Accountability is today’s topic for Financial Literacy Month 2014: Your Finances from A to Z.
For the month of April, we will be bringing you daily posts centered on our personal finances – saving, making and managing our money.
Accountability can be hard, really hard at times, but necessary with our financial goals.
When your financial goals are front and center on a regular basis, there’s a constant reminder of what you are or are not accomplishing. Once you begin holding yourself accountable for your financial goals, you will find yourself making different choices and seeing different results.
Most will agree on the following when it comes to how to be accountable:
- Share your goals with others so they can help keep you on task. Since going public with my goals, I’ve had readers, family and friends send random messages of encouragement and motivation.
- Be specific with what you want to accomplish and your plan of action
- Follow-up with check-ins and evaluations
- Recruit others on your journey
- Stay positive and learn from your missteps
- Find a mentor or coach to encourage you along the way and whip you into shape when you need it
When you are accountable for your financial situations, you take ownership of your choices and actions and how they impact your financial outlook. A key aspect of developing accountability is having clear financial goals and an action plan in place. Take an honest assessment of your strengths and areas for opportunities. Be willing and able to ask for help in the areas you need growth and utilize various resources – online, face-to-face, webinars, books, magazines, etc. – to assist you.
Julia Phillips Smith says
I worked for a bankruptcy trustee during an employee’s parental leave, and what I learned while I was the receptionist/admin clerk has really made a difference for my husband and me over the years. The best and most simple piece of wisdom: only buy what you can actually afford (not what you have open on your credit.) We have followed that advice and we’re doing amazingly well, considering our income level. Looking forward to more Financial Literacy posts!
M. J. Joachim says
I agree. It’s important to be accountable for your finances, to keep track of what you make, spend and have left over. The most important thing is to not spend more than you make.
MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
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Michelle says
So true MJ! And so hard to do, it seems – especially not spending more than you make. It seems society at large has become accustomed to living on credit.
Monique says
Great post! Looking forward to the rest of the month
Michelle says
Thank you Monique! Appreciate you stopping through and participating.
yvonne1wilson says
Look forward to the posts this month focused on financial accountability. It takes a lot of disciplene and self control in the process.
Michelle says
Thanks Yvonne! So true – I’ve had my ups and downs with my financials but I’m glad to have found a system that works for my family and myself.