Let’s Talk Money: How Do You Invest in Your Family?

I’m not sure I would have known what ‘Investing in my Family” meant before going through Maria’s Mom’s Fitness program. How do we invest in our family?

I believe I’ve already invested in my family. I made the decision (that was best for me, but not necessarily for someone else) to leave my job and be at home with my children. I made the decision to be happy and to also invest in me and my personal growth.

What the Mom’s Fitness program www.maria-financial.com helped us accomplish was to figure out how we wanted to spend time with our children now and in the future. The answer would determine where we would put our money. We have friends who spend every weekend skiing with their children and others who go sailing or golfing. I want that as well! Those parents share a common interest with their children that will allow them to ‘hang out’ for many years.

I want to invest in my family in a way that will allow me to spend time with them as they become teenagers even when friends become more important. My husband and I grew up skiing and although our skis and snowboard have been stored for many years we hope to take them out this year and enjoy the sport with our kids- well at least two of them. So, money will be going into a fund to pay for lessons, therefore investing in our family. We also love the outdoors. Every two weeks we pick a new trail and we discover a new part of Ontario. Some trips have been more successful than others, but the children make new discoveries every time (bear poo was a big highlight!). More money is being saved to purchase kayaks next year so we can explore from the water. Our goal is also to fuel their curious minds and to give them a sense of adventure! On top of that we budget extra money into our grocery expenses to buy organic products because we believe it will make a difference.

So where do you start?

Find out where you money is going on a monthly basis. Create a budget. Write down your goals. Determine if your expenses go towards your Goals, your Needs or your Wants and try to move the Wants into the Goals. If you can’t, then maybe you can eliminate that expense. Be mindful that a monthly expense that benefits your well being, or self-esteem can be a Need and not a Want, i.e. massage therapy.

Knowing that I’m investing towards the right goals is a huge relief and it makes it easier to decide whether or not to buy that new sweater… I just have to think about all the smiles I’ll get on our next adventure!

Nadia Frost is the mother of three boys living in Toronto, but originally from a small town outside of Quebec city. She also spent 15 years in Vancouver where she met her husband at the University of Victoria. She has recently left her job and became the Toronto City Manager for mom inc. movement. Her blog reveals her trials and triumphs of working at home!

 

 

Tagged children, family, invest, investing, investment, mom inc, money, outdoors