I'm not going to preach or suggest that I know any more than you do about finance. What I will tell you is that setting financial goals is very important. Duh. You know that.
Finance is a very personal issue. We tend to get in a bit of debt when we're young, don't we? For whatever reason, some crazy-ass bank sent me a credit card when I was only 18. It was pretty much down hill from there for me. For a while anyway. Now, I am an honest person so I'll admit that I carry a bit of credit card debt. It's so easy to get what you want that way!! I am working on it!
It's super important that you pay attention to this and not let it get too far away from you. Here's why:
Imagine that you have one card that is maxed out. Then you need something else so you open an instant account at a department store. Next thing you know, that one is maxed out. Then another. Then another. The next thing you know, you can only afford to pay the minimum payments on all of those maxed out cards. The interest rate will really hurt. You'll pay and pay and pay and those bills will seem to never go away. If this is you, then you have dug yourself under. And it is going to take some hard work to get out.
So how can you avoid this nightmare? Set yourself a few fabulous, exciting, sparkly goals, my diva!
Goal one: If you do have a balance on a card, get that bitch paid off! You are going to have to find something to do with yourself other than shopping. How about cleaning your place? Reading? Babysitting? How about spending a few months with family. Or maybe with a friend who wants to eliminate some debt herself! A buddy system! How about learning something? There are a million things you can learn just by getting on the Internet. There are a million movies you can watch on Netflix! Get a good book. Start a journal to write down how all of this feels!
I know, I know. None of these ideas are as much fun as spending the day at Nordstrom Rack or Neimans Last Call. But once you set the goal of getting out of debt, you absolutely MUST find something to do other than spending. Believe me, it's worth it.
This short term pain for long term gain will be the best thing you ever did for yourself. For several reasons:
1. You can say you did it! And take pride in that!
2. You'll have the freedom of using your money to enjoy a great quality of life, rather than making painful payments to some nasty bank!
3. You will have learned your lesson!
4. You won't have the worry of what will happen if you have an emergency and no money to take care of it.
5. The biggest thing you'll get out of this process is this: You will learn to be alone. You'll learn to find ways to amuse yourself. You'll learn what you love and what you don't. You will be empowered by knowing that you accomplished this on your own.
So about those goals...
1. Savings account. Get 6 months salary in the bank as your emergency fund.
2. What do you want/need? Do you want to buy a house? A sexy condo? Save up a down payment!
3. Do you want to take a fabulous vacation? Bora Bora? Maui? Paris? Go get the brochures! Put them by your bed or in your kitchen, or somewhere you'll see them every day. Keep them nearby so when you are tempted to throw your hard earned money away on some red soled shoes, or a sparkly ring, you can remind yourself of what you're giving up by making that purchase.
It's truly all about priorities. What is really important to you? If you're smart - and sister, we both know you are - what you want, need and dream about is the S-word. SECURITY. Yes, you may find Mr. Right, and he may have just inherited billions of dollars, and he may want to worship the ground you walk on....but really, how often does that happen? Christian "50 Shades" Grey is FICTION.
We all need to be able to provide for ourselves. Even if you do find Mr. Superwealth, you need to know that you can do it yourself. There is nothing better for our self-esteem than knowing that WE call the shots, and WE get to choose. If something changes in your life and you have to make it on your own, you can do it!
YOU have the power to get in control of everything financial in your life. Once that happens, you get to make smart, healthy choices. Not desperate ones. Not needy ones.
Get a grip on your life and your finances and BECOME THE POWERFUL, IN-CONTROL, CONFIDENT, BRILLIANT WOMAN YOU WERE BORN TO BE.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
And more.....
So how can you avoid this nightmare? Set yourself a few fabulous, exciting, sparkly goals, my diva!
Goal one: If you do have a balance on a card, get that bitch paid off! You are going to have to find something to do with yourself other than shopping. How about cleaning your place? Reading? Babysitting? How about spending a few months with family. Or maybe with a friend who wants to eliminate some debt herself! A buddy system! How about learning something? There are a million things you can learn just by getting on the Internet. There are a million movies you can watch on Netflix! Get a good book. Start a journal to write down how all of this feels!
I know, I know. None of these ideas are as much fun as spending the day at Nordstrom Rack or Neimans Last Call. But once you set the goal of getting out of debt, you absolutely MUST find something to do other than spending. Believe me, it's worth it.
This short term pain for long term gain will be the best thing you ever did for yourself. For several reasons:
1. You can say you did it! And take pride in that!
2. You'll have the freedom of using your money to enjoy a great quality of life, rather than making painful payments to some nasty bank!
3. You will have learned your lesson!
4. You won't have the worry of what will happen if you have an emergency and no money to take care of it.
5. The biggest thing you'll get out of this process is this: You will learn to be alone. You'll learn to find ways to amuse yourself. You'll learn what you love and what you don't. You will be empowered by knowing that you accomplished this on your own.
So about those goals...
1. Savings account. Get 6 months salary in the bank as your emergency fund.
2. What do you want/need? Do you want to buy a house? A sexy condo? Save up a down payment!
3. Do you want to take a fabulous vacation? Bora Bora? Maui? Paris? Go get the brochures! Put them by your bed or in your kitchen, or somewhere you'll see them every day. Keep them nearby so when you are tempted to throw your hard earned money away on some red soled shoes, or a sparkly ring, you can remind yourself of what you're giving up by making that purchase.
It's truly all about priorities. What is really important to you? If you're smart - and sister, we both know you are - what you want, need and dream about is the S-word. SECURITY. Yes, you may find Mr. Right, and he may have just inherited billions of dollars, and he may want to worship the ground you walk on....but really, how often does that happen? Christian "50 Shades" Grey is FICTION.
We all need to be able to provide for ourselves. Even if you do find Mr. Superwealth, you need to know that you can do it yourself. There is nothing better for our self-esteem than knowing that WE call the shots, and WE get to choose. If something changes in your life and you have to make it on your own, you can do it!
YOU have the power to get in control of everything financial in your life. Once that happens, you get to make smart, healthy choices. Not desperate ones. Not needy ones.
Get a grip on your life and your finances and BECOME THE POWERFUL, IN-CONTROL, CONFIDENT, BRILLIANT WOMAN YOU WERE BORN TO BE.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
And more.....
