Focus on the Finances or the Family?

Is it possible to maintain a healthy balance in your family while keeping your foot on the throttle of your financial freedom?

The short answer is “Yes”. The long answer is that it takes a strong person to do that successfully.

In late 2008 we came up with a crazy idea: What if we took a year off and travelled with our kids to show them the world? Our imagination started to build our levels of excitement as we considered all the amazing, life-long benefits this trip would establish in our family. When you think like that the decision becomes quite an easy one.

This year has been The Strong Family Adventure where Kathy and I have purposely set out on a journey to build our family with purpose. We have travelled across the world with our kids finding opportunities to learn and grow together. We have laughed and cried, we have met some amazing people and seen some amazing sights. We have travelled by plane, train and automobile – even spent a week on a cruise ship. We have walked the sights of cities like Washington DC and Rome, walking for up to 13 hours some days. But most of all we have invested time into our children in a way that we could not have achieved if we had stayed at home.

This hasn’t been a total glamour trip by any means. We have slept in airports, we have slept in cars, we have slept in our tent. We have skipped the odd meal and we have made sandwiches in car parking buildings. In contrast, there have been amazing miracles like the Condo we lived in on the beach in Florida, a surprise four course meal in a resort hidden high in the hills of southern Italy, or the free tickets we were given to the Louvre in Paris. Every one of our experiences comes with a story with memories that bring back the laughter or the tears

(If you want to read some of these stories you can find them on our blog site: http://www.strongfamily.co.nz)

Our focus this year has been purposeful – Faith first, Values second, Character third, Relationships fourth, and Education fifth.

This trip has been about teaching our children by showing them how to live. I have discovered that when you lead you family by design you can have the ‘perfect family’ – and that’s one that is the best you can make it.

Sure, taking a year off and travelling internationally is an extreme way to achieve all of this. But for me the desired outcome justified the means. This was by no means a financial decision… but the point I would like to make today is that not every decision has to be made for financial reasons.

not every decision has to be made for financial reasons

As you begin to set your course for 2010 I want you to consider your family. Sure, your efforts to strengthen your finances is most likely because of your family. I am sure that you’re like me and making every effort to be strict with your budget to build a secure financial future for your children. But please do not make the mistake of “missing” life’s rich experiences because the budget does not allow for it.

When it comes to setting your budget you will no doubt have heard me teach the importance of establishing agreed Financial Priorities, which are your financial values. These Financial Priorities are the foundation on which you build your Financial Goals. And it is the combination of the Priorities and Goals that determine your Budget. Here’s an idea – if your family is important to you make room for it in your finances!

My closing challenge to all of us comes in the form of three questions:

Have you considered including “Family” as one of your Financial Priorities?
What price are you prepared to pay to lead your family by design?
What is one Family Goal you would like to see your family achieve in 2010?

As you work though these questions and the thoughts that follow I encourage you to talk about them with your kids. Together you will begin to establish some plans that will see new opportunities open up for your family’s future.

I know that our family will never be the same because of the plans we made for this year, and the plans that are developing for the next years.

Have a safe and happy Christmas, and an exciting start to the New Year.