30ad3bd4bbfa5fe620b25eede1f
Barney on Wed, 13th May 2009 12:10 pm
A good financial planner will tell you to diversify, with some of your money aggressively invested, and some more conservatively invested. Right now, the market is very slowly (like molasses in January) mending itself, so there are good bargains to be made. IMHO, The fact that you are asking these questions, and are thinking about the long term puts you ahead of the pack….roll with it and make your money work for you!
vicious on Wed, 13th May 2009 12:15 pm
The stock market is a tricky beast. I am not sure you want to dive into it for as short term as some of your goals are.
But you have come a long way on your own. You should feel very proud of what you have accomplished. You have gained a great deal of control over your life.
Brenda on Wed, 13th May 2009 1:20 pm
Stock market is a long term investment as unless you play it aggressively (shorting stocks, trading daily, etc) – which takes a bit of know how, there is rarely a large short term benefit. But over time it can be a great way to invest extra cash as the stock market, in general, goes up over time. If you are thinking about investing for the long term, there are definitely some bargains to be had as most everything is at rock bottom prices. I have a book called “Investing for Dummies” that you can borrow ifn you like
I don’t have any advice for a particular financial planner, however I would recommended that you check to ensure that whoever you select is credentialed as a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) by checking this site: http://www.cfp.net/search/ You can also search by zip code for CFPs in the area if you don’t get any recommendations.
promise on Thu, 21st May 2009 12:31 pm
I alwsys like your comments, Barney. They are so informative.