money – Page 3 – Personal Growth Cafe

March 12, 2018January 7, 2018

Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it. – Henry David Thoreau

February 25, 2018January 5, 2018

Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of an idea is an obstacle. – Ken Hakuta

February 25, 2018January 5, 2018

Eight Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

The first step to improving your credit score is to obtain a current copy of your credit report.

Once you have something to work from, you’ll know where you stand and you can take action to improve your credit and raise your score.

There are many systems and companies out there that’ll advertise a “free” credit report, only to enroll you into other paid programs or recurring memberships.

These paid programs may benefit you, but read the fine print to ensure you’re getting only what you need.

Here are some tips and techniques that can help you raise your credit score:

1. Keep some unused accounts open. Closing unused accounts is a common myth when it comes to improving your credit score.

In fact, closing accounts can actually hurt your score.

Why?

Because a part of your score is calculated by determining how much debt you have versus how much available credit you have.

If you close out your available credit, your debt becomes a larger percentage of the credit available to you and may lower your score.

2. Spread out your debts. You can improve your score by spreading your debt among credit cards even if your debt remains exactly the same.

This is because a credit card that’s almost maxed out is more likely to be detrimental to your score.

Consider transferring that balance to one or more other credit card accounts.

3. Pay on time. This is an obvious tip, but one that’s still worth mentioning. Make sure you pay all of your accounts on time.

Even one slip up may affect your score.

If you have trouble remembering to pay on time, consider setting up some kind of reminder.

You can even set your accounts to automatic bill payment through your banking service.

4. Avoid applying for too many cards.

Your score can be affected if you fill out too many credit applications over a short period of time.

While you can acquire multiple cards over time, it’s just not a good idea to sign up for too many of them at once.

This makes you look desperate for any kind of credit.

5. Watch out for scams. It’s so easy to fall victim to a scam these days.

Some scammers are so creative and seem so trustworthy that even the smartest people can be drawn into their scams.

If you want help with debt consolidation, consider contacting the government. Don’t trust any independent company without lengthy research.

6. Use credit occasionally. Even if you prefer to use cash, you should still have at least one credit card account that you use.

When it comes time to use credit, no credit can be just as detrimental as bad credit.

Chances are you’ll want some good credit eventually, especially when it comes time to purchase cars or homes.

7. Be truthful and accurate. Don’t falsify any information when it comes to checking or applying for credit.

Also, double check your applications for any mistakes you may have made.

Any misstatements will very likely be caught, so it’s not worth the risk.

8. Check your score each year. You can check your credit score once per year without any penalty.

Take the time to stay on top of your credit. It’s such a huge part of your life – whether you like it or not – and it deserves your attention.

With regular checks, you’ll be the first to know if there’s something that needs to be taken care of.

Improving your credit score can save you a lot of money, time, and frustration.

Get in the habit of using these strategies and you’ll see that score going up as time goes on.

What impact does your credit score have in your life?

How can having a good credit score help you achieve greater joy?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

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December 5, 2017

Expect the Unexpected – Creating a Plan B for Greater Financial Security

Now more than ever, it’s important to secure your financial future. If the chips are ever down, you’ll at least have a plan to turn to for help.

It’s true that you should put your whole heart in your main source of income.

When you work hard enough with a drive to succeed, nothing will keep you away from that success.

However, unexpected circumstances come into play every so often, so you may need to divert to Plan B temporarily.

Here are some ideas for building a rock-solid Plan B:

Develop Multiple Streams of Income. When your main stream of income is sufficient to sustain your family, you may be tempted to rely on that income alone.

However, it’s always a good idea to insulate and supplement that income.

You may think you don’t absolutely need the money, but you can always save for future unexpected expenses.

Look for other opportunities for side jobs in your field

Turn a hobby into a money maker

Consider wise investments to grow money faster

Add to Your Savings. You’ll need to realize that even small contributions will add up to something big before you know it.

Shop around for a high yield savings account. Tell yourself that you’ll add a fixed amount to the fund each month.

Have an automatic withdrawal every month even if you can only afford $10 or $25 at a time. Over the long run this really adds up!

Develop Your Skills. Always be on the look out for opportunities to improve your current skill set, or to develop completely new skills.

This will give you back up career opportunities. If you pigeon hole yourself into one set career, you’ll be scrambling if something unexpected happens.

While it’ll still be a bummer if Plan A falls through, it’ll feel so much better when you can launch into Plan B without panicking.

Make Contacts and Establish Good Relationships. You’ve probably heard the saying: “Don’t burn your bridges.”

You truly never know when you might want to walk a certain path, so don’t close any doors hastily.

Also, remain open and make contacts wherever you can.

You might just be hanging out at the gym after work, but you never know what kind of friendship you can drum up, and how that person may be able to help you out in the future.

Write Out Your Plans. It’s vital to maintain a certain amount of organization in your plans.

When establishing your life’s Plan A and Plan B, it’ll really help to write everything down. Have separate lists for your short term and long term financial goals.

Cross off goals as you meet them. This way you’ve got a written reminder of your progress.

If Plan B comes into play, you’ll have written instructions and you won’t have to worry.

Making Wise Choices

When it comes down to deciding what you should do with your money, remember to always invest in some sure bets.

You don’t want to gamble with your money expecting greater gains. Your best bet is to find a middle ground.

Decide on a certain amount of money that automatically goes into a savings account and can’t be touched.

When you have a nest egg for unexpected life events, it gives you time to execute your Plan B.

If you’re lucky enough to have extra cash coming in, you can then decide to be riskier with your financial decisions.

As long as you know you have enough money coming in, it may be worth your time and investment.

Has finances caused you stress in the past?

How can managing your finances properly affect your daily life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 26, 2017

7 Tips to Grow Your Savings Account Without Depriving Yourself

Surely we all agree that having a savings account is important. What’s hard, however, is putting that concept into practice.

It’s difficult to add to a savings account when you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck like many people find themselves having to do these days.

The good news is that even the smallest of contributions can have big impacts on the future of your account.

There are certain things you can do to add to your account without it being a burden.

Try these tips to effortlessly boost your savings:

1. Small Automatic Deposits. Chances are you need all or most of your paycheck each period.

However, you can save a small portion of this amount by having it automatically deposited into your savings account.

Most banks will allow you to set up automatic transfers. Each time your paycheck is due in, schedule a transfer to savings.

Even if this amount is $5, it will add up over time.

2. Pay With Cash. When you pay for your essentials with cash, you’re really seeing the exact amounts of money you’re spending as the money changes hands.

Then drop the change from these transactions into a jar when you get home.

Before you know it, you’ll be depositing large amounts of change into your savings account with little effort!

3. Credit Card Round Up. Some credit cards, such as one by Bank of America, will actually round up each of your purchases for you to the nearest dollar amount.

The rounded amount will be automatically deposited into your savings account.

Getting one of these card accounts could make adding to your savings account easier on you.

4. Add Up Your Charges. One month, add up everything you spend. It doesn’t matter how you’ve made the purchases – cash, credit, debit, etc.

In analyzing these expenses you’ll likely find some recurring expenses that can go. Perhaps there’s something you could live without.

That small expense will pay you back in the future if you add it to your savings instead.

5. Avoid Impulse Buys. Everyone has fallen victim to an impulse buy at some point.

Make a pact with yourself that you’ll never make them again.

Instead, when you feel the need to get something, give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period.

If you still feel that you must have it after that time, go ahead and spend the money.

If you’ve thought it over and you don’t need it, perhaps that money is better spent going directly into your savings account.

6. Avoid Credit Card Use. If you have trouble paying off your credit cards in full each month, stop using your cards.

Switch over to cash and debit card use and slowly pay down the balance on your credit card.

As your balances are paid off, the money you used to pay in interest to the credit card companies can be better spent in your savings account.

7. Reduce Everyday Expenses. Do an evaluation of your required expenses such as internet, phone, and grocery bills. See if there are any ways to reduce these bills.

For instance, maybe you could easily switch to a lower cost phone plan or start clipping coupons at the grocery store.

If you could find an extra $50 in your budget this way, you can greatly improve the look of your savings account!

While you don’t need to implement all of these changes at once, you should now have a better idea of the many ways you can add to savings.

Just remember that even a few cents can go a long way!

How do you feel when you go to the store?

How happy are you about shopping?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 26, 2017

7 Tips for Staying Within Your Budget

For many people, staying within a budget can be challenging.

If keeping to your budget seems like an insurmountable task, you’ll be happy to know that there are ways to stretch your budget and still enjoy a quality lifestyle.

Some budgets may work well with your lifestyle, while others may not. If you find that one technique is difficult, all is not lost!

Other techniques may be a better fit, which can then lead to the financial freedom you desire.

Consider the following tips for staying within your budget:

1. Put Your Credit Cards Away. You can even freeze your cards in water if it’ll deter you from using them!

It’s so easy to forget the true costs of the things you buy when you just swipe your card.

Don’t feel guilty about falling for this trick; the easiest way to combat it is to keep your cards hidden away. Only bring them out when they’re truly needed.

2. Make Envelopes. Grab a stack of envelopes, mark each one with a designated expense, and put in your allotted allowance for each expense.

It’s easy to stay on track when the money for your bills is pre-counted and away from reach.

3. Use Cash. It’ll help you see the true value of what you’re spending if you only use cash.

If you don’t like handling money, you could opt for using your debit card. Just remember to stay on top of your balance so you don’t overdraw your account.

4. Cut Back. Believe it or not, there are usually ways you can cut back without even feeling much of a difference.

Take some time out of your weekend to call up the cable company, the phone company, or your cell phone company.

Discuss different lower cost plans. Maybe you don’t use all of your cell phone minutes each month or perhaps you can live without HBO.

5. Grocery Shopping. There are certain luxury items that some people opt to place in their budgets, while others won’t.

However, a grocery bill is something that everyone shares.

Analyze how much you spend each week at the grocery store and see if you can bring down the average amount.

Coupon clipping and warehouse shopping are great places to start.

6. Budget for a Splurge Item. Treat yourself to something special every once in awhile while still staying in your budget.

While you may not be able to afford it too often, you can save up some money for a special treat for yourself.

It may be something you’ve been meaning to get or maybe you just want some money to hit up the town or go to a movie.

The point is, if you’ve budgeted for this it won’t be a shock when you balance the books later.

7. Homemade Gifts. There are always many holidays throughout the year where you’re expected to deliver gifts for your loved ones.

If you’re tight with cash, don’t forget about homemade gifts.

These gifts are most often considered more thoughtful than anything you could have purchased.

For example, make a scrapbook or photo album.

While there’s some cost involved, the finished product will be priceless – yet far less than the latest gadget.

Keep Tweaking

If you’re still having trouble balancing the budget, it’s important to keep trying new things until you have a system that makes you feel comfortable.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A financial planner or financial counselor can give you even more valuable ideas.

With the right techniques, a budget can be the tool that brings you freedom!

How hard is it to stay on budget during the holidays?

How can you be happy and stress-free during this budget squeezing time of the year?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 22, 2017November 22, 2017

Top 10 Ways to Make More Money, Get Out of Debt, and Live Your Life

Making more money and getting out of debt is a top priority to many adults.

Even though paying down a considerable debt may feel overwhelming, taking just a few simple steps can make a debt-free life a reality.

1. Think about How Much You Need to Work

When you’re lining up work or contemplating a new job, think about your expenses and make sure you can earn the money you need to live comfortably.

Keep in mind how many hours you can work while still having time for the things you love to do.

Consider if you’re eligible to work overtime. A few extra overtime shifts a month could make a considerable difference in paying off some debt.

2. How Much is Your Time Worth?

When you’re considering a job or a commission, you need to think about making sure you’re getting paid what you are worth.

If you are worth more money, don’t take jobs that pay significantly less unless there is a compelling reason to do so.

Try negotiating with your employer for an increase in salary, a higher hourly rate, or a performance bonus structure.

If you have experience in a highly specific field it generally earns you a higher salary.

3. Use Public Transportation

The price of gas is high and it’s only going to go higher.

Think about alternative means of transportation and think about what you can do to reduce the wear and tear and the gas consumption of your car in general.

Check out the local bus or train schedules and if they meet your needs, consider selling your car to pay off some debt.

Selling a car will eliminate a car loan, gas costs, maintenance fees, and insurance premiums.

4. Work Locally

If you work close to home you’ll have lower transportation costs and more time to spend with your family.

This can make a job worth keeping.

Working locally also allows you to run errands during lunch breaks so you have more family time on the weekends.

5. Avoid Late Charges on your Bills

Avoid late charges on your monthly bills by using your debit or credit card to pay them off automatically.

Set up online banking with your credit card company so each month your bill will be paid automatically.

No more forgetting to mail the check or going into the bank!

6. Budget Your Money

Make sure you know how much money you earn each month and exactly where it’s going.

Don’t forget to figure in small costs like gas, dry cleaning, and snacks. Every dollar matters when you’re trying to get out of debt.

Call your utility companies and ask to be put on their budget plans.

Paying the same amount each month for electricity or oil is much easier than paying a $600 bill during the cold winter months.

7. Ask Yourself: Do I Need It?

Impulse buys can take a real toll on your cash flow.

Before you buy anything, give it a second thought and discuss it with your spouse or friend.

Can you get it cheaper elsewhere?

Do you even really need it?

Walk away for a day and think about whether you really need to spend the money or ask the salesperson if the item will be on sale soon.

But chances are you really don’t need it in the first place.

8. Keep the Thermostat Low

When you want to keep your bills low, you will find that one of your heftiest bills will be the heating bill, especially if you live somewhere cool.

Learn to wear layers of clothing and agree on a preset temperature with your family.

Installing an electronic thermostat allows you to program the times and the temperatures so no one has to touch the thermostat.

9. Buy Good Quality Items

It might seem counterintuitive, but buying more expensive things that are of a higher quality can be useful when you’re looking to save money.

Quality things break less frequently so you don’t end up buying the same items over and over.

This doesn’t mean you have to shop for designer clothing that’s out of your budget range.Simply look for higher quality items and buy fewer clothing pieces this season.

10. Buy Locally

When you’re looking to buy produce, take the time to buy from local vendors.

Not only will the food taste better, but you won’t be billed the extra transport costs and you’ll be supporting local business.

Visit the local gift shop for that birthday gift rather than heading to the mall. Or have dinner at a local restaurant rather than a chain restaurant.

You’ll likely save money on gas while supporting your local businesses.

Being conscious of how much money you spend each month is critical to getting out of debt, but that doesn’t mean you have to live like a hermit without any entertainment.

Choose some of these easy ways to save money and enjoy living your life simply!

Which of these tips will be most helpful to you?

How can your life be better by following these tips?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 20, 2017November 21, 2017

Top 5 Money Management Tips

When the end of the month comes around, do you have less money in the bank than you were expecting?

Where’d the money go?

Did you save it or spend it?

When you are looking to save money for an investment or a big expense like a vacation, car or home, you need to implement money management tips.

Remember that managing your money doesn’t mean you have to give up your entire life, it just means that you have to be a little more mindful of your cash flow.

1. Budget Your Eating Expenses

When you’re looking at where you spend your money, you might be surprised that so much of it is spent on take-out or restaurants. It all adds up!

Limit the number of times you go out every week and start planning your menus when you cook at home. This will make a huge difference in your grocery bill.

2. Map Out Your Expenses

For a month, write down everything you buy.

Don’t worry about obsessively reviewing it every day, but take the time to make it accurate.

You’ll find that there are plenty of unnecessary purchases you can eliminate from your budget without thinking twice.

This is a great way to track your cash expenses, which includes all the times you stop for coffee, go out for lunch, or stop by the dry cleaners.Write down every penny spent and review it the end of each month.

3. Pay Your Bills on Time

This goes without saying, but keep in mind that missing your payments on your bills will make the late fees pile up.

This should also be a reminder to make sure that you return your library books or DVD rentals on time.

Set up automatic bill payments and you’ll never have to worry about late fees again.

4. Reduce Unnecessary Services

One of the most common money-wasters is paying for services you really don’t need. For example, how many television channels do you really watch?

Chances are good that there are a few dozen channels you simply never turn to.

If you can get rid of some of your programming, you just may find that you’ll have some extra cash at the end of the month.

Call your telephone, television, and wireless phone companies and ask if your plan is the most cost effective.If you don’t use call waiting or text messaging, don’t pay for it.

5. Reduce Driving

With the skyrocketing prices of gas, try alternate methods of transportation, especially for frequent or shorter trips.

Get a bike, try the bus or train when you travel, or walk if you’re heading somewhere closer.

Take some time and really analyze where your gas money is going.

If you can’t use public transportation to get to work, consider carpooling with someone else in your company.This reduces the wear and tear on your car and will save you gas money, especially if three or four people share the ride.

Also try grouping your errands all at once so you can get it all done in one trip.

Get Your Family Involved

Saving money and using these money saving tips will be easier if you have your whole family on board, supporting the effort together.

After all, these are good money lessons to teach children of all ages.

Don’t be intimidated with the idea of saving money.

Just by implementing a few of these tips each month – and sticking with it – will help you keep more money in your bank account!

How do you feel when you complete a goal?

Why should you burden yourself with things that you cannot control?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 14, 2017

Money Management Survival Guide

All money management survival guides will tell you the exact same thing.

There’s only one way to be profitable in business and in life: make more money than you spend.

This might sound so obvious that it’s ridiculous to have to say it, but think about how many of us really don’t make more than we spend.

People often carry huge amounts of debt and, even if they’re making the minimum monthly payments, they still owe more than they make between the principle and interest.

Pay Off Debts Quickly

Deficit financing can actually be done successfully, but the idea is not to stay in debt forever.

Sure, we might have to borrow at some point when we’re putting together our business or just getting started on our own after we graduate, but we have to do all we can to minimize our debts and pay them off as fast as possible.

We need to maximize our income for prosperity, although this can be easier said than done for many people.

But equally important, we have to minimize expenses. This is even more difficult for even more people!

Consumer Envy

While consuming can make life fun, our society is caught up in the cult of consumerism.

People are driven to spend every last penny they make in income, especially if they see neighbors or coworkers with the latest trendy “thing.”

If they have spent their money on the things that are necessities in our society – housing, groceries, personal health, utilities, transportation, and communication tools – they are now enticed to spend even more money on discretionary goods and services like going out to eat instead of cooking, taking elaborate vacations or weekend getaways, more elaborate stereo systems, satellite televisions, giant-screen TVs, a larger house, a new car, a boat… the list is endless!

Salesmen are trained “not to leave money on the table” and marketers are trained to compete for every last dollar in the fear that, if they don’t get the sale, somebody else will beat them to it.

If you want to have money for something that will really add quality to your life in a lasting way, some part of your money must be set aside either in savings or investments that are not too risky for you.

This also means you have to keep your expenses to a minimum.

Here are some practical tips for minimizing your monthly expenses:

For your business, consider a virtual office. You’ll save on rent, permanent employees, and commuting. Plus, try marketing on the Internet as much as possible.

For your personal life, cook more and eat out less (even for lunch). When you go shopping for groceries, look for sales and use coupons when possible.

Take more recreational trips closer to home and see your hometown through the eyes of a tourist.

If you need to finance something that’s not an absolute necessity, think twice about it; take better care of what you have now so you don’t need to replace things so frequently.

Smart money managers are those who take the time to understand their finances, research ways to cut expenses, and communicate with their families about why it’s necessary to cut back.

By exercising control over your money and determining if you really need to buy something, you will suddenly see extra money in your bank account at the end of every month.

How can managing your money wisely make your life happier?

How have you achieved peace of mind because of how you manage your money?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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July 23, 2012July 23, 2012

What Is The Value Of Money (PersonalGrowthCafe.com “Daily Personal Growth Walk”)

Money is something that a lot of people are giving their attention to and empowering with strong feelings. What they don’t realize is, it’s the First Covenant in most cases. Except the challenge, on how they apply the first covenant, is their fears of not having enough money.

Watch this video to know what is the real value of money in our lives.

These are the links mentioned in the video:

Go to https://www.PersonalGrowthCafe.com and begin doing the “Crash Course on Creating Your Ideal Life with The First Covenant” there.

That’s my $197 video training – it’s yours as a gift to thank you for visiting the site.

You’ll also find dozens of other ways to “learn and grow and become a better person” there, as you’ll see when you visit the Personal Growth Cafe. (Go now…. thanks!)

Then go to http://www.PersonalGrowthCommunity.com so I can personally coach you and make sure you’re applying the insights from this video, specifically to what’s happening in your life.

Lastly, join the “Personal Growth Revolution” at http://www.PersonalGrowthRevolution.com and help us blow through our goal of improving the lives of 1 billion people within 1 year!

Joyfully,

Dan Klatt,
“Think And Grow Rich Guy”
Author of “the Daily Personal Success System”
President of the http://www.PersonalGrowthAuthorsAssociation.com