Work Your Money, Not Your Life

Description

Your all-in-one guide to getting your career and finances in order ― for greater clarity, happiness, and peace of mind. Studies show that if you're like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they're all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don't have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be. In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn't as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you'll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality. You'll learn how to: * Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night * Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career * Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon * Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire When the life you're living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you'll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve. Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Introduction Part I Here's the Deal 1 You're Worth More Than You Think Net Worth Is Not the Be‐All and End‐All Saving Money Is About More Than Just Retirement How Long Is Your Runway? Breaking Free: The Power of Financial Runway You Can Take Back Control of Your Life You Don't Need to Be Financially Independent to Have Financial Flexibility Your Ideal Career Is Within Reach 2 Everything You've Been Taught About Jobs Is Wrong “It's All About Money and Prestige” “The Goal of Working Is to Climb the Corporate Ladder” “Everyone Has One True Calling” “Do What You Love” “Work‐Life Balance Is the Answer” Get in the Driver's Seat Part II Figure Out Your Starting Point 3 How's Your Job? Job Factor 1: Are You Getting Value? Job Factor 2: Are You Adding Value? Job Factor 3: Are You Increasing Your Value in the Market? Job Factor 4: Does Your Role Align with Your Values? Job Factor 5: Do You Feel Valued? Summarizing Your Current Job Situation Now You Know 4 Compiling Your Financial Report Card Metric 1: Net Worth Step 1: Input Your Account Balances Step 2: Input Your Home and Car Values Step 3: Rinse and Repeat Metric 2: Burn Rate Metric 3: Financial Runway Metric 4: Credit Reports and Scores Taking a Closer Look at Credit Scores How the FICO Scoring Model Works Summarizing Where You Are 5 How to Increase Your Financial Runway What Do You Love Spending Money On? Your Financial Runway Action Plan Cut Low‐Hanging Fruit Expend Some Effort Tackle the Hard Stuff Your New and Improved Financial Runway Part III Optimize Your Job 6 What Does a “Good” Job Look Like for You? Part 1: Interests and Strengths Part 2: Preferences and Priorities Step 1: Envision Your Ideal Weekday and Weekend Day Step 2: Consider Your Geographic Needs Step 3: Consider Your Financial Needs Piecing Together Your Ideal Job 7 How to Tweak Your Job What Do You Mean By “Tweak”? Getting Started How Others Made It Happen Your Turn When Is a Job Tweak Not Enough? 8 Supplement Your Job to Explore New Opportunities The Perks Now, Some Practical Points Getting Started: Figure Out What to Pursue and Make It a Reality Deciding Whether to Go All‐In 9 Prepare to Change Your Job Should You Stay, or Should You Go? Focus Your Search Step 2: Explore Through Networking Step 3: Narrow Down Possible Roles Step 4: Close the Skills Gap Ready, Set, Go! 10 Take Action to Change Your Job Identify and Apply for Opportunities Position Yourself Effectively Interview Tips Evaluate Opportunities Rinse and Repeat Part IV Optimize Your Finances 11 Chart Your Goals and How Much They Will Cost Step 1: Choose Your Destination Step 2: Map Out Your Path Step 3: Refine Your Plan Are We There Yet? 12 What You Need to Know About Investing Why Investing Can Be Powerful Key Factors for Investing What to Invest in (Asset Allocation) Where You Can Put Each Investment (Asset Location) What You Pay to Invest (Fees and Expenses) Can I Start Investing My Money Yet? 13 How to Construct Your Portfolio Step 1: Complete Prerequisites Step 2: Review Your Goals Step 3: Evaluate Your Options Your Strategy Can Change 14 Protecting Your Wealth Insurance Protection Everyone Needs Protection Dependent on What You Own Protection If Someone Depends on Your Income Estate Planning Other Ways to Transfer Your Assets That Wasn't So Bad, Was It? Part V How to Stay the Course and Enjoy the Journey 15 Focus on What You Can Control and Tune out the Noise Overcome the Fear of Failure Make Time Handle Other People Feeling Good Along the Way Help Yourself 16 You Don't Have to Do It Alone What Service Providers Offer Who You Can Call Bottom Line Conclusion Acknowledgments Endnotes Index About the Authors EULA