Action creates motivation… not the other way around.

I don’t know about you… but I am almost NEVER motivated to go to a workout class. There are days when I am literally dragging my feet. But I have learned that if I just take it one step at a time…

Have coffee. (MUST)
Put my workout clothes on (even if I haven’t convinced myself that I’m going yet)
Fill the water bottle
Get in the car and go (maybe I’ll just half-ass it today. Even if I just show up, that’ll be fine.)
Start the class (feeling a little groggy maybe)
KICK ASS

Okay, so maybe I don’t kick ass alllll the time. But the point is… once I am there… once I have ACTIONED myself to GET there… and I start doing it… I realize that I have more energy than I thought I would. I start waking up. I start to move my body and push that preconceived notion of half-assing it. I find motivation to finish strong!

This is like MANY things in life. Have you ever needed to finish a project and just dreeeeaded starting it? Did you get through it?

And you know what? Sometimes we fail. We don’t do the thing that we needed to do. Or we do it, but not the way we expected. It’s hard to see the possibility of success if you’ve only experienced failure. Yet it’s often only after a number of failures that we have a chance at success. Don’t let failures move you into inaction. Instead, view it as a learning experience and try again (action!) The motivation often follows when you start to see small successes.

This is just like learning to manage your finances. So many women that I meet are just not motivated to learn until they’ve reached the point that their debt is crushing them and they’re fighting with their spouse every day.

But learning to make your money pretty rather than an ugly problem doesn’t have to be boring, take a lot of time, be stressful, or take a finance degree. No matter where you are in your financial literacy, you can take it to the next level.

One of my clients joined the Pretty Money Club because she wanted to buy a vacation home and just couldn’t figure out why her dream wasn’t coming to fruition. She has a really high income, but because of the security in knowing her income easily took care of her needs… she was spending carelessly. She actually had no idea how much until we got it on paper. After several budget revisions, her priority list really changed. She bought that vacation home after two years of practicing more mindful spending.

Most of my clients do not think about vacation homes when they think about prioritizing their money, but I wanted to give you that example to show you that even if you have more money… without the knowledge of how to manage it… it may not make a difference.

Many of my clients are just “stuck.” They have enough money to pay the bills and they have some disposable income as well, but they’re restrained by their fixed income, 40 hour work week, and family life. They forget to reassess their goals and end up in “inaction” simply because they’re going through the motions… every single day.

You are going to live through good times and bad times. You are going to live in periods of excess opportunity and times when it looks like there is zero opportunity.

The strategy? Focus on doing the best work you can today.

Overwhelmed? Take action. You immediately shift your focus from staring at the impossible path in front of you to taking the first step.

“But Lindsay… I’m so drained from everything else that I have to do.”

Sure. I get it. Busy Moms have a LOT on their plates… and in the Pretty Money Club, guess who you will find there? BUSY MOMS!

Refocus your energies. Cut out the 5 most energy-sucking activities in your day (watching TV, drinking alcohol, engaging with energy-sucking-people, scrolling Instagram.)

Then select ONE thing that you can do today that will help you move toward your goals.

If there’s one thing that I want you to take from this e-mail, it’s that I want you to be LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE.

What can you do right NOW to make it happen? Write down a goal. I don’t care how big or small it is. Just write down ONE. And then write down the FIRST step to getting there. Don’t even think about the whole big picture. The pathway doesn’t need to be clear. You just need one step.

If your goal requires MONEY to make it happen (as many do) – perhaps your first step is to set up a bank account with the goal name and amount you’ll need… then set up automatic transfers to that account.

For example… if your goal is to stay at the Jashita Hotel in Tulum Mexico for 10 days next summer (remember, be SPECIFIC with your goals) you will research the destination and activities, budget for time off, figure out how much you need to go… and then you’ll create a bank account that says “MEXICO – JULY 2022 – $4500” Then set up an automatic transfer for $375 per month, or $173 biweekly, or whatever.

(In the Pretty Money Club, we actually use bank account budgeting to automatically transfer our money to the places we want it to go. We’ve got mortgage accounts, grocery accounts, childcare expense accounts… and lifestyle accounts. So we know exactly how much spending money we have at any given time. And if we run out, we actually have to go transfer the money out of another account to spend it. Most people aren’t going to take money out of their “mortgage” account to get their hair done. But if they don’t have a system in place, they might get their hair done and then realise they don’t have enough in the account for when their mortgage comes out.)

If making your money pretty is a goal for you, then your action today is to sign up for the Pretty Money Course. All you gotta do is CLICK HERE for more info.

Why Cooking with your Spouse is just like BUDGETING

Do you cook with your spouse? I do… sometimes. Not often.

(truth be told, Graham is the better cook. He enjoys cooking more… and it shows when the food is on the table…)

Even if you don’t prepare meals together, just imagine that you do for the next couple of minutes.

So how do you make dinner? You’ve gotta decide what you’re going to make, first! Imagine if both of you started getting out ingredients without even knowing what recipe you’re working on. It’d be an interesting mish-mash, but the result miiiiiight not taste so good.

Next, you get to work! You figure out who is going to do what:

X —- You’re not both chopping the onions at the same time. (That’d be an easy way for someone to lose a finger.)

X —- You’re not nit-picking whether the tasks are divided exactly 50/50. (“You only diced 34 pieces of carrot?? I diced 58 pieces of red pepper! Slacker!” – Can you imagine?)

✓ —- You DO both have a common goal: Make _________ (Spaghetti? Shepherd’s pie? Peppercorn steak and potatoes? Fillet mignon?)

✓ —- You DO decide who is going to do what (one of you chops up veggies while the other seasons the meat and puts it on the grill!)

Creating a budget, a.k.a. spending plan, a.k.a. path to your goals, is exactly the same!

You both need to decide *and agree* upon your objective.

Then you both need to contribute to accomplish the plan. You don’t need to worry about who’s doing what, more, or whether or not it’s “even.” You each pitch in, in some way.

If I do all the cooking, maybe my partner does the dishes. If I vacuum the house, maybe my partner mows the lawn. They may not be contributing the same amount of work to the recipe at hand, but they are contributing somewhere else.

If one of you thinks it’s too salty or too spicy, you communicate that, so that you can find a way to make sure both of you enjoy the meal. It’s OK to stick your finger in the pot, taste the sauce, and suggest more salt! Just like it’s okay to make a suggestion about your common goals.

In MANY households there is a CFO (Chief Financial Officer) that handles 90% of managing the finances. If this is the case, that’s fine — as long as there is open communication and the other partner is on board with how the plan is going. It can’t be in the brain of one partner. It needs to be on PAPER, so that BOTH people can see it… and know whether or not they are on track. How are you going to change the plan if it’s not written down?? How are you going to follow a recipe if you don’t have one to read from?

http://www.prettymoneyclub.com/budgetsignup

Trying to manage finances with a partner can be really tricky. Often I hear from my clients that they talk and talk about their goals and objectives… they start out on the same page… annnnd then one of the partners throws in some extra ingredients, throwing the recipe off.

So how can you possibly come up with a tasty meal if your partner keeps derailing it? You talk about what ingredient threw off the recipe. You talk about why that partner decided to throw it in. Did they decide after you started that they actually really didn’t want cake… and instead wanted pie? Did they commit to the recipe because they knew it was what YOU wanted, but their heart really wasn’t in it, so they weren’t really paying attention to what they were throwing in?

Sometimes the recipe just doesn’t work out. But you usually don’t throw it all away. You find a way to use what you’ve got to make something new.

I’m an Accredited Financial Counselor married to an Qualified Associate Financial Planner… many of our clients hire us because they want a 3rd party in their money conversations. They need support in talking about money in a different way. They need help seeing things from a different perspective. They want to make sure their common goals are not “his or her” ideas. Because often “money problems” are not actually money problems. They are communication problems.

If you feel like you are on a hamster wheel with your partner in regards to your finances and you think that it’s time to get some support to finally get on the same page as your spouse, I’d love to chat. Send me an e-mail. Shoot me a message on Facebook. Or, even better, click here to fill out my intake form (you’ll be prompted to book your free intake call at the end). We can set up a time to chat so that I can tell you about what financial coaching is, and if it’s something that will benefit you.

Is the stock market like gambling?

How to budget when your cost of living is too high

Step 1: Create a budget plan.

Most people who tell me that their cost of living is getting in the way of them accomplishing their goals don’t have a written budget… that’s actually working.

You can’t control the cost of gas or groceries… but you can control your road map to success.

You can get anything you want. The challenge is knowing what you want.

You MUST have clearly defined goals. Or else.. what are you making your budget for?

If you don’t know how much money you have to support your goals… does it matter how expensive the things you buy are? No. Because if you don’t have a budget.. you don’t know if you can afford the shoes. The gas. The trip. The… fill in the blank.

You don’t know how much you’re willing to sacrifice from your Starbucks budget to move to that weekend getaway budget… because there’s no budget in place for either!

You’re probably robbing Peter to pay Paul!

(P.S Guess what? I don’t track my spending. I don’t have time for that! My system does NOT require you to save your receipts or go through your statements every month. Yes, you have to do this as part of your fact-finding… but after you’ve done it, you’re going to start putting your money where you want it to go… rather than investigating where it’s already gone… get my drift? Get started on a budget that works here. )

Step 2: Make Changes.

This is the part that not many people like to hear. If your cost of living is too high, you have some choices to make. You can increase your income, decrease your expenses, or erase your goals.

To make changes that are within your control, you first have to determine what you CAN control.

There is no magic wand you can wave to reduce the cost of gas…. You might be able to change how you transport yourself though. Maybe you can take the bus. Park in a cheaper place. Bike once a week.

You can’t change the cost of groceries. You can meal plan, though. You can choose to buy produce that is in season (and cheaper) rather than your favourite all the time.

Surround yourself with people that are going to HELP you reduce your costs. Don’t hang out with people who are constantly wanting the next shiny thing… who only want to sit and chat on a fancy patio while buying drinks. You gotta get some accountability partners that are aligned with your goals!

If your spending is not the problem, then perhaps you need to increase your income. Can you get a different job? Ask for a raise? Get benefits? |

Can you start a side hustle? Can you make money doing things that you’re already doing? (If you want some ideas for how to do this, check out my blog post here!)

Can you erase something?

Get rid of that subscription? Decide to stop that financial commitment? Say no to that 2nd cousin’s wedding? Make the powerful choice to stop putting pressure on yourself to save for that goal, just for a certain amount of time?

We might need to get creative. Sometimes the amount of money that we have just doesn’t cover all the things we need and want. So have a real hard look at what you CAN change. At what you are willing to change.

(P.S. – Change is hard. I get it! But you know what else is hard? Being broke. Feeling like you’re not in control of your life. Change is mandatory to life.
Can you imagine if our kids didn’t make changes? They have to learn to go to the potty. They have to learn to get themselves dressed. They have to learn how to do math.

Don’t let your inner toddler come out and dictate your budget. Make the changes that you need to.)

That’s it.

Wait, what?

Yes, that’s it! Were you expecting more steps?
If you were expecting a 10 step system to resolve your high cost of living challenges, you are over-complicating things.

It’s not complicated.

If your money is not working for you… you have to get a game plan down on paper and make some changes.

You are the boss of your dollars.

YOU create a goal for them.
YOU create a system for them.
YOU train them to do what you want.
YOU monitor them and keep them on track.

If you want to make a difference in your finances… stop giving up control and blaming the cost of living. Implement new strategies and figure out where you can make changes.

If you need help to do that, get your name on the waitlist for the Pretty Money Club so that you can join the next intake of women who will go through the 8 week Pretty Money Course together in the summertime.

Make Money… doing things that you’re already doing.

Imagine what you would do if you had a couple extra hundred bucks coming in every month.

And before you scoff and say “I don’t have time to do anything MORE just to make a couple hundred dollars…” hear me out.

MOST of the members in the Pretty Money Club are busy Moms. We are a tight group and have spent A LOT of time together creating and revising our budgets. We have already figured out where our money goes, learned where we can save, set up automatic transfers to save money for our future needs, and given ourselves a “spend with joy” budget to buy whatever WE want on a regular basis.

Now we’re getting ambitious. We are on fire for our goals. We know that reprioritizing just a few hours a month of our time can expedite that family vacation, or earn us that gardener so we can spend that sunday afternoon at the lake with our kids rather than in the dirt pulling weeds.

And making extra money is NOT hard. There is SO MUCH MONEY in the world… you just have to be willing to stick yourself out there and say “HEY! I WANT YOUR MONEY.”

Well, okay, you will have to work a little for it. But probably not as hard as you might think.

We talked about four different ways to generate extra income this month:

1) Doing things we are ALREADY doing. For example:

– Jennifer LOVES to garden and has a bunch of indoor plants, too. Instead of just giving away the ones she propagates or pruning the excess and throwing it away, she started potting and selling them. She picked up free nursery pots off marketplace, spent $15 bucks on potting soil, and has already made $180 selling plants at $10 a pop.

– Heidi is big into meal prep. Since she is ALREADY doing it on a regular basis, she decided to check out her local mom group and found another busy mom that is willing to pay for pre-made meals a couple times per week. Time bonus for the other mom, cash bonus for Heidi.

2) Doing MORE of what we are already good at. For example:

– Marina is a grade 5 teacher. She decided that she would start a small math club to tutor kids who need the extra support after school for one hour every Thursday. There are three kids in the group and she charges $15 per week per kid. That’s $180 per month… and well worth it to the parents.

– Erica does high level consulting for the government. Her skills are transferrable to coaching small business owners privately. We are currently brainstorming her side hustle.

3) Reaching for the low-hanging fruit. For example:

It doesn’t require a large skillset or a university degree to clean a house, detail a car, walk a dog, or babysit. But don’t think of taking on a job like this as doing extra chores. Think about it as filling a gap in your budget and making more room for the things that you love. Money certainly can buy happiness if it means that you have extra money to spend on experiences with your family, or if it means you can indulge in some YOU time.

You might even be surprised to find that it does not feel like a huge chore. One of the Pretty Money Club members took on one client for bi-weekly house cleaning. She goes for three hours every other saturday morning from 8-11. She pops in her ear buds and listens to podcasts as she mops and scrubs. By the time she gets home, her partner has fed the kids and they’re ready to go do family stuff. She feels refreshed, having had quiet time to herself listening to something she enjoys annnnd she even got in a bit of a cardio workout.

4) Creating a business. For example:
One of the Pretty Money Club members is really good at building resumes… and figured out that she has a passion for helping people articulate what they’re good at! She’s actually an awesome coach! Not only can she help them put together a stunning resume, she can build their interviewing skills and leave them with more confidence in themselves than they had before they met her. This sparks a lot of joy in her life and fuels her with purpose… even more so than her regular job.

This is something that she can definitely make a profit doing… but she has been practically GIVING these skills away. week I am going to have the ladies put on their business hats… and really dive into what it means to build a business, how to make sure they’re profitable, and how to avoid the burn-out.

So… why am I giving you all this juicy incite into what the Pretty Money Club members do?

Because I want you to see what’s possible, {first_name}.

I want you to see what you can accomplish when you are in a group of like-minded women to encourage you and collaborate with.

We busy moms have a LOT going on… but I guarantee you, we can take on MORE. We can gain more for our families and for ourselves!

If you want to know when the Pretty Money Club is accepting new members, just put your name on the waitlist here and I will definitely let you know.

Wishing ABUNDANCE to you,
Love Lindsay.

http://www.prettymoneyclub.com

Don’t believe your lizard brain.

Hey there, friend.

I just had to write a quick post to confirm that THEY’RE NOT ALWAYS TRUE…

Those thoughts in your head about why you should buy this or that. Those justifications. That ‘reasoning’ voice.

You know what I mean, dontcha? Things like…

“I’ll use it for many years so I won’t need to buy another”

“If I don’t buy this on sale now, I’ll end up spending more on another one down the road…”

or “it will save me so much time… and that’s worth more than money.”

Did you know that your brain is WIRED to keep you out of danger and you engage in things that please you? It’s actually an ingrained survival instinct.

But we aren’t cave-people anymore. We aren’t constantly in danger or seeking food so that we don’t starve.

Our brains are still looking out for us today like they did wayyyy back then. It’s called the limbic system. Some people refer to it as our lizard brain.

So instead of “COLLECT ALL THE BERRIES NOW. We may not eat next week!” our brains are shouting “YAS, we NEED that matching sham and duvet set NOW, cause that sale won’t be on ever again”

What do we DO about this inherent “need” to buy things to satisfy that “protect and please self” instinct?

When you hear your little voice justifying a purchase, just… stop.

Slow down and realize that this is what that little voice has been created for. It’s going to tell you that you need it.

Acknowledge the voice…
Remember that it’s the 21st century and that there is no true urgency to this voice… (no sabre tooth tiger jumping out from behind that display shelf!)
Put the item down.
Walk away.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t buy the thing. It just means that you need to find a new way to make your decision. Look at your goals, your budget, your accounts. Then make a powerful choice.

Giving yourself 24 hours to think before buying is a simple and extremely effective way to take the power back from your lizard brain!

If you consult your long-term plan and are choosing rather than reacting, all the power to YOU.

If you’re not even sure if you should buy that thing because you don’t know if it fits into your budget, join my free 5 Day Budget Makeover. (it comes with a free budgeting template to help you get on track!)

3 TOXIC myths about money that you probably believe.

Today, we’ll cover the 3 toxic myths about money that all beginners MUST break away from in order to achieve PRETTY money. (If you’re new to me and not sure what I mean by pretty money… think about what ugly money is. Worrying, feeling crushed by debt, stressed… Now think the opposite.)

I’ve served hundreds of 1:1 coaching clients as an Accredited Financial Counselor… and hundreds more women in my group coaching through the Pretty Money Club. The most SUCCESSFUL women are the ones who are willing to address their own mindset and attitudes… and the ones who are willing to put forth effort into continuous learning. You, my friend, are on the right path… because by reading this, you’re learning!

It’s myth-busters time. Time to re-align your perspectives and make things right 🙂

Myth #1: Debt is the cause of your stress.

Nothing can cause you stress unless you allow it to, including debt. Debt is not alive. It doesn’t care if you’re awake at night worrying about it, just as it’s not going to congratulate you for getting rid of it. You and YOUR mind is what creates stress about debt. So you gotta shift your mindset if you find it stressful.

Why do you have debt? What did it get you? Did it buy you a home? Did it give you time off to care for someone? Was it invested into your health? You’ve bought things or experienced things. Practice gratitude toward what your debt has brought to you.

Then… realize that you are not going to be crushed underneath it, even if it feels like it’s a 1 tonne elephant. How do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time!

If you make paying off debt THE number 1 priority, it’s like giving in to a screaming toddler. It’s easy to do, because it’s LOUD. But without addressing the underlying cause of debt, you’ll end up back in a cycle.

You CAN make a plan to pay off your debt. A manageable, sustainable DOable plan that fits into the REST of your budget. When you have a budget plan in place… a road map for how you’re going to manage your debt… you no longer feel diminished by it. You feel in control.

It’s pretty hard to stress about something when you feel grateful and in control.

Myth #2: Following a budget is too restrictive.

Uh, SO NOT TRUE. Budgeting is actually the OPPOSITE of restrictive. When you make a plan for where your money is going to go… you know that you are taking care of all your needs. You’re taking care of future you. AND you know how much money you have to spend with joy (what’s left over after all your needs and future expenses.) This means you can buy whatever the heck you want to without fighting with your spouse, without worrying that you’re forgetting a bill, and without feeling guilty.

It’s the people that do NOT have a budget who feel restricted. They usually end up going in circles, overspending, fighting, living paycheque to paycheque wondering where their money went, and saying NO to things they like to do, because they’re really not sure if they can afford it.

You’re not powerful with your head in the sand, or if you’re running away. You gotta have your feet planted, eyes open, and a clear head to face yourself.

#3: You gotta be good with numbers to be good with money.

Being good with money actually has very little to do with numbers. You do NOT have to be an analytical brainiac to being a superstar budgeter. You don’t have to love math (I sure as heck DON’T) and you can’t inherit the “bad with money gene.”

Being good with money is about implementing a system that WORKS for you, creating good habits, and continuing to adjust. Life happens. You’ll fall off track. Things change. That’s okay! You can handle it, you can learn it, get back up, and readjust.

Being good with money does NOT have to be complicated either! The concepts that I teach are very simple. In fact, they are MADE for busy people who don’t have time or energy to pour into hours of studying. Simple, but incredibly effective, and manageable. We humans have a tendency to overcomplicate almost everything… and we’re still surprised when we manage to simplify. “Why didn’t I think of that before?”

K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, sweetheart.
One of the mottos in the Pretty Money Club

Why is believing in these 3 myths a HUGE PROBLEM? Because believing in these 3 myths will stop you from taking action the right action. Your confidence gets affected, you don’t seek guidance, and subsequently, you don’t transform your life as a result. As an accredited financial counselor, I have seen breakthrough after breakthrough and I know that is not difficult to get pretty money.

Women just don’t have the right guidance to succeed when it comes to money. Many people search for information online fruitlessly, and when that doesn’t work, they give up. I don’t want you to give up because I can help you can do this!

How do you think other people achieve their financial goals? Are they all super-geniuses? No… they did it by implementing successful strategies, seeking helpful guidance, and through dedication to their goals. So take heart. You can do this! Don’t for a second doubt yourself.

Did you find yourself nodding to any of this? Resonating? Are you feeling inspired? Enrolment to the Pretty Money Club is going to OPEN in a couple of weeks… and believe me, there’s a lot more of this kind of talk to get your butt in gear. Get your name on the list so you don’t miss this enrolment.

The best piece of advice ever.

The best piece of advice I have ever received in my life was from a woman that I really admire… Marie Forleo. Yes… a lot of people admire Marie. If you don’t know who she is, I seriously recommend going to her website. She exudes optimism and encouragement. Her goal is to leave YOU feeling empowered. Marie does exactly what I strive every single day to do… help other women achieve success with less stress and tears than it took me.

Yes, I’m an Accredited Financial Counselor… so I want to see women succeed in their finances… BUT I don’t just talk about money. No no. I broke free from the shackles of the corporate financial world years ago when my husband (who is a licensed financial planner) and I set up our own independent company. (MOOLA financial) We hate our own industry. It’s set up so that financial advisors make money off people who have lots of money… by selling them something. Spending time with a family to figure out a plan that works for their very unique lives or teaching budgeting skills is time that the advisor is not paid for. It’s the most UNprofitable to HELP the people who NEED the most help. Not to mention the giant companies or banks that make you sell the products THEY want to profit off of, regardless of whether it’s a good product for the client’s financial well-being.

When you’re helping a family make a plan for their FUTURES, for their DREAMS, for their GOALS… it’s so much more than just money. Things change in our lives constantly… and so the plan needs to change along with it. Ongoing support, accountability, training, reminders, encouragement, discussion, check-ins… all the things that the financial industry is not set up to provide… that’s what busy families NEED. And I find that Moms are doing most of the day-to-day spending.

I got laughed out of the room by colleagues when I shared my dream of creating a way to teach busy women. To work WITH them. To offer them the practical QUICK solutions that they need. To offer ongoing support, continuing conversation, emotional encouragement. I was told that there was NO way I would make it. I’d go broke. They said that my clients wouldn’t put in the effort. They wouldn’t want to learn. These comments definitely caused my own negative-nancy voice to start talking in my ear.

One of the things that I work really hard on is my perfectionism and self doubt. I tend to want things to be perfect… so I end up agonizing and procrastinating and then miss opportunities. I know I’m not alone in these feelings because I’ve worked with thousands of busy moms that have these very same struggles.

Moms are amazing at juggling all the things. We care so dang much about accomplishing it all. And sometimes our minds get worn down.

“What if I make a mistake?”

“What if it doesn’t work out and I feel awful?”

“What if I can’t?”

“What if I’m not enough???”

Yeah girl. I feel that way more than I care to admit… but I’m getting better and better at just GOING for it. At kicking that negative self talk in the gut. At reminding myself that I CAN. Knowing that my goals are worthy of attaining. I shut the nay-sayers out and choose to sow the words of wisdom spoken by successful women… thought leaders… innovators… like Marie Forleo. Because I KNOW that I have something special to share with the world and I’ve gotta be brave and bold in order to reach the women that can use my help.

Well… this piece of advice KICKS PROCRASTINATION AND PERFECTIONISM IN THE GUT!

I was listening to a podcast and Marie was talking about her now super-well known phrase:

START BEFORE YOU’RE READY.

Game Changer.

I’m not sure why exactly it was this moment in time I decided that I had enough of worrying and micro-managing myself and my knowledge, but I’m grateful for it. In a nutshell, Marie says that we have to start before we feel ready… because if we wait for that perfect time we will MISS OUT on opportunity.

Moms need this bit of advice more than other people, because we are GO GO GOers. If we put things on the back burner… we know what happens to those things. They never get done. They get forgotten. And all too often… it’s US that gets put on the back burner. It’s OUR needs and OUR goals.

You CAN.

You ARE enough.

Your goals DO matter.

It’s okay to make mistakes.

You can learn new skills.

So let’s go!

We just have to start. Get over that fear of beginning. Get over the fear of what if. Get over the fear of making a mistake. It’s okay. Started is better than ready. Because Moms can accomplish whatever we put our minds to. We just gotta take the plunge and begin.

This piece of advice can ring true in SO many different areas of our lives.

Tell me… how could you implement this advice in your own life?

Do any of your goals require money?

Do you wanna GET STARTED on something NOW… ?

Do you wanna join a group of women that encourage and empower each other?

Do you like the sound of “pretty money”?

Try my 10 Day RENEWAL Challenge. It’s all about RENEWing your mindset, RECONNECTing with your financial goals, RETHINKing your roadmap to success and REMINDing yourself of just how resilient and amazing you are.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!

2020: the year of RENEWAL – redefining our future

In the Pretty Money Club, I use a lot of THEMES to inspire learning and conversation. Every month, we have a new theme and I teach weekly lessons based off that theme. Last month was RESP’s. The month before was wills. During my grocery challenge I teach a system for shopping that uses meal-themes to help make dinner time easier (you know… Taco Tuesday, Meatless Monday…) I’m a fan of themes… because it helps us shift into a mindset.

I was thinking about the theme for 2020… and no. I’m not gonna say “Pandemic themed.” I think we gotta go deeper than that. I think 2020 is the year of re-definition. Of re-evaluating. Think about it… a LOT has changed. Our routines were upended. Our schedules thrown out the window. We’ve adapted and changed in MANY aspects of our lives.

Our relationships might look different now than they did back in March. Some people have exited unhealthy relationships. Some people have realized that they LOVE being around their partner and have achieved a new level of intimacy and security. We’ve had to think about who we are prioritizing in our “safe bubbles.” We’ve glimpsed a little bit about how our friends respond to change.

Our routines and social habits have changed. Maybe we couldn’t go to that class at the gym for awhile… and we feel the impact on our mental health as a result. Some introverted people are feeling more comfortable going to stores than they have before as a result of less crowding and more personal space becoming the norm.

Obviously, many of us have felt the impact on our finances. Some lost jobs. Some simply rearranged their budget to move vacation money into “make my home office work better” money.

Although different is going to look different for everyone (ha-ha) … I think we can all agree that our lives have been altered. So let’s think about the theme of renewal. What areas of our lives need to be redefined or re-evaluated? What are the choices we need to make about those areas? Some areas that come to mind are:

Spiritual life
Emotional well-being
Family dynamics
Job or career priorities
Purpose and goals
Physical fitness
Friendships
Budget
Our futures

There are a million other ways to say redefine:

Reconsider
Revise
See in a new light
Review
Amend
Change your mind
Give new meaning to
Renew

I’ve always liked the concept of “renewal.” Even though humans by nature tend to fall into habit and routine, I think that we all NEED renewal every once in awhile. And this concept came up just the other week with a client that I’m coaching.

We were discussing her budget for probably the 10th time in 8 weeks. I encourage people to consider their budget plan as a living, growing, changing thing because any time we cross a major life event or realize a new dream we have to be sure our financial plan aligns with our new shifted reality. With this particular client, however, we revisited her budget A LOT in a short amount of time because her budget just wasn’t working. It still didn’t feel right. She is a very successful woman and yet still didn’t have enough money for the things she wanted to prioritize. And then it occurred to me that this particular client was holding on to long-term commitments she made YEARS ago. And they no longer fit her life.

Delving into the realm of cancelling commitments can be a daunting task for many women. Many of us are givers by nature… and we give so much! Our time, our energy, our money, our love, our tears. But if we are giving too much of ourselves away then we are not showing up in the areas that we actually want to at 100%.

For this client… it was a revelation! She realized that she needed to create new boundaries for a healthier work life balance, free up time on the weekends for herself, cancel some memberships and subscriptions, say no to an annual (costly) commitment that she didn’t enjoy anyway (even though it may temporarily ruffle some feathers), and work on feeling comfortable NOT buying elaborate expensive gifts (she felt as though she set a precedent for expensive gift buying and assumed that now those recipients would expect it… a lot of assumptions.)

All of these revelations will redefine how she shows up in her life – with more energy, more positivity, and more confidence.

What in your life needs to be redefined? What do you need to start or restart? What needs deleting? What needs to be tried again? Who do you want to see MORE in your life? Less? What do you want to do in your spare time? Do you want more spare time, or do you want to fill it with a hobby? Do you want to be more physically fit? Do you want to read more? What do you want your house to look and feel like? Do you want to go to the spa? Do you want a new job? Do you want to meet new people? Do you want to be calmer? What do you want to buy? What do you want to sell? Do you want to make more money?

Okay. How are you going to achieve that? What’s the plan? Who’s going to help you get there? Where are you going to learn? How are you going to experience renewal?

If you’re a busy mom and any of your commitments have to do with money… I’m here for ya. I’d LOVE to help. I WANT you to achieve your goals. Get in touch!

3 things you can do TODAY to get better with money.

I’m all about action. I’m a busy mom of two active boys and an accredited financial counselor that coaches busy moms on all things money. I GET how busy life is. And in my life, I always want practical solutions that I can take ACTION on right away. ‘Cause let’s face it… If I don’t start DOING right away… it’s probably not gonna get done. SO… here are three things you can DO TODAY to start making your money prettier.

{What is pretty money??? Check it out here.}

1.) Figure out what you believe about money.

What you believe about money is really important on your journey to financial success. I talk to busy moms every day that have mindset blocks holding them back from achieving their goals.

When I hear someone say that they are too busy, that they can’t afford it, that they are just “bad with money” or “investing is too risky” I know that there are mindset issues we need to work on. If you find yourself saying these things, you are probably also familiar with phrases like “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” or “The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.” Examine your thoughts on these phrases. Do you find any truth in them? Many people believe the only way to financial success is to work really hard. Put in overtime. Penny pinch. Save, save, save. Don’t spend. Limit your lifestyle.

These mindset blocks come from a scarcity mindset and often they’re put in place during childhood. Think about how you were raised. Did money seem like something scarce… something to hold on tightly to?

Sometimes I meet people who are on the other side of things. They have their needs met and have good cashflow, so they don’t think that they need to budget. They feel like it’s too restrictive. It’s too time consuming. It limits their lifestyle or makes them feel guilty about spending. YOLO, right? Live in the moment. You’ll worry about later when later comes.

Whatever your beliefs about money… they are either going to push you towards your goals or holding you back. My job as an accredited financial counselor is to make sure your mindset shifts to a place where you are PROPELLING yourself TOWARDS your dreams!

DO THIS:

So. Get a pen and paper. WRITE DOWN the things that come to mind when you think about money. Don’t think, just write. When you’re done, examine these beliefs and figure out what’s underneath them. Where did these thoughts come from? Are they negative or positive? Are they helping you toward your goals, or are they blocking your path? Which leads me to my next point…

Want to take a quiz to see your “money mindset” score? Check it out here!

2.) Figure out your goals.

We need goals and dreams to keep us going. A reason to wake up every day. Something to look forward to. Something to work towards and aspire for. Without a goal, we often fall into complacency, boredom, or even depression. I have worked with hundreds (maybe even thousands) of busy moms by this point in my career and I can tell you that every woman’s goals are different. There are some common themes, obviously, but each person’s life goals are as unique as a leaf is on a tree.

One of my client’s deepest desires include buying a multi-family rental property within 5 years, scaling her business and hiring a full time helper within 2 years, and getting a black belt in her marital art. Another wants to get a part-time job after her youngest goes to kindergarten so that she can use the extra income to pay for a horse, which she will train and sell for a profit. She plans on buying the horse within a couple of years and sell it by year 5. After that, a new goal will be established.

If you want to achieve financial success, you have to figure out what financial success looks like for you. It’s going to look different for everyone.

When I am setting goals with my clients I like to have one or two goals that can be accomplished within the year. It can be really draining to have goals that are always long term. If you don’t have any short-term goals, sometimes you can turn your bigger goals into bite-sized pieces. For instance if your dream is to buy a house and it’s gonna take 10 years to save for the down payment, make your goal to have a certain amount set aside by the end of the year. I would also suggest coming up with a “fun” goal that will keep you motivated and inspired as you save for your house.

DO THIS:

It’s important for us to see that our efforts are working. So what I want you to do is set some goals. Set 1 that you can accomplish within a year. Set 2-3 more for the next 5 years. Write these goals down. THEN I want you to make a vision board for your goals. Cut out clips from magazines… make a Pinterest board and then print a screenshot of it… draw… whatever you like. Just make it a physical board that you can put in a place that you’re going to see every day. Another really great thing to do is to find a motivational phrase and put it on your desktop background or phone background.

Want to make sure your budget lines up with your goals? Take my free 5 day budget makeover here!

3.) Don’t forget about future you.

Future you needs money too! This is one of the BIGGEST mistakes that busy moms make with their money. We forget about our future selves! Moms are BUSY. Sometimes we’re runnin’ on empty and are just trying to get through the day. Which is why it’s super common to focus on money for the day. What do we need to buy for dinner tonight? What bill is coming out? Who do I have to e-transfer today? Then we take some time to look at where our money WENT. What debt do we have to pay off? How did we spend so much last month? But what about you next week? What about you at your kid’s graduation? What about you in retirement? What about when the brakes go on the car next month?

You can’t seem to get ahead because you’re on the hamster wheel. You reach for the credit card when “unexpected expenses” throw you off. Car maintenance is not an unexpected expense. If you drive a car, you know that it needs maintenance. You know that you have to get the oil changed and that parts are going to break. If you have kids, then new soccer cleats are not an unexpected expense. Just because you didn’t plan for them doesn’t mean they are unexpected. You know that these costs are going to come… what you don’t know is when. Planning for future you is absolutely key to gaining control over your money. Even if you CAN afford expenses as they come up you want to be sure that you’re not robbing one of your future dreams and desires from happening as soon as possible. So here’s what I want you to do

DO THIS:

Grab a pen and paper and list your irregular and future expenses. Here are some examples:

Gifts (birthday parties, christmas, weddings, baby showers)
Sports registrations and equipment (new cleats, game fees, travel costs)
back to school shopping
property tax
vacations
kids education
retirement
utilities
house maintenance (roof, water tank, new appliances or appliance repair, gutter cleaning, garden and lawn, house cleaner, septic tank removal, fireplace replacement)
renovations
car maintenance
dental care
medical care
veterinary bills
emergency fund

http://www.prettymoneyclub.com/budgetmakeover

These are all things that future you is going to need to spend. Figure out how much you need to set aside every month so that you can pay for these things when they come up.

Want to make a budget that works? Use my free budgeting templates here!

Alright! Three things down. I’m gonna give you 3 more things to do next week. Keep an eye on my social, blog, or youtube!

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Step 1: Create a budget plan.

Step 2: Make Changes.This is the part that not many people like to hear. If your cost of living is too high, you have some choices to make. You can increase your income, decrease your expenses, or erase your goals.

That’s it.

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But we aren’t cave-people anymore. We aren’t constantly in danger or seeking food so that we don’t starve.

Slow down and realize that this is what that little voice has been created for. It’s going to tell you that you need it.

Giving yourself 24 hours to think before buying is a simple and extremely effective way to take the power back from your lizard brain!

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Myth #1: Debt is the cause of your stress.

Myth #2: Following a budget is too restrictive.

#3: You gotta be good with numbers to be good with money.

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START BEFORE YOU’RE READY.

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1.) Figure out what you believe about money.

DO THIS:

2.) Figure out your goals.

DO THIS:

3.) Don’t forget about future you.

DO THIS:

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Step 2: Make Changes.

This is the part that not many people like to hear. If your cost of living is too high, you have some choices to make. You can increase your income, decrease your expenses, or erase your goals.