Understanding Simplicities...

The reason most people feel intimidated by money is because they feel that it is such a foreign subject they wouldn't even be able to understand. The truth is that money is simple. The fear of not being capable of becoming financially literate, however, is what stops people from learning all they can and then they end up getting screwed in many areas of their financial life (i.e. their mortgages, life insurance, investments, etc.)

Where do you turn to learn? Here are a few tips that should help you get started in your quest to learn the "Rules of the Money Game"

1. Financial Representative ~ Now this doesn't mean a Harvard grad, three piece suit wearing, behind his huge oak desk kind of person. It means someone who has a career or professional relationship with money. Someone who deals with money for a living and someone whose job it is to read and analyze financial documents.

It is important to note that your broke friends and family members do not count in this equation. They are often the ones who want to give you advice and they usually give you terrible advice, so do not listen to them unless they fit criteria #1.

2. Books ~ Yes! Read something! You want to be out of your mess? Go pick up a book that talks about money. Anything by Suze Orman or Dave Ramsey are easy reads that help you gain a better understanding. Some other authors you may want to try are: Robert Kiyosaki; T. Harv Eker, Dennis Couveir & Alan Lysight, David Bach, etc.

3. Go to financial seminars or classes ~ There are lots of these available and most of the time they are free or very cheap. Make the investment of your time to attend several of these within a short period. But don't take all you hear as law. Use what you can and disregard the rest.

These are just some ideas on how to get started. If you use the Internet as a resource for financial education that is great also, but since the Internet is so uncensored don't take every word you read too literally. Do research, take the time learn and dive into this material.

You don't have to end up being a financial guru. In fact, that would almost hurt you more because you'll think you know so much you might then become closed off to new ideas that could dramatically benefit you. All you have to do is start getting comfortable with this material. Pretty soon you will notice things in contracts you sign that you haven't noticed before and you'll be saving yourself thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars over your life time!

GET SMART!