money – Page 2 – Personal Growth Cafe

February 14, 2019February 28, 2018

Five Ways to Make More Money Now

No matter what you do for a living, there’s always an incentive to make more money.

Maybe you’re trying to pay off credit card bills, save up for something special, or have a little cushion should something unexpected happen in your life.

It used to be that if you needed to make a bit of extra cash, you needed to pick up a second job, like bussing tables a few weekends a month or showing up early at the bakery to help with the ovens.

Now, thanks to the doors opened by the internet, and the ease of starting your own business, it’s gotten easier than ever to bring in some extra money without working yourself to death in the process.

Here are five ways you can make some extra cash in a pinch:

1. Sell your unused items. Do you have books you’ll never read again collecting dust on your bookshelf?

Is your closet full of outgrown or embarrassing clothes?

Are your old computers taking up too much space? Sell them!

Have a yard sale.

Sell your things to specialty shops like second hand clothing shops, used bookstores, used furniture stores, or even repair shops that need parts from what you have.

Use eBay. Lots of things without local markets have a national or global market, and there are people who’ll buy the oddest things on eBay.

In particular, if you’ve got some sort of fairly obscure electronic hardware, try selling it on eBay first.

Chances are someone wants it and is willing to pay a premium for it.

2. Ask for a raise at your current job.

There’s no doubt that asking for more money is difficult, especially during a recession, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Most people are too scared to ask for a raise, so you can use this to your advantage.

Assemble a list of the things you’ve accomplished at your work in the last nine months and make your case.

Another way you may be able to make more cash at your job is to ask your boss if there’s extra work you can do to gain more hours or get paid more for increased responsibilities.

3. Trade skills for cash.

Are you a skilled seamstress, writer, or graphic designer?

There are countless websites where you can use your expertise to earn extra money.

If you’re not sure how to get started, take a few minutes to do an Internet search.

Resources abound on the ‘net that can help you find buyers for your skills.

4. Get a work from home job.

There are lots of telephone based customer service jobs that you can do with just a computer and an Internet connection.

Some of them pay remarkably well and all of them have relaxed dress codes to boot!

5. Start your own part-time business.

Transform one of your hobbies or skills into a second business.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as turning your love for something into a business and making it profitable.

Many of these money-making ideas will work fairly quickly with little effort.

You can take it one step further and significantly boost your income by creating a business you can run from the comfort of home.

Take action and you can make more money!

What skills do you have that can be used to make some money?

What resources do you need to start that today?

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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February 7, 2019February 28, 2018

Five Things You Need to Know About Debt

These days everyone is looking for ways to reduce debt and save money.

It is possible to wipe out your existing debt and learn how to live your life within your means.

Here are five tips that will help you on your way to debt free living:

1. Stop using credit cards. One of the leading factors in the current economic crisis is people buying things on credit they cannot afford.

The next thing they know, they find themselves unable to do anything more than make minimum monthly payments.

Minimum payments will keep you in debt because every month interest continues to accrue on your original balance.

A $1,000 balance on a typical credit card can take 22 years to pay off if you make only the minimum monthly payments!

Don’t fall into the trap of credit card debt. Instead, avoid the hassle and expense by paying cash for the things you buy.

If you want a big-ticket item, save the cash before you make the purchase. Only buy when you can afford to pay for the item in full before you bring it home.

2. Buy luxury items with cash. We all have extras and luxuries we want, but using credit to get them is a dangerous path to take.

You’ll get much greater enjoyment from the extras in your life when you pay cash, rather than ongoing monthly payments.

Nothing takes the excitement out of a new toy or nice vacation more than the large payments that strain your budget month after month.

3. Create a realistic budget that includes debt repayment. The first step in gaining control over your debt is creating a workable budget.

Rather than stifling you, a budget can bring you freedom!

You’ll know where your money goes and you’ll set a spending plan so you can continue buying the most important things in your life.

Your budget should take into consideration all facets of your lifestyle, including housing, food and household items, utilities, savings, recreation and debt repayment.

If your budget doesn’t include room for debt repayment, there will never be enough money to pay off your debt.

Take control of your financial reality by working with a realistic budget every month.

Before long, you’ll see your debt diminishing while your savings grow.

4. Seek the help of a professional credit counselor, accountant or financial planner.

The best way to be sure you’re making sound financial decisions is to seek out the help of a financial professional.

Credit counselors, financial planners and accountants are experts in the areas of savings, debt repayment, investments and tax deductions.

Implement each of these areas into your finances to eliminate financial strain and secure a stable financial future.

5. Negotiate better rates with the banks or credit card companies.

Many people assume they have no choice but to accept the interest and finance rates offered by their banks and credit card companies, but that isn’t always the case!

Talk to the people at your financial institutions. You may be surprised at how willing they are to budge.

If your credit is in good shape or you’ve made steady, progressive strides to improve it, you may be able to get lower interest rates on your debts.

You might also receive higher interest rates on your savings, giving you a double shot at eliminating your debt entirely and moving forward with your finances in a positive direction.

You can repair your debt problems and learn to avoid creating them in the future.

These five steps will point you in the right direction and get you started on a new path to financial freedom and prosperity!

How can being debt-free bring more joy in your life?

How do you keep yourself debt-free?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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December 18, 2018February 20, 2018

Money Saving Tips That Are Proven To Work

One thing the current economy has showcased to most Americans is the necessity of being frugal in nearly everything they do.

Frugality isn’t taught in schools, and it’s a lesson that most of us have to learn the hard way by falling short on some bills.

Even worse, we’re bombarded with misleading messages that tell us that “going into debt is fine…”

Debt is not fine, especially consumer debt. Debt is an addiction, and an expensive one.

If you’re learning this the hard way, it’s time to look at trimming expenses.

It’s even better to learn these lessons early, but better late than never.

The ultimate aim is to live on 80-90% of what you earn.

Starting out, you can bank the rest in an interest bearing account.

You don’t need to get into complex investment vehicles; a good bank account that pays interest in both checking and savings and has no fees is a head start.

First things first, tabulate your current expenses.

List three months of expenses and find out what you’re spending on restaurants, coffee, eating at home, going to movies, and everything else.

What you find may be painful, but it’s worth the effort writing out your expenses.

You’ll quickly notice that there are fixed expenses (like your mortgage and utility bills) and variable expenses (like food and entertainment).

You’ll discover lots of ways for money to vanish down rabbit holes by examining your variable expenses!

Now look for things to trim:

1. Do you regularly buy a latte on the way to work?

That’s costing you $20 a week or a bit over a thousand dollars a year.

Make a latte at home and drink it on the way to work and save the rest.

2. Do you smoke?

Kick the habit. It’s not just killing your lungs; it’s costing you anywhere from $100 to $200 a month or more.

That adds up to almost 2 grand per year.

3. Do you eat out at lunch?

Even a fast food meal is around six bucks.

If you figure you spend 240 days a year at work, and eat out for a hundred of them. Is that $600 you’d rather have back?

Get in the habit of spending Sunday afternoons packing a week’s worth of lunches.

You can make your favorite foods and freeze them or cook a little extra for dinner each night.

4. Unnecessary ‘convenience food’ costs you.

While you’re in the kitchen, look at how many pre-packaged meals you eat.

Every single one of them represents two to three dollars you’re paying someone to cook something for you.

It’s amazing how much money you can save by learning how to cook your own food!

The general rule is that for the same quantity of food, a pre-packaged meal costs twice to three times as much.

5. Make your own fast food.

Once you start cooking, you can look at other ways to be frugal, like cooking large batches and freezing the leftovers.

When you need food fast, grab something out of the freezer and just heat it up.

6. Drink water.

You pay a lot less for water from the tap than you do for soda or bottled water.

Buy a water filtration pitcher, and keep it filled.

Any time you feel the urge to grab a soda, drink an 8-ounce glass of water first.

Then see if you’re still thirsty. This will cut down your soda habit tremendously.

7. Use coupons.

Save even more money by using coupons when items are on sale.

You might end up paying only a few cents for an item you use all the time.

8. Follow the ‘wait 30 days’ rule before buying anything that costs more than $50 or so.

Being frugal and learning how to save money takes patience and practice, but the rewards are worth it when you find you’ve saved enough money to get out of debt, go on vacation, or buy a new car.

Make small changes every week to form new habits, and before you know it, you’ll have a whole new way of living and extra money in the bank.

How can small steps lead to bigger savings?

What can you do today to start saving more?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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November 30, 2018February 19, 2018

Creating a Budget You Can Live With

Your family has decided it’s time to create a budget.

Maybe you’re spending too much each month.

Or you may not even know where your money is going.

A budget can help solve both problems.

A budget can also help you get your finances under control so you can get out of debt and find the funds to pay for that new car, a much needed home renovation, or a down payment on a new home.

Once you’ve created your budget, here are some simple strategies to keep it in place:

1. Why did you create your budget? Keep in mind your reason for creating a budget in the first place.

Surely your intention wasn’t to create a budget so strict that there’s no wiggle room for entertainment or an occasional ice cream cone!

Your goal is to be wise about how you spend the money you receive each month.

True, this may mean that you’ve had to cut back on discretionary spending, but the ultimate pay off is being able to do the things you truly want to do.

2. Make it simple. If your budget is too difficult for even a financial genius to understand, you won’t stick with it.

Your budget should be simple enough to understand so you’ll be able to use it and adjust it when necessary.

The easier it is to use and manage, the more likely you’ll be to stick with it.

3. Be realistic. Is your budget realistic for you and your family?

If you’re planning to cut all your expenses at once, you may be trying to do too much too soon.

4. Start out making small changes to how you spend money, instead of broad, sweeping changes that are totally unreasonable.

Small budget changes are easier to maintain than large ones.

Remember, everything in moderation brings the best results.

5. Include short-term goals you can reach quickly. Short-term financial goals can make living with a budget easier.

Perhaps you have several low balance credit cards you’d like to pay off before tackling the higher balanced cards.

You could also work on paying off the credit card with the highest interest first.

Whichever way you choose to pay them off, you’ll need to find extra money each month by cutting down on other expenses.

Here’s an effective plan for paying off your credit cards using short-term goals:

Pay the minimum payment on all credit cards except the one you’re trying to pay off first.

Each month pay a little bit extra in principle for that card. Before long that card will be paid in full.

Contact your credit card company and negotiate better rates.

You’d be surprised to see how willing they may be to adjust the interest rates or payments.

Consider getting a personal loan or line of credit and pay off all high interest credit cards.

You’ll save a bundle in interest payments.

Include long-term goals to work toward. Do you have concrete, long-term goals within your budget?

Have you determined to pay off a high interest, high balance credit card before you go on a long dreamed of vacation?

Put posters or photographs of that destination where you can see them throughout the day.

This will help you stick to your budget when you want to spend money you maybe shouldn’t.

It’s possible to stick to your budget by following these simple strategies.

Remember, however, that once you get your finances under control, it’s not a reason to revert back to old habits.

Following a budget won’t always be easy and there may be times when you have an emergency that makes you deviate from your plan.

If that happens get back on track as soon as you can.

Before you know it, all your sacrifice will have been worth it when you realize your dreams really are within your reach!

What do you prioritize when creating a budget?

Why is it important for you to live within your budget?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 20, 2018February 15, 2018

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

October 20, 2018February 15, 2018

Step-by-Step Ways to Plan a Budget

Using a budget is one of the best ways for you to determine where you stand financially so you can plan for future expenses.

A budget can help you live within your means, get out of debt, and have money available for a new car, vacation, or education.

Planning and using a budget doesn’t have to be complicated.

Plus, once you’ve put your budget into place, it makes spending decisions a snap.

Here’s how to plan your budget, step-by-step:

1. Set goals. Before you begin to plan, it’s important to know what your financial goals are.

Do you want to save for a new home?

Have you always wanted to travel overseas?

Are you thinking about your children’s educational future?

Write down your family’s financial goals and post them where everyone can see them.

This will help you all remain focused on reaching your goals rather than giving in to temptations to buy things you don’t need.

2. Determine income. Figure out how much money you currently have coming into your home.

It’s hard to establish a budget if you don’t know how much money you have at your disposal. This would include:

Employment income for each family member contributing to the budget

Interest earned from money markets, savings accounts, or investments

Inheritances

Any other form of income

3. Figure out your expenses. Write down your family’s expenses.

Listing each bill will help you determine how much money you need to earn each month to reach your financial goals.

List every bill your family has regardless of how often it’s paid.

Group expenses together (insurances, credit cards, etc.) to make them easier to calculate.

Include cash for each day, such as money for gas, lunches, tolls or parking.

4. Include savings. Remember to pay yourself!

Instead of waiting to determine what money is left after paying the monthly bills, include your savings account as a bill and pay it just as you would any other expense.

5. Subtract expenses from income. Add together all income sources and then add together all expenses.

Subtract the expenses from the income, and this will tell you what financial shape your family is in.

6. If your income is greater than your expenses… If you have money left after paying the bills, you may choose to do one of the following:

Put additional money in savings.

Invest the money with the help of a financial planner.

Pay off credit cards or other monthly credit accounts so you can get out of debt.

7. If your expenses are greater than your income… If your expenses are more than your income, you have some decisions to make.

They may not be pleasant, but if you want to get out of the avalanche of debt, changes are necessary.

Here are some changes you may want to make:

If your home is too large for your family, you may want to downsize into a home with cheaper payments.

Do you have, and do you need, more than one vehicle?

If two or more cars are necessary, by all means keep them.

However, you may be able to buy vehicles that are cheaper to own and maintain.

If all the cars aren’t necessary, why not sell the extra ones?

Avoid eating out. You may not think eating out is that expensive, but a family of four can easily spend $40 or more each time they eat out.

That same amount of money can buy groceries for several meals, instead of just one.

Put a hold on credit card spending.

Either cut your credit cards up or put them in a plastic bag filled with water.

Place the bag in the freezer and leave it there.

As you’re able to pay off one credit card, close the account.

Then use the money you spent each month on that bill and add it to your payment for the credit card with the next highest interest rate.

This process accelerates the elimination of your debt.

It’s possible to create a budget you and your family can live with.

By following these step-by-step instructions for planning a budget, you’ll be taking a financial step in the right direction.

Stick to your budget, and before you know it you can be out of debt and saving for something special!

How much of your budget goes to things you want?

How does proper budgeting bring joy to your life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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July 27, 2018January 8, 2018

There is a time and place to review my finances.

My life is ruled by order and balance.

When I must review my finances, I have a designated time and place where I do my budget.

As I close my budget books, I also shut down any overwhelming thoughts about money.

At the beginning of every month I sit down and calculate my budget.

Each week I spend just a few minutes paying bills and making sure I am on track.

My savings account grows as my debt is eliminated.

My mind is not stuck on my bills. Instead of thinking about my finances, I am confident that I am managing my money wisely.

Thinking about bills and money does not help in any way. It only hinders me from making more money and enjoying my life.

I forgive myself for any poor decisions I might have made in my past.

I accept the things that I cannot change and I work to change the things that I can.

Armed with a plan, I know that I am headed for prosperity.

There are so many better things in life for me to think about.

I enjoy thinking about my family or my hobbies and I do not give negative thoughts the opportunity to develop in my mind.

When worries try to overtake me, I remind myself that I am not alone.

I can learn how to relax and trust that all my needs are taken care of by someone much bigger than I.

Money is not my source of life. My source of life is much greater than anything money can buy.

When is your designated time and place to review finances?

What other things can you think about besides your finances?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 12, 2018March 1, 2018

The money in my checking account cannot replace the joy, love, and happiness in my life’s savings.

I am thankful that I have money and that I can use it to provide for my family.

But money itself will never fulfill any need that I may have.

My deepest needs are met by my loved ones.

I appreciate my money and I know how to use it wisely. I use it to finance the better things in life.

The best things in life are not things; the best things in life are relationships.

I am not in a relationship with money. I do not love money nor do I hate it. Money is simply a tool.

My life is rich with joy and my joy is contagious.

My positive attitude allows me to draw joy from various sources.

I get joy from watching children play and laugh and I am filled with joy when I see rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds.

Love is an integral part of my life. I am worthy of love and I know that I am deeply treasured.

Unconditional love is the best gift I have received.

To know that my faults are forgiven and that I am loved in spite of them is to experience genuine happiness.

Reflecting over my life keeps me aware of my blessings.

There are many memories that make my life great and I make a point of it to preserve my memories through photos and journals.

I have a beautiful life!

It does not matter whether my checking account is full or empty.

Love, joy, and happiness belong to me.

Whether I gain the world or lose it all, I know what my real treasure is.

How do you preserve good memories?

What is your real treasure?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 6, 2018January 7, 2018

As I adjust my spending habits, my financial situation improves.

My expectations for getting rid of debt and building wealth are reasonable.

I know that it takes time to repair my finances and I am willing to invest that time in order to move beyond my debt.

Making sacrifices is a major part of improving my financial situation.

I am willing to give up some of the things that I desire right now in order to afford a better future for my family.

When I shop, I bring a list with me in order to buy only the items that I need.

I am free from the pressure to compete with others.

I am grateful for what I have because my Creator has given me all that I need.

I have a plan for my financial future that involves me building sustainable wealth for my spouse and children.

The passion I have for my financial goals helps me stay the course.

When I am tempted to make an irresponsible purchase, I remind myself of my goals and exercise restraint.

My finances continually improve when I seek ways to cut unnecessary costs.

I spend time each day reflecting on the driving force behind my purchases.

I eliminate greed and competition from my heart by being grateful for what I have and giving to the less fortunate.

Today, I am improving my finances by refraining from unnecessary spending.

I use my creativity to look for ways to save money knowing that the sacrifices I make today will be well worth it tomorrow.

Who can help you be accountable for your spending?

What do you want your financial situation to look like one year from today?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 28, 2018January 7, 2018

I envision myself debt-free.

I envision myself debt-free, owing nothing to any man or institution.

My books are in order and my accounts are balanced.

I know that I can be free from debt because I am committed to my plan and I am responsible enough to make it happen.

I take pride in making sure that my family’s financial future is safe.

I am working toward leaving my children an inheritance of blessings, instead of financial ruin.

The steps I am taking today will ensure that my family will be free from the burden of debt for generations to come.

The way I spend my money is a direct reflection of my priorities therefore I strive to invest in things of value and refrain from insignificant purchases.

When I want to buy something, I wait until I have saved enough money to make the purchase instead of buying on credit and acquiring more debt.

I have the ability to pay off all of my credit cards and loans by sending extra payments whenever I have surplus in my budget.

When I pay off a debt, I stay away from new debt; instead I use the extra money for my savings and wealth building.

Temporarily, I have to make difficult cut backs in my spending in order to pay off my debt.

I am simplifying my life and finding joy in things of true value.

I refuse to accumulate more debt because I work hard for my money and deserve to be debt-free.

Today, I choose to be wise in my spending in order to be free from financial burdens. I see myself without debt; free to invest in my dreams.

Free to give to others.

What is your plan for becoming debt-free?

How can you spend more wisely?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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