I’ve always campaigned that financial planning is basically the summation of our decisions and desires. In consideration of the majority of purchases we make, cost, is the most determining factor of whether we buy it, charge it, or leave it where it is. We know the saying “My eyes are telling me yes but my wallet keeps telling me NO, lol. But I want to question our consciousness on what is our decision process when we make life altering choices such as starting a family. Now, I know I’m not a family guidance counselor but this is a fair question because these choices have bigger than BIG price tags. I like to make my points by using examples so let’s take a look at my friend Keisha. Keisha has plans to go out to the club this weekend for her birthday so she knows there are some basics that she will need for example: dress $100, shoes $40, a good weave $200, a manicure and pedicure $50 and she has to pay her cousin $35 to do her hair. Keisha now knows that she needs $425 for her to be appropriately “ Turned UP” for her birthday. Well one thing I admire about Keisha is she had a plan and she counted the cost, but can we honestly say this kind of consideration is given when we make some of the biggest choices in our lives?………
In all things you should be intentional and especially when it comes to having a family. I will preach the decision theory forever, which is, what you pay today was decided by the decisions you made yesterday. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture the annual cost to rear a child in the Southeast is approximately $7,700 that is $642 per month per child. At this moment in history we are losing the battle on providing for our families. The main reason for this is due to the fact we have not planned and prepared for the financial commitment that is needed to adequately provide. The scope of this issue deserves an entire book to detail all of the attention it deserves and I am aware of all the social-economic disparities that attribute to the struggle but empower yourself to count the cost so that our families can live fulfilling and intentional prosperous lives.
Nicholas J. Andrews Financial Service Professional
New York Life Insurance/NYLIFE Securities,LLC 4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 501 Montgomery, AL 36106 (334) 274-4784 Office (334) 372-8321 Cell (334) 244-0092 Fax [email protected]
