Today’s client highlight is my experience working with Heidi, and her husband through a handful of coaching sessions and regular check ins. With their permission, I’m sharing part of their coaching experience here.
Have you ever had the opportunity to play big sister and help out a friend? Completely rewarding to have the ability to teach someone a trick or two and see the outcomes in such a big way.
These two were star students from the start and took my feedback thoughtfully to make decisions for their budget that ultimately led to several quick wins, and an overall 2020 budget that will propel them into financial freedom.
Like so many young families, one of their common questions (to one another) was – where did all of our money go this month? Why aren’t we putting more money into savings? Don’t we have that credit card paid off yet?
So, easily money disappears when we don’t watch it closely!
Heidi and her husband had healthy incomes, and a good understanding of their expenses – but hadn’t yet put that all together in a monthly budget plan.
Pick me! Pick me! That’s my jam; putting the pieces together to make a reasonable budget to help tackle goals. I’m always so honored when you all invite me into your world to coach you for a period of time, it’s personal and dare I say, intimate – and I don’t take that for granted.
First bit of recommendation?
Must stop using the credit card.
Now, I need to share with you that my husband and I do have a lone credit card. But – we have learned the long and hard way of how to use it best. When you’re first getting your budgeting on track, I don’t recommend using one.
Credit cards are SO easy and convenient to use. They’re tied into our online purchase history, saved for convenience for our next impulse buy, linked to our smart phones, watches and subscriptions to boot. It’s easy to forget what all is connected, and therefore also easy to lose track of what you’re spending on them.
So, Heidi and the hubby stopped using their credit card and converted to the debit.
Next up?
The budget. I’ve outlined the how to for the budget process before, and this was very similar. The magic of the budget comes with the permission to spend. Read that again. Permission to spend. Once you categorize what your purchase ‘buckets’ are you have freedom and flexibility to spend in that category – while still staying on track with your larger goals.
These two were willing to stay lean with entertainment, clothing, and eating out in order to make big progress toward debt payoff. They stopped making any budget excuses and dove in.
Budget.
One of the keys to keeping them on track with their budget was the envelope system. These two were my first clients to skip using cash for envelopes (the more traditional way) and use the receipt approach instead – which is just as good. Not wrong, just different. There were months that they had to borrow from another envelope due to an unexpected kiddo expense, or times that they carried over from month to month to have more of a sinking fund – like with their pet care.
With focus and real-life flexibility – they will have all consumer debt paid off by the end of the year, that includes credit cards, home equity line, and two automobiles…and be well on their way to fully funding their emergency fund. If I could assign a letter grade, I would – a great big A+ for both effort and outcomes.
The income that they have remaining monthly will be able to set them up to continue on to the next baby steps; putting 15% of their income to retirement, 10% to college savings and then….putting that extra towards paying off their gosh darn house you guys. They’ll also be able to loosen up and spend more on their monthly budget categories too. Pause for a minute and give them a little congrats in the comments – how awesome is that!?
Can you feel my own excitement in these words? Client wins feel like big wins for me too – even though it’s not my debt payoff, I feel super proud to be associated with the progress.
What could financial coaching do for you? If you need a best friend in finance to come alongside you and help make a plan, and then provide encouraging accountability as you learn to walk it – let’s talk more. Sure, it’ll cost you a little – but look at what it could get you! Savings multiple times over the short-term expense.
Here are a few of Heidi’s comments, in her own words.
- Are you ready to see some of the same success that Heidi did?
- Stop wondering where your money is going each month, and let’s work together on a plan.
You’ve got this, and I’ve got you. Schedule a call, it’ll be quick and painless, promise. Maybe you’d be a great fit for coaching like Heidi was, or perhaps you’re the perfect client of my low cost budget video training series launching next month, or none of the above – but we can talk about what’s on your mind with money, and stay in touch.
Thank you for joining me on my my journey to influence.
www.myjourneytoinfluence.com
P.S. Have you downloaded my free resource yet? 5 Step Plan to THRIVE with your Personal Finances. It’s packed full of my step by step approach to tackling money goals, big and small. DOWNLOAD NOW