Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Financial Health

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May 19, 2020
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Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Financial Health

  1. Create an emergency fund (3-6 months fixed expenses)
  2. Identify your priorities/goals
  3. Plan for unexpected life events
  4. Understand your monthly cash flow (money in vs money out)
  5. Discuss finances with your spouse/partner
  6. Reward yourself for hitting financial goals
  7. Save up for large purchases
  8. Use risk tolerances and an allocation strategy for your investments
  9. Give yourself a raise (increase 401(k) contributions)
  10. Have a financial plan and review it annually

 

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine what is appropriate for you, consult a qualified professional.

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By Trilogy Financial
October 13, 2025

Starting December 16, 2025, Meta will begin using what you say or ask in Meta AI chats to personalize what you see on Facebook and Instagram.

  • Example: If you ask Meta AI for hiking tips, you may start seeing more hiking posts or ads.
  • Meta says it will not use AI chats about sensitive topics such as politics, religion, or health.
  • Users will begin receiving notifications about this change in October.

 

What This Means for You

Your social media experience may start to feel more personalized, but it also means Meta will collect and analyze more information about your interests based on your AI conversations.

 

Possible Risks

  • Less Privacy: Your AI chats could influence what ads or posts you see. Even if Meta says it is not reading your full conversations, it is still learning from them.
  • Unintended Targeting: You may start seeing ads or content you did not expect, based on what you mentioned to Meta AI.
  • Misunderstandings: If the AI misinterprets what you say, it could lead to inaccurate suggestions or assumptions about your interests.
  • Data Sharing Concerns: More information about you increases the risk if Meta’s systems are ever compromised or misused.

 

What You Can Do

You do not have to stop using Meta AI, but you can take steps to control how much it learns from you.

  1. Limit what you share with Meta AI.
    Avoid asking personal or sensitive questions.
    Treat AI chats like public posts and do not share anything private.
  2. Review your ad preferences.
    Go to Settings → Ads Preferences on Facebook or Instagram.
    Adjust “Ad Topics” and “Activity Used for Ads” to limit personalization.
  3. Use the “Why am I seeing this” option.
    Tap the three dots on any ad or post to understand why it was shown and make changes.
  4. Turn off AI features where possible.
    You can skip or decline to use Meta AI in searches or chats.
  5. Stay alert for prompts.
    Meta will notify users about this update. Take a moment to read the message before clicking “Agree.”

 

Bottom Line

Meta’s AI is designed to make your social media feed feel more relevant, but it also means the company is using new kinds of data about you. If you use Meta AI, be thoughtful about what you share and take a few minutes to review your privacy settings so you stay in control.

By
Jeff Motske, CFP®
March 12, 2019

A generation or so ago, the path to financial freedom was pretty direct for most. You found a job and saved for a home and a rainy day. When it was time to retire, you collected from a pension and enjoyed your remaining twilight years. Over time, things have drifted away from womb-to-tomb employment and gotten a lot more complicated. Today’s Americans have to be much more proactive with their finances. In this day and age, saving isn’t enough. Make sure your money is working as hard as you work for it.

There are a lot of concerns for the future. Buying a home. Sending kids to college. Making sure that your current career will be around to see you to retirement. People are living longer, so their retirement money has to go farther. Many high costs associated with medical care aren’t covered by Medicare, such as many prescriptions and long-term care. Pensions are no longer viable option for most Americans, and Social Security, a program that was never intended to replace income, no longer provides the level of security people need for their future. There’s a lot to prepare for.

Due to these concerns on the path to financial independence, people need to be mindful of their money. Even the most conservative Americans need to do more than contribute to a standard savings account, which can’t keep up with the rate of inflation. Investing your money will grow it exponentially faster than simply saving due to the power of compound interest. Yet, preparing for the future can be very emotional work. Today’s retirement planning relies far more on the decisions made by an individual rather than a company or organization, which can be a lot of pressure. Fears of not having enough money, a very common concern, can cloud decisions and can prompt people to react rather than plan. This is why an objective third party is necessary. Financial advisors can see past the emotions and help you plan your path to your financial freedom.

In this day and age, there are real and unique concerns that can derail you from the path to your financial independence. Trilogy Financial is here to help you establish your goals and invest your money to help get you where you want to go. It is our mission to ensure that every American, from Main Street to Wall Street, has access to great planning and the tools to establish their financial independence.

Get Started on Your Financial Life Plan Today