A Woman’s Worth

Singer, songwriter and actress Alicia Keys, was born January 25, 1981 in Manhattan. She is known to many as a piano prodigy, her first studio album Songs in A Minor was released in June 2001. Today  we want to talk about a hot topic with WMS and one of Key’s hit singles from this album, “A Woman’s Worth“.

So how do we value our worth? The reality is, for everyone it is different, so it makes sense to ask yourself what is it that you value? And then get specific in achieving these dreams.“Not having money taught me to be cautious with money when I started to earn it.” ALICIA KEYSSO WHAT ARE YOU SAVING FOR?  It’s a sad fact that many people don’t know what they are saving for! Living, day-to day spending money on what advertisements tell them they need, and often on credit, which they will have to pay later.For me personally, if someone had told me two years before I had my baby that I was going to be a mother, I certainly would have bought a lot less shoes! The money I spent on shoes could have worked a lot harder for me in other areas of my life.“There is something amazing about being single-minded and not being distracted.” ARIANNA HUFFINGTION

VALUE QUI Z: Where would you like your money to go towards in your life ? It may be your dream home or nice holidays, perhaps it’s studying or time away from work to pursue art or an interest? Once you have identified with your goals, it would benefit you to answer these questions below;

• How much do these items, events or vacations cost?
• Do you have anything saved already?
• How much more do you need?
• How many months or pay periods do you have to come up with the money?
• How will you benefit from saving this money?
• How will you feel after reaching this goal?

VALUE CIRCLE: Another way for you to identify with your values is to brainstorm. Draw a circle to brainstorm your values and goals.STEP 1: Figure out your values: List the five core values by which you live (or want to live). Remember that values are different than goals. Values define who you want to be, while goals determine what you want to do. Security, health, strong marriage, family and fun might pop up on a Value Circle. Or perhaps freedom, happiness, peace of mind, spirituality and balance.STEP 2: Discuss your values: Begin a discussion with your partner. He values freedom and you value security – it’s time to flesh out what these words mean. You’ll also want to talk about whether you are actually living out these values on a day-to-day basis. Often we can create a great list of values, but when we are honest with ourselves, we can see how our actions contradict those stated ideals.STEP 3: How does your spending match your values? When you buy yet another handbag, what value is that living out? When he spends his bonus on a blowout trip with his mates, is that in keeping with his values? Each might actually be part of the plan, but discussing what is important is a great place to begin a discussion about financial compromise.STEP 4: Create a joint list of financial values: If you are engaged or thinking about marriage in the near future, you’ll want to make sure that you, as a couple, have a joint list of values to guide spending and saving decisions. There’s a wonderful, old-fashioned word — thrift. It means more than just pinching pennies and saving. Thrift is about the intersection of values and money.

Enjoy

Janelle xoxo