Why I Don't Worry About My Future

I spend many hours working on my art.  I used to spend even more hours worrying about my art, my life, my future, my success, my health, my failure...

And then one day (after a breakdown of sorts) I realized that things have been working out for me fairly well thus far, there's no reason to believe they won't continue working out.  I realized that a little faith goes a long way and I surrendered my desires to the Universe, deciding not to worry or stress and to just keep working hard and go with the flow -- wu wei.

As a freelance artist it's hard not to worry though.  There are just so many things to be afraid of.  As I enter my thirties and as much as I just want to go with the flow and as much as I believe I'll make a lot of money in the future, I realize the need to plan ahead.

I just opened up an account with 4N1FUND which I'm actually excited about.  First time I can say I'm excited about saving money, but I am.  Even if I had the 401(k) option from an employer (which I don't) I think I'd prefer 4N1FUND.  It's fun!  It's like social networking meets finance. 

If I can just find a way to put away $100 a month, 4N1FUND will provide an annual tax-free income stream of $46, 210 (based on my age).  That's not bad.  If I can somehow afford a little more each month then those projections increase drastically! 

I'm taking the time to share this on my blog for a few reasons.  Mainly because I want feedback.  I'd like to hear from any financial experts out there or just ideas from regular people about the best way to secure my freelance artist future.  I'm trying to make my blog more informative.   I love collecting images and sharing my thoughts about life so why not include something serious and real that I'm dealing with.  Apparently blog readers prefer blogs with information and not just ramblings about yourself. (Go figure!) So I think I may chronicle my saving journey in this blog, maybe do a once a week post about it, we'll see.

Anyhow, this is my attempt to bring something timely and relevant to my blog given today's political and economic climate.  I know a lot of people worry about money and their financial future, so hopefully this can help.

Check out the 4N1FUND website.  See what your projections are.  Tell me what you think.

How Not To Stress About Retirement

As much as I stress not stressing and going with the flow it's important to plan ahead and I realize that.  We live in a society that doesn't look out for the elderly very well and I've been looking for the best ways to save for my future.  It seems my generation won't be able to count on social security.  And from the recent economic downswing I'm not even sure we can trust our 401ks or IRAs to provide much income in our old age.  So I've been researching other options.  Stashing cash under my mattress sounds pretty appealing but there's no way to earn interest from that.  4N1FUND is an interesting option that I'm looking into.  I'm not getting any younger so I need to make a decision soon.  4N1FUND offers a chance to leverage my money by pooling it with money from other individuals.  The idea is that there's power in numbers and the rate of return is higher because of that.  Best of all it takes the stress out of planning for retirement, which seems so far away for me, but in reality time flies and I want to be prepared. 

1. Research

Review your options.  What plans are offered at your job?  What IRA's will work for you?  Look into the 4N1FUND, it's new on the scene and now may be a good time to get on board.  Here's a link to the company: http://awe.sm/5fmxu  Check it out for yourself and please let me know what you think.

2. Start Saving

Pick a plan and dedicate a chunk of money each month to invest for the the future.  Each plan requires a different amount. 

3. Watch Your Spending

Make a budget, so you can consistently contribute to your savings plan.  Make it a priority, a habit and it won't seem like such a sacrifice.