Ready to get inspired about your finances in the New Year? Want to stop repeating the unworkable patterns from the past? We’ve teamed up with YNAB to create some special cosmic tools that will launch you into 2021 on the most prosperous note!
Raise your hand if money was one of the tougher topics you dealt with in 2020.
From remote work (can you say #ZoomFatigue?) to business closures, the “new rules” of finances arrived at lightning speed.
It seems fitting that 2020 will end with a full moon in Cancer on December 29—the sign rooted in security and firm foundations for home and family. Cautious Cancer helps us build a nest egg. But it can also tempt us to lapse into self-soothing spending habits and retail therapy. (Guilty as Amex-charged!)
This is actually 2020’s second full moon in Cancer. The first one, which ushered in the new decade on January 10, 2020, was also a lunar eclipse—a cosmic event known for throwing curveballs into our plans. If your financial goals got derailed by all of this year’s “eclipse energy,” here’s some good news. The December 29 full moon offers a shining opportunity to reset your budget before the New Year.
How would you like to grow (or reboot) your savings in 2021? Are you setting aside enough cash for necessary expenses…and pleasurable purchases, too? To support your financial empowerment, we tapped our friends at You Need a Budget (YNAB)—an amazing money management app that’s helped thousands of real people stop living check to check, get out of debt and save more of what they earn.
Here’s how YOUR zodiac sign can upgrade your money habits for a prosperous 2021…
FIRE SIGNS:
Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
2020 Financial Habit to Leave Behind: Working harder, not smarter.
In 2020, an unusual number of planets were in your money and career houses, making fire signs the unlikeliest workaholics of the pandemic. Real talk: With so much uncertainty in the air, staying busy was like a meditation of sorts, keeping you sane and grounded. Thanks to your ability to DIY and multitask, money flowed in through tough economic times. The downside? You could be ending the year with an overfilled plate—and wearing more hats than a hydra! It’s great that you figured out every step of the process, fire signs, but where does your mastery lie? If you want to thrive in 2021, start thinking: What can I delegate or outsource in order to focus on my sweet spot?
2021 Upgrade: Finding the right teammates
Teamwork makes the dreamwork for fire signs in 2021, provided you work with a capable cohort. Even if you aren’t technically hiring anyone, write up a job description. What qualifications and experience would your ideal partner(s) bring to the table? Good news! You don’t have to be the expert on everything! Apple founder Steve Jobs famously quipped, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” PS: Your ideal “support staff” might be a machine, computer or automated software. Why yes, there is an app for that!
EARTH SIGNS:
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
2020 Financial Habit to Leave Behind: Managing Your Expectations
In Earth sign logic, A+B=C. So when you follow what you think is a time-tested formula, you expect certain results. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work that way, especially when a COVID curveball strikes! On the bright side, 2020s creative lineup enhanced your adaptability, even if you lapsed into denial on occasion by trying to keep things “the way they were.” But as you grew nimble, your competitive urges intensified in tandem. And maybe you did crush it in comparison to others. But before you set your intentions for 2021, focus on your actual needs instead of worrying about how you measure up against the rest of the world. It’s great to challenge yourself, but the motivation needs to come from a more soulful space—not one based on external validation or prestige. As the saying goes, when you compare, you despair.
2021 Upgrade: Simplifying the process
Forget about keeping up with the Joneses—and the Kardashian-Jenners too. In 2021, the magic lies in discerning what “satisfaction” means to you. (And yes you can get some of that!) Set aside competitive urges and take time each day to actually enjoy what you already have. A daily gratitude list is a great way to launch the New Year! This earthy simplicity works well for your ethos. In the process, you’ll remember that (some of) the best things in life are free, like walks in nature, great conversations, and quiet moments with the people you love.
AIR SIGNS:
Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
2020 Financial Habit to Leave Behind: Emotional Spending
Yep, they’re having an 80% off “flash sale” on that coveted essential oil diffuser and naughty Christmas sweater and, and…but do you actually need it? Cool, rational air signs were out of your element in 2020, a year which made you uncharacteristically emotional. It wasn’t just the fear of the pandemic and economic shifts—it was also astrological! Feelings were your primary drivers for many decisions in 2020. That was great in moments when you tapped into your intuition, but expensive when you were swirling in a tornado of uncertainty. (Can you say, retail therapy binges?) Even if you freecycled, bartered or joined a Facebook “Buy Nothing” swap meet, it’s possible you amassed a lot of stuff. We’re not here to deny you a Zoom happy hour with the new set of goblets you got at half price, buuuuuut, it’s time to hit the brakes on impulsive spending and yes, make a budget!
2021 Upgrade: Create Your Income
In 2021, you’re back on your game as planets power up your naturally innovative nature. While air signs never have a shortage of great ideas, follow up those brainstorms with this question: Can I monetize that? More often than not, the answer will be yes! Since air signs are the communicators and team players, this is a great year to join (or start) a mastermind group, work with a coach or get involved in an entrepreneurial incubator to grow one of your “wild hares” into a profitable venture…even if it’s just a side hustle.
WATER SIGNS:
Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
2020 Financial Habit to Leave Behind: Making Sacrifices for Others
Water ebbs and flows—and so do you. Sometimes you feel totally indulgent and other times out of control—and your money habits can reflect that. In 2020, planets were activating your “people houses,” which turned your introspective focus outward to others. From friends and family in your pandemic bubble, to people in need of charitable support during this unprecedented year, you were in super-empath mode! But with so many upsetting events stirring up your caretaking nature, you got swept into other people’s currents. You may need to tighten your belt or find ways to be helpful that don’t put you in a financial pinch. Being of service doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your own security!
2021 Upgrade: Add More Soul To Your Goals
As the saying goes, “Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want.” And as the touchy-feely signs of the zodiac, you can’t help but have a little anxiety about your performance, especially when it comes to your financial future. But in 2021, your intuition will be in fine form! There’s no magic pill that can replace solid work, but you can bolster your dreams by setting (and holding!) clear intentions. As creative water signs know, a picture says a thousand words. Kick off 2021 with a vision board. Keep the Law of Attraction alive all year with positive mantras, wish lists and a clear focus on what you DO want. Since the water sign tendency worry won’t ever go away, set up a support circle for this cathartic bonding. (It can help to air your fears aloud!) Just make sure that you end each session on a proactive note…and with some action steps you’ll take to move the needle!
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