The Prosperity Blog

Thank and Grow Rich: 7 Ways Gratitude Makes You Wealthy

by Kate4Kim | Nov 21, 2017 | 6 Comments

“Learn to be thankful for what you already have, while you pursue all that you want.”
—Jim Rohn

Thanksgiving is a time when we are encouraged to be grateful for our blessings. And gratitude is a practice that we cultivate all year long, from our weekly team meetings and advisor events (which all begin with sharing positive focus) to my own daily gratitude practice and habits. No matter what the day brings—blessings, challenges or changes—I greet it with gratitude!

And gratitude isn’t just something that makes us feel good. There are concrete benefits to being grateful that translate into real-world prosperity and well-being. Pam Grout, author of Thank and Grow Rich: A 30-Day Experiment in Shameless Gratitude and Unabashed Joy (we loved her title so much we borrowed part of it) says that “Gratitude is causative energy. It plants seeds that grow into unlimited abundance.” She points out that being thankful can increase many different kinds of capital: financial, spiritual, social, creative, even adventure capital!

Here are seven reasons to be grateful any time of year:

Love and Money: The Surprising Wealth Predictor

by Kate4Kim | Nov 17, 2017 | 0 Comment

In pop culture, money and love often seem to be pitted against each other, such as in the classic Beatles refrain, “I don’t care too much for money; money can’t buy me love.” Or you might hear those who struggle financially say things like “Some things are more important than money,” which of course, is true. But are love and money really at odds with each other? Surprising research shows that loving relationships are strongly correlated with a person’s ability to grow wealth. In fact, successful relationships appear to be almost a pre-requisite for success with money!

Medical Cost Sharing Plans: Can They Replace Your Insurance?

by Kate4Kim | Nov 10, 2017 | 6 Comments

Guest post by Kate Phillips

“Bear ye one another’s burdens.”
—Galatians 6:2

A few days ago, I wrote about Medical Cost Sharing programs, also known as Healthcare Sharing Ministries. I described my experience with the “Affordable” Care Act, detailing why I left Obamacare and how leaving has saved me thousands of dollars.

January 2019 update: I’m still with Liberty Healthshare and still very happy with my decision. The rates did go up in 2018 by about $50/month for my plan, and the annual unshared amount is now $1000/year. Prices quoted in this article are from 2017. Please fill out the form below if you would like to be contacted with a current quote. Kate

To recap briefly; when skyrocketing health insurance costs sent me searching for an alternative to Obamacare, I found Liberty HealthShare, a health cost sharing ministry. Liberty has slashed my healthcare costs by more than half with a monthly share amount of $199, versus $441 for a bare bones Obamacare policy. And should I encounter substantial medical costs, I don’t have to worry about paying a deductible of $7k or more, as my annual unshared amount is only $500.

Why I Left Obamacare for a Health Insurance Alternative

by Partners 4 Prosperity | Nov 7, 2017 | 4 Comments

Guest post by Kate Phillips

“It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication and a government bureaucracy to administer it.”
— Thomas Sowell

If you’re frustrated with your health insurance or worried about healthcare in the U.S., you’re not alone. By November of 2016, according to Money.CNN.com, more Americans disapproved than approved of the Affordable Healthcare Act, aka, Obamacare. Gallup polls showed that 65% more Americans felt they were hurt by the policy than helped by it, amongst those who felt they were affected by it. And that was before the 2018 plans were revealed and outlets such as CNBC reported that 2018 premiums would rise by an average of 34%.

Dissatisfaction with limited choices, escalating costs and government-mandates made “repeal and replace” one of the key parts of the political platform that propelled Donald Trump into the White House—even if Congress has yet to actually agree upon a plan to do so. And with Washington’s seeming inability to either fix or replace the ACA, fretting about the uncertain future of healthcare or how you’re going to insure your family—particularly for the self-employed, business owners, or anyone not covered by an employer plan—is the new national pastime.

I’ve heard it said that you should never complain about a problem without offering a solution. In that spirit, Kim Butler asked if I could share my own healthcare story and describe the SOLUTION I found—that’s saving me nearly $3,000 per year at minimum—and why it might work for you, too. In this two-part article series, I’ll also include a review of Liberty HealthShare—the pros and cons—and describe who may be a good fit for the health insurance alternative known as healthcare sharing ministries or medical bill sharing.

Learning to Be Wealthy (New Book and Resources!)

by Kate4Kim | Oct 26, 2017 | 0 Comment

The Growth Mindset

A fixed mindset assumes that intelligence is fixed and that, if you’re not good at something, you’re not likely to become better at it. A growth mindset acknowledges that we can grow our brain’s capacity to learn and solve problems.

13 Reasons Why Your 401(k) Is Your Riskiest Investment

by Kate4Kim | Oct 25, 2017 | 0 Comment

By Garrett Gunderson, guest writer.

The 401(k) is often considered the no-brainer, gold standard of retirement plans. But far from being a bedrock retirement plan, the 401(k) started as an experiment in 1981 and still has to prove itself.

Those who decided to be a 401(k) lab rat in the first test group are just starting to get back their results. After 30-plus years of faithfully funding their new retirement plan, it’s time to retire. As you’ll see, the last 15 years have not been kind to them, but that should have been no surprise. The supposedly dependable 401(k) is not your best choice for retirement. Not by a long shot.

I’ve worked with hundreds of professionals. Most of them diligently saved in a 401(k), but once I explain the risks, they’re eager for alternatives. Here are 13 dangers of a 401(k) for you to consider.

Avoid the Accumulation Trap: Keep Your Money in Motion!

by Kate4Kim | Oct 11, 2017 | 0 Comment

“I want my money to be like a river, not like a pond.”
– Lisa Sasevich, Inc. 500 business owner

As we’ve said before, we’re tired of “investing” being equated with the stock market/ mutual funds! Wall Street is NOT the only option! We believe that typical planning based around stocks and bonds has failed, as we explain in a recent ebook.

We’re equally tired of “wealth” being equated with ACCUMULATION. Accumulation does NOT equal wealth and prosperity! If your primary goal is accumulation, you are actually stifling the movement of money, slowing it’s velocity, and limiting your cash flow.

Financial planning teaches us to “Accumulate first, then Disburse.” Save and invest to accumulate ample assets – generally in a 401(k) and other assets based largely in stocks and mutual funds. Then someday, when you accumulate “enough” money in your accounts, you can stop working, begin the distribution phase, and live off of your assets (or the interest your assets produce.)