The holiday season is the time of year where you may travel to see family or visit a significant other’s family. The bottom line is that the holidays bring on additional expenses when you are in a relationship. Here are five ways being single during the holiday season saves you money.
Money
It is no surprise that the holidays push for people to buy their friends, family, and significant others gifts. Seasonal holiday jobs appear during this season so that people can make an additional income to spend on gifts during the holidays. This holiday season save money instead of spending it on a significant other.
Travel
Travel is another major expense during the holiday seasons. Depending on your work schedule and your relationship with your family, you may not be able to or want to go back home for the holidays. While your family may be understanding, a significant other would put more pressure on you to visit their family during the holidays so that you can meet their family. The cost of going home during the holidays or visiting a significant other’s family include transportation to and from airports food and drink at the airport terminal, and flight tickets. There should be no pressure to travel during the hectic holiday season and being single gives you the opportunity to make your own decisions about where you want to spend your holidays.
Dining Out
Relationships are expensive, especially dating relationships, because you have to pay for another person when you dine out. It is no longer a meal and a drink. It is now two meals and two drinks. Food and drink quickly add up when going out. But if you went home with your significant other for the holidays, they want to take you to their favorite places in their city. This means that you will need to include additional money in your holiday budget to dine out with your significant other. However, by being single during the holidays, you only have to pay for yourself when you go out. If you want to save money, you can cut back on going out and put it towards gifts or put the money that would originally go towards dining out into your savings account.
Gifts
Gifts can be expensive depending on what type of gifts you like to give people. If you have a significant other who you want to impress at Christmas, you may buy them some nice jewelry or bottle of their favorite spirit. While some families want to cut back costs of gifts by doing a white elephant gift exchange, you may not be so lucky with your significant other’s family. Being single means that you can save money again by having to get gifts for your one family instead of for a significant other and their family too.
Holiday Parties
Holiday parties start around Halloween and peak during New Year’s, but won’t end until after Valentine’s Day. That means you may be go to parties with friends or a significant other at least once for each holiday. Depending on the type of party and where it is located, parties may require purchasing tickets in advance and events for holiday parties can get expensive. Instead of being pressured to go to holiday parties and spend money that you really don’t want to because of a significant other, embrace being single this holiday season and go to holiday parties that you want to or save money by not going to any parties.
These are the five most common ways that you will spend money during the holidays. If you are single and are not obligated to visit a significant other’s family this holiday season, be thankful because not being in a relationship is saving you money. Is being single during the holidays starting to look better now? Happy holidays and enjoy being single this holiday season!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Once on HGTV and now on Netflix, real estate TV show Buy Herself uncovers women purchasing real estate. The women in the market are mostly independent career-blazers who are shopping for their new home. Buying your first home can be extremely difficult, especially when you’re single. The truth is that it is possible if you want it bad enough. Hosted by the Canadian real estate agent Sandra Rinomato, she finds the perfect place for each client.
Each episode dives into what specifics each woman is looking for, and through careful research, Sandra Rinomato is able to find the right home, the perfect location, and a competitive price point.
In addition, with the rise of single independent women, an article in Bloomberg writes about how single women are buying homes at the rate of single men. Starter homes or one bedroom apartment complexes are perfect places to start. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a mansion on your first purchase. To build your wealth one step at a time, purchasing a starting place is the perfect way to start.
On one example, Michelle Jackson of Denver, Colorado purchased a one bedroom in a triplex for $75,000. Paying her mortgage down, and then upgrading to another home will allow her to rent out her starter home in the future and build another source of income. For Jackson, purchasing a home gave her more freedom to flourish.
“I’m not married, I don’t have kids. I can live alone, and fabulously. I feel empowered.”
Women home owners are on the rise. When purchasing a home, women in real estate tend to be more conservative and frugal when it comes to buying a place of their own. Not bad, if you are working to be smart with your finances, and not spread your debt to income ratio to wide when obtaining a mortgage.
In previous times, women would wait to get married to buy a home with their spouse, but in light of the growing independence and rising salaries for women, women now need a place of their own.
In reference to an old book by Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own written all the way back in 1929 depicts the earlier century needs of women to have a place of their own. Back then, it was a very progressive book for its’ time, but now aligns with the values of our current times. Women do, and always have, needed a place of their own.
For those women who want to know more about real estate, but have been too scared to ask, check out Buy Herself to see women who have purchased their perfect homes. Make sure to research any area you are looking to buy a home in, research the local real estate agents, budget for closing costs, and make sure you have a plan. You can have a home of your own to complement your growing salaries, career, and independence. The women in Buy Herself did it, and you can too.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Many self-made billionaires, like Mark Cuban, started out in similar circumstances to your current walk of life, and in some cases, many of the self-made elites had worse off beginnings than you. The reason they are so successful is that they have developed an excellent work ethic. Mark Cuban shares his top tips for 20-somethings. It turns out that mastering these basic tips can pay dividends for your future self. You will be surprised at how simple these tips are — the top tips actually make a difference if you master the basics.
Never Underestimate the Power of Frugality
Sure you may have roommates in your 20-somethings, but take this time to pay off your student loan debt (if you have any), and save up as much cash as you can. If you have no family, dog, or car payments, take this time to work two jobs. Multiple sources of income are key. Where frugality comes into play is when you start to spend money defensively. Many millionaires and billionaires have amassed large fortunes due to their immaculate ability to watch where their money is going. Do not invest in anything that rots, depreciates, or rusts. Being frugal is one of the keys to building wealth. Don’t let the ‘keeping up with the Jones’s be an issue, having money in your pocket at the end of the day is king.
“It doesn’t matter where you live. It doesn’t matter how you live. It doesn’t matter what car you drive. It doesn’t matter what kind of clothes you wear, [and] the more you stress over bills, the more difficult it is to focus on your goals. The cheaper you can live, the greater your options.” — Mark Cuban
Take What You Can Get & Develop Your Side Hustle
In life you will have many opportunities to change your life. You have the responsibility to take the chances to make what you want to happen. You might not land your dream job right away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate providing value at a job you currently work at. If you work 40 hours a week, take some time do develop a side hustle which will improve your life in two ways: You will build essential business skills, and the work you do can become your passion that can turn you into a millionaire. Building your own company is a highly advised tool that can make you very wealthy – check into it.
When you find something you love, and the pay doesn’t matter, you’ve found the sweet spot to where your passion will pay dividends, and you will end up making a lot more money doing simply because your heart is in it. Business Insider blog contributor Richard Feloni notes that you need to prioritize your passion over your paycheck if you want to put yourself on a rewarding career path that allows you to thrive.
Be grateful for your current situation, and work like hell to make your dream come true. You will incur failure, but failure is only an indication of striving for the next big thing. Keep moving forward.
“If you love what you do so much that you are willing to continue to live like a student in order to be able to stay in the job, you have found your calling.”
— Mark Cuban
Be the Best You Can Be – In Any Situation
In your 20’s the majority of decisions you make will deeply impact your future, more so than the decisions you make in your 30’s and 40’s. Time is precious, and once you spend it, you can never get it back. Make a decision to be the best you can in any career, living situation, or relationship. When you put your best foot forward, there will be nothing to regret. Make the decision of excellence. When you do your best, you make it easier on the people around you to do what they need to.
If you’re working somewhere that is not your ideal career path, do your best anyway. When you’re outside of work hours, put in the time to develop your profession by doing your business development. Self-education will make you rich.
The above tips may be simple, but mastering the basics is key to your success. Starting in your 20-somethings with the right mindset and the initiation of developing your good habits will be the solid foundation for which you can succeed. Go forth and be amazing!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Our lives are composed of the choices we make, and the choices we intend to make. Each decision carefully crafts our futures in a way that could drastically impact how we interact with people, the careers we choose, the amount of income we take in, how healthy we are, and our levels of happiness. The quality of choices we make determines the quality of our lives. Some may call it the Butterfly Effect.
Two of the biggest choices people make are their choices in a career and their choices in a partner. Your career should always come first, as it is the way you provide for yourself, your family, and your country. To put food on the table, and to turn your lights on at home are critical. In fact, your sense of security is one of the most pressing needs you have to fulfill. After your needs are met to provide for yourself, then you have the option to choose a partner.
Many millennials are striving to find a sense of security through finding a meaningful career. The millennial generation is also attempting to pay off student loans. These two focuses are essential to lead a fulfilling life. We are all assured we will find just what we are looking for, but what do we do when it comes to love? Finding a meaningful relationship with someone who is compatible with us, and will help up become a better person is a huge need. To love, and give love in return is one of the greatest gifts in life. A soul mate, or our other half, is something many people are looking for even beyond their 20s and 30s.
Who you choose as a partner is critical. They can either make you or break you, as Napoleon Hill once noted in his book Think and Grow Rich.
From the logistical side, it would make sense to have your life together before you have a lifelong, loving partner in your life. You will need to pursue your passions first to feel a sense of profound accomplishment and self-fulfillment before you fall in love. But what happens if you meet someone along the way? Is it possible to balance both love and career? It depends on who you are as a person, and what your priorities are.
You should want to be as complete as you can before letting a partner join you along your journey. But if it happens to be that love happens, you should share a mutual understanding of support in each other’s career paths.
How you weather the storm will reveal to yourself just what you are made of. Some millennials can balance this, while others are either on one side or the other.
As a rule of thumb, you should have your education and career in forwarding progression first. The reason for having your life in order before you choose your partner will make for a smoother sail when you partner up. One thing is for certain, there is nothing wrong with being single and finding yourself. There is also nothing wrong with having a partner who loves and supports you in your journey.
I believe so many people are in search of love for the wrong reason, and we select what is fast, convenient, and in the end a genuinely bad match.
Take your time when choosing a partner, and keep focused on your goals no matter what. The right person will come along when you least expect. If your partner is a quality person, they will respect you for staying true to who you are and not compromising your dreams. They may have the same mindset as you. You want someone to complement you. When you have your career and goals aligned with yourself and can fully provide and support yourself, you will have someone to enjoy your time with.
Get your life in order first, choose your career. When you are independent, fulfilled, and happy, you will attract the right person. Good luck out there Secure Singles! Love is a battlefield!
Securely Single,
Danielle E. Brockman
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
A Single’s Guide to Budgeting
We’ve all been there, especially if you are a 20-something. You’ve lived with roommates long enough, and you now want to experience living on your own. Or, you’ve just broken up with your significant other and you don’t know what your next steps will be. In a tough job market with sticky wages, how can you afford to rent a place on your own? How you achieve this boils down to your planning and the action of working your plan.
Learn Your Budget
You need to know how much money you are bringing in, and how much money is going out. A lot of people think they have a handle on their money, but when they go to check their bank account, there is nothing in there.
A simple way to start is to get on the computer, whether your own or one at the library, follow these steps to get the ball rolling:
- Create a Gmail account and login to Google Docs.
- Open up Google Sheets and create a file called, ‘Budget.’
- Log into your bank account and import your transactions into Google Sheets. Here is a video on the process.
- Sort your transactions.
- Your first part of the budget will be your income statement. You will want to start making ways to build multiple streams of income.
- The second part of your budget will be your expenses. You want to list your fixed expenses first. Those are your rent, utilities, car and student loan payments.
- The third part of your budget will be your disposable income. This is the money you have left over for food, gas, and entertainment. Most people who are working to get ahead save 10% of their income and put it in an interest earning account. You will want to do your best to save as much as you can, especially at a young age.
- Compare your income versus your expenses. This is called a cash flow statement. If you are in the red, meaning your expenses are greater than your income, then you need to create a plan of action to increase your income and decrease your expenses.
Cut Your Expenses
You may have necessary items you need to pay for monthly, but there are a lot of items you can do without. It may be as simple as canceling your Netflix subscription or lowering your data plan on your phone. You might also want to cut the cord on your cable bill. If you are living with roommates, find a fair way to opt out. Ask your landlord if you can do extra work for free around the rental space to lower your rent. You can also ask for lower rent if you sign a longer lease.
Plan meetings with your friends once a week, versus multiple times a week and on the weekend. You will cut down your ‘eating out and drinking’ expenses. This will give you a little extra money to save while rewarding yourself once a week by allowing yourself to go out. To keep your food expenses low, eat before you go out, order smaller plates, and even stick to one drink – you can pace yourself by drinking slowly, so you will always have a drink in hand. Enjoy going out in moderation by allowing yourself one special night a week. It is necessary to have money in the bank for survival. Saving is a huge key.
Negotiate
One way you can work to cut your expenses is to negotiate lower prices and interest rates. If you have a student loan, shop around and see where you can find the best interest rates. Ask your current provider if they are willing to compete for your business. If you have an internet bill, ask for a smaller rate. See if you can cut your data back for a lower monthly cost.
Energy Bills
In some states, you can sign up for ‘Non-Peak Hours’. Through Xcel Energy, there is a sign up to do your laundry, dishes, and showering between 9 pm and 9 am which are the ‘Non-Peak Hours’. Your kwh usage is literally cut in half. This includes lighting and internet usage during the day. Your energy bill can be cut in half, and this will put more money in your pocket.
Save Money
Depending on your bank, you can set up automatic transfers to save your money for every deposit. Generally, you want to save 10% of everything you own. This comes from ancient scripts.
Related:
- The 50/30/20 Budget For Singles
- 50/30/20 Budget Versus 60/30/10 Budget
- 15 Habits To Build Wealth For Singles
Refinance
If you have student loans, you most likely can consolidate and shop for a lower interest rate. Companies like SoFi and DRB are helping students refinance their loans and get a better rate. To pay down your loans faster, take the extra money you squeeze out of your budget, and put it towards the principal each month.
All steps can help you get out on your own, and to afford a place of your own. It may seem hard to do right now, especially when you are a 20-something with low cash flow, but if you work hard at building additional income, paying down debt, and saving money, but you will be in a much better financial position to take care of yourself. stick to the steps above, you may be in a better financial position. Keep yourself financially literate and up to date on where your money is going. For more information on budgeting and getting out of debt,m check out Dave Ramsey.
The principal is simple: lower your expenses, save money, and work towards making more money to pay down loans. Not only will this help you build up cash reserves for yourself, but it will also allow you to have more money to go towards a single apartment you can rent all by yourself. Being financially independent is possible, plan your work, then work your plan!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
It is wise to save and invest money while you are single and have less expenses that a significant other and additional costs that a family can add. Decide to incrementally increase your net worth and the money in your saving and investment accounts while you are single to prepare to planned and unplanned future life events.
Pay Yourself First
Start by saving a part of your monthly income immediately after you receive your paycheck. The recommended amount is 20%. A simple way to do this is to automate the money that goes into your checking account and make the 20% of the money that is in that account to be transferred to your savings account. This makes it easier for you and makes sure that you actually put money into your saving account.
Plan for Emergencies
It is a wise idea to save money in case of an emergency comes up such as a car repair, an emergency surgery, or having to travel to after a family member dies to name only a few life scenarios. It is suggested that you have at least six months of income to pay expenses in case an emergency does come up or you lose your job. This emergency income that you saved for will help to maintain you while you look for a new job or must take care of whatever unknown life problem suddenly arose that you had not planned for.
Save More and Spend Less
Easier said than done. You have already formed habits and may be living a lifestyle that is beyond your current financial means. This is when having a budget and sticking to a budget is helpful. Do you really need to buy the hot fashion clothing? How about going out three times a week? Or, getting your hair or nails done at that fancy salon? You can cut back on spending by not choosing the premium option or shopping less, then the money that would have gone towards the more expensive option you immediately put into your savings account or to pay off any debt that you may owe. This way you put the money into your savings and make sure not to touch it so that you will see your money grow over time instead of spending it on things that you may not really need.
Get A Part Time Job
Adding an extra job may be something that you prefer not to do, but it can be temporary for as long as want to add some money into your savings that can later be invested in a portfolio that will give you a higher rate of return. Set a goal that you want to achieve such as to buy a new car or to put extra money away to prepare for an emergency. This is also a good option to increase your savings account given that the interests rates are extremely low with a low return rate to prepare for your future and any life goals that you want to achieve.
Certificate of Deposit
Once you have about $6,000 in your savings account consider looking into a Certificate of Deposit (CD). A Certificate of Deposit is a “savings certificate with a fixed maturity date, specified fixed interest rate and can be issued in any denomination aside from minimum investment requirements.” Once you set up a CD with a bank, you will be unable to access it according the length of time that you agree to. As a rule, the longer period will have a higher interest rate which will return you more money once the period ends. However, if for some reason, you do decide to take out the money that is in your CD for some reasons you will face a fine since you did not meet your agreement with the bank. It is best to follow the first steps again and rebuild your savings while you wait for your CD to mature. Once your CD’s term is finished you can either return the money to your savings, put it back into a CD, or invest your money.
Invest
Consider diversifying your assets into a mutual fund or create an investment portfolio. Investing in either of these two options will yield a higher rate of return than either a Certificate of Deposit or a Savings account will. If you are younger, invest in riskier investments according to your risk tolerance and the type of portfolio that you want to achieve your goals. In contrast, if you are older it is better to maintain a conservative portfolio since you do not have a shorter number of years to see the return on your investment and may lose some money in the riskier portfolio as the markets fluctuate.
Stick to Your Investment Plan
Do not touch your investment portfolio, unless you are a savvy investor and have a high-risk portfolio where you follow the market closely and know when to take out certain penny stocks or more speculative stocks. Come back to your portfolio once or twice a year to check out it is going overall and, if necessary, make some small adjustments. An investment portfolio is a long-term investment so do not play around with it too much unless you are familiar with how markets work. It is better to slowly grow your net worth over time rather than take a risk where you could lose it all by investing it in some bad stocks. Again, have a plan and know your risk tolerance.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Learning the basics of money and the best practices for anyone, but especially for singles. This is because singles face a tax penalty for being single that society has rationalized as acceptable. There are a few basic questions that you should consider as you start to budget, save, and invest your hard-earned money. These different ways will help to increase your individual net worth over time, which will in return give you more independence and flexibility as a single.
Create A Budget
Budgeting can be difficult to do. At first, you will feel constrained since you may limit the amount that you go out or cannot purchase the latest fashion trend since you created a budget. However, you bank account and wallet (or purse) will thank you. Instead of thinking of budgeting negatively, think of it as an awareness tool that keeps track of your purchasing and spending habits so that you can change the course of your ship towards your destination when you find that your spending or saving is not going in the right direction.
There are two main ways to think about budgeting: long-term and monthly budgeting. Long-term budgeting and planning has a goal in mind. Do you want to budget and save for a house? Do you want to create a well-diversified portfolio? If you are interested in goals along the lines of those questions, then a budgeting tool that you could consider using is Mint. If you are just starting out with budgeting and want keep track of your dialing and monthly spending habits, You Need a Budget is another great resource.
What Are You Worth?
Your net worth is your total worth in the assets that you currently have. These will include savings, investment portfolios, property such as real estate, and any liabilities that you may have such as loans and debts. Make it a point to know your net worth and confront any problems that may be decreasing your overall net worth immediately. Keep track of your net worth. The goal should be to see it rise over time.
Debt
Debt is financial slavery. You will not be able to fully utilize your money and you will be unable to do with your money as you please until you pay off your debt. According to a recent report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that Millennials student debt “now compromises 69 percent of the debt side of their balance sheets.” For the Millennial generation, the majority have debt from college loans or from other loans that they decided to take out to pay for something instead of trying to save for the purchase or find other ways to get the money that would not result them being in debt.
Save
The general rule is to save 20% of all of your earned income. This follows the 50/20/30 Rule that says spend 50% of your income on essentials, save 20% of your income, and the final 30% is for personal use in your budget. But depending on what your financial goals are, you may decide to save more and decrease your discretionary monthly budget on nonessentials.
Invest
When you create an investment portfolio the goal should be that it will be diversified to include stocks, bonds, equities, bank notes, savings, etc. There are different options for how you can invest that will depend on your goals and your risk tolerance: conservative, moderate, or aggressive.
The main differences between these three portfolios is the amount of risk that the investor has chosen to accept. As the risk increases, a larger percentage of the portfolio is focused on stocks compared to less risky investments such as security bonds that make up the majority of the conservative portfolio. Depending on the markets and the stocks that were invested in the aggressive portfolio will result in a higher rate of return for an investor over time compared to the moderate and conservative portfolios. However, while the conservative and moderate portfolios will have slower growth compared to an aggressive option they will require less management and following stocks as they rise and fall.
Summary
It is important that singles understand and care about financial planning and all that it entails since this is your money. Money is powerful tool. Singles should value the freedom and adaptability that the single life offers. Singles will increase their independence by working to raise their net worth and pay off any debts that they may have from college. Begin today singles on creating and following a budget, pay off any debts that you be owe, and look into creating an investment portfolio that fits your risk tolerance as well as into your life goals.
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Single Woman Takes Pride in Career-Driven Life
A lot of women get slammed for choosing their careers and being assertive. Those traditional values, no matter how old they are, seem to still be sticky with our current time. Sarah Silverman, 46, is a career-focused woman and a symbol for modern day Feminism.
In a recent Twitter statement, Sarah stated that she decided to live her life to the fullest over becoming a mother. Simply noting that men do not have the same responsibilities as the woman does when it comes to raising a family. Women who work and bring home big paychecks are frowned upon because they aren’t tending to the children or pleasing their husband, though, on the contrary men are praised for it. Times are changing, and they are changing fast.
Trending since the big Feminist movement in the 1960’s, women are now more independent that ever: taking on bigger challenges at work, leading companies as CEO’s, and starting their own companies.
Why on earth would any woman today not take advantage of all the resources available to become the most independent, financially secure, and influential woman that she can be?
Raising a family should not be the only thing a woman hopes for. There are so many bigger things out there to do: see the world, live freely, do as you please, travel where you want. Women have so much freedom available at their fingertips.
Should a woman who chooses her career over being a mother be ridiculed? No, there should be nothing but praise – go get ‘em, girl!
Women and men need to move past these traditional values and accept the fact that not all little girls aspire to be a mom, they aspire to be powerful and influential career women at the top of their game.
Women have the right to speak their minds. In one of her latest statements, @SarahKSilverman tweets: “As a comic always working & on the road I have had to decide between motherhood & living my fullest life & I chose the latter. Men don’t have to do that. I’d so love to be a fun dad, coming home from the road & being my best fun dad self. So this is just a lil fuck all y’all bc u can’t be a woman w/out sacrifice & that’s the fact jack.”
Her tweet received 242 Retweets and 2,972 likes.
Strong words are often met by strong oppression. In a recent article by Carly Hoilman, she states, “to imply that motherhood is a barrier to living a “full” life smacks of the sort of bitterness and condescension typical of the modern feminist movement.”
What Carly fails to understand is the economics behind the positives of focusing your responsibility on your career. Without the heavy responsibility of raising children and being a housewife (if there are any #divorcerate), a woman has more freedom to make important decisions in her life, and to lead a life much more exciting and rewarding through following your life’s purpose. To afford a nice house, travel the world, own your own company, and provide for yourself is much more exciting than leading a lesser economic position as a mere woman who never reached her full potential, only aspiring to be a mother.
Women need to be aware of the opportunities they have, and all of the potential there is. Either way, follow what you believe in. Go after it!
Views expressed in this article are the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Secure Single. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment or financial advice. James Bollen is the author of Thriving Solo: How to Flourish and Live Your Perfect Life (Without A Soulmate). Now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. Subscribe to Secure Single’s Substack for free!
Financially Secure Single Woman
As millennials begin to take over the majority percentage of the workforce, and baby boomers begin to retire, traditional values begin to change. Social norms are thrown to the wayside. The average woman in our current day doesn’t look towards getting married, she looks towards developing herself more in her career. According to a study by Birger there are 5.5 million college-educated women between 22 and 29 in the United States.
Women are staying single to become more educated, focus on their career development, and make more money. Being traditional just isn’t exciting – making our own money is. The necessity to get married is now unnecessary because women today have more economic power and are better educated when negotiating beneficial business deals. Women are over half of the economy, so doesn’t it make sense that we reach our full potential and drive our economy to become more prosperous? Independent women love what they do, and enjoy a fuller, richer, and more freedom-based life.
To name a few independent women, check out these happy, healthy, successful mavens.
If you’re a single woman and wondering how to get to financial independence, there are two specific parts you need to fundamentally know in order to become successful and be the financially independent woman you desire to be. The best time to become financially independent is now. Take action today, and prepare yourself for the success to come. You have all the opportunities at your fingertips. Here’s how to be financially independent as a Secure Single woman in 2 parts:
Part One: Vamp Up Your Income Earning Ability:
Read Financial Literacy Books
One way to become more financially fit is to read about it. The more you study about becoming financially secure and independent, the better your financial situation will be. There are many books on Amazon.com, such as Financially Independent Woman Step by Step, and also books at your local library. You have all the resources you need at your fingertips. Take the initiative.
Learn A Marketable Trade
If you are considering college, pause for a second. Look at trade schools that will teach you skills you can market to the workforce. Take time in researching what you really want to do with your life. Since working takes up the majority of time in our awakening hours, it would benefit you to find something you love.
Apply to Jobs That Challenge You
Always shoot higher than your current situation. Believe in yourself enough to know that whatever situation you are in, you can change it and make it better. The world is an abundant place. Keep applying for jobs you want to get into. Leverage your skills to market yourself, and find a way to add massive value. Your success begets success. Start out with baby steps.
Attend Conferences
Networking with similar career focused women will help you sharpen your mind. You will learn a lot, based on the relative content, and will need to keep good notes. To truly get an ROI after attending a conference, go home and pull your notes out. Assets what you learned and how it can apply to your life today. Invest in a daytime planner, and integrate how you will use with what you learned. Order well-polished business cards that reflect you and your business in a positive light. At the conference, be sure to go around the room and introduce yourself to professionals you would like to meet with. Don’t be shy – take the old ‘1, 2, 3.. Go!’ approach. You may just meet your next business partner.
Part Two: Allocate Your Monetary Rewards Smart:
Save 10% Of What You Earn and Invest
This principle is borrowed from The Richest Man in Babylon. Every time you earn money, pay yourself 10% of the earnings before you pay for anything else. This will build a security blanket for you, and it will also start to stack up over time. Having an allotment of savings, and knowing how to save, is a super-key to success.
Invest Your Earnings
With a trusted advisor, invest a percentage of what you earn. Make your money work for you. Over time, your money will multiply, and your assets will start to stack up.
When You Earn, Live Below Your Means
This means being smart with your money. Live frugally, even when you see your income go up. Spending less than you earn will benefit you in the long run. You will start to have extra cash stack up.
Never Give Up On Yourself
This is probably an essential step in the battle inside. You have to first believe you can do something. You inevitably will come across hardships, heartbreaks, and those moments where you throw your hands in the air. The key is to acknowledge those feelings, express them in a healthy way, like journaling or going to a kickboxing class, and then moving on. Live the positive moments for a longer time, and shorten the hardship times. Worrying does absolutely nothing. Get in gear, and move ahead. Believe in yourself, and pick yourself up off the ground. Remain 100% positive that you are the only one who can save yourself (from yourself). Success starts in the mind with the right attitude. So go forth and be brave! Don’t give up!
Through mastering part one and two, you will develop mastery and self-discipline, two essential principles for success. Single women today can be financially independent, it is achievable. If you have the internet and are reading this article now, you literally have all the resources at your fingertips.
Freedom can be yours. The only obstacle that stands between you and what you want are the focused hours of work you put into your vision. You will get there, take one step at a time. See you at the top!