I know I usually chat all things books (and there are some book recs at the end of this post), but with tax time around the corner (thank you deadline extension!), I’ve got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

​I hope you’ll indulge me as I share some of the tools that have helped the husband and me up our finances game.

​And by “upping” I mean basic adulting stuff like: getting out of consumer debt, growing our emergency fund, saving for retirement, and doing estate planning for the peace of mind that the kiddos are all set if god forbid the worst ever happened.

Ok now that I write it all out like that I’m high-fiving myself because I’m so proud of us for getting our sh*t together.

Growing up, neither of us had solid role models when it came to long term financial planning, so this all feels like a huge accomplishment for our little familia.

And because I love sharing what's helped me with anyone who'll listen, below are two resources that were total game changers for us over the last two years:

Last week I wrote about getting my personal finances (and our family’s finances) in order.

I believe having personal finances under control can really help give you the room to think more intentionally about your creative finances (both income & expenses).

So if your personal finances feel overwhelming, I encourage you to check out last week's post first.
 
This week I’d like to share some concrete ways I approach my creative endeavors from a more entrepreneurial angle rather than what the IRS (not me) would call a “hobby”.

​In particular, I'll share the way I track and manage income and expenses related to my creative endeavors. 

1. OVERVIEW: BUSINESS OF BEING AN AUTHOR
   
2. DAY-TO-DAY FINANCIALS: BOOKKEEPING, END OF YEAR REVIEW, & TAXES
   
3. BIG PICTURE: ESTATE PLANNING FOR AUTHORS

​In the spring or summer before I was off to college, I went to a free financial workshop offered by Prep for Prep, a leadership development program for New York City students of color like myself.

I still remember two pieces of advice I got that day:

1. Credit is an important part of creating your financial identity, so it is prudent to get a credit card with a small limit, and PAY IT OFF EACH MONTH in order to begin establishing a good credit history.
2. As soon as you get a job that offers a retirement benefits package, max out your contributions to take advantage of your employer match because that's FREE money.

I'm sure I learned a lot more that day, but those are the two kernels of knowledge I still remember clearly. Both helped lay the foundations of my financial future.

Last year I wrote a lengthy blog post about my relationship with money and my creative life:

"Mamihood, Writing, and Money: Moving Past My Money Shame & Crafting a Creative Life I Love.”

As part of that post, I outlined potential streams of income for 2019, and I thought I would update you on how things worked out on the money front in 2019.
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