Personal and
financial success are worthy goals, but you will need plenty of discipline and lots of hard work to achieve those aims. No matter where you are in life, having a plan in place can make your life easier, and boost your finances in the process.
Everyone defines personal and financial success a bit differently, so it is important to chart your path forward. Below, Mr. Kulpa, founder, and sponsor of the
Jason Kulpa Wife Scholarship, discusses some key things you can do to meet your personal, professional and financial goals.
Invest in Yourself and Your Education
No matter what the state of the economy, there is a proven connection between the unemployment rate and the level of education. College graduates and those who have attended even some college have consistently enjoyed lower rates of unemployment than their less educated peers.
Investing in yourself and your education is the number one thing you can do to gain financial success and independence. A degree or professional certification alone will not ensure success, but it will put you on the path to that goal.
Think about how education can enhance your career prospects and help you build for the future. Talk to your boss about classes you can take, certifications you can earn and other things you can do to move up in the company.
Don’t let money hinder you from investing in your education. Research scholarships focused on your unique background. For example, the
Jason Kulpa Wife Scholarship provides $1,000 to help ease the burden of student wives of military personnel who have husbands serving overseas. The time and money you put into your education is perhaps the best investment you can make in your future success.
Pay Yourself First
You deserve a steady paycheck and the security of consistent investing and adapting the pay yourself first strategy can give you the best of both worlds. Instead of treating saving and investing as an afterthought, something to be done after all the bills are paid, the pay yourself first concept prioritizes these essentials.
By treating saving and investing as just more monthly expenses, the pay yourself first strategy turns things on their head. You can start as small as you like - putting away 1% of every paycheck or $20 a week will get you started. Over time, you can ramp up your savings, build a nest egg for the future and learn to live on less than you earn.
Be Smart About Debt
When it comes to debt, some types are better than others. The money you borrow to buy a home allows you to build equity through the years, creating a source of wealth that can sustain you later on. The money you spend on credit card interest is wasted, producing nothing more than a stack of bills and a shattered credit score.
If you want to build a better financial future tomorrow, start by being smart about debt today. Before you borrow money, think about how the funds will benefit you, or harm you, in the future. If you cannot justify the debt, look for other ways to buy what you need - like saving up and paying cash.
Financial success may not happen overnight, but if you work hard and maintain the proper discipline, it will happen. From paying yourself first and investing in your education to controlling debt and spending wisely, the actions you take today could have a profound impact on your future financial and personal success.
About: Jason Kulpa founded San Diego based UE.co in 2008 after holding operations positions at a number of fast-growing Ad-Tech companies. Since becoming CEO, he has taken a hands-on approach to driving strategic partnerships and creating a company culture that promotes innovation and respect for high-level vision. Mr. Kulpa graduated from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.