Steps to Become More Financially Stable this Fall

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In order to become more financially stable, you need to assess how you spend your money.

There could be certain areas in your life that are causing financial instability.

Some early signs of financial instability include:

• Excessive debt
• Making purchases that do not align with current financial goals
• Lack of planning Stuck in a cycle of living paycheck to paycheck with no emergency savings
• Living above means

If you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms of financial instability,
there are actionable steps you can take to reverse this:

• Crunch the numbers! Get organized. Understand how much income is coming in and what bills need to be
  paid each month.
• Create a budget. This can look different for every situation. Create a budget that works best for your goals,
  needs, and personality.
• Seek help! Seek assistance from a credit counselor.
• Consider loan consolidation: Affinity offers debt consolidation loans where you can combine your
  debt into a single, lower-rate/payment debt consolidation loan.

Truly understanding debt and its role in financial stability is important. While debt may cause financial instability,
having debt is not necessarily a bad thing. The key to success is considering the amount of debt you have and
comparing it to your assets.

Bad debt comes from poor financial management, which may result in financial instability in the future.
One important thing to remember is that debt is debt, regardless of what it was taken out for.

Having a long-term plan is key when striving for financial stability. According to a recent study from Gallup, only
30% of Americans have a long-term financial plan. There are steps you can take to stabilize your financial future.
Having a plan and a budget is crucial. Map out and visualize your goals so you can stick to your plan. You should
also keep up with financial education resources and be aware of the current economic climate so you can
adjust your plan accordingly.

There is no blueprint for financial stability. Steps you can take to bring balance to your finances look different for
everyone. If you want to achieve more financial stability, understand your current situation, look out for early
signs of financial instability in your life, and create a plan that is geared toward
your lifestyle.