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A Beginner’s Guide to Securing Your Financial Future

The People of Building Wealth

Sonya

Meet Sonya

This is Sonya. She’s a 36-year-old teacher and single parent to her 9-year-old son. Sonya budgets in order to live on her modest income and tracks where every dime goes. She has her paychecks set up for direct deposit so she doesn’t have to scramble to get to the bank on payday.

With her first paycheck each month, she pays her mortgage (which she has set up on auto debit), cable TV and utility bills. Out of the second check, Sonya makes her car payment (also on auto debit) and has a monthly deposit automatically made to her savings account.

Saving is very important to her. When her son was born, she started investing every month in a mutual fund for his college education. Sonya is also a homeowner and has good credit.

 


Take a look at the forms below to see how Sonya put Building Wealth into practice.

You can learn more by following her journey throughout the chapters and review.

All of these tools are available for you to complete on your own either online (web) or by downloading a spreadsheet (xls) or blank PDF document (pdf).


How do you define wealth?

Use Sonya’s definition as an example.

example web pdf

From the Introduction

What is your net worth?

Use Sonya’s balance sheet as an example.

example web xls pdf

From Chapter 1: Learn the Language

Set financial goals.

Use Sonya’s financial goals as an example.

example web pdf

From Chapter 2: Budget to Save

Track your day-to-day spending.

Use Sonya’s spending log as an example.

example web xls pdf


From Chapter 2: Budget to Save

Get a handle on income and expenses.

Use Sonya’s budget as an example.

example web xls pdf

From Chapter 2: Budget to Save

Plan your investment strategy.

Use Sonya’s strategy as an example.

example web pdf

From Chapter 3: Save and Invest

Take steps to control your debt.

Use Sonya’s debt situation as an example.

example web xls pdf

From Chapter 4: Build Credit and Control Debt

Review what you know.

Use Sonya’s review as an example.

example web pdf

From Review

Now you’ve met Sonya. Also, meet the other people of Building Wealth.


Anthony
Bess
David
Gabby
Vince

Learn how you can begin your path to a secure financial future.
Get started with the Introduction.

 

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