Investing in Your Development
In 2018 although we have huge financial goals, and we will hit them! We also have some things that we are going to spend some money on because they are important to our personal growth, development, and well being. We believe that investing in yourself, your marriage, your family, and your friends are some of the greatest investments that you can make. Every year you should set aside some money in your budget to make those investments. Below is a list of some of the investments that we are making in 2018...
1. Our spiritual growth and development. This year we plan to invest money in both of our spiritual development through conferences and books. We both put on our vision boards this year that we wanted to grow in our individual walks with God, so we knew that putting money aside for these events and books was really important to that overall 2018 goal. Throughout the year we will also continue to find other events at our church and other churches that will assist with this growth.
2. We are investing in our marriage. We bought tickets to the Valentines Day brunch that the couples ministry at our church hosts every year. Last year we went to that event and got a lot out of the session so we knew that it was a must for us to attend this year as well. We also factor money into our weekly budget for our date nights. We have found that although this money is set aside we usually don't spend all of it because we have learned to be frugal. We work hard through the week, and the weekends are our time to connect with one another. Having this money set aside in our budget keeps us on track with our financial goals. Check out our post Date Night on a Dime for more affordable date ideas. This year we are also planning to attend the marriage retreat that is hosted by our church as long as we are available during the dates.
3.We put money aside for our career growth and development. We paid Eddie's dues for his professional organization that he is a part of. For me I was fortunate enough to get my company to pay for my professional organization dues as well as a class for me to begin preparing to take the PHR (Professional Human Resources Certification) exam later this summer. Although we both have our Masters degrees education doesn't stop there. We know that it is important to always keep learning and growing in our careers. We also know that education doesn't just come from a classroom or a text book. We are intentional about learning from those around us on the job too. One thing that we never want to do is to think because we have so much education that we can't learn from others. We remain in a place of humility knowing that we can stand to learn something from anyone. We know that staying hungry for knowledge will keep us at the top of our game.
4. We put money aside to visit our family. I know we shouldn't travel anywhere during our time of getting out of debt, but family is important, and we don't really know how much time we have left with them. I don't want to take for granted that they will always be around. We have factored in a few trips back to Ohio to spend time with family. Also this year we are taking a trip to Cleveland, Ohio to visit my grandparents and extended family members. Family is really important to us and we want to be sure that we are a part of their lives.
5. We are putting money aside to invest in our friends. This year we have four weddings to attend! We are so excited that our friends want us to be a part of their special day. I am praying that they only get married once so since this is a once in a lifetime opportunity we are planning to attend all four weddings. They also all attended our wedding so now it's our turn to support them on their big days! We can't wait! Plus for us it's a great weekend getaway!
We are able to make all of these investments which all have a financial commitment, but the benefits are priceless. As I mentioned before since we are finally to the point where we are living on one income we will be able to still pay off more than half of the debt that we have left and make all of these events a priority.
How are you investing in the different areas of your life in 2018? What is your budget for these investments? The beginning of the year is the perfect time to begin thinking about it so that you can save throughout the year, and the financial impact isn't so great all at once!
1. Our spiritual growth and development. This year we plan to invest money in both of our spiritual development through conferences and books. We both put on our vision boards this year that we wanted to grow in our individual walks with God, so we knew that putting money aside for these events and books was really important to that overall 2018 goal. Throughout the year we will also continue to find other events at our church and other churches that will assist with this growth.
2. We are investing in our marriage. We bought tickets to the Valentines Day brunch that the couples ministry at our church hosts every year. Last year we went to that event and got a lot out of the session so we knew that it was a must for us to attend this year as well. We also factor money into our weekly budget for our date nights. We have found that although this money is set aside we usually don't spend all of it because we have learned to be frugal. We work hard through the week, and the weekends are our time to connect with one another. Having this money set aside in our budget keeps us on track with our financial goals. Check out our post Date Night on a Dime for more affordable date ideas. This year we are also planning to attend the marriage retreat that is hosted by our church as long as we are available during the dates.
3.We put money aside for our career growth and development. We paid Eddie's dues for his professional organization that he is a part of. For me I was fortunate enough to get my company to pay for my professional organization dues as well as a class for me to begin preparing to take the PHR (Professional Human Resources Certification) exam later this summer. Although we both have our Masters degrees education doesn't stop there. We know that it is important to always keep learning and growing in our careers. We also know that education doesn't just come from a classroom or a text book. We are intentional about learning from those around us on the job too. One thing that we never want to do is to think because we have so much education that we can't learn from others. We remain in a place of humility knowing that we can stand to learn something from anyone. We know that staying hungry for knowledge will keep us at the top of our game.
4. We put money aside to visit our family. I know we shouldn't travel anywhere during our time of getting out of debt, but family is important, and we don't really know how much time we have left with them. I don't want to take for granted that they will always be around. We have factored in a few trips back to Ohio to spend time with family. Also this year we are taking a trip to Cleveland, Ohio to visit my grandparents and extended family members. Family is really important to us and we want to be sure that we are a part of their lives.
5. We are putting money aside to invest in our friends. This year we have four weddings to attend! We are so excited that our friends want us to be a part of their special day. I am praying that they only get married once so since this is a once in a lifetime opportunity we are planning to attend all four weddings. They also all attended our wedding so now it's our turn to support them on their big days! We can't wait! Plus for us it's a great weekend getaway!
We are able to make all of these investments which all have a financial commitment, but the benefits are priceless. As I mentioned before since we are finally to the point where we are living on one income we will be able to still pay off more than half of the debt that we have left and make all of these events a priority.
How are you investing in the different areas of your life in 2018? What is your budget for these investments? The beginning of the year is the perfect time to begin thinking about it so that you can save throughout the year, and the financial impact isn't so great all at once!
Comments
Post a Comment