Financing Your Future – Excerpt From The Financial Shepherd

Here and Now

Notes From The Financial Shepherd

Why Dollars + Change = Sense by Glen Wright and Sy Pugh


The next step to overcoming failure in finances and being a good financial steward is understanding that choices have consequences. When looking at the past, present, and future, we must realize and accept that the only thing we can control or change is the “here and now.” We are in a present state of being because of what we did in the past. And even though we cannot change the past, we can glance back over our shoulder to learn from past experiences (good or bad) and then adjust our behavior to make different or better decisions in the future. Even though we can’t predict or dictate future occurrences, we can make decisions that will positively affect our future results.

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Life has its Challenges, Be Prepared

Notes From The Financial Shepherd

Why Dollars + Change = Sense by Glen Wright and Sy Pugh


I find that there are many families that are stable with good employment, savings, and low debt levels – but who still demonstrate poor financial planning. This is one good reason to establish a board of directors and to be surrounded with other Financial Shepherds who support your life vision and want the best for you. One of the dangerous things about venturing into unknown territory is that you simply don’t know what you don’t know.

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Budgeting 101

Notes From The Financial Shepherd

Why Dollars + Change = Sense by Glen Wright and Sy Pugh


The main purpose for the budget is to plan how someone’s money will be spent. Since most of us have limited resources, budgeting provides a way for us to monitor and manage personal cash flow, and to meet both current and future needs. Everyone needs a budget, regardless of how much or how little money they have, because everyone needs to have a solid understanding of their individual financial position. Following the example of the wealthy, it is important to know that most affluent people have an excellent understanding of their personal budget and a keen awareness of how money comes in and where money goes out.

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Assessing Your Investment Risk – November 2016

Notes From The Financial Shepherd

Why Dollars + Change = Sense by Glen Wright and Sy Pugh


Truth be told, investing has changed my life and the lives of my clients for the better. My advice to you: Don’t be afraid, be prepared!  There is no such thing as the perfect investment so before starting to invest, you have to ask yourself some questions:


Why are you investing?
Do you need current income (i.e., bond interest or CD’s) or are you saving for accumulation goals?

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Is the Mirror Broken, Or Am I? – September 2016

Excerpt From The Financial Shepherd

Why Dollars + Change = Sense by Glen Wright and Sy Pugh


If you’ve ever been in a Fun House at a carnival or a fair, then you know how different you can look depending upon the mirror that you’re looking in. There are mirrors that can make you look 10 feet tall, or five feet wide. There are mirrors that contort your shape and proportions to the extent that you can hardly recognize your own reflection. On first glance, you know it’s you because you’re standing there and can recognize the clothes or shoes you have on, but everything else is so different, it is difficult to tell what’s real. In the Fun House, how you look in the mirror is not necessarily how you look in real life. The good news about these mirrors is that they are for entertainment purposes only – just for fun. The bad news is that some of us need to take a second look – because the distorted images we see reflected aren’t that far from the truth.

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