Take a Literary Adventure THE KEYS TO A THRIVING BOOK CLUB
• Loan Calculator Apps collect, store, and report information from various savings and investment accounts, providing a single platform to track asset performance. • Spending and Savings Apps offer a wide range of activities, including “what- if” scenarios to help users better plan their finances. • Banking Apps provide FDIC-insured banking options, which may include faster direct deposits, bill paying, and other account management features. Criteria Once you’ve decided on a category, consider the following additional criteria: • Credibility: Not all information on the internet is reliable. For instance, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times are generally more credible than anonymous blogs. The same principle applies to apps: know who is providing the information. lists published by groups, like PBS Books Readers Club or the Seattle Public Library’s “Staff Picks for Adults 50+.” Others focus on a specific author, such as Jane Austen, and some clubs focus on a genre, such as mysteries or memoirs. If starting your own isn’t realistic, many public libraries host book clubs for seniors, and you can join at little to no cost (outside of finding a copy of the book, obviously). Check with your community library for groups in your area. Also, the AARP retiree organization sponsors a virtual book club called Senior Planet. The potential rewards are worth the effort. Reading opens the mind to new ideas and improves memory. Staying connected
and socially active can enrich your life in numerous ways, from improving your cognitive health to easing the negative effects of loneliness.
People of all ages crave human connection, and book clubs are an increasingly popular path to that common ground. Book clubs bring together people with common interests and offer opportunities to build friendships through discussion. If you want to be in a book club, one of the best ways is to start one yourself. Setting guidelines for how your club will work can take time and discussion with prospective members. Some groups focus on the month’s bestseller, while others select from Many book clubs take on a character all their own, such as a monthly wine-and- cheese party with a little casual reading on the side. Social media influencer Katie Iwanski illustrated this option in a hilarious TikTok video. Among the 11 guidelines she posted for her book club, she included the following: Everybody brings a bottle of wine; guests choose a food theme, such as “crostini night”; and discussion devolves from discussing the book and making cast picks for the movie version to opening more wine and letting the night end in chaos. And a good time was had by all! FINANCIAL FREEDOM AT YOUR FINGERTIPS BEST APPS TO CONSIDER
Technology is amazing and only getting more helpful every day. So, why not take advantage of the many financial and investment apps available to assist with your personal finances? This leads to an important question: What should you look for in a personal finance app? Category First, consider what type of financial app would be most useful for your needs. There are five basic categories: • Budget Tracking Apps allow users to record expenditures as they occur, helping to monitor bank balances and budget categories. Some also let users create budgets and track how closely their spending aligns with them. • Financial Assistant Apps collect, store, and report information from various savings and investment accounts, providing a single platform to track asset performance.
• Security: Before using any financial app, read its privacy or security statement. This is typically found at the bottom of the company’s web page or in the “About” section. Contact the company to request a copy if you can’t find one online. • Clarity: A good personal finance app should provide easy-to-understand information. While some apps offer detailed charts of stock performance using various financial analyses, the app may not be useful if you don’t understand the analysis. • Relevance: Consider the relevance of the information provided. A mutual fund company may offer great investing advice but may be less useful for tax management information. By asking yourself these key questions and considering these criteria, you can select the app that best fits your personal finance needs.
2 • CampbellWealth.com
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