How to Cure Money Stress

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It is the first in a series titled 'Financially Fit'. My motivation for writing this series came from seeing thousands of people, including close friends and family, struggle with money throughout their working lives, never reaching a point of financial freedom. At the surface it seems so simple: provide for yourself today, whilst building your wealth to a point where you are financially secure enough to support yourself for the time when you no longer want, or are unable, to work. However, the reality is very different for most people. Very few ever achieve true financial security and the majority of the population find that 'money worries' rob them of their day-to-day peace of mind. From a young age I saw my parents struggle with this as well. Arguments over money - how and where it was being spent, and worry over whether there would be enough to last until the next payday, let alone trying to save extra for the future placed tremendous stress on their marriage. This was ultimately a major factor in their divorce when I was in my early 20s. This shocked me. I couldn't understand why they were not able to get this part of their lives together. It shouldn't have been that hard. I made a commitment to myself that I would not make the same mistakes - I would have a different future. This commitment marked the beginning of my journey to discover the differences between those that have and the have-nots, the people who did become financially secure versus those that did not. What I discovered is that the pathway to financial security is actually quite simple. However, 'simple' doesn't necessarily mean 'easy'. Like any fitness program, it involves re-training and discipline. For most people this means un-learning the wrong financial habits, and learning some new and effective strategies to develop financial fitness. The great news is that just about anybody can learn these new habits, put them into action and become financially fit within just a month or two. What I have tried to do in this series is to create a simple step-by-step 'how-to' guide. My original motivation of putting 'pen to paper' was, and still is, to produce a blueprint that my children can follow. This book provides the way forward to how they can start providing for their futures today. The books in this series go further than just discussing the principles and values of becoming financially secure; they also offer practical tips and techniques that you are able to apply in your own life. My wish is for you to experience the peace of mind that comes with giving yourself permission to enjoy your life now, with the confidence of knowing that you're becoming financially secure with each passing day. 3