Your Money Made Easy

You’re ready to really start getting organized with your money. You want to know where you stand. You want to figure out how to create a budget. You want to plan for your retirement. But you consistently keep running into roadblocks of your own making.   You don’t actually get started.  You start and stop.  You indulge in a little retail therapy. And you beat yourself up. Guess what?  You don’t have to do that anymore.  You can change your money mindset to create a life of abundance and peace with your money. The first step is understanding what a mindset is. A mindset is the way you think, feel and react to a specific situation in your life.  It’s a combination of ALL four pieces. Yes…there are FOUR pieces which means that when you are trying to sort it all out in your head it’s inevitable you keep running into thoughts and emotions which makes you feel like you are running in circles. No matter how good your intentions, there’s a LOT going on. So how do you sort it all out so you can get on the right track?  You know….to a life of abundance and peace…. In today’s show, I’m going to show you EXACTLY how to unravel what’s going on.  Best of all, it will fit all on one sheet of paper.  Want to download the worksheet?  HERE a link. Once you’ve identified what’s really going on, it is SO much easier to figure out what needs to change.  Best of all…. the changes don’t have to be hard. This is so doable!!!! Please come over to the show page and leave us a sample of your money mindset map.  If you get stuck, leave me a comment and I’ll make sure you get the help you need.

The information you need is finally here!!!! Have you hesitated about applying because you weren’t really sure how these programs will work? Did you apply but now you’re nervous you don’t know what you signed up for? This is your in-depth analysis of the FREE money and loan programs available to the self employed and small businesses during COVID This week I cover: the details of each program how much money can you expect to get how to apply what is free versus a loan which option is right for you how to get started I also cover the facts versus rumors and I run through several scenarios you may find yourself in with detailed recommendations for what you should do to make the most of these programs. Don’t forget to download the cheat sheet that lays out all the details and compares the programs! ** DOWNLOAD THE CHEAT SHEET HERE **  CHEAT SHEET – Details of COVID Loan Programs -  https://bit.ly/3a5GU3G __________________________ ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Download Cheat Sheet – Compare all COVID loan programs https://bit.ly/3a5GU3G Sign up for my LIVE online class “How to Manage Your Money During the Coronavirus” https://bit.ly/2UsIPe8 Get on my email list for all the latest news http://bit.ly/30YUUJm ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group.   Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________   ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/

As promised….here’s all the LATEST information on getting unemployment if you are an independent contractor. The most important thing you need to know is that as of April 6, NONE of the states are set up to process this new group of people correctly. So…. if you were hoping to collect…….  1) don’t give up and 2) understand how this is all going to work so you can get the most money possible. As of March 27, 2020, for the first time ever, independent contractors and gig workers will be able to receive weekly unemployment checks. This show covers who is defined as an independent contractor, how it works, how much you can expect to receive and how to apply. Make sure you subscribe to the show so you can hear about new tips for your money during this crazy Coronavirus crisis. ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Unemployment benefits by state including a link to sign up  https://bit.ly/2UsVltK Sign up for my LIVE online class “How to Manage Your Money During the Coronavirus” https://bit.ly/2UsIPe8 Get on my email list for all the latest news http://bit.ly/30YUUJm ___________________ ** FIND ME ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/

I have exciting news! As of March 27, 2020, for the first time ever, independent contractors and gig workers will be able to receive weekly unemployment checks. This show covers how it works, how much you can expect to receive and how to apply. Make sure you subscribe to the show so you can hear about new tips for your money during this crazy Coronavirus crisis. ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Unemployment benefits by state including a link to sign up   Sign up for my LIVE online class “How to Manage Your Money During the Coronavirus”  Get on my email list for all the latest news  ___________________ ** FIND ME ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/

Everyone is going to be affected financially by the current Coronavirus crisis. Everything you know about saving money, budgeting, debt and investing is on hold right now. We are in a whole new world where cash is king.  Your job is to get through this as financially healthy as possible. This week I answer the questions you sent me.  I have over 30 years doing financial crisis management and I’m excited to share my thoughts, suggestions and ideas. Here are some of the topics I cover in this week’s show I lost my job, what do I do? Not being able to pay the mortgage/rent How do I use my emergency fund? I can’t pay all my bills, how do I prioritize? I have no cash saved, what do I do? Should I continue to put money in my 401(k)? What should a small business owner be doing? And many more ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** FREE Worksheet download – 8 Practical Tips for Managing Your Money during the Coronavirus https://mailchi.mp/realfamilyfinance/8-coronvirus-tip-workbook Last week’s show – 8 Practical Tips for Managing Your Money During the Coronavirus - http://bit.ly/39ZzlvX My FREE Class – 3 Essential Secrets to Successfully Managing Your Money  http://bit.ly/39Dcrua ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance __________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ ___________________ ** GETTING STARTED ** Take my free class. “The Secrets Every Woman Needs to Know About Managing Money” https://realfamilyfinance.com/free/   Take my quick, fun personality test.  "What's Your Money Personality?"  https://realfamilyfinance.com/get-started/

We are officially in crazy times.  For many of you, this is the first financial crisis you will have faced in your life time.  For all of us, this is the first financial crisis in over a decade. How do you manage your money through something like this? You batten down the hatches as fast as you can and hold on for the ride. It’s important to remember that today, you have the opportunity, to put all the pieces you need to make sure you survive this crisis financially. In today’s show, I give you eight, PRACTICAL tips for things you should be doing TODAY to help you manage your way through this complicated time. They include What to do with your investments as the stock market dips What happens if you lose your job How to create a plan for using your emergency fund Ways to reel in your spending Shutting off any bill payments on autopay (so you can control your cash) Have 3-4 weeks of grocery money in cash What to do if you have a small business How to help a neighbor in need The important thing to remember is that you WILL come out on the other side of this.  I want you to come out as financially healthy as possible and with confidence that you can (and did) take care of yourself. ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO **   Last week’s show – “What to do when the stock market crashes” http://bit.ly/2IytVMw FREE download – “8 Practical Tips for Managing Your Money During the Coronovirus”  https://mailchi.mp/realfamilyfinance/8-coronvirus-tip-workbook Take my FREE class “The 3 Essential Secrets to Successfully Manage Your Money” http://bit.ly/39Dcrua ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance   Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ Website: https://www.realfamilyfinance.com  

Watching the stock market crash (and recover and crash) over the last few weeks has made for a hellish roller coaster ride.  Are you ready to get off the ride? While it’s incredibly uncomfortable, we are actually exactly where I would expect us to be right now. So what exactly is going on?  How did this happen?  How bad will it get How do we make it stop? When the market crashes (defined as losing more than 20% of value) there are usually four key pieces at work.  They are: Stock prices were higher than they were really worth so buyers are ‘truing’ up (or down as the case my be) the stock prices The companies themselves are not doing well so they aren’t worth as much as they once were Investors are notoriously emotional about losing everything they’ve built and they let their fear drive decisions to sell off their holdings A specific event. Right now it’s the Coronovirus.  There is uncertainty about how bad it will get and there are fears it is damaging world economies. Right now, 1, 3 and 4 are at play.  That means that the craziness of the market in the last few weeks is not unexpected. In addition, we’ve had twelve straight years of gains.  That’s almost unheard of.   While we’d like to think it will go on forever, the realist in me says it’s time for the cycle to turn back around. So….that makes what’s happening right now….normal. But what do you do?  How do you deal with it emotionally? Should you be selling off your holdings? Catch this week’s show for a strategy that will make you whole and four action items you can do today to make your investments as safe and comfortable as possible.   ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Gary Vaynerchek investing advice https://cnb.cx/2v0saEB Join my private FB group to discuss this week’s show http://bit.ly/2ojSMcS Take my free class  http://bit.ly/2qzFAVR ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ Website: https://www.realfamilyfinance.com  

Are you getting a tax refund this year? I remember being so excited about getting tax refunds because it was a big pool of money that I could throw at my debt (and make a dent), or use to start my emergency fund (ahh, the relief of having a buffer) or the time I used it to finish saving for a down payment for a new house (home, sweet home!) But when I googled ‘tax refund’, I got 50 articles that told me I screwed up….that refunds are bad. So how can something that feels so good be bad? I’m going to go all anti-establishment this week and buck the trend. Tax refunds aren’t good or bad.  They just are.  It’s how you use them, and how you plan for them that really matters. In this week’s show we’ll talk about how tax refunds work who should get one (and who should stay away from them) how to get a bigger (or smaller) one We’ll also talk about how you should fit a tax refund into your financial planning.  And if you find a tax refund is a good thing for your life, we can celebrate that magic bucket of money every April together!   ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Paycheck calculator  http://bit.ly/39IqONq IRS Tax Estimator http://bit.ly/2P3ZUaS ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ Website: https://www.realfamilyfinance.com  

Guess what. 70% of couples are fighting about money. It’s the #2 reason for divorce.  So…. Want to know WHAT you’re all fighting about? Want to know WHY you’re fighting about it? Want to know HOW TO MAKE IT STOP? Then this week’s show is for you!   I share the 6 top things people fight about, and then I’ll show you practical ways you can make the fighting stop. ***RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO *** Money Magazine’s Survey   What’s your relationship with money – FREE quiz  _____________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook  Facebook Group Instagram  Website   

Got Student Loans? Feel like they’re overwhelming and they’ll never go away? Have you had to put parts of your life on hold because of the financial commitment you face in paying them off? Are the balances going up instead of down? Then this week’s show is for you! Ten years ago, my guest, Robert Farrington, graduated from college with $43,000 in debt.  Rather than sit back and pay the equivalent of a mortgage for the next then years, Robert immersed himself in the ins and outs of the college loan markets  and has emerged as one of the leading experts in college debt. Robert is the founder of The College Investor, where he teaches people about college debt and investing for beginners;  and LoanBuddy, a DIY and consulting site that will step you through evaluating and refi-ing your student loans. He also has a VERY active forum where you can explore all things College Debt.   It includes both subjects for students AND their parents. In today’s show, Robert shares his strategies for making sure you are minimizing the amount you end up paying back.  There are 150 loan options out there.  You need to make sure you have the best one for your life. We talk about how to get started….Hint: Get organized! We talk about fitting your payments into a reasonable budget…Hint: Know your numbers! He also shares a ton of info on the various forgiveness programs available.  Do you work for a non profit, school or a medical provider?  You may qualify.  You don’t need to be an expert.  You can be the door man, and if you are an employee,  you can quality.  What’s your strategy if you lose your job or can’t work for some period of time? What are income based payment plans? If you have college debt this show is for you!  If you know someone who is struggling under their debt.  please share this….you may change their lives ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Robert Farrington’s website The College Investor   Free book - The Definitive Guide to Student Loan Debt by Robert Farrington  Robert’s FREE class “How to Get Out of Student Loan Debt” Robert’s Consulting Services Loan Buddy  Robert’s YouTube channel  Roberts Forum for College Debt for Students and their parents  ___________________   *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance   Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered.   I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives.   When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN!   ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook Facebook Group Instagram Real Family Finance Website

It’s the last week of January.  How’s your New Year’s resolution going? If you’re like 95% of Americans, you’re probably feeling like you failed. But the truth is, you may actually be well on your way to making the changes you want in your life. In today’s show, I talk about the seven stages of change.  That’s right….you don’t just decide you are going to change something in your life and it magically happens (wouldn’t that be nice).  There are actually seven stages to the process that you have to work through. One of the stages is called the Preparation Stage.  This is where you start making small changes.  You believe that changing will make your life better.  Taking small steps lets you start feeling how the change will make your life different, better. Small changes are far easier to sustain than huge sweeping changes. Sounds like a New Year’s Resolution. Chances are good that as you work your way through the seven stages, there will be lots of starts and stops, lots of adjustments and lots of regrouping and trying something new.  Turns out its all part of the process. Check out this week’s show to hear about the other 6 stages and to get a little inspiration.  You may not be feeling great about the status of your New Year’s resolution, but you could actually be in exactly the place you need to be! And if you’re working on your money in 2020, don’t forget to get on my wait list for my FREE class “The Three Essential Pieces You Need to Successfully Manage Your Money” and my FREE LIVE Workshop “Your 60 Day Roadmap to Financial Success.”  These classes will be available for a limited time so you won’t want to miss them.   Enrollment in my FAST Money Management Program will also be open for a limited time. If you’d like to get on the wait list to be notified when all three are available, CLICK HERE  So check out this week’s show and feel good about where you are and what you’re doing!  I PROMISE you aren’t alone! If you know someone who needs to hear that they didn’t really fail at their new year’s resolution, please share this.  If someone shared this with you and you’d like to get on the email list to be notified when the next show is available, you can sign up HERE.  ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** “How to manage your money using the 1% rule” http://bit.ly/343zsUf “How Jeannine Hunt is using my 1% rule to change her life”  http://bit.ly/30GNXwt ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook Facebook Group  Instagram Website

I made a guest appearance on the Jeannine Hunt Experience TV show! If you’d told me two years ago that I’d be on TV you’d have been picking me up off the floor after I laughed my way off my chair.  Me?  On TV? Well this week….it happened!   Starting Real Family Finance has been an adventure and an amazing opportunity to create some good in this world.  I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m grateful for all of you who support me by showing up every week to watch and listen. I truly believe that EVERY woman deserves to be financially secure and confident that she knows how to make the right financial decisions for herself. What I teach isn’t hard. It’s doable. It’s sustainable. Truthfully, the individual pieces you need aren’t hard to learn or use.  It’s knowing how to put them together that’s the trick.   It was fun to share my story with all of you in this episode.  Jeannine was an amazing and gracious host.  Her personal goal is to empower women and girls to be stronger and more confident.   It was cool to fall into that category! Please check out the show.  I talk about how Real Family Finance got started, the 5 key pieces to building a financial foundation and how to use my 1% rule to start making changes with the money in your life.   You can catch more shows from Jeannine here: http://bit.ly/38sMRXX ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Information about my program the FAST Money Management Program  If you haven’t heard, my new FREE 3 part course “3 Steps to Becoming Financially Successful” and my FREE LIVE workshop “Your 60 Day Roadmap to Financial Success” will both be out in the next week or so.  My 8 week, signature class, the FAST Money Management Program will also be opened for limited enrollment.  If you want to get on the list to hear when all three are available, you can sign up HERE ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group.   Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook:  Facebook Group:  Instagram:   

Do you have your estate plan in place,  so when you die your family will get everything you plan for them? Estate planning.  It’s on everyone’s list….somewhere. It’s an incredibly intimidating topic and no one wants to think about dying.  But what happens to your family and loved ones if you die without having your affairs in order? Nothing good. In today’s show I’m incredibly excited to have Leslie Quinsay as my guest.  Leslie is the author of “Legacy – a Guide to Successfully Transferring Wealth From One Generation to the Next.” Leslie shares her personal story as a daughter, a sister and a mom, of the day her dad unexpectedly had a heart attack and almost died.  It was an eye opening time for her family as they realized they did not have the proper estate plans in place. Not only did they have their dad’s affairs to sort out, they are a family of entrepreneurs, with multiple businesses and many employees relying on them to have the right plans in place. From the unexpected 5 am call two days before her 40th birthday, to helping her mom figure out finances and medical care, to creating a ‘living’ succession plan that will ensure her family’s enterprises survive for generations, Leslie shares her story. Leslie also shares her 6 step process for putting an estate plan in place that she lays out in her book Legacy. If you’ve been wondering Who do I go to, to advise me and help me set all this up? What documents do I need? How do I talk to my family and loved ones about my wishes? How do I let people know what needs to happen? If you’re a business owner, what happens to your business? You’ll want to check out this week’s show. And, if this is the year you’ve decided to get your estate planning checked off your list, Legacy is a must read.  Leslie does an amazing job of laying out the six EASY steps you need to create an estate plan. No matter how complex or simple your life is, this book will help and it’s written in plain English so no one has to be intimidated any more.   This book is great for anybody who is doing their estate planning, but it’s especially pertinent for families that own businesses.  If all your money is tied up in your business, and you want to make sure that money gets to your family, Leslie tells you EXACTLY what you have to do to make that happen.  Who runs the business the day after you’re gone?  If it needs to be sold, how do you do that?  How do you find out what it’s worth?   Leslie guides you through all the things you need to know. You can buy the book HERE  and you can find Leslie HERE at  I also wanted to make this a no brainer for you to get started so I created a quick guide called “Your Estate Planning Guide”  that you can download for FREE HERE.    Don’t let another month or year go by that you haven’t put your affairs in order. This is one of the best ways you can take care of the people you love, even when you’re not here to do it anymore. Have a wonderful week! Linda PS… If you haven’t heard, my new FREE 3 part course “3 Steps to Becoming Financially Successful” and my FREE LIVE workshop “Your 60 Day Roadmap to Financial Success” will both be out in the next week or so.  My 8 week, signature class, the FAST Money Management Program will also be opened for limited enrollment.  If you want to get on the list to hear when all three are available, you can sign up HERE *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook Facebook Group  Instagram

Have you set a 2020 New Year’s resolution that includes getting better with your money? Today I’m going to cover 7 easy things you can do that will help you make those resolutions a reality this year. It’s the first week of the new year and if you’re like me, your setting some goals for yourself for 2020. New Year’s resolutions are all about getting rid of bad habits and getting better at things we need to be better at.  The typical ones are exercising more, saving money, eating healthier and losing weight. 50% of Americans set a goal that involves their money, so you aren’t alone Money is one of those things that we deal with every day.  Its constantly coming and going. So how do you step out of the day to day grind enough to really make some changes? Last week I talked about how to define financial success. How do you know what goals to set and help you define what you are trying to accomplish?  This week we are going to discuss seven concrete things you can do to succeed with your financial 2020 New Year’s resolutions. The great thing about these seven ways to achieve greater financial success and crush your 2020 New Year’s resolutions, is they’re easy and anyone can do them. All you have to do is make a plan, follow through, and take action.  Make sure you download your goal worksheet, fill it out and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day. Welcome to the new decade!!!! ** DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET “Your 2020 FINANCIAL GOALS" ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** "Last Week’s Show – How Do You Define Financial Success”   "FREE worksheet – Your 2020 Financial Goals"  Mint.com “The Step by Step Guide to Choosing a Mutual Fund”  “The 4 Mutual Fund Basics – Learn to Invest with Confidence”   “What’s the deal with women and social security”  Wait list for new free class, free workshop and open enrollment for FAST Money Management  - CLICK HERE  ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance __________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: Facebook Group:  Instagram:    

We know we’re supposed to manage our money.  More than that, we all want to be financially successful. Sounds good right?  But what does that mean?   How do we define financial success?  How do we know when we arrive? As I get ready to open doors to FAST Money Management Program in January, people are reaching out for information.    The same questions keep popping up.   “I don’t know if I’m okay financially, and  I’m not even sure what okay means.  And I don’t know what to do to get there.  I just know I can’t keep going the way I have been.” How do we define financial success?   Is it a number or something else?    What do we do when we get there?  Do we just arrive or is it a never-ending process? This week I break down my definition of financial success.  I think financial success is creating a comfortable life for ourselves, no matter how we define that, and having enough money to fund it. So my definition includes two pieces             - Define a comfortable life             - Identify money to fund it This means everyone’s definitions are going to be a little different. And that’s okay.  I know I’m financially successful.  That means I know what is comfortable in my life. (my housing, spending, car, gift giving, and how I spend my time) what the plan to fund it for the rest of my life looks like I live in peace with my money I know when to say no and when to say yes When something unexpected comes up I know how to pivot I don’t think about money very often I want this same kind of life for you too. This week’s show dives into the two pieces in way more detail. Next week I’m going to talk about the steps you’ll want to take in 2020 to get yourself on the path to YOUR financial success.  In the meantime, make sure you download the free worksheet.  ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** “Generational Wealth” – Amazon Prime Documentary  https://amzn.to/2Qq3ZWM "FREE worksheet – How to Define Financial Success for YOUR Life"  http://bit.ly/2EWQXe2 “Last Week’s Show – A Year Without a Santa Claus”  http://bit.ly/2rUshQA ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ ___________________ ** GETTING STARTED ** Take my free class. “The Secrets Every Woman Needs to Know About Managing Money” https://realfamilyfinance.com/free/ Take my quick, fun personality test.  "What's Your Money Personality?"  https://realfamilyfinance.com/get-started/

The holidays are officially here and they bring all the stress and pressure that comes with the season. Are you struggling with the holidays, how to get everything done, how to pay for it, how to not implode and how to still love your family and friends when it’s over? You aren’t alone. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or not so rich.  The pressures both financially and personally are real.   But what do you do?  Imagine if you could turn it all around and make it a season of fun, caring and giving in ways that won’t break your bank (and not leave you feeling guilty). This week I’m sharing my personal story of my year without a Santa Claus.  It was the year I was newly divorced, struggling financially, and then got laid off right before the holidays.   I know, it sounds like doom and gloom, but it was anything but. I experienced my own little holiday miracle that remains in my heart today. Maybe my story can help make this the year you let go of the stress and all the pressure of the season and give yourself a very special gift. I wish you a wonderful holiday full of sharing, caring and giving! Full show notes at www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode22 ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ ___________________ ** GETTING STARTED ** Take my free class. “The Secrets Every Woman Needs to Know About Managing Money” https://realfamilyfinance.com/free/ Take my quick, fun personality test.  "What's Your Money Personality?"  https://realfamilyfinance.com/get-started/  

In last week’s show I talked about the eight things that may be stopping you from getting your money moving in the right direction.  It only seemed right to make this week’s show about eight ways you can jump start your journey to financial success.  I don’t want anything holding you back! Here’s a quick snapshot of what I cover: Do what you can – don’t worry about doing it all, just get started with the pieces you know you can achieve. Announce your intent – let the world know what you plan on working on and ask for accountability Join a program – they give you structure, community and accountability Measure your progress – it will help you keep perspective on where you’ve been and where you are going. Make sure to celebrate your victories – both the small ones and large ones. Everybody loves a reward! Don’t make the day to day numbers your goal – there’s too much fluidity in your day to day numbers so focus on slightly longer term goals If you lose momentum, don’t give up – get back on the horse, try something new, take a do over. Let go of the things you don’t have control over – don’t let the unexpected situations (which WILL happen) sabotage your bigger effort. There are three things you need for success - structure, support and celebrating success.  Just get started…..the momentum will follow!!!! ** Sign up to get on the wait list for my class the FAST Money Management Program **   ** RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO ** Last week’s show “8 Reasons Your Aren’t Creating Better Money Habits”  http://bit.ly/2RmeFYA Start making small changes “How to Manage Your Money Better Using the 1% Rule”  http://bit.ly/343zsUf Sign up to be notified when my class enrollment is open in January https://mailchi.mp/realfamilyfinance/wait-list ___________________ *** JOIN THE YOUR MONEY MADE EASY COMMUNITY *** https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Tired of the way the money in your life makes you feel?  Why do we feel like we are supposed to know how to manage money when it’s not something we are taught when we are growing up?  No worries…I’ve got you covered. I created the Your Money Made Easy support group for women that want to learn how money works and want to be surrounded by other women that are changing the way they manage the money in their lives. When you join Your Money Made Easy, you not only will have access to the support of other successful, like-minded people, but you also will have access to the FREE trainings and resources from me!  Having a group lets me make my content more personal and exclusive to the members of the group. Sound good to you?  REQUEST TO JOIN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance ___________________ ** SAY HI ON SOCIAL ** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealFamilyFinance Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealFamilyFinance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realfamilyfinance/ ___________________ ** GETTING STARTED ** Take my free class. “The Secrets Every Woman Needs to Know About Managing Money” https://realfamilyfinance.com/free/ Take my quick, fun personality test.  "What's Your Money Personality?"  https://realfamilyfinance.com/get-started/  

You’re frustrated with your money and you want to create some better money habits. What’s stopping you?  In this week’s show I’m going to run through the eight things that may be stopping you and I’m going to tell you how to turn them around so you can start doing the things you need to be doing to make yourself financially successful. Let’s start by talking about what makes us change.  Change doesn’t happen until you’re in enough pain with your current situation to say I can’t take it anymore.  Studies show that 95% of us will actively change because we are in pain.  We need to be in pain.  That pain usually builds over time until we get to hit a point or have an event that takes it over the edge.  For many of you that’s this time of year.  The holidays and money do NOT go hand in hand.  We spend too much.  We kick ourselves about what we spent,  which we may have spent on crap, we and the people we are buying for don’t really need.  And then we get the bills in January and we feel the remorse and guilt and anger that we had no control. At the same time, we have New Year’s with all the resolutions that go with it.  So, you resolve to change the way you manage your money in the new year. Sound familiar? On a scale of 1-10 where are you today when it comes to pain and your money?  If you’re at an  eight or better you’re ready for some changes. So.  You have this pain.  You know you want or need to change.  And yet….you don’t. Why is that?  Check out this week’s show and find out which of the eight are holding YOU back. Full show notes and FREE worksheet at www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode20

Is debt one of your money pain points? When I first started to learn how to manage my money, the FIRST goal I set was to pay off my debt.  It turned into a four year process and I learned a lot along the way.  When I was in my late twenties I got divorced.  I lost an income and I got the kid (who I love to death), the house (with the big mortgage), and a stack of credit card debt.  I found the credit cards overwhelming.  I had 4 or 5, so every week a new statement would show up in the mail.  It was a never ending, vicious cycle.  I was paying credit card bills every week and as fast as I paid them, the balance would continue to go up. When I finally committed to paying off that debt, I had to come up with a way to do it that would make me successful.   It wasn’t an overnight process.  I made a ton of mistakes along the way. I originally set a goal of having it paid off in four years.  And let me tell you, the day I figured out it was going to take that long, I sat at the kitchen table and I balled like a baby.  Where the hell had all that money gone?   I looked around and I didn’t see anything, except a pile of credit card bills. It ended up taking me three of the four years to pay those bills off and I’ve never looked back.  Today I’m going to share with you four things that worked and the four things I’d do differently if I had to do it over.  Some of them are going to surprise you. If you want to get your credit cards (and any other debt) that are making you nuts under control for good, you won’t want to miss this show.  Today's show notes are at www.RealFamilyFinance.com/episode19

Do you need to manage your money better but you feel like the whole thing is overwhelming and too hard?  Today I’m going to show you how a bunch of small, like REALLY small, manageable changes can turn into big changes when it comes to your money. Managing your money is a whole lot like dieting.  Food and money are two things you have to deal with every day.  All the food analogies we know work really well for money too. Both food and money have the power to make you feel confident, beautiful and successful.  But if you aren’t feeling good about your food or your money, and you want to change, you may be tempted to go for a BIG change all at once.  Big change is very hard to sustain over the long term. So what would happen if you focused on a series of little change?  In this week’s show I tell you about the 1% rule for change, and I’ll show you how a lot of little change can add up to big, life changing, changes. For the FREE worksheet: http://bit.ly/2NWJRvj For complete show notes:  www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode18

Social security is going to make up a significant piece of your retirement income.  Do you know how it works?  Are you afraid that what you don’t know is going to hurt you? This week I’m super excited to have Marcia Mantell join me.  Marcia has spent the last 30 years teaching retirement planners how retirement and social security work.   She has a new book out called “What’s the Deal With Women and Social Security?” Today’s she’s going to talk to us about what women specifically need to know about social security to have successful retirements. Here are a few of the topics we cover:  How can stay at home moms collect social security based on what their husbands earns. What’s the difference between retirement and social security (HINT: They aren’t the same thing). What happens if you decide to start taking social security at 62 versus 67 (HINT: You’re leaving boku dollars on the table). How your husband’s decision to take social security will affect you. What happens if your husband dies and you still have children under 18. Why the funeral director will become an important player in your future. What happens if you’re the breadwinner and your husband is a stay at home dad. Why your ex-husband may become your new best friend. Beyond what we talk about on the show, Marcia’s book is a MUST read.  She has a light, easy to read style that makes the topics easy to absorb. Best of all, most of the book is in a story style.  If you’re a younger woman, married to an older man, and you both make the same money, there’s a chapter just for you.  If you’re an older woman, divorced and living with your significant other, there’s another chapter for you. Full Show notes and links are at www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode17

In 2016 my husband Tom was training for an Ironman race.  At 49 he was in the best shape of his life….and then he had a really bad accident.  He was out of work for 6 months with no pay.   For most families that would spell financial disaster. Could you survive six months without any (or significantly less) money coming in?  This isn’t just a question for families living pay check to pay check.  If you’re like most people, the more you make, the more you spend. In today’s show I’ll share my story and how we managed our way through the crisis.  As you probably expect, I’m going to be talking about emergency funds. We’ll cover everything from how much you need to have set aside, the peace you have knowing it’s there, the anger (yup…the anger) you feel that it’s money sitting on the sidelines, and how to get started setting one up. For the full show notes and FREE download "4 Easy Steps to Setting up an Emergency Fund" go to www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode16

Is your money your kryptonite? Do you believe in yourself when it comes to money or do you get weak in the knees every time you think about it.  Would you like today to be the day you decide to lean in and say today’s the day I’m going to figure this all out? Chances are good you have all kinds of subconscious thoughts and ideas about money that have been with you your whole life.   These stories influence the way you feel, the decisions you make (or don’t make) and your financial success. And they may be holding you back. In today’s show, I’m going to talk about how you take your power back. Let’s look at how you can change these stories and start believing in your ability to be financially successful.  I promise…your money will follow. Go to the full show notes to get the FREE worksheet download. www.RealFamilyFinance.com/episode15

Do you have a 401(k) or 403(b) which is probably ALL mutual fund options and you don’t know what you should be doing with them? Mutual funds are an awesome way to start growing the money you are going to need for retirement.   Did you know that if you start investing $5,000 a year when you are 30 and have it invested in a mutual fund earning 10% a year, by the time you are 60, you will have $1,000,000? The first step to get started is to understand what exactly mutual funds are. In this show I’m going to take you through the 4 Basics of Mutual Funds so you can start to feel confident with your investments. I cover: What are Mutual Funds? – what exactly they are and how they work How do they make you money? – They can earn money or grow in value What do Mutual Funds cost? – from the purchase price to the ongoing management fees How do you get them? – If you have a 401(k) or 403(b) you most likely already have them, but you can also buy them yourself or through your financial adviser I break down these 4 basics in plain in English AND I added a little bonus section on the pros and cons of mutual funds. If you want to feel more confident using mutual funds to invest your money so it will grow, check out this weeks episode. For the resources mentioned in this show, go to the main show notes at www.realfamilyfinance.com/episode10

You work hard for your money!  You deserve to have it work hard for you! You also deserve to have an amazing retirement where you can do what you want, live where you want and never worry about running out of money. Your 401(k) is your BEST tool to build the kind of wealth you will need to fund that kind of retirement. Do you have a 401(k)?   Do any of these sound familiar? Are you are contributing to a 401(k), and you’d like to understand how it works and how to maximize it, so you can get as wealthy as possible before you retire? Have you held off from signing up for your 401(k) at work because you aren’t sure HOW it works? Did you leave a job where you had a 401(k), and you’re not sure what you are supposed to do with it now that you no longer work there? I’ve got you covered.  This week I cover the 5 fundamental pieces of a 401(k) plan, how the whole process works, and how it will make you a ton of money for your retirement. RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO “Free eBook – Unleash the Power of Your 401(k)” “Mark Cuban Explains Why a 401(k) is a No-Brainer” “The Step by Step Guide to Picking Mutual Funds “ “The 4 Basics of Mutual Funds, Learn to invest with Confidence”  SAY HI ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Facebook private group Instagram