Thanksgiving is this week, which has prompted me to reflect on my financial blessings. When it comes to money, it’s easy for me to get caught up in what I don’t have. Looking around on social media, it can seem like everyone is rich, successful, and doing much better than I am. But focusing on what I lack and the money goals I haven’t achieved yet prevents me from acknowledging my financial progress and blessings.
Thanksgiving has reminded me to take a step back, reframe my thoughts, and focus on what I’m financially thankful for. Here are 5 financial blessings I’m resolving not to take for granted as we head into 2024.
Money-Related Blessings I’m Thankful For
Health Insurance
I’ve worked for myself as a freelance writer for the majority of my career. Many freelancers have to purchase their own health insurance through the marketplace, which can be costly. I’ve been lucky to have access to employer-sponsored health insurance through my parents and spouse.
Being able to get on their plans has probably saved me thousands of dollars over the years. I’ve also been able to receive specialized medical care for my chronic illnesses and attend therapy thanks to these health benefits. Sadly, not everyone has access to medical care, so I’m grateful to be able to go to the doctor as needed.
The Ability to Save
Due to factors like inflation, 60% of American adults are living paycheck to paycheck. Although I hope to be able to increase my income so I can save more, it’s important to remember that having the ability to save anything is a financial blessing.
Rising prices have left many families trapped for cash with nothing left over at the end of the month to sock away. I’m grateful that my partner and I earn enough to save for retirement and emergencies so we don’t have to take on debt when something breaks.
Financial Literacy
Another blessing I often take for granted is financial literacy. Without the internet, I don’t know how I would’ve gained sufficient money management skills. I never learned anything about finances in school or from my parents. So I probably would’ve made a lot of money mistakes if I hadn’t discovered the online FIRE community as a young adult.
According to a recent report, financial illiteracy caused 15% of adults to lose at least $10,000 in 2022. I definitely could’ve gone down a similar path and racked up student loan and credit card debt due to lack of financial knowledge. So I’m grateful that I learned about FIRE at a young age and somehow stumbled into a career as a personal finance writer.
Writing about money for years has enabled me to deepen my understanding of mortgages, investing, and budgeting while getting paid at the same time. I’m grateful to have a job that’s allowed me to gain so much practical knowledge that I’ve used to improve my life.
Being a Homeowner
Since we bought our home, my partner and I have been overpaying our mortgage every month to fulfill our shared dream of being totally debt-free. We still have a six-figure mortgage balance, so we’re pretty far from achieving our goal. Regardless, I’m extremely grateful to be a homeowner.
Having control over our space and being able to paint walls and hang pictures feels like a huge luxury. After living in tiny, overpriced apartments outside of Boston, paying hundreds of dollars less per month for more than double the space is a dream!
We had to move out to the country to achieve our goal of buying an affordable home, which felt like a sacrifice at the time. But I’ve grown to love the rural area where we live and can’t see us leaving anytime soon.
Listing the financial blessings you’re grateful for can help improve your money mindset. So let me know down in the comments what you’re thankful for this holiday season.
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Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.