The Pursuit of Green
by Christine

1.   How can we surpass the fear of having mistakes while tracking the journey to financial freedom?

There's always going to be the fear of failure and possible financial loss when dealing with anything new. Starting out with the simple stuff to get you on track is the best way to start. Then progressing to the harder stuff later on when you have a better understanding. Accomplishing simpler goals will help give you confidence to tackle larger goals.

Everyone has a different method that works for them so it can be a long process of trial and error before you really find what really helps you. Plus of course that process can change over time! The important thing is to start! We all make mistakes and they will happen, but if we do nothing then we already are making a mistake.

For bigger ventures like investing then I would make sure to research it as much as possible. Knowing the risks will help you not make as many mistakes. 

2.   Which better track to go with, employment or self-employment?

Employment versus self-employment is always up for debate. For myself I can go either way depending on my situation at the time. There are definitely pros and cons to each one and every person works differently. I am currently self-employed which is working out great right now! I have a lot more freedom to do what I want, my time is more flexible, and

I'm not tied down to one company. On the other hand, self-employment is definitely a lot more work in terms of organizing, paying taxes, and finding my own healthcare. Employment is always attractive because a lot of things are taken care of for you automatically.

Taxes hurt a lot more when I have to pay them myself every quarter than when they are deducted automatically! Usually employment is considered steadier, but lately jobs have been fluctuating. In the end it just depends on the person. 

3.   I want to start saving but my partner has a ridiculous spending habits, do we need to settle it?

Being on the same page with your partner is very important to the relationship and your finances! I can't imagine trying to save money while my husband spends as much as he likes. It would create a lot of arguments between us and damage the relationship.

This doesn't mean that you agree to disagree of course. Find a middle ground to work together! Of course if your partner is spending all their money on you and can afford it, then it might be nice for a little while longer.

4.   Going out for a chill night is the lovable thing I want to do but if it is out of the budget, is it acceptable to use the credit card?

I love using my credit cards! That being said I track my accounts every day and try to stay within budget. If it's not in the budget perhaps there is an alternative?

There are many ways to have a good night out without spending a lot money. Using a credit card is okay if you're responsible with it. For those that aren't and use credit cards like cash then it's probably not a great idea. 

5.   Some of us cannot stop in swiping the credit card, how can we solve the problem?

First things first stop using them! If you don't have a credit card then you can't use it. Until someone can relate a credit card bill directly to the money in their bank account, they really shouldn't be using it at all. Cancel those accounts and go back to just using a debit card and cash only.

Those two methods ensure that you can only use the money that you have. Many people don't even use credit cards at all and are fine just using cash and debit.