April isn’t just about the showers that bring flowers. It is also Financial Literacy Month. Simply put, financial literacy is understanding and using various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing, to improve your financial situation. It involves knowing about financial products, services, and strategies and using these tools to make informed decisions about your money. 

Why is this important?

Being financially literate allows you to take control of your finances and make informed decisions about your financial future. It helps you understand the risks and rewards of different financial products and strategies and provides you with the tools and knowledge needed to make informed decisions about your money.

Financial literacy covers a wide range of topics, including:

1. Budgeting and money management: Understanding how to create a budget, track expenses, and manage debt.
2. Saving and investing: Understanding how to save and invest money to build wealth over time.
3. Credit and debt: Understanding how credit works, managing debt, and avoiding financial scams.
4. Retirement planning: Understanding how to plan for retirement and make informed decisions about retirement accounts.
5. Taxation: Understanding the tax system and making the most of tax-advantaged accounts and deductions.

By improving your financial literacy, you can take control of your finances, make informed decisions about your money, and build a brighter financial future.

How can you improve your financial literacy?

1. Educate yourself: Read books, articles, and online resources to gain a better understanding of personal finance, investing, budgeting, and other financial topics. We recommend Profit First for business owners and the Simple Path to Wealth for Investing.
2. Create a budget: Create a budget to track your income and expenses and better understand where your money is going. 
3. Pay off debt: Focus on paying off high-interest debt, such as credit card debt, to reduce the interest you pay over time.
4. Start saving: Create a savings plan and set aside money for emergencies and short-term and long-term goals.
5. Invest in yourself: Consider investing in yourself by improving your education or skills to increase your earning potential.
6. Seek professional advice: Consider seeking the guidance of a bookkeeper, accountant, or financial advisor if you have complex financial needs or are having trouble managing your finances.

Remember that everyone’s financial situation is unique, so it’s best to find the strategies and solutions that work for you. If you need help identifying where your money is going and how to create a budget (business or personal), we would be happy to help.