How the Create & Cultivate Team Is Putting Financial Resolutions First in the New Year
This year didn’t turn out the way many of us had planned. The good news is: 2021 is the fresh start we’ve been looking for.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
This year didn’t turn out the way many of us had planned. It feels like our 2020 resolutions have been put on hold, while we wrestle with how to reconcile our personal, professional, and financial goals for the new year. The good news is: 2021 is the fresh start we’ve been looking for.
The promise of new beginnings not only lends a much-needed dose of optimism relative to the rhetoric of this past year, but it also helps propel us back into a goal-setting state of mind. A recent survey reveals an estimated 188.9 million adult Americans (74.02% of the population) are determined to learn something new, make a lifestyle change or set a personal goal in an effort to better themselves in 2021, a 15.17% increase from 2019. Furthermore, 33.69% of Americans plan to set a money-related goal. That being said, now is the perfect time to begin planning your financial resolutions for the year ahead, and we’ve partnered with Betterment to help you spend, save, and invest your money better.
2020 has challenged many of us to rethink our values and global impact, particularly when it comes to spending. The way we live, the career we choose, and the people we care about align with our personal values; shouldn’t our investments do the same?
The practice of aligning your investments with the values and social ideals that shape your worldview is known as impact investing, or socially responsible investing (SRI). Betterment defines SRI as “an approach to investing that reduces exposure to companies that are deemed to have a negative social impact—e.g., companies that profit from poor labor standards or environmental devastation—while increasing exposure to companies that are deemed to have a positive social impact—e.g., companies that foster inclusive workplaces or commit to environmentally sustainable practices.” With Betterment's Social Impact Portfolio, you can invest globally in companies that align with what you care about most, without sacrificing portfolio performance.
How we spend and invest our money has the potential to change the world. And while the road to radical change much resembles the stock market – unpredictable, long, and not always forward – the future of our world begins with how you choose to invest for better, starting today.
Read on to hear how three members of the Create & Cultivate team are putting financial resolutions first in the New Year.
I hope to adapt an approach to investing that supports our community and our planet, utilizing one of Betterment’s SRI portfolios that focuses within the realm of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing. Betterment's Social Impact Portfolio invests in ETFs that support minority empowerment and gender diversity, and is committed to offering investment funds that do better for our communities and the planet.
In order to pay off some outstanding debt, I plan to limit the amount of "stuff" I accumulate and bring into my home and be more conscious of my spending habits – which includes putting a limit on the amount of nights I order takeout.
My husband and I have a goal of owning our own home in 2022 and are working to pay off our debt in 2021 as well as save up for the down payment. We’ll be sticking to a stricter budget and doing things like making more meals at home versus ordering take out. We also plan to start a new savings account set up for this, specifically, with a monthly goal number to hit for savings.
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5 Apps That Will Make You Look Like an All-Star This Year
Move over, paper resume. This year, we’re taking our portfolios digital with these apps that are perfect for displaying your work right at your fingertips.
Move over, paper resume. This year, we’re taking our portfolios digital with these apps that are perfect for displaying your work right at your fingertips.
Are you a creative who needs a chic way to show off your designs? Are you a frequent networker who’d rather have your resume at the touch of a button? These apps let you carry around your tools at all times, so you’re always ready to show off your work, whenever you might need to.
For any designer or artist, Behance Display is a convenient way to showcase your portfolio wherever you go. All you have to do is set up your portfolio on Behance.netand then download the app so you can access it at all times. You can choose exactly how you want to style your portfolio on your phone, so the next time you’re out networking, you can use this and avoid showing someone your work in your Photo Library.
2. Worklets
Worklets’ easy-to-use interface allows you to create PDF brochures in a matter of minutes. With the app, you’re able to choose your own photos and text in order to design a professional brochure that can show off any type of work experience. It’s also easily shareable, so you can send your projects off to a new colleague right away—so much better than a boring text simply explaining what you do.
One great way to showcase your work in a mobile-friendly way is to set up a website on a platform like Squarespace. Though it costs money to join, it’s customizable, user-friendly and you don’t need any coding experience to make something that looks great. And if you do happen to have a Squarespace account, you can then take advantage of its companion apps, like Squarespace Portfolio. This app allows you to sync the galleries from your account into a sleek presentation that you can bring anywhere, even if you don’t have an internet connection.
4. Dripbook
All you need is an account on Dripbook.com to bring your creative portfolio straight to your iPad or iPhone. This app will automatically sync with your online portfolios so you can present your work even when you don’t have access to a computer. Primarily used by creative professionals, Dripbook allows you to set up a visual representation of your work right on your phone.
5. Levo Resume
We had to throw in a little #LevoLove and mention this app that allows you to create a beautiful resume on the fly. Just plug in whatever information you want (education, skills, work history, etc.) and the app will automatically generate a resume with everything you need, including a place for a picture and contact info. Now you’ll never have to be without your resume, and you can quickly tweak it, as needed.