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One of the four financial health influencers is the volatility of income and expenses. Households impacted by such volatility find it difficult to achieve financial well-being. Increased expenses or reduced income often dictate tough lifestyle choices and increase stress levels beyond chronic. When there is increased income or reduced expenses, there is a less problematic increase in household discretionary funds and the fun that goes with it. Seasonal workers, those on fixed incomes, or subject to inconsistent hourly work schedules are especially vulnerable to this type of volatility.
These financial shocks can have a devastating effect. Income and expense volatility does not have to impede your pursuit of 6 Financially Healthy Behaviors. Volatility can be mitigated by preparing for it. John F. Kennedy once said, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Please don’t wait for it to rain before you prepare. One cause of volatility is “stuff happens.” Happens to everybody. No one is immune. To achieve financial well-being, you need to possess the “capacity to absorb financial shocks.” Economic setbacks can be self-inflicted or come from external sources. The future economy will be disrupted by geopolitical, weather, or cyberattack events. It is essential to be able to manage and recover from the inevitable financial shocks. Every household should have a disaster recovery plan. The foundation of a financial recovery plan is the Emergency Fund, the “liquidity buffer” between you and ruin. Building an emergency fund is your #1 priority, no matter your age. You should well establish an emergency fund before you divert resources to a debt reduction strategy. Emergency funds are highly individualized. Sufficiency depends on a variety of factors, including your health, your age, your temperament, dependents, housing situation, the stability of your job, your risk tolerance, and more. Just be mindful of the truism, “It’s better to have money and not need it; than to need it and not have it.” Your emergency fund can’t be too big. Its size may determine how it is stored but not its existence. 4 Ways to Jumpstart an Emergency Fund
Being able to deal with income and expense volatility successfully requires preparation. The base of that preparation is an emergency fund. Start or grow yours now.
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