From the AVO Financial offices in Bountiful, Utah, we have an amazing view of the surrounding area. The beautiful Wasatch Mountains to the east, the picturesque valleys from Ogden to Salt Lake City, the shimmer of the sun on the Great Salt Lake… all are visible from our windows. Each glance  serves as a reminder of just what an outstanding location and community we really have.

But however outstanding it may be, it is not immune to the larger problems facing our nation and the world as a whole at this time. Here’s an example.

I have a good friend who works at a furniture shop in Ogden. He’s been an employee there for several years and figured he knew what to expect this past holiday season. He was wrong. Rather than increasing his hours, which had been declining as the thrift craze reached our state, they were cut nearly in half just during the month of December. The sale signs were up. The deals were there and better than ever. But the customers just didn’t come as they had the years before.

Similar stories can be found all over the state. Though Utah, through the entrepreneurial spirit and know-how that it is famous for, has not felt the heavy hand of this recession the way that many other states have, there has been a significant increase in unemployment and business closures. This has resulted in a significant reduction in taxes and other revenues for the state.

The good news is that Utah is an adaptive place. Its cities are filled with intelligent and creative people who have found ways to adjust to tough times in the past. It’s time for that creative spirit to really shine again.

The awful situation that many of us have found ourselves in should really drive home the point that things have changed. The business world, and the situation of those businesses’ remaining employees, is a very different picture from the one our grandparents lived in. The pace is quicker, the stakes are higher, and consistent success can only be achieved through constant change and development. Retirement benefits are becoming a thing of the past and company loyalty has lost much of its worth. As the rules change at the workplace, we need to make equivalent changes in planning for our futures.

If you want to retire, now is the time to take responsibility for that goal’s success or failure through your own planning methods. You may think that your company or country owes you a secure future after your years of service and patriotism. Maybe you’re right. But I can promise you that your company and your country don’t feel the same way. It only takes one look at the dwindling benefits companies offer their workers or a dilapidated veteran’s hospital and you will see why I believe that so strongly. We need to take control of our own future.

If you have a history of investment, now is the time to reevaluate your portfolio to see if you are still heading in the direction you had hoped. If you are not, then it’s time to go back to the drawing board with a financial adviser who is current with the times. If you have never considered investment, now is the time to learn more about what is available to you. Even if you decide not to invest at this time, you will gain a better understanding of:

• Why we are where we are financially as a state and a country.

• How you can keep your dreams on track.

It may surprise some people to learn that the 401K that they are given as a substitute for old-time retirement benefits, in fact, transforms them into an investor, willing or not. Each of us needs to understand the rules and situations our hard earned money is being subjected to.

There is more to investment than the stock market (in an older post I listed just a few of the alternative investments out there.) But there is more to financial planning than investment. It is time for the people of our great state (and everywhere else for that matter) to catch up with where the world of finance has gone. As things continue to change you will reap the benefits of the knowledge you acquire. If you don’t know where to start, try looking at your local financial companies. Many offer a free financial plan or consultation. Also, recognizing the importance of reeducating the community on finances, many local Utah news stations have provided services on their websites to further the community’s fiscal know-how.

Utah is a family state and we emphasize the importance of education to our young people regularly, firm in our conviction. It’s time that we, as the adult population of the Great State of Utah and as a country, put the same emphasis on educating ourselves.

This Blog is provided as a service by AVO Financial. For more information about our services, click on the “About AVO Financial” page above or visit us at www.AVOFinancial.com. And for great information about how to teach your children about money and finance check out our new AVO Financial Money and Kids Blog.

I’ve spent a lot of time staring at this picture… with its distinct coloration and large size it’s difficult to ignore, actually. But, whatever my views on the artist’s unique color choices, the image does get me thinking every time I see it. Particularly the flying pig.

Do our dream’s muddy detours always have to result in their demise? The answer, of course, is no. I’ve seen too many proverbial pigs fly to ever hold that point of view. I’ve also seen people rise above their circumstances and make their dreams a reality, so, though sometimes a factor, a dreamer’s situation must not always be a roadblock to success. So what really catapults some dreams skyward to fruition and binds others to their slop trough? If I had to choose just one thing, my response would have to be our ability to motivate ourselves.

A highly motivated individual is almost fearless. Each step they take is filled with definite purpose. Efficiency is the natural byproduct of such an invigorated and focused mind, and leads them to places they may never have achieved otherwise. This burning drive has forged the greatest, if not always good, people in our history. Their energy is contagious, their vision absolute, their tenacity unyielding. Without such a mindset, these mighty symbols of the human potential would be insignificant, obscure, and forgotten.

So how do we build such a powerful drive within ourselves? Look inside. Be honest, be straightforward. You may even want to make a list of what you want most. In your mind or on paper focus on that desire and define why you want it. Then force the cancerous negativity and doubt from your mind by challenging yourself to find a way to make it happen. Don’t ever tell yourself “I can’t.” Simply ask yourself “How?” You will see a difference in the way your mind works.

Once you discover the best way to motivate yourself, it can be applied to every aspect of your life… Including finances. Staying true to a budget or financial plan requires restraint and willpower, both of which, like a muscle, require exercise and practice to master. But with the ability to motivate yourself comes the strength you will need to walk by that candy bar in the check out isle, the sale at your favorite store, and anything that will divert you from your financial goals. In time the effort it takes to maintain such a mindset will lessen and you will see positive results in how your finances hold up between checks, how happy you are with your situation, and how others look at you. Don’t be surprised when, as your lifestyle improves, your friends and neighbors ask you how you do it.

The motivating factor will vary from person to person. For some it’s fear. Others are driven by a passion for a sport, car, etc. My motivation arived when I became a parent. That adorable, trusting little smile was the spark that ignited a fire inside of me. What will your spark be?

This Blog is provided as a service by AVO Financial. For more information about our services, click on the “About AVO Financial” page above or visit us at www.AVOFinancial.com. And for great information about how to teach your children about money and finance check out our new AVO Financial Money and Kids Blog.

Call AVO Financial today = 1-800-936-4106 or review our website at www.avofinancial.com

Investment provides a huge opportunity for residual income, and the current stock crisis, crazy though it’s been, is hardly representative of everything out there. Here are some alternative investments that are not so vulnerable to the Wall Street fiasco that investors, past, present, and future, may want to consider.

Variable Annuities- This investment opportunity is similar to a mutual fund, with an important exception: a guarantee. Need I say more?

Life Insurance- This is an investment in your family’s future and your own peace of mind. No one knows what’s coming or when. But security in such a difficult time is definitely worth investing in. The price of gas isn’t the only thing that’s rising. Funeral costs are beyond expensive, almost obscene. They’re also unavoidable. Will you be able to handle them financially?

Real Estate- Someone somewhere is reading this thinking “But real estate is down! Don’t you know that?!” Uh… yeah. It’s hard not to have figured that out by this point. However, there is a sunny side to the current situation. With home values down, this is an excellent time, for those with the money to sustain it, to buy. When things begin to grow again, there you’ll be on top of the heap having built your empire of equity for a song!

Private Equities- Now this one gets interesting because each opportunity is so individual. By investing in a private company, you have the chance to put your money into recession resistant industries of your choosing. The risks of small business investments tend to be higher than some other types. But if you are smart about which ones you choose, the returns can be massive.

So there you have it. Some alternative investments worth looking into. Be sure to examine each opportunity carefully and thoroughly, then build your future in investment… without the panic of Wall Street.

This Blog is provided as a service by AVO Financial, a full service financial brokerage in Bountiful, Utah. For more information about our services, click on the “About AVO Financial” page above or visit us at www.AVOFinancial.com.

Update 01/07/09: Visit the new AVO Financial Kids Blog on WordPress.com to find resources selected to help parents and educators teach the basics of finance to children.

When problems arise, someone has to find and implement a solution. Money management can help us manage ourselves in numerous ways every day. But are we managing our finances? Or is the chain of command the other way around?

The majority of people go to a job every day, spend hours of their time performing a task for which they are payed a predetermined amount of money, and then go home to recuperate for the same process the next day. Why do we engage in such a ritual when there are often things we would rather be doing than our jobs? Simply put, we need the cash. From the bills that keep on coming to the unexpected snack at the supermarket, there never seems to be a shortage of opportunities for our money to disappear. By the time the next check arrives we are beginning to implement some sort of spending restrictions on ourselves due to a dramatically depleted bank account.

So how does a person get out of this mess? Become the manager of your money. Stop letting it manage you.

Look At It From A Corporate Perspective

Money is either a powerful solution or a powerful problem. What most people fail to recognize is that, in a large part, whether it is a problem or not is up to them. When a financial problem arises it should be dealt with similarly to an issue with an employee under your supervision. It deserves prompt attention, calm rationale, and an educated plan of action to remedy the problem.

Just in case management is not your area of expertise, lets compare it to a maintenance position. Small issues are not worth stressing over. But every issue, no matter how small, is worth fixing since it affects the overall performance of the equipment you are using. Efficiency is as important to managing money as it is to a machine. Keep receipts and records of what you make and what you spend, no matter how small, in order to develop an accurate measurement of that efficiency. That McDonalds visit may cost more than seven bucks in the long run if it puts you over your budget, so find a cheaper alternative and work it into the solution.

Make Some Time For Your Finances

I recomend that you review your finances at least on a weekly basis. By spending a few minutes every week to examine your expenditures, and modify them according to your needs for the next week, you can get on top of things financially faster than you may think. The records you keep will provide you with invaluable information on how to improve your money management style. As you fine tune your financial situation you will begin to feel less pressure to make it to pay day. In fact, you may even find, through some planning and effort, that you have money to spare. Take that money and hammer out some debt or save the cash somewhere where you won’t be tempted to spend it. Later you can revisit that money as your situation improves and, by utilizing many of the same management tactics you used to save the money in the first place, turn that savings into a source of residual income that will enable you to further improve your situation… and maybe eventually quit your day job altogether!

Money isn’t everything. Family, friends, peace of mind, and many other things will always supercede that elusive little green I.O.U. on the priority list of life. But with that in mind, scheduling time and learning to manage your money effectively will enable you to spend more time in the end with the things, and the people, that matter the most to you.

This Blog is provided as a service by AVO Financial. For more information about our services, click on the “About AVO Financial” page above or visit us at www.AVOFinancial.com