Good Financial Reads: Dealing with Student Loans, Savings Procrastination, and More

XY Planning Network is closing in on having 100 members in our ranks, and most of those professionals run their own financial planning practices to help Gen X and Gen Y with their money. They also do a little blogging, too.

Following along with the blogs of financial advisors is a great way to access valuable, educational information about finance -- and it doesn't cost you a thing! Our financial planners love to share their knowledge and help everyone regardless of age or assets.

Of course, with so many great blogs to read, keeping up with them all can be a challenge. That's why we're starting a new series to showcase the good financial reads from around the network each week. It's the quick and easy way for you to catch up with what our financial advisors are writing and sharing!

Annual Report Shows College Cost Increases Slowing

by Emilie R. Goldman, Tamarind Financial Planning

The latest report on college costs published by the College Board indicted that, although college costs still increased more than general inflation in the past year, the increase in tuition and fees for the 2014-2015 academic year will be lower than the average annual increases in the past five years, the past 10 years, and the past 30 years across all sectors included in the study.

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Busy Doesn’t Mean Productive. Find Your Why.

by Jason Reiman, Get Financially Fit!

“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.” –Thomas A. Edison

I know you’ve struggled with this a time or two – at least, I know I have. You know, those days where you find yourself saying to others (or even just yourself) that you are too busy. What exactly does this mean?
In examining my own life and those I’ve had the privilege to work with on a more intimate level over the years, I find that the most busy days are of often the least productive. Do you agree?

Edison’s reminder for us is profound. Understanding that busy doesn’t necessarily equate to productive work is a powerful revelation for most of us to uncover. Financially speaking, how busy are you? Do you often find yourself feeling swamped, unorganized and confused?

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Fed Up? Heck Yes

by Brandon Marcott, Edify Financial Planning

I urge you to understand the value your money has in shaping the path of public health in our country. Don't let your feeling of personal choice blind you to the fact that you are being taken advantage of. Be intentional about every place your money goes.

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How To Defeat Savings Procrastination

by Sam Farrington, Sound Mind Financial Planning

If you are like me, it’s straight up difficult to prioritize saving money! The list of “wants” is so lengthy: new countertops, new carpet, a new roof (not really a want, but more of a need), and french doors out to our patio.

So, where does saving and investing fall on our list? It’s so easy to get distracted by all of our “wants” and procrastinate what is truly important to us. The list of wants grows daily…so how do you overcome savings procrastination?

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Options for Student Loan Repayment

by Jason Mirabella, Henfruit Academy

Have student debt? Figuring out how to repay what you owe can be confusing — but you do have options for student loan repayment. Start by understanding what your debt looks like, and then move forward by creating a plan of action.

Ask yourself: Do you have a combination of federal and private loans? Do your loans have fixed or variable interest rates? Do your parents have any student loans they took out for you?

Then, follow the steps below to create a plan for repaying your student loans.

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We’re All Insecure When We Start

by Matt Becker, Mom and Dad Money

Whenever we start something new, no matter how excited we are about where it might take us, we can’t help but see that huge gap that separates where we are now from where we want to be.

As we look at that gap, we start to think about ALL of the things we’ll have to do in order to get to the other side. Some of them are things we’ve never done before, things we’re not all that sure we can actually do yet.

And as we think about all of those things, the excitement of this new venture starts to be replaced by fear, doubt and insecurity.

These doubts, this insecurity, it all sucks. But it’s also totally normal. And if you want to be successful, your job is to fight it off like all hell.

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