Introduction to Balance Junkie

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

-Charles Darwin

I thought it would be good to introduce the blog with some more detailed information about its purpose, focus, and topics I intend to write about. Given the recent financial market turmoil, many people are rethinking (or beginning to think about) their approach to personal finance and all of its components: budgeting, spending, saving, investing, and retirement goals. Those who have financial advisors are wondering if they helped or hurt their investment performance over the past decade or so. Those who don’t use an advisor are either thinking about hiring one or trying to figure out how to do it themselves.

This blog is for  people who may fall into any of the above categories. It’s for anyone who is interested in financial fitness, fiscal responsibility, and economic literacy. I hope to learn a lot from readers, to convey unbiased opinions on personal finance and economics, and to provide a forum for sharing information on these topics.

There are 3 core concepts that will provide a framework for our discussions:

1. Money
2. Balance
3. Change

For better or for worse, all of the above affect our quality of life. We’ll address all 3 in the context of how they interact, how we can become more aware of them, and how we can use them to catalyze a positive evolution in ourselves. Tomorrow’s post will cover the concept of money, it’s various meanings and how we can use it to improve our lives. (Hint:  the post will not include tips on how you can afford a gigantic T.V. on a modest salary.)