It’s impossible to have total wellness in your life without financial wellness. While some people might still believe that eating healthy and working out creates all you need for a life of wellbeing, the truth is that the financial barriers faced by many in this country lead to both mental and physical distress in a number of ways, from not being able to afford routine healthcare access to having no time for yourself because you have to work multiple jobs. One of the first steps to living a truly well life is by getting your finances in order, and what better way to show someone you care this holiday season than by providing them the gift of financial literacy. Here, find five gifts that are the perfect start for getting financially well for everyone in your life, regardless of age, gender, or income.
Holistic Wealth by Keisha Blair
Written by Well Defined advisory board member Keisha Blair, Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons to Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity, and Happiness encourages readers to imagine a life where they are financially savvy and independent, living with purpose and generosity, all while inspiring others. The latest edition includes a new forward by actress and activist Kelly Rutherford, additional chapters on pandemic-related disruptions and solutions, and more than 50 practical tips and case studies of people who have increased their income, overcome disruption and setbacks, and reinvented themselves using the book as a guide.
Stackin App Subscription
Stackin is based on the notion that it’s not just about how much money you have, but how you use it that matters. The Stackin app enables users to prioritize future goals while simultaneously feeling secure in their current financial situation. Available in three tiers ($24.99/mo for basic, $44.99/mo for coaching, and $84.99/mo for premium), each level of the Stackin membership provides personalized, self-guided therapy based on users’ core money beliefs; weekly reports about how your personal money habits make you feel; and access to Stackin-hosted online events and sessions. Additional features include messaging with a personal Stackin coach, personalized tips for improving spending habits, insights on growing money confidence, and more.
Cash Calendar from Her First 100k
Created by Her First 100k, the Cash Calendar is a modern-day money diary designed as a place to log all of your spending for the month. Part daily money planner, part tracker, part diary, the 10-page document is a thoughtfully designed digital download sent straight to the recipient’s inbox. It includes actionable tips and tricks about how to get the most out of the calendar, a month’s worth of interactive; weekly spreadsheets that include places to log purchases, how they made you feel, and money goals for the next seven days; questions designed for intentional reflection and positive change; and instructions on how to download and fill in the calendar via Apple or Android devices for easy access on the go. It is the perfect gift for someone who is constantly asking themselves “where did all my money go?”
A Certified Financial Planning Session
This is a gift that requires a bit of research if you don’t have a fiduciary you use and trust, but The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) can help you find a fee-only fudiciary planner in your area to gift a session to someone you love. NAPFA makes it simple to initiate contact with advisors that may be a match for your needs with an easy to use search and save feature. And since NAPFA-affiliated financial planners work in a strict fee-only, fiduciary capacity, you can be sure the advisor only has their clients’ best interests in mind, and not other motives. For someone starting from scratch, an initial meeting with a fiduciary is a great way to learn about how to get started saving (and earning) money in the most beneficial ways.
Financial IQ
Dive into the fun of financial wellness as a family with Financial IQ, the financial responsibility and literacy boardgame for two to six players ages eight and up. Players learn everything from the differences between credit cards and debit cards to the role of collateral and beyond. There’s a strong emphasis on how players can learn to be thoughtful and strategic about investing, taking on debt, and managing expenses. More than 200 cards cover a number of financial issues including distinguishing assets from liabilities, capital gains and losses, and the nature of investment assets, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, bank accounts, and more.
Looking for more info on financial wellness? Check out our Financial Wellness section for tips, trends, and more, like Why Financial Wellness Is Something We Should All Take Seriously, 7 Effective Ways to Close the Gender Pay Gap, and Become a Money Magnet by Adopting These 5 Habits.
