Last week, we spent time talking about firming up your financial foundation with adequate insurance. Today, I want to talk about a policy that is the most important that fits right into that foundation, but often gets pushed aside or misunderstood: life insurance . Let me say this upfront — life insurance isn’t about death. It’s about life. It’s about the people who depend on you and the income you provide right now and the amazing life you have built for them. Often, people

Today, we’re going to talk about a topic I have devoted my life to professionally. Yes, your favorite subject! Insurance!  I know, I know. Who doesn’t love a good conversation about deductibles and coverage limits? Sounds thrilling, right? Obviously, I’m kidding. Insurance has a reputation for being a total snooze fest. But stick with me, because insurance plays a critical role in the financial foundation you’re working so hard to build. In fact, if you have been following al

Welcome back and I hope your New Year is starting out on the right foot! This is about the time (yes, it only takes a couple weeks), where people start giving up on those New Years resolutions and go back to their old ways they were just unhappy with a couple weeks ago.  But that isn’t going to be you! Especially when it comes to your financial goals. Because now you have a system and that system is Increase - 8 practical steps to having a full financial tank and the freedom

Every January, people flood the internet with New Year’s resolutions. Eat better. Exercise more. Lose weight. But one resolution rarely makes the list—getting your finances right. And that’s a problem, because money stress quietly controls more lives than we’d like to admit. Several years ago, one of my employees stomped into my office, clearly frustrated, and slammed the door behind her. “I am never getting ahead,” she said. “I feel like I’m on a hamster wheel that doesn’t g

Merry Christmas! This week, we celebrate the birth of Christ and I pray that you and your family experience his peace and generosity as you exchange gifts and spend time eating delicious food! If you’re anything like me, you live for the holiday deserts, so before everyone starts talking about New Year’s resolutions, enjoy that cookie or two!  Today, we’re going to continue our conversation on laying a healthy financial foundation as we discuss step 6 out of 8 on our fuel gau

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been walking through what I call the Fuel Gauge —eight practical markers that help you build a strong financial foundation before you chase the big dreams on your heart. Because if your tank is empty, it doesn’t matter how nice the destination is—you’re not getting there. We started with Step 1: Spend Less than You Make , where money stops leaking out of your account and you begin telling your money where to go instead of it just flying the

As I broach this emotional topic, I want to begin by being clear. I am neither for nor against debt. Debt is amoral, meaning, it is not in and of itself, categorically, moral. Debt can be a destructive evil. It has torn people down and has caused heartache, divorce, and all sorts of strife. Debt has also built churches, businesses, and hospitals that have been used for incredible good. Debt is neither right nor wrong categorically.  To understand different sorts of debt, we m

We’ve been walking through the eight steps that help you fill up your financial tank and finally move toward the dreams that have been put on the back burner for far too long.  We’ve covered Step 1: Spend less than you make. We’ve hit Step 2: Give 10%.And last week, we talked about Step 3: establishing a “New Zero” in your checking account. And today, it’s time for Step 4: Adequate Insurance —the protection mark on your Fuel Gauge. Up to this point, you have already been maki

Happy Thanksgiving week to you and your family! This is the time of year when we notice how full our homes feel, how full our tables feel… so it’s a great week to take a look at how full our financial tanks feel as well! If your financial fuel tank is a little emptier than you’d like it this time of year, take heart. We have been working on the 8 marks that, when achieved in succession, create a full financial tank. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve already covered Step 1:

Today, we are going to discuss the second financial health marker on your fuel gauge. If you’re just joining us, here’s a quick recap.  Money is fuel. Fuel to get you where you want, or even feel called to go. Therefore, we need a full tank so we can live confidently toward the life we desire.  The first mark on your fuel gauge is simple. Spend less than you make. This second step is challenging, and for many, counterintuitive.  Give 10% of your income away.  What?! If the ob

Money isn’t the destination—it’s the fuel that powers your journey. We all have places we want to go in life, but getting there requires a full tank. And if you’ve ever looked at your “financial gas gauge” and seen it hovering near empty, you know how stressful that can be. For years, I lived paycheck to paycheck, constantly running on fumes. I was always trying to move forward, but my lack of financial structure kept me stranded. That’s when I decided to follow a simple syst

When it comes to your personal finances, you should never solely rely on so-called “experts.”  In life, we wear a lot of hats, don’t we? Between kids (or grandkids) activities, church obligations, work and taking care of ourselves, there are a lot of things we are responsible for managing!  Often when it comes to our personal finances, we just want a “guy” for that. Whether it is for our retirement accounts, insurance, or savings, people often rely on “experts” to manage and

When I was a young teen, I went to Disney World for the first time with my entire extended family! My older cousin and I were just at the age where we could run off on our own and choose which rides we wanted to ride.  We had a little card that we could swipe at certain rides that allowed us to get one fast pass. This pass allowed us to jump to the front of the line and practically walk right on the rollercoaster. We only had so many fast passes we could get for the entire da

Do you want to be financially successful? Then you need to understand one word above all else: COMMITMENT .  We live in a day and age where commitment means very little. Last week, we discussed the importance of living in agreements verses expectations. However, an agreement is only as good as the level of commitment behind it.  I can agree to showing up for my daughter’s ballet recital, but if I’m not committed to being there, an issue at the office could cause me to miss he

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This past weekend, we saw thousands of people descend on the Hastings Amphitheatre to attend Trumble’s Annual Back to School Bash. As I...