Valerio Financial

There is no doubt in my mind that Americans have had a long-standing love affair with motor vehicles.  There's no escaping it, from celebrities to commercials, and even songs that we hear on the radio, cars have become a trophy to most Americans. So let me ask you, do you see your car or the cars that others drive as a status symbol?  What exactly does it tell you?  In my opinion, nothing!  You see, just because someone drives an expensive car doesn't mean they are financially healthy.  In fact, it could mean quite the opposite, we just don't know.  So why do Americans tend to put so much value in the car they drive?  After all, they rapidly decrease in value and add no real value to your net worth.  In fact, it shouldn't be considered an investment, in my opinion.  So why are we so quick to come up with all the excuses to buy or own a particular vehicle?  I am not sure, but if you are reading this post, it is likely that getti...

If you have been around for a while you probably guessed that the very first thing I am going to tell you that you need to do to save money is...**drum roll please**...  1. CREATE A BUDGET !  I cannot begin to tell you how important a budget is in the big scheme of gaining financial independence. Creating a budget allows you to determine how much money you want to allocate to each line item so that you do not overspend, and it empowers you to be intentional about saving. To prove my point, do one of two tests.  a. Pull the last three months of your bank and credit card statements and categorize your spending by month. b. Compare your bank and credit card statements from the same month last year. For example, if you are evaluating June 2020 expenses, compare it to June of 2019. Trust me; you will be surprised by what you spent in some categories. I advocate for a monthly budget, but if that seems too big of a task, try budgeting each pay period. The point is to find a meth...

Welcome back! All right, now its time to get busy!  Last time we discussed the steps to gather and determine what you owe, which was a critical step to getting started.  You have to know what you are dealing with so you can tackle it with gazelle intensity.  Now, let's take action and continue with the steps to get out of debt. Steps 6 - 10 of my 10 Steps to Get Out of Debt 6)  Breathe, I promise, you can do this. 7)  Starter Emergency Savings  -  before you start paying off debt, it is essential to save up or set aside an emergency fund.  Dave Ramsey suggests that you save $1,000, if you already have more than $1,000 in savings, use any savings above the $1,000 to pay down debt.  This will provide a buffer should you have a real emergency while trying to get out of debt. If you don't...

Did you wake up one morning and realize that you are one emergency away from financial disaster? You may have told yourself (for months now) that you are going to get a hold of this debt, only to look up and realize that it is entirely out of control. Regardless of your story, I will give you some tips and tricks for getting out of debt and staying out. Listen, we as consumers are brainwashed to think that we need a "healthy" amount of debt, but why? Why should we live in constant bondage, is that the American dream? NO! The problem that we face as consumers is that we get approved for most debt based on our current income, but we all know that no job is guaranteed. Our financial income can all change in a heartbeat, and I think the Coronavirus Pandemic has made us realize that all too well. So why do ...

Simply put, a starter emergency fund is a little buffer between you, and the curveballs life throws at us. It is a fund for unexpected emergencies that pop up at the most inconvenient time, which is the last thing you want to deal with, especially when you are trying to get out of debt. Dave Ramsey recommends saving $1,000 as your starter emergency fund. The idea behind it is not to provide a cushy cushion but rather be a safety net you can fall back on in case of an actual emergency while you are making progress knocking down debt.  This amount makes some people nervous, and there are some valid reasons, in some cases, so I will say if your job or income is precarious right now, then it may be a season of stacking up cash rather than knocking down debt, but that's a whole different topic. You have to honestly evaluate your circumstance to determine what is best for your situation. I say "honestly" because we can play games in our minds and convince ourselves that "n...