Wealth Archives - The Free Financial Advisor

What Are The Different Types of Wealth?

September 30, 2020 by Jacob Sensiba Leave a Comment

Most people think “lots of money” when they hear the term wealth. Though that is part of the basket, we’ll call it that today, it’s not the only part of the wealth equation.

There are four different types of wealth: financial, social, time, and health.

In today’s post, we’ll go over each, what they consist of, and what you can do to get more.

Financial

We’ll tackle this one right away; this is The Free FINANCIAL Advisor, after all. Financial wealth is what everyone has in mind when the term wealth is used.

Whether that means investments, savings, disposable income, no debt, what have you. Financial wealth implies that you don’t have to worry about your finances and you can now spend on things that matter to you.

To improve your financial wealth, there are a few things you can do:

Eliminate your debt – Debt costs you money, both in interest and opportunities. Opportunities to invest and/or to free up your time (more on that in a bit).
Invest – stock market, direct lending, real estate, or hard assets (precious metals, art, ect.).
Spend wisely – Keep a budget, review your expenses, and monitor your spending.

In my opinion, financial wealth is the least important of the four types of wealth we’ll discuss here. My explanation is in the “conclusion” section.

Social

There are two ways you can look at Social Wealth. One way is status – your social hierarchy and social class. The other way (and how I look at it) is your connections and relationships.

Unfortunately, social hierarchy is important in today’s society. People higher up in the ranks tend to have better connections and job opportunities. I’m not discounting its importance but underlining how integral good relationships are to your life.

We’re social creatures. We evolved this way. That’s why we care what people think, and that’s why we need to nurture our friendships. Healthy relationships help us live longer, happier lives.

Do you want to improve this? Communicate with people that align with your values. Tell people what they mean to you. If you love your buddy, tell them you love them.

This brings me to the next type of wealth.

Time

We truly do not know when our time will run out, for you or for me. That’s why it’s so incredibly important to make the most of it.

Using your “financial wealth” to free up your time is a great way to “create” more of it. Would rather spend time with your family and not cut the grass? Pay someone to do it for you.

Time is our most precious, yet our most wasted resource. We always think, “maybe tomorrow” or “I’ll do it next week”. Next week might not get here. If it crosses your mind, take action.

I elaborate on this in last week’s reflection

Health

I can’t decide if time or health are the most underappreciated forms of wealth. Time is the most finite of resources, but I feel like health is an afterthought, in most cases.

Your body and your mind have to be a priority. Watch what you eat, take walks, exercise, journal, meditate, speak with a therapist. Whatever you need to do to be mentally and physically healthy, I promise you, it’s worth the time/money/energy.

Conclusion

If I had to rank these types of wealth in order of importance, I’d go time, health, social, and financial. Your rankings may differ, as this is my personal opinion.

Without time, you have nothing. If you have the time, focus on your health and your relationships. If you don’t have either of those, having money doesn’t mean a darn thing.

What Are The Levels Of Wealth?

September 16, 2020 by Jacob Sensiba Leave a Comment

There are several different ways to view wealth and the “levels” associated with it. Some people like to rank it in three tiers: not concerned with debt, not concerned with restaurant prices, and not concerned with spending on vacation.

I think this is a good place to start, but it can leave out some pretty important details.

In this article, we’ll break down our five levels of wealth, what they mean, and how you can identify where you sit.

Levels of wealth

As I mentioned in the introduction, we identified 5 levels of wealth. Below lists what those levels are, the details about them, and identifying characteristics.

Pay off debt and save
- You can pay your bills. You may be paycheck to paycheck, depending on what you think that means, but you’re not falling behind. Liabilities are becoming less of a burden and your net worth is improving.
- Development of habits – saving money and paying off debt. You’re probably wary of how much you spend on certain items, groceries, for example.
Increase savings and use investment vehicles
- Your goals of paying off “high-interest” debt and establishing an emergency fund have been met. Your attention shifts to planning far ahead. Retirement savings and investing are your focus.
- Saving at least 15% of your income for retirement and future goals. Automation implementation. Tracking net worth. Probably a little less concerned about your day to day spending.
Feeling comfortable and spending changes
- You’re much less concerned about your discretionary spending. Though you’re less willing to spend money on stuff and more willing to spend money on experiences, and/or you’re encouraged to spend money on things that will create memories.
Financial freedom
- You exceeded your goal net worth or nest egg number. Daily spending and discretionary purchases don’t register. You’re not concerned with how much you spend in most cases. Make sure, however, that how much you spend and how much you have actually makes sense from a mathematical perspective. There’s nothing worse than thinking you have more than you actually do.
Philanthropy
- One thing to keep in mind: make sure you are making memories and creating quality experiences before you get to this point, as well as after you get here. Time is limited. Make the most of it.
- The quality of the experience matters more than the price. You shift your focus to using your wealth for good. How can you spend to make the world a better place?

What this all means for you

There are three things I would like you to walk away with from this article.

The first two steps in climbing the wealth ladder:

Discern what level of wealth you are looking for, and what it specifically looks like for you. Everyone has different values and different wants, that means what your Financial Freedom looks like will differ from what Jane Smith’s level will look like.
Craft a plan to get to your desired level. Figuring out what you want and what it looks like is great, but a goal without a plan or action is just a dream. Make it a reality.
Financial wealth is great but should be viewed as a tool. It can also be viewed as a relief or peace of mind when you get to YOUR level. However, time is our most precious commodity. Truly wealthy individuals realize this truth and orient their lives accordingly.

Your Wealth: What You Shouldn’t Do

August 7, 2019 by Jacob Sensiba

Establish an emergency fund, pay down debt, save for retirement, and grow your wealth! Much of your financial life is focused on the things you should do.

However, what I think to be more important are the things you shouldn’t do!

Educational Debt

There’s been a lot of literature/news over the last few years about how much of a problem student loan debt is. As of 2018, total student loan debt was $1.47 trillion. With a T! (Source)

That said, here are some things you should avoid.

Taking on too much – Some degrees/professions require a lot of schooling, which can lead to large amounts of student loan debt. And I don’t mean to speak ill of any degrees/professions, but if your desired career requires a “basic” 4-year degree, it’s probably best to find an in-state university to cut costs. Better yet, start at a local 2-year university or tech school until your Gen. Eds. are complete, then transfer.
Not having a plan for after – I think this is a common fear for Millennials and Gen Z, but you have so much time to figure things out. Don’t just go to college to get a degree. If you need time, take time. Once you figure out what you want, determine what you need to do to get there.
Not researching options – There are SO many student loan options. Depending on what type of loan you choose (private or public), you could have a wide range of payback methodologies. I wrote about student loan options and payback options in two previous posts. Check them out!

Credit cards

There are two BIG problems with credit cards. People who use them irresponsibly and people who don’t use them at all.

Using irresponsibly – This one pretty much speaks for itself. This pertains to people who spend way more than they ought to. A good rule of thumb is to only buy something using a credit card if you have the funds readily available to pay the balance off. Don’t have the money, don’t put it on the card. Doing so will cost you in interest and can really set you back.
Not using at all – Better than the first point, but still not great. Using a credit card can help your financial situation if you use it correctly. Most of them have rewards of some sort. It’s another credit account on your report. Charging and paying off right away establishes a good payment history. All good things for your credit score.

No emergency fund

Establishing an emergency fund is Step 1. If you don’t have money set aside for unexpected expenses, you’ll have to charge it. This leads to the point above about irresponsible use.

Save $1,000 for emergencies, turn your attention to high-interest debt (credit cards), and then shift your focus back to your emergency fund once that debt is paid off.

Spending

Paying bills late – Not paying your bills on time, especially ones shown on your credit report is a big mistake. The #1 factor in calculating your credit score is payment history. Paying ONE bill late will knock your score down. Just one. Don’t do it.
Spending too much – (See irresponsible credit card use) This is especially harmful if you frivolously spend BEFORE taking care of important “budget items”. Things like saving, debt payments, and bills.
Being too frugal – Though frugality is helpful in building wealth, it can also hurt you. There comes a point when you are too frugal. A vital life skill is doing things in moderation. If you pinch pennies and forego rewarding yourself, you run the risk of breaking the bank on a “bender”.

Investing

Waiting – I cannot stress enough the importance of investing early. What helps you make the most of your retirement savings is compound interest. The more time you have to invest, the more compound interest works in your favor.
Panic selling – This is a timely point since the market dropped almost 5 percent in the last week. Selling out of fear is always bad. More often than not, when you “panic sell,” you’ve already experienced the majority of the drawdown. Now, this depends on your particular situation, but it behooves you to stay invested during that period.
Using generalities when setting up an investment plan – Your investment plan needs to reflect your goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, and behavior. Using generalities is good for someone who writes about this stuff, but it’s not good for YOU. Your plan has to be tailored to YOU.

Life and Wealth

Sticking with a job you hate – Sometimes money and comfort makes us do things we don’t want to do. Being unhappy at your job is not worth it. It’s important, however, to thoroughly think through this decision. Quitting is tough, but if your family counts on you for income, you need to have a plan in place before you jump ship.
Comparing yourself to others – I’m going to encourage you to develop a new mindset because society taught us that wealth looks like fancy cars and big houses. I want you to think about stealth wealth. It’s probably my most favorite phrase/term. Someone with stealth wealth lives within their means. They live in a modest home, drive a car for transportation only, but saves more than the average person. They don’t “look” wealthy, but their retirement account says otherwise.

Boner of the Week! – Can Money Buy Happiness?

December 5, 2011 by Average Joe 5 Comments

I like good, solid financial advice as much as the next guy, but when it goes over-the-top, well….we award the Boner of the Week! to the most outrageous item I found in the media during the last seven days.

…and we’re back to financial bloggers.

Don’t get me wrong: I love reading money-oriented blogs. Sometimes I love them because their advice for financial success is spot-on. Other times it’s because the blogger’s sharing juicy personal stories. It’s like reading their diary—you feel a little dirty but also thrilled that you know some secrets about their life and what gives them inner happiness.

I love some others because I get to wonder how come the blogger didn’t invest in a spell-check button. Maybe saving money includes backing down on English lessons or spell-check tools.

Last week, one of the top financial bloggers on the “internets” shared a nice diary-type tale of a trip abroad. He allowed us to follow the travelogue with some crisp photos and helpful insights into the financial aspects of the trip. Trying to tie in some meaning, he discussed ways financial success can help your life.

Kind of.

Specifically, he wrote this: “Having money buys you freedom and happiness.”

Oops.

How many things are wrong with this statement? Let me count the ways….one, two….three.

1) First, can money buy happiness? I hope you aren’t that gullible. While it can be proven that financial success buys freedom– and a ton of doughnuts–there’s no fact backing up that money can buy happiness. In fact, sadly, the opposite appears to be true. According to a story in Scientific American in August of 2010, money can impair the ability to enjoy purchased items. Researchers in Belgium have discovered that while wealth allows people to purchase more things, thoughts of how that lifestyle was acquired lowers the amount of happiness people experience. In this case, money detracts from inner happiness.

I will agree that I’d rather be rich and miserable than poor and miserable. After all, I think it was former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Helen Gurley Brown, who said, “Money, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.”

2) Experts insinuating that money buys happiness is a reason I feel many have a spending problem. When I was a financial advisor, I met tons of unhappy rich people. They’d head to a store or expensive restaurant to buy away their ennui. I think they were buying into a house of cards. Do you want that for yourself? I don’t think so. Make a list of goals…not just financial goals or things to buy. What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? Explore your world.

3) I think the goal of many bloggers is to help others. By presenting to a large audience that money = happiness, we propagate a stereotype that many are actively fighting to eliminate. I like a pocket full of cash as much as the next guy, but let’s focus on building inner happiness. While it’s true that having money—or rather a source of income—quells fears at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it’s still only a fuel for life’s goals. Let’s not prey on consumer psychology by creating an illusion. Chasing the next buck is not going to increase the amount of happiness we feel.

It might give you a warm, fuzzy feeling to go back and watch A Christmas Carol if you’d like a quick holiday reminder about the meaning of happiness.

My point: I love the fact that you read this blog and others like it. It’s exciting for me, too, to share better methods to manage cash, increase savings and prepare for a rainy day. Following the advice in my blog won’t make you happy, although it is completely true that my incredible wit will charm you to tears. Will money buy happiness? Nope. But there is good news: financial blogs can help you achieve the flexibility to do what you wish, when you want, with whomever you choose. Sometimes those of us in the financial world get so enamored with financial success that we forget that money can’t buy inner happiness. ….or maybe he just wanted to be the boner of the week.

Disclosure: Purchasing A Christmas Carol from Amazon.com through the above link pays us a commission. Although that money won’t make us happy, it will continue to allow the website to operate, which should totally fill you with joy.