TALK OF THE TOWN

Conversations for Your Community

By Rich Maladecki

Hello 2023! The New Year is always a good time to reset goals, try something new, and form good habits that will last. Here are a few recommendations to get you started.

A vacation funding tip for 2023:

Start a “vacation account” at

your financial institution or at your home. Next, set a realistic goal each month/week to deposit/transfer to this “building memories” account. Practicing this savings method offers a stress-free vacation (and this tip helps you to avoid post vacation debt).

It’s not too late to set a 2023 goal of reducing personal debt. Zero debt, or near zero debt truly equals financial freedom. There are hundreds of “experts” on this subject to be found on the internet - however my preference is the principle of Dave Ramsey (www. ramseysolutions.com). Many of us in our professional lives have not understood nor practiced the use of eye contact and

using first names when discussing business with customers or

potential clients. To strengthen communication, remember to be intentional and try to incorporate these two skill sets during the next few months.

It’s never too early to plan, so please add these three key dates to your February calendar:

Super Bowl Sunday:

February 12 (should you plan a party?)

Valentine’s Day:

Tuesday, February 14 (make dinner reservations now)

3 Day Weekend:

February 18-20 (let’s consider an Orlando stay-cation) To nurture your friendships, remember that conversations need to feature “two-way communication”. Sincere listening to others and responding to the topic will build and foster meaningful friendships.

As you know, an unfortunate trend in our society is the theft of credit

card information at gas station

pumps. To avoid this extremely frustrating and time-consuming experience, pre-purchase gas cards at your local retailer.

A simplistic business tip that professionals have used for years, is to sincerely offer a written card

or email daily, to a deserving

co-worker or client. Expressing meaningful gratitude builds and maintains professional relationships.