Consistency is the key to unlocking life-changing financial habits. Those of us who dream of saving more in our sleep can’t imagine not putting money aside for an emergency. For others, it’s a struggle for a number of reasons:

• They never learned from their parents how to manage money.
• They don’t have enough income to cover their major expenses.
• They are taking care of other members of their family and that doesn’t leave room for them to save.
• They care too much about what people think, so they overspend to impress.
• They don’t see the point of denying what they want in the present to save for the future since tomorrow isn’t promised.

Financial Literacy

The ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal finance management, budgeting, and investing. It is unfortunate that these skills weren’t taught to us in school. I just so happen to have grown up around my family’s business where they all do taxes. These things come naturally to me. If you never learned how to create a budget, learn. It is never too late to learn a new skill.

Here are some books I recommend reading:

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
• The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
• Transforming Your Relationship With Money by Joseph R. Dominguez, Monique Tilford, and Vicki Robin

Income

It is crucial to review the previous month’s budget to stay consistent with it. You need a solid monthly/weekly routine so you can be the most consistent with your financial wellness. Every month brings new expenses and a different set of priorities on where to spend your money. Checking in with your budget allows you to project any new expenses for the coming month and reallocate your income if necessary.

If your income is too low to cover your expenses then I suggest digging deep and finding a new side hustle or turning a hobby into a job where you can earn some money off of doing something you love. You can really get creative when it comes to increasing income.

Here are a few examples:

• Sell Stuff Online
• Drive people around
• Become a virtual assistant
• Negotiate Salary

Change Your Money Habits

Consistency plays such a huge role when it comes to achieving any type of success. I’m sure you can imagine that consistency is a key factor in the area of your finances too. Your money habits are formed based on how you constantly handle your money from saving to spending. As simple as that sounds, you might not have considered how consistency affects different parts of your life.

With any habits, money habits can also be good or bad, so in order for you to achieve financial freedom you obviously need to be consistent with good money habits. Good money habits have to do with both saving money but also how you spend it. If you’re not consistently saving money then you are probably consistently spending it. It’s the consistency you have with both of those things that will determine your financial success.

Be Rich, Don’t Look Rich

Trying to impress people is pointless. Most people never become wealthy because they waste too much money on buying symbols of success. They are more focused on looking rich instead of becoming rich. Living below your means and investing your extra income is how you build wealth. No matter how much money you make, you must spend less than you earn. Don’t be in a rush to look successful. Don’t fall into the trap of pretending to be rich.

The longer you practice consistency, the more automatic it becomes. You need to build good money habits and ask yourself if you are consistently frugal or consistently careless.

Here are some ways to stay consistent with your finances:

• Automation- Auto payments for bills is a super easy way to achieve consistency in your personal finance life
• Calendar reminders- Setting a simple reminder on your phone’s calendar can help provide consistency in tasks as well
• Budget apps- Utilizing an app for your budget can help you stay consistent with checking your budget monthly

Free Gift

Check out the FREE video series on my 3 Keys to Unlocking Your Financial Freedom! This video series touches on Budgets, Tackling Debt, and Ways to Increase Income TODAY! I created this series for those of you who have been hit hard by COVID-19. I want you to know there is nothing you can’t accomplish and creating a plan of action is always a great starting point.

For many people, saving money is a great challenge. However, others might be quick to spend whatever money comes their way without a second thought. With that, you could easily get off track in your saving process as soon as the unexpected happens. Don’t worry!  You are not alone.

How do you start saving money? Have you heard about the 30-day saving challenge? It is simply a process of saving that involves setting aside a certain portion of your income for 30 days. The implication of this is that there is no room for making impulse purchases – that is, making purchases based on emotions rather than sticking to a budget. You simply set a goal, get committed to the goal for 30 days, and then make the purchase.

With this saving challenge, you’ll be able to keep your spending under control. Apart from helping you to overcome impulse spending, it also boosts your saving attitude over time. 

The following steps are critical in helping you achieve the goal of money saving for 30 days. 

Step 1: Make a budget 

Creating a budget is the first step towards controlling your income and expenses as well as creating a space for savings. You will not have an idea on the amount that could be put into your savings account when you don’t know how much you spend. By creating your budget, you are able to track your spending.

Not only that but you are also able to know what extra money could be added to your savings account. It is recommended that you automate the process. There are spreadsheet apps that allow you to monitor your finances on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Ideally, your monthly spending should be less than your income while still offering you an opportunity to save at the very least 10% of your income. If unrealistic for you, consider saving less. This, however, depends on your monthly income and financial goals. 

Step 2: Set a realistic goal

With the 30-day saving challenge, you are setting a short-term goal. Decide your saving goal. For instance, this may be $500. Beyond having a target amount, it is important that you create a purpose for the money. In the absence of a purpose, you tend to get distracted, thus lacking the motivation you require to keep going. 

Are you planning to go on a short vacation or a family trip? Do you want to get a new car? What about rewarding yourself with a special treat at a nearby restaurant? Irrespective of the goal, there should be a clarity of purpose. A detailed plan for a family trip, for instance, would look like this:

$150 for travel expenses

$300 for lodging

$150 for food

Remember, your initial goal doesn’t have to be so big that it becomes unrealistic – you may not be able to gain enough motivation to meet your target. Rather, start small. However, be sure that you are consistent and control your money spending habits. 

Step 3: Cut down on expenses 

With the expenses you incur on a daily basis, you may be inhibited from having enough savings that could help you meet your financial goal. By carefully observing your spending life, you might have developed certain bad spending habits. Identify and get rid of the habits. 

Can you do without the coffee you often grab every morning as you drive to work? What about the trips you take to the movies every Friday night? How much does dinner-out with friends take away from your income? What if you decide to forgo any of or all these expenses for a period of 30 days, how much will you save to add up to your savings account? 

Notwithstanding, enjoying all these doesn’t amount to careless spending. You may only have to enjoy them less to be able to save more. 

Apart from this, you can also consider trimming down high bills. Think of it, do you utilize all subscriptions you make for phone, internet, and cable? Is it possible to negotiate with your service providers for lower rates and discounts? Of course, you wouldn’t know until you make attempts to reach out to them. Remember, there is no harm in trying. 

Make a list of the bills you pay every month (as stated in your budget), and cancel unnecessary ones or the ones you could no longer sustain. You may be surprised that you can cope without checking in to your Netflix, for instance, for a month. 

Step 4: Start saving 

With knowledge of the financial goal, you have an idea of how much to throw into your savings account each day. For instance, a financial goal of $500 for a 30-day period would amount to saving an average of $17 each day. Remember this is a challenge. The implication is that it is not going to be easy. 

One great mistake you may make is to save into your checking account. You may be tempted to spend it. Rather, invest your money in a high-yield savings account. Through this means, you would be making your money work for you.

Step 5: Earn more to save more

Check your home for items that are lying around – clothing, old bicycles, books, toys, unused appliances, etc. Your kids might have outgrown some clothing items or gifts. You might have received certain gifts that you never used. You don’t have to keep all these. Otherwise, your house becomes cluttered or the items have their values depreciated over time. 

Take stock of the items that could be sold and you might be surprised how much you actually make. This gives you additional cash money. You may want to check out Craigslist or Facebook marketplace to sell your kid stuff. To sell clothes, use ThredUp. It is an online consignment shop. 

Step : Have an accountability partner 

In achieving life goals, there is the need to be accountable for your actions and steps. Otherwise, you may lose motivation along the way. Before going ahead with your saving goal, meet with your accountability partner to share your goal with them. 

Such an accountability partner may be a family member, co-worker, spouse, or even a friend. Usually, they should be people who are committed to helping you accomplish your goal. To sustain their interest, you may also offer to incentivize them.

For instance, if your accountability partner is your wife. You may promise her a night out at her favorite restaurant if she helps you reach your goal within the specified time.

Final thoughts

Saving remains a great challenge that could be overcome. It is possible that you will fail. For instance, you may still go ahead to make impulse purchases despite your decision to avoid it completely. If this happens, don’t have to be hard on yourself. Failure comes with greater lessons than success. With past failures, identify the problem and try as much as possible to avoid it in the future.

Setting goals and achieving them requires great discipline, commitment, and time. The steps provided here will not only help you achieve your short-term goals but will also establish great financial foundational knowledge to prepare you for a better and more secure future.

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How can Spring help you with abundance?

When we think about Spring it brings to mind life, growth, abundance, rebirth! We can take this fertile time of rebirth to set intentions for our life, business, and money. I want you to take a moment, and think about what you love about Spring. What about it excites you? When you give thought to it, I bet you begin to think of all of the activities you can do again, creating the yard and home you love again by planting, clearing and cleaning. What does it make you want to do?

With money, it is said that the day you plant the seed is not the day you will eat the fruit. We must be able to see what we want to create. When we plant a seed for a flower we have a pretty good idea what that flower will look like, we water it and attend to it because we intentionally planted that seed and are nurturing the outcome. Setting intentions in our money and business are much the same. 

Right now, I want you to visualize all of the rich colors of spring and I want you to take out a piece of paper, your journal or your phone. Then, I want you to write down 3 intentions that you have for your business or life in general. What are 3 things that you want to grow this year?

Then, I want you to write down 3 income goals that you have for yourself. First, the number you are averaging now plus 10%, the number that you want to be making, and then finally the outrageous number that would make you want to jump up in the air with excitement! What steps can you take to begin making these numbers come to life?

After that, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to have the success of your dreams, the money in your outrageous goal, and the lifestyle that it would provide you. Write it down. Visualize it. Love it. Do it.

“Abundant life” refers to life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirit, soul and body. “Abundant life” signifies a contrast to feelings of lack, emptiness, and dissatisfaction, and such feelings may motivate a person to seek for the meaning of life and a change in their life. But how do you really achieve abundance? Start with gratitude. Be thankful for what you already have and see the miracles that come from this one simple act. 

Stop making excuses.

Realize your worth and potential. You are worthy of abundance. Your decisions lead to your destiny. Do you believe that? You should. It’s true. Sooner or later, what you do—and who you really are—determines what you ultimately achieve. Think for a moment about the people you respect. Why do you admire them? You are probably drawn to them because they are full of realized potential. When we see people exerting this kind of energy, it compels us to draw ourselves closer to them and become a part of what they are doing.

Commit to living your dreams.

It is all about commitment. Once you commit to living your dreams, the lids blinding your eyes will be lifted. A completely new world will be opened to your view. You will notice opportunities that have been in your reach all along, ones your conscious mind simply didn’t pay attention to. The fundamental change taking place is your self-identity. This is the point of no return. Once this shift has happened, your whole world changes.

Stay Consistent.

Consistency is especially important in business. Restaurants, for example, must be consistent, because customers come in expecting the same good food all the time. If they slip up even one day, they lose customers. Consistency establishes reputations. Being consistent in your work and life even if you are not a business owner is also very important. Your boss will more than likely respect consistency over anything else. 

Some of us may be stuck with an unconsciousness limiting belief about money, wealth, and prosperity that life’s conditioning dropped in our laps. But we are not without the ability to change direction; we are not just left hanging out to dry. You are the author of your life; you are the creator of your world; you are the master of your destiny. We live in an abundant universe, with limitless resources. No one is ever deprived, except by their beliefs and available resources. In order to be wealthy and create your ideal life, it is necessary to think and feel wealthy – act as if.

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Becoming wealthy is very easy, especially with motivational speakers sharing their sugar-laced experiences. But have you ever wondered why only about one percent of the world’s population remains wealthy despite the number of books on financial success and wealth creation? You might have even taken some finance classes and still wander in the darkroom of confusion.

It is common to think that certain people became wealthy by providence or sheer luck. This is not completely true, though a little luck helps sometimes. Apart from those who inherited family wealth, wealth is made with a great deal of commitment, hard work, and consistency. Beyond these qualities, there are certain sets of habits that are specific to wealthy people, especially those that built their wealth from scratch. These habits work like a magic wand in generating wealth. 

Early Risers

You may be wondering how waking up early can contribute to success. Well, you may have to examine the lives of Larry Schultz, Tim Cook, and Richard Branson, for instance. There is a difference between waking up early to rush out for work and waking up at least three hours before work to have enough time for reflection. 

Wealthy people wake up early to meditate or write in a journal, read educational content, or get a head start on an important project. Some get good exercise or have a healthy breakfast. The goal is the same: to be proactive in setting the tone for the day. Note that wealthy people do not make email checking their top priority in the morning. They rather leave it for later in the day.

Specific Goals

Wealthy people are goal-driven. Rather than make a wish, wealthy people only set goals for themselves. In fact, poor people set the goal to become wealthy but the major challenge – unknown to them – is the “how.” Wealthy people set specific goals and know what they need to do to achieve them. 

Such goals might include accumulating a certain monetary worth within a certain number of years, partnering with a particular company, or even selling their company for a specified amount. Whatever goal they set helps to guide their actions, prioritize their activities, as well as streamline their decisions. A clear vision of one’s goal is enough motivator that can drive one to success.

Daily To-Do List

It becomes almost impossible to become wealthy if you do not know what needs to be done and be committed to doing them. According to Thomas Corley, a goal is a broader term and needs to be broken down into a list of tasks that can be completed daily. This is a common habit among wealthy people. 

Research indicates that a significant percentage of wealthy people write a detailed to-do list as well as follow it through. Irrespective of the cost involved, they don’t procrastinate. In fact, they continue to mutter “Do it now!” in their minds, especially when the thought of putting off sets in. They don’t stop until the task gets done or completed. Notwithstanding, they may be unable to complete all their to-do lists every day. Nevertheless, they complete a minimum of 70% of their daily tasks.

Daily Exercise

The most common excuse by the common people is that they have no time to work out. This is not the same with wealthy people. Despite the fact that they have the least amount of free time, they understand the importance of staying healthy and fit. Even with a whole lot of wealth, they are aware that their health has no price tag. To them, daily exercise is a regular habit. With that, they get the vitality to handle whatever challenges life throws at them. According to a study report by Author Thomas Corley, 76% of wealthy folks do aerobic exercise on a minimum of four days every week.

Healthy Diet

Feeding your moneymaking brain with fad diets and Twinkies will only leave it in low gear. It is common knowledge that a large portion of less-affluent people are less concerned about their diet and overall health. This may be a result of income and geography. Notwithstanding, the cost of having a healthy diet is not as expensive as portrayed. 

Wealthy people treat food like the fuel it is – they consume the right foods, avoid junk food and snacks as much as possible, and spend more on healthy foods. Their meals are structured so that they take a count of their calorie intake. They eat a healthy diet to live longer, thus giving them more opportunities to earn more.

Read Daily for Self-Improvement

A popular quote by Joseph Addison states thus: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Just like exercise, poor people do not take book reading seriously. The great number of books in the world today leaves a wealth of knowledge untapped, if unread. Wealthy people understand this and are willing to nourish their minds with enough information that can help them improve their skills and knowledge. Even if on transit and cannot read, they do not hesitate to listen to audiobooks.

Value Time

Generally, wealthy people regard time as money and time misspent as money lost. In other words, wealthy people see time as highly valuable and wouldn’t waste a bit of it, especially on unproductive activities, such as reading celebrities’ posts on social media or watching TV. Yeah, you saw that – watching TV! Wealthy people do not get relief in shutting off their brains in front of the TV. 

Elon Musk, for instance, spends a whopping 80-100 hours every week on productive activities such as exercising, reading, or learning something new. Rather than waste their time on nonproductive activities, they rather engage in things about which they are passionate, such as hobbies. Asking yourself how much money you would lose by engaging in activities that don’t produce money will help redirect your focus on productive tasks.

Build Relationships

Wealthy people understand the value of building relationships, especially the ones that revolve around their businesses. That is one of the reasons wealthy people will always be friends with one another. They build relationships with those who share similar minds or ideas with them. It is commonsensical that the relationship they build will impact their success-achievement goal. This kind of relationship can be built in many ways – at a conference, online webinar, or just over coffee. They may not necessarily be wealthy; however, they should possess the potential and drive to become wealthy. 

One other reason why wealthy people build relationships is to help them overcome the fear of speaking in public – a common fear among humans, irrespective of their social or financial status. They thus meet and engage someone new every day to build the confidence they need to address larger groups.

They Have Mentors

Many wealthy people have attributed their success to their mentors. It is not the case that their mentors have a direct impact on their wealth accumulation story. Rather, mentors keep them accountable and help them accelerate their speed of success achievement. Usually, mentors are people that have accumulated enough insights and experiences that can help their mentees cut learning time in half.

Key Takeaways

It is common to think that certain people became wealthy by providence or sheer luck. This is not completely true, though a little luck helps sometimes. There are many things that go into creating that ideal lifestyle and becoming wealthy. Incorporating growth tactics and throwing out the unproductive habits that currently keep you shackled to your not-so-ideal lifestyle will be a game changer for sure.

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Are you struggling with sticking to your budget?

Did COVID mess up your emergency fund?

Do you want to get out of debt but you don’t know where to start?

Do you have goals you are trying to save for?

What Is Money Mindset? Your money mindset is your unique set of beliefs and your attitude about money. It drives the decisions you make about saving, spending and handling money. People who have a healthy money mindset believe things like: I have the freedom to spend, but I can also tell myself no to a purchase.

This is a do-it-yourself course where you have me guiding you through weeks of tough and challenging work to get you to where you need to be financially. If you can’t face the music and get right with yourself then you will always be where you currently are. Invest in yourself.

This next 6 months is going to fly by and also be a ton of work on your part. With balance, consistency and discipline this should be a breeze for you. I have set this course up so that you will receive an email at the beginning of each month with the next portion of your journey so it’s not so overwhelming. I will include a video for each month explaining all the things you will be tackling.

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Free Gift

Check out the FREE video series on my 3 Keys to Unlocking Your Financial Freedom! This video series touches on Budgets, Tackling Debt, and Ways to Increase Income TODAY! I created this series for those of you who have been hit hard by COVID-19. I want you to know there is nothing you can’t accomplish and creating a plan of action is always a great starting point.

Real Goals: Being financially, mentally, academically, physically, spiritually, and emotionally stable.

Stability is everything.

Being it emotional or physical. You need a solid ground to build anything on. I tell my clients all the time that they need a solid foundation to build on and in financial terms that would be your budget. Your budget is that solid map that tells you what direction to go in. I fully believe that I am more stable in all areas of my life because I am so stable in my finances. Money connects to everything whether we like it or not. It is on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly into our own selves.

There are so many emotions around money that turn into blocks. Sometimes people don’t even realize that they are subconsciously blocking themselves from wealth. It is a mindset for sure. Diving into those blocks and negative feelings around money will only help you break through those barriers and into your new life. Stability in finances requires Balance, Consistency and Discipline which I say ALL THE TIME. When stability becomes a habit, maturity and clarity follow. Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. The struggle is real when you are trying to stay disciplined and stick with your budget. I get it.

Stability is necessary for your future economic success. Finances are not stable by any means but you have the upper hand when you are in control of your finances. You want to make your money work for you. Investing is a great tool but way less stable than your average 9-5pm job. Investing is about trends and sadly politics/media but once you figure that out its so easy. I used to think there were major calculations that I had to do in order to figure out my best investing opportunity. WRONG. You just have to know the trends and current events plus be less attached to your money. Investing requires some gambling and you have to be OKAY with that.

Stability Within Your Finances 

It is almost year-end and you tend to reflect on how much you have been able to achieve in regards to your previously-set financial goals. Are you satisfied with the current state of your finances? 

Imagine a world where you don’t have to worry about money to live the kind of life you have always craved for. You have enough to enjoy that vacation, buy a new home, pay your bills consistently and on time, and live comfortably at retirement. Of course, these are possible, however, only with financial stability.

Financial stability is not only possible when you are stupendously rich. In fact, it is not measured by the amount of money you have. Rather, it is all about being confident that your everyday finances are enough to help you reach your financial goals involving zero-debt, savings, and insurance. Only individuals with stability within their finances can cover their basic needs as well as enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

Achieving stability with your finances is, of course, possible, even in this ever-changing world. It isn’t rocket science. However, it is not as easy as being portrayed. You need to develop good financial habits including planning, organizing, commitment, discipline, and resilience. Financial stability leads to peace of mind, happiness, and long-term satisfaction.

How Do You Achieve Financial Stability?

On the path to financial stability, accepting the addictions that often cause financial instability is a good way to start. These addictions include overspending or impulse spending, gambling, materialism, and paying bills late. With these taken care of, you are on track to making a good headway with your finances. 

It is important to note that there are no shortcuts to achieving financial stability. The steps involved require time, effort, and consistency. The following actions will help you achieve stability within your finances.

1. Create a Financial Plan

Every decision, especially involving finances, should be hinged on a plan. Otherwise, you tend to make the wrong financial decisions. A financial plan helps you gain control over your spending. Usually, a financial plan considers your income, spending, savings, debt, and insurance. In other words, a financial plan gives you an idea about what you earn as against what you owe, thus serving as a blueprint to help you develop a financial budget. 

2. Create a Financial Budget

Once you have good knowledge about your self-worth, then you need a personal budget to help you have absolute control over your spending. The way you spend has a great impact on other financial decisions you make. A budget is organized based on cash inflow (income) and cash outflow (expenses). You may also want to break down your expenses into needs and wants. 

Definitely, there are some basic expenses or fixed expenses you cannot avoid every month. Some of them include food, rent, and water or electricity bills. Others, such as cable subscriptions, can come under not-too-important bills or variable expenses, especially if your income cannot conveniently cater for it.

A financial budget, when you stick to it, helps you to prioritize spending and saving, reduce or eliminate expenses, spend wisely, and make wise financial decisions that can help you achieve financial stability. Nevertheless, a budget must be flexible to allow for modifications in case of unforeseen circumstances.

3. Control Your Impulse Spending

This is apparently a major problem that is common with almost everyone. Money has a way of controlling us so much that we get easily carried away when we have some funds in our wallet. We always want to show we can afford certain things. Impulse spending, especially on such activities as eating out and extensive shopping, drains our finances, thus resulting in financial instability. To avoid this, it is important to control and monitor our impulse spending. Have a second thought before deciding to make any purchase.

4. Spend and Live Frugally

One wrong financial decision is to live above one’s income. The result is often disastrous. Before making the decision to make any purchase or initiate any spending, you may have to ask yourself this question: How easy can I get back each dollar I spend? If you are able to think deeply about this, then you will be careful with your spending.

Do you need a new home or car now? Is that vacation important now or you can still have it some other time? Living or spending frugally doesn’t imply that you don’t want to enjoy the comfort life has got to offer. However, it helps you to be disciplined as well as identify spending areas that are not necessary, at least, at the moment.

5. Pay Off Your Debt On Time

If you have some debts to settle, it might be necessary for you to develop a debt payment plan. List out your debts (personal loans, credit cards, etc.) and organize them in either ascending or descending order. In your budget, make allocations for debt settlement, even if you have to deny yourself of certain benefits. Remember, late payment of debts can lead to increased interests, and this means more debts.

Once this process continues, you will be surprised at how “easy” it is to get out of debt. If you have credit card debt, you may have to consider using cash to make purchases. This prevents you from spending more than you have. Debt elimination process often takes a long time. However, it is a rewarding process. When you are out of debt, you will be able to make other financial decisions.

6. Create an Emergency Fund

Who ever thought they would get sick at a time they are down financially? Or get involved in an accident that will necessitate treatment? The reality is that life comes with unexpected occurrences that will require your attention. How do you factor this in your budget when you barely have enough money after your expenses?

Your best bet is to create an emergency fund. Emergencies could involve a major car repair or having to take an unplanned trip. An emergency fund not only serves as a backup plan, but it also helps you to navigate through a tough time with little or no financial stress.

7. Make Plans for Retirement

You are 25 and you feel you still have a whopping 35 years before you attain retirement. You will be surprised at how fast time flies. Remember that your salary will stop someday, as a salary earner. There is no better time to start saving or investing for your retirement than now. Otherwise, you may be jeopardizing your future with uncontrolled spending in the present. Little money snowballs into a large amount in no time.

Check if your company has a 401(k) plan for its employees. The plan becomes more necessary if your employer will match some of or all your contributions to your company retirement plan. You can also consider a Roth IRA.

Key Takeaway

The actions discussed above are the right steps towards achieving stability within your finances. You should have started yesterday. However, another opportunity is NOW. Remember, you shouldn’t get too focused on saving and investing that you forget to enjoy life. Sure, it costs money too. However, it also contributes to a healthy and happy life. You may only have to consider cheap options, such as going for a show, having a massage once in a while, or inviting a few friends for a game night.

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Hey there, I’m Jessica Durbin. I am the wife of a Navy Corpsman Veteran and the mother of two beautiful girls. I am also a third generation tax preparer, bookkeeper and financial wellness coach. I have been in and around the financial world my entire life. Whether it was filing paperwork, answering phones, greeting clients, payroll, bookkeeping, you name it. 

When I was 18, I started doing appointments for taxes but my confidence wasn’t there and I didn’t have that certain customer service vibe that you need when working face-to-face with tax clients. I made the decision that I didn’t want to do what my family does and I left for culinary school in San Francisco. I LOVE cooking but once it became a job that excitement went away. I was around 22 years old when I decided to move back home. Flash forward 5 years, I was working as a manager at Panera Bread when I realized I wanted to be my own boss and work smarter not harder. 

I started doing taxes and bookkeeping again on the side of my managing job and trained under my Granny all while I was pregnant with my first daughter. Then, I had an epiphany, I might be really good at this. This type of work comes very naturally to me plus all of my years in the culinary industry gave me that customer service that I needed. I was 8 months pregnant when I quit my regular job to become self-employed and it was the scariest thing I had ever done. I was giving up this guaranteed paycheck every two weeks for a business that might not work out. I was also motivated and ready to create something amazing but I wanted to do more than just taxes and bookkeeping. I came to the conclusion that we weren’t taught this type of finance in school and budgets came so easily to me. My goal was, and still is, to bring financial awareness and wellness to people’s lives. 

I launched my financial coaching service and it took off! It brings me so much joy helping people achieve their financial goals. I enable people to live their ideal lives by making the most of their assets and investing wisely for that future. I educate clients on the basics of personal finance and, as a team, create a spending plan that reflects the values and goals of the client. I empower my clients to take responsibility for their decisions, support their continual learning and growth, and serve as an accountability partner throughout the process. 

I have so much passion for leading people to financial wellness. It’s as if I have found this equation that works and now I want to show everyone the magic of financial wellness. Finances shouldn’t be scary or intimidating. I show my clients that managing their money can be easy and stress free if you have the right recipe. I have big dreams and I am always learning and growing so that I can provide value to my clients and conquer my goals. Since starting my business, I live my life feeling financially secure and I love what I do. It is a pleasure to bring financial wellness to my clients all over the world.

Jessica Durbin started in finances basically when she was in the womb. She is now a financial wellness coach for people who need help creating a budget, diving into their emotions surrounding money or figuring out where their money goes each month. She also helps people create better habits and routines around their finances. She believes finances connect to EVERYTHING. Jessica is here to help you figure out how the puzzle pieces of your finances fit together. She started out thinking she couldn’t do it all. That she couldn’t possibly have a thriving business where she could help people and love what she does for a living. She’s definitely making that happen. She says she is always growing and learning and she has even bigger goals now. Her motto is balance, consistency, & discipline leads to Financial Wellness which is key to a great lifestyle.

I am Jessica Durbin, a third generation tax preparer, bookkeeper and financial wellness coach. I have been in and around the financial world my entire life. Whether it was filing paperwork, answering phones, greeting clients, payroll, bookkeeping, you name it. My Granny paid me $5 an hour to help her file when I was around ten years old. My Mom paid me, I want to say $6.75 per hour to do payrolls and answer phones for her business when I was around 15 years old. I was taught good work ethic and the power of a dollar since day one. It is a major asset now for my own business. 

When I was 18, I started doing appointments for taxes for my mom’s business. My confidence wasn’t there and I didn’t have great customer service skills that you truly need when working face-to-face with tax clients. When preparing taxes you have to get to know the client on an extremely personal level. I made the decision that I didn’t want to do what my family does and I left for culinary school in San Francisco.

I worked at various restaurants and eventually moved to Fresno, CA where I was in a management position for two years doing budgets, inventory, menu creation, and schedules. At that two year mark, I received a job opportunity as a manager at Panera Bread. Flash forward 3 years, I was working as a manager at Panera Bread still doing inventories, scheduling and cost analysis when I realized I wanted to be my own boss and work smarter not harder. I LOVE cooking and those amazing work relationships but once it became a job that excitement went away.

I started doing taxes and bookkeeping on the side of my management position. I trained under my Granny all while I was pregnant with my first daughter. Then, I had an epiphany, I might be really good at this. This type of work comes very naturally to me plus all of my years in the culinary industry gave me those customer service skills that I needed. I was 8 months pregnant when I quit my hourly position to become self-employed and it was the scariest thing I had ever done. 

I then took the 60 hour tax exam required each year to prepare taxes and I got registered with CTEC and IRS. I was so motivated and ready to create something amazing but I wanted to do more than just taxes and bookkeeping. I came to the conclusion that we weren’t taught this type of finance in school and budgets came so easily to me. My goal was, and still is, to bring financial awareness and wellness to people’s lives. 

I recently launched my financial coaching service and it has taken off! It brings me so much joy helping people achieve their financial goals. I enable people to live their ideal lives by making the most of their assets and investing wisely for that future. I educate clients on the basics of personal finance and, as a team, create a spending plan that reflects the values and goals of the client. I empower my clients to take responsibility for their decisions, support their continual learning and growth, and serve as an accountability partner throughout the process. 

I have so much passion for leading people to financial wellness. It’s as if I have found this equation that works and now I want to show everyone the magic of financial wellness. Finances shouldn’t be scary or intimidating. I show my clients that managing their money can be easy and stress free if you have the right recipe. I have big dreams and I am always learning and growing so that I can provide value to my clients and conquer my goals. Since starting my business, I live my life feeling financially secure and I love what I do. It is a pleasure to bring financial wellness to my clients all over the world.

Do you struggle with staying financially organized?

Do you make excuses for your bad money habits?

Are you ready for financial freedom?

Do you want to stop stressing over your finances for good?

Are you ready for fool-proof methods and strategies for increasing income and getting out of debt?

Start TODAY for just $1!

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This group is for the people out there who have real life financial struggles and need a little more accountability and hands on advice. I help my clients learn how to manage their money so that once they up-level their lives they can manage it at that level as well. This is a group coaching environment with a nonjudgmental vibe. I want to give you my financial coaching but at a slower pace and reasonably priced.

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Hey there, I’m Jessica. I will empower YOU to live your ideal life by making the most of your assets and investing wisely for that future. I will educate YOU on the basics of personal finance and, as a team, create a spending plan that reflects your values and goals. I will give you the space to take responsibility for your decisions, support your continual learning and growth, and serve as an accountability partner throughout the process.

I will also help you create better habits and routines around your finances. Finances connect to EVERYTHING. I’m here to help you figure out how the puzzle pieces of your finances fit together.

This Fiercely Financial monthly membership is perfect for you if you are stressed about your finances, living paycheck to paycheck, want to learn more about finances, or you want to be financially free.

Balance, Consistency and Discipline are the keys to Financial Wellness.

P.S. This group comes with an hour long Zoom meeting with me every FRIDAY called Fiercely Financial Friday!

Check out the FREE video series on my 3 Keys to Unlocking Your Financial Freedom! This video series touches on Budgets, Tackling Debt, and Ways to Increase Income TODAY! I created this series for those of you who have been hit hard by COVID-19. I want you to know there is nothing you can’t accomplish and creating a plan of action is always a great starting point.

Not knowing where to start is OKAY. Trust me, you are not alone. So many people struggle with those scary wandering around in the dark feelings when it comes to their money.

I grew up around the financial world. Budgeting and saving is like second nature to me. I have done my budget since I was 18 years old. Once I got my first real job outside of my family’s business and I LOVED shopping at Target. I had to figure out a way I could save money but also have fun and buy myself something I wanted.

Start With Your Budget

Start with your budget. Your budget is the road map or blueprint to guide you where ever you want to go. Budgets are LIFE. Every month I customize my own budget along with my monthly clients so we can see our areas of OPPORTUNITY. These are the categories you overspend in. Monthly adjustments are something that keep you in check with your goals whether short term or long term. It’s all about Balance, Consistency, and Discipline.

Setting a Realistic Budget

Setting a realistic budget means diving into those sticky areas of your life and seeing what type of spending you have been doing. What type of categories do you have within your budget? Do you have long term goals? Do you have debt? By answering these questions you can track these and make sure every dollar has a purpose. I have a great blog post about the foundation of a budget that you should check out called Budgets: Foundation for a Solid Budget.

Balance

Balance is key in life in general but especially within your finances. You need a balance between spending money and saving it. You should be spending money on bills plus any irregular expenses that pop up throughout the month, but you should also have a “Savings” & a “Retirement” category to toss money in each month as well. These categories being in your budget will ensure you add money to it if you are also consistent and disciplined.

Here are some ways to bring balance to your financial life:

• Set some goals
• If you are a small business owner, pay yourself on a schedule
• Have an emergency fund
• Create a debt payoff plan
• Utilize tax-deferred investment plans
• Create a Will

Consistency

Consistency is so important when it comes to your budget. You have to keep up with your budget to see results. REMEMBER, it is just a blueprint for you to follow. It should not feel like a restriction, but more like a structured guideline that helps you figure out what your areas of OPPORTUNITY are. Consistently checking in with your spending is like going to the doctor for a check up. It keeps you healthy and aware.

Here are some ways to stay consistent with your finances:

• Increase your knowledge
• Increase your income
• Change your money habits
• Be rich, don’t look rich

Discipline

Discipline is hard. I feel you. We all have trouble telling ourselves no. I love buying gifts for my family and friends. Something I have to constantly check in with is WHY I want to spend money. I used to shop A LOT and I racked up a huge credit card bill which took me about a year to pay off. I use that as an example when talking to myself about why it’s probably not a good idea to buy that $400 purse.

Since having kids though, I have transitioned my way of thinking. I now appreciate experiences more than “things” or “stuff.” I want to provide my children with life experiences and teach them to be kind humans rather than purchasing things trying to look “cool.” It is definitely a priorities game. Whatever is a priority to you will end up on your budget. It’s all about Balance, Consistency & Discipline.

Here are a few ways to stay disciplined in the new year:

• Set some financial goals
• Use automation for your bills
• Give yourself a challenge
• Change your money habits
• Get an accountability partner or financial coach

Free Gift

Check out the FREE video series on my 3 Keys to Unlocking Your Financial Freedom! This video series touches on Budgets, Tackling Debt, and Ways to Increase Income TODAY! I created this series for those of you who have been hit hard by COVID-19. I want you to know there is nothing you can’t accomplish and creating a plan of action is always a great starting point.

Debt is a tricky thing and no one wants it but everyone has it because thats just what you have to do in order to have nice things. WRONG! First of all, we want to BE rich not LOOK rich so that mentality needs to check itself at the door. I’m a firm believer in saving for goals and paying in full. You need to have discipline in order to thrive. Saving is one way to reach for a goal and not acquire debt. Yes, saving may take a while to reach a major goal but in the end its worth it if you have zero debt. Your credit will be better and once you achieve that goal it will be so sweet. These two methods are just a couple examples of ways to tackle debt.

Snowball Method:

The snowball method is one way to pay off debt. You basically choose the loan or card with the smallest amount in debt and make the maximum payments you can. You will pay more in interest in the long run but if you thrive on accomplishing small goals then this is the method for you. This is my personal option because I am one of those people who really like crossing things off my list and when I can get the small debts out of the way first it makes me so excited. Financial stuff doesn’t have to be scary you just have to look for the positives in everything you do including your finances.

Avalanche Method:

The avalanche method is the second way to tackle debt. This is where you choose the loan or card with the highest interest rate and take that one down first. You will pay less in interest over time and its best for people who thrive on numbers over emotions. I see the benefits in using this method but like I said before, I enjoy small wins. This one definitely will make sense to a lot of people and its probably the smarter way to go if you want to pay less in the end.

Here are my 4 strategies to help you tackling debt:

1. Make a budget and stick to it.

Creating a budget will change the game in regards to your financial wellness. A budget is an estimate of income and expenses for a set period of time. A budget allows you to gain feedback on areas of opportunity. It helps you check yourself and set up goals for short and long term. This is something that must be a priority. A budget is basically your financial plan for a defined period, often a month or one year. It may also include planned trips, major purchases, sales volumes and revenues, costs and expenses, assets, liabilities, and cash flows. This is a vital tool for any person who owns a small business.

2. Set realistic financial goals. If you can’t pay cash for it then don’t buy it.

Goals are everything. When dealing with money it’s smart to set short term and long term goals. Something to work towards is always a great motivator. When setting goals it’s a crucial thing to save money. Meaning, if you don’t have the money don’t spend the money. You’ll never reach your goals if you spend all the money you bring in each month. Budgets and financial goals go hand in hand. It lays the foundation to set you up for success. You will be able to crush your financial goals with a budget.

3. If you use a credit card, pay on time and more than the minimum payment.

Global credit card debt continues to rise. Make the minimum payment on every card, every month, but throw whatever extra money you have at the one with the lowest balance. When that one is paid off, take the money you were applying to it, add it to the minimum you were paying on the second card and pay it off. Keep going until all cards are paid. According to incharge.org, the average adult who doesn’t pay off the balance on credit cards each month, owes $7,527 on their credit cards. If there are two adults at home, that’s a little more than $15,000. If there are children in that house, there is usually an urgency to do something about it.

4. Always monitor your debt

Watch for a change in rates and fees and if possible contact the lender and see if you can lower your interest rates or if they would be willing to work with you. It never hurts to ask. The worst thing is they could say no. Checking in on your financial well-being should be a priority. Finances are very uncomfortable and a lot of people don’t like looking at that student loan payment or that debt that’s in collections. For me, its the dentist. I get that sick to my stomach feeling then I start shaking because I always think the worst is going to happen. When there is something that needs to get fixed I just don’t want to talk about it or know about it. Once I fix the issue though, I always feel better.

Free Gift

Check out the FREE video series on my 3 Keys to Unlocking Your Financial Freedom! This video series touches on Budgets, Tackling Debt, and Ways to Increase Income TODAY! I created this series for those of you who have been hit hard by COVID-19. I want you to know there is nothing you can’t accomplish and creating a plan of action is always a great starting point.