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How to Achieve a Better Work-Life Balance

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It’s no secret that most employees struggle to set boundaries when it comes to achieving work-life balance. For example, are you guilty of taking a work call during family dinner? Or do you let distractions interfere with your productivity in the office? [Read more…]

3 Home Repairs To Make Before Selling

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If you’re getting ready to put your home on the market soon, you’re likely already overwhelmed with the number of things you have to do before your home is ready to sell. But to truly get the best offer from selling your property, you’ll want to do at least a few maintenance tasks on your home to ensure that there’s nothing there to encourage a buyer to lowball you. [Read more…]

Financial Tips For Purchasing Your First Family Home

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Purchasing a home for yourself is one thing, but finding the right place for yourself and your family is quite another.  You want a place where your family can live happily, and making smart financial choices along the way is a huge part of achieving that goal.  

With a little research and financial preparation, you and your family can comfortably own the home of your dreams.  Start learning now, and read through some simple financial tips for purchasing your first family home.  

Research the current mortgage trends 

Before you get too deeply attached to any one property, start with a more broad standpoint.  Get a good feel for what you might be looking to pay for a great home by checking into a home loan comparison tool.  

Getting a good idea of the market before you jump right in will help you scope out a better deal.  Come to the bargaining table with as much knowledge as possible, so you can find the best prices for your wallet.  

Work to refine your credit reports 

You will need a decent credit report to find the home you and your family really need to thrive.  Start working on refining your credit reports at least one to two years before you plan to make the move on purchasing a home.  

The higher you can get your credit score, the better home you’ll be able to acquire.  Work to alleviate the strain of erroneous debts as well by disputing every charge individually.  

You need a healthy savings 

You will need quite a healthy down payment to get your family into the home of your choosing.  It’s best to save up at much as possible for a down payment to make your mortgage plans a bit more manageable.  

A solid ten percent of the purchase price is common, but you could do yourself a favor by saving up 20 percent for a down payment.  You’ll need extra friends for security after you purchase your house as well, so make saving a regular part of your financial plans.  

Get a preapproval letter from the bank

Once you have all of your financial paperwork in order, you have to present yourself to a bank for a loan.  The bank will want to know some very specific information about your personal finances and your financial history, so prepare to feel a little violated.  However, once you have a preapproval letter in hand, it will be easier to present an attractive bid to sellers.  

Consider the cost of making a house a home

Once all the purchasing is said and done, your financial responsibilities are just beginning.  Saving for a down payment is only a beginning step.  Once you purchase a home, you will need money to make your house a home.  

Future Self Journaling Guide: How to Set Financial Goals That Pay Off Later

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Future self journaling is like writing a letter to your future self. Instead of putting your future self’s goals on a pedestal, journal as if you’ve already reached those milestones. For instance, if you’d like to have a thousand dollars in savings (in the future), act like you do now. You may feel like a budgeting queen or king ensuring that you don’t overspend on the next shopping outing you have. To set and track your goals in a fun way, pick up future self journaling with our tips below. 

How to Start Self-Journaling

First, you have to pick up your pen, or pencil, and your journal. Sit down for 10 to 30 minutes and journal as if you are already the person you see as your future self. You’re making money moves, creating the career of your dreams, and being smart with your investments. 

Add journaling to your morning routine to keep up this habit while you sip your coffee in the morning.

Keep Up the Good Work With Journal Prompts

Now, keep it up. As you transition into this new way of tracking your goals, you may have writer’s block. Keep journal prompts on the backburner to spark creativity when you need it most. Print out and use our future self journaling prompt sheets. Even compare your answers with your loved ones to see what their future self looks like. 

How to Get the Most Out of Your Future Self Journal

You may have your goals right in front of you, yet you lack the motivation to check them off your to-do list. To spark creativity look towards your future self journal to help motivate you to reach your biggest career, lifestyle, and budget goals. Keep this habit up for 66 days to fully implement this habit into your routine.  

Goal setting shows where you’d like to be in a certain amount of time, but it may be another obstacle when achieving these goals. Keep up with your career, your lifestyle, and your budget using Mint’s app and these go-to printables.