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Welcome to the FI Mastery Journey, a weekly newsletter where you receive actionable ideas from me to help tame financial chaos, get your financial house in order and live your legacy.
Here’s how it works: each week, you’ll receive one article written by me. You’ll also get three simple questions that go along with the week’s article to help jog your mind and inspire you to take small, bite-sized financial wellness actions.
And, you’ll also get an inside look at the research I’m reading.
Follow along for one year and you will have completed all the work necessary to keep your financial house in order.
My goal in all of this work?
To provide you with the tools, resources, and insights to help you take one step closer to becoming the master of your own financial independence journey.
This Week at a Glance
- With the holiday season just around the corner, this week we’re diving into the topic of creating a giving strategy. We’ll discuss the difference between gifting, philanthropy and effective altruism. Ultimately, giving this holiday season should match your level of commitment with causes that are essential to you.
- Bond yields are lower and stock prices are higher this week with the S&P 500 rising around 6% from the start of the month. Market participants are breathing a sigh of relief following Fed Chair Jay Powell’s recent dovish comments. With that said, inflationary concerns linger and markets are not quite out of the woods yet.
- ICYMI – There’s a lot going on in the world to be worried about at the moment. That’s why in last week’s note, we wrote about how famed investor Benjamin Graham developed a disciplined strategy that allowed him to weather a stock market crash, the Great Depression and World War II.
Use a Giving Strategy to Help Causes You Care About
Giving is hard because, according to some of the data out there, there are well over one million registered non-profits globally.
Even so, if you’re like me, the holidays serve as a reminder about how crucial it is to focus on giving rather than receiving.
So then, with all the choices available to you, who exactly are you supposed to give your money to in the first place?
Like, which one is the best pick, right? It’s enough to put you into a state of analysis paralysis.
Now, make no mistake, this lack of action isn’t because of a shortage of red cans, street performers, or local charity adverts asking for money this time of the year.
Yet still, for many of us, the big question is, “where do I start with so many options out there?”
Now, if you have a genuine desire to give wisely this holiday season, but don’t know where to start, then the good news is that you can achieve this end by approaching charitable giving with a clear understanding of your motivations, commitment level, and a well-defined strategy.
How to Create a Giving Strategy
To be sure, by approaching this giving season with a predefined game plan, you can not only ensure that your contributions make a meaningful and lasting difference, it will also help you achieve peace of mind knowing that your time, talent, and treasures are being used effectively to bring about positive change in the world around you.
Here’s how to start:
Step 1: Define Your “Why” for Giving
Before diving into the specifics of your financial action plan, deeply reflect on your personal motivation for giving.
Ask: What are the causes or challenges that deeply resonate with me, and how do they align with my vision for a better society?
Understanding your “why” serves as the base for your giving strategy and ensures that it is purpose-driven, making it more personally fulfilling.
Step 2: Determine Your Commitment Level
Decide how you want to give, whether it’s through simple gifting, long-term philanthropy, or the analytical approach of effective altruism.
Ask: How much of your time, talent, and treasures are you willing to dedicate to your chosen causes?
By identifying your level of commitment, you can tailor your giving strategy to fit your personal resources and make a meaningful contribution that aligns with your capabilities.
Step 3: Research and Choose Your Giving Platforms
Use reputable platforms like Charity Navigator and GiveWell to inform your decisions and help identify organizations that align with your goals.
Ask: Which organizations or initiatives match my “why” and have a proven track record of effectiveness and transparency?
Tapping into the knowledge and research provided by these platforms ensures that your resources make the desired impact that you want.
What I’m Reading
We’re all busy in the daily rush of things. That’s why I’m sharing a list of articles that I’ve read this week to help me stay on top of my own financial independence journey.
You can find links to these articles in the daily feed at app.fimastery.com
- The paradox of the “perfect life”
- Even for High Earners Debt is Crushing
- A Big Financial Myth
- The Art of Keeping it Simple
- Tomorrow is not Your Friend
Thanks for taking a look,