Author: Tammy Doss
Do you have three buckets?
First you may ask what do the three buckets represent?
Second question is what is in each bucket?
Third inquiry is what do I have to gain?
Bucket number one is the cash you have on hand, in savings and available to you in an emergency which can include the loss of a job, the increase in monthly bills, gas or insurance and of course the crazy stuff that no one can plan for when the refrigerator needs to be replaced. This bucket gets hit the hardest! Of course, the list above can go on forever and with increasing prices it is a great bucket to keep as full as possible. This bucket should represent 6 months’ worth of monthly income. And no! Bucket number one cannot be filled on the first day of the bucket game. You start out slow. Put a little away each month and eventually you have six months’ worth of liquid capital.
Bucket number two is the one you can risk a little with investments. I would say moderate risk and keep it simple. This is where you may want to buy bonds or invest in very conservative investments.
No pain no gain comes to mind, but you must be realistic so do not overdo. Get rich quick scheme’s do not work. Think IRA’s, 401K’s, CD’s, and steady investments that are fund based and diversified.
Bucket number three is the anomaly. When you have Bucket number one funded and bucket number two set up, and you are investing steadily it is time to go for bucket number three. Wow Man Wow!
This is where you will want to get professional strategic advice and fully understand what you are investing in and the risk reward possibilities. Go Big or Go Home comes to mind. Do not immediately fall into that trap. We all have a risk tolerance. You can take an online quiz to see what yours is. Losing money is not in my wheelhouse so I always consider what I am willing to lose first.
It is your money, and it is your decisions that will make you comfortable and secure. Do not allow yourself to be pressured into accepting unsolicited advice that is not compatible with your core beliefs. Be sure you look out for your investments and manage them accordingly. Educate yourself and think of the investments as a positive and do not in the meantime stop living your life.
I am up for a fourth bucket! The bucket that allows us to do all the above. Call the Job Shop and start filling your buckets. We are here to get you into a great new position full of hope and possibilities. This last bucket may include and not be limited to, a new excellent job, a fresh start, a whole bucket full of beers, margaritas, and wine. It is the bucket of friendship and good times. It is the bucket for all the goodness that comes with responsible investing and employment opportunities. May your buckets overflow.