Welcome to my first Fix My Budget column on The Mindful Moms.  This column will not provide investment or product advice, but will give you the information and motivation you need to help prepare your financial future.

So, let’s get into the Fix My Budget mindset.  To start, you need to have motivation.  This week’s column, our inaugural one, is all about motivation!  If you are married, it’s essential that you and your spouse are on the same page - I cannot stress this enough.  I’ve talked to so many husbands and wives whose spouse doesn’t not share the same financial values as them.  Please talk through your motivations and goals together before working on a budget and financial plan.

What do I mean by motivation?  Basically, it’s a common and clear understanding of what you want money for.  On it’s own, money is just paper, right?  So, it’s important for you to understand what money means to you.  Is it freedom and security?  Or perhaps it’s status?  For most people, it’s probably a combination - you want security and freedom but also like a few status items.  Please admit the truth to yourself - if you want some luxury or status items, that’s totally fine.  You’ll just want to make sure you budget for them or else those costs will blow your budget.

Think about your financial motivation this week, and next week I’ll be back with another column!