Prepare now, financial experts say

By Michelle Terronez/reporter

Prepare for tomorrow today, South Campus students learned last week.

Linda Bills and Patti Garza from Primerica presented How Money Works, a seminar offering the means of financial survival in a credit-driven society.

Primerica, a member of the financial company Citigroup, specializes in bringing solutions to families struggling with debt. Bills and Garza said their goal is for people to reach financial freedom from debt and have the ability to invest their money into the future.

The women said the road to investing and saving for the future is broken down into six.

The first thing people should do is set a specific goal. Whether the goal is a long-term or short-term goal, they also should plan to achieve it.

Next, people should establish a specific time to achieve this goal.

“Ask yourself the following question: When do I want to have achieved this goal? Is it ten years down the road or is it a few months from today?” they said.

The third step is to write the goals down. Then that written list should be posted somewhere it can be seen.

Then, people should develop a plan to reach those goals.

“Figure out what you are going to do to reach these goals,” they said. “What is the process you will take to get from point A to point B?”

Fifth, people must decide what price they are willing to pay for those goals. They should ask themselves what sacrifices can be made in order to reach the goals.

Finally, people should focus on reaching their goals.
“Make it a daily habit to think about your goals and what you can do to make it happen,” they said.

For more information on investing for the future, Garza said students can call her at 817-553-5553 or visit www.primericafna.com.