Did the Formula Lead You to the Money?
So, let me get this straight. Money makes the world go around? Okay, so if I do all the right things to make sure that I have money, then I should be financially set, correct?
Don’t they have a formula for this? Yes, they do. It goes a little something like this. Study hard in school so you can get good grades and graduate. Those good grades will open the doors for you to attend college.
Finishing college will result in a degree. Having a college degree will open the doors to rewarding career opportunities. A successful career will ensure financial well-being.
Of course, there are variations to this formula. Substitute college with some other medium of certification. This is the foundation of prosperity that is drilled into our minds in our formative years and throughout adulthood.
Sizing Up the Formula
Did this work for you? Did you follow the formula with winning results? If you answered “yes” then congratulations! You are the winner of “The American Dream” (or whatever variation of it that may exist wherever you live).
If you answered, “kind of” then you may be accused of somehow deviating from the formula. If you answered, “no” then sadly, you are probably considered a failure.
Oh, that last one hurt. Look, it isn’t my intention to be unduly harsh but stick with me, I’m going somewhere with this. This is specifically directed to the people in the “no” crowd.
If you did all the right things that are prescribed to make the money that is needed for a successful life but somehow it didn’t quite work out for you that way … you did not fail. Let me repeat that. You are not a failure!
If you put in the time, energy, and effort then, for all intents and purposes, you succeeded. You just didn’t reap the rewards of your hard work. Maybe you graduated college during an economic downturn and it affected the industry you earned your degree in.
To make ends meet in the interim, maybe you took a job outside of your field of study and by the time the economy recovered, your work experience did not translate well into your original field.
So, while you may have been able to land interviews for jobs in your industry, no offers were put on the table. This is one scenario of many that lends to the slippery slope of a career downswing.
Alas, this leads us back to money. When your career prospects have been affected by economic shifts, industry collapse, or any other type of displacement, it can be difficult to find the right footing needed to land the career trajectory that leads to financial prosperity.
And in the shadows are a growing number of people finding themselves on the periphery of career advancement, thus monetary insolvency. In layman’s terms, many people are struggling financially!
For those of you out there who fall into the school of thought that there’s always work or ways to earn a living if you aren’t picky, this may be a formula that worked for YOU and served you well, but again, I’m addressing the increasing number of people who fall outside the fold of formulaic financial resolve.
Most people make money via work. The remainder, who may or may not work, acquire money through inherited wealth, are privy to financial sponsorship/support, receive government subsidies, or make money in an illegal capacity.
Whether you are a W-2 worker, a contractor, gig worker, freelancer, self-employed, or a small business owner your labor provides the means for your earnings.
Now, when systemic issues arise in the labor market and there are contractions leading to a reduction in workforce, employees become unemployed, contracts are terminated, clients dwindle, and the doors of small businesses close.
Add to that the economic impact of inflation, rising overall cost of living, and wages that, on average, are not outpacing the aforementioned, then the average worker may find himself or herself in a struggle bubble.
Rewind. Remember earlier when I addressed the “no” crowd who did all the right things but are still coming up short in the money game? I forgot to mention that many of them also graduated from their beloved universities with a boatload of student loan debt.
This only adds insult to injury when someone has put in a minimum of four years of studies and cannot fully realize their return on investment, while being saddled with debt and no foreseeable repayment remedy.
How I Relate to the Formula
See, at Intact in Fact, I know that feeling of “…but I did everything right…” After many years of trials and errors with money (despite all those “right” things I did following the “formula”), I finally arrived at a place of financial solvency and became totally debt-free!
I got to that place where I could profess that my finances are “intact, in fact!” Thus, how I came up with the name to this website. Honestly, I am still a work in progress and have more milestones ahead to achieve.
You are certainly welcome here. This is a space for regular people striving to win at the money game. If you are looking for practical ways to level up financially and you yearn for sound information that resonates with you even if you are in those “in between” phases, you’ve come to the right place.
Join me as I explore ways of managing money, making money, and saving money from a down-to-earth and relatable perspective. This is just as much a journey for me as it is for you.
I am on the road to financial wealth and I am more than willing to share my insights on what has worked for me in the past and what new ideas show promise.
It is important to note that I am not a professional financial advisor and that the information I provide deals with personal finance based on my own practices and what has worked for me. My insights and takeaways should not replace the advice you would receive from an advisor.
That being said, I am eager to start sharing with you!
