I don’t know about you, but in times of chaos, organizing and taking control of my life makes me feel grounded … it empowers and emboldens me.
You and me? Yeah, we’re going to clean house my friend – And we’re starting with money.
I know all too well that when money is scarce, it’s challenging to focus on other things. So let’s get your money situation sorted AND elevated.
Step One:
Get your credit score!
For my fellow Canadians: I love love love Borrowell. It’s free and they send your report to you every week. One less thing for you to have to keep on top of.
For my American friends: Credit Karma
If you’re outside of North America, try a quick Google search for ‘free credit report’ and your country and hopefully, you’re able to find something.
Step Two:
Take a look at your accounts.
Chequing, savings, loans, credit cards, PayPal, investments etc.
Count the money in your wallet. Leave no stone unturned.
Write it all down.
From here on out, you’re going to have a weekly money date where you’re going to do the same thing – look at ALL your accounts, your wallet, credit card statements and any investments you might have and record the numbers.
Step Three:
Keep track of all money coming in.
This includes any free stuff you get (We’re going to go over how to get more free stuff in another post)
Step Four:
If you’re paying banking fees, I’m going to encourage you to switch to a company that doesn’t have any.
I use Tangerine. Not only will you not pay any banking fees but they also have higher interest rates. If I’m going to have money sitting in an account, I want to make sure it’s working the most efficiently for me.
It may seem like a pain in the tush to open a new account but it’s a lot less painless than you may think. Plus, you’re going to feel like a total badass for a) actually doing it and b) knowing that your money situation is sorted and c) realizing that you’re going to be saving hundreds and hundreds of dollars.
If you do decide to open an account with Tangerine and you use Orange Key: 18701462S1, when prompted, you’ll get $50. Who doesn’t like free money?!
Step Five:
Organize.
I know this may not seem like it has anything to do with money but trust me when I tell you it has everything to do with money.
The feeling you get walking into a newly cleaned and organized space puts you in a high-vibe state which is incredibly attractive for money to come into your life.
Look for things in your closets, drawers, shelves, garage, shed, and basement, that you can sell.
You can post things on Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Poshmark … there are a ton of them.
I once had some old golf clubs that I listed on Kijiji and within the hour I had sold them for $75 AND I cleared space.
Step Six:
Flood your brain with money stories that will inspire you and show you what’s possible. Money is just energy and you’re either allowing it into your life or you’re pinching it off. It all depends on the story you’re telling yourself about your ability to make it, hang onto it, manage it, etc.
I’ve had stages in my life where I was making five figures per month and I’ve had stages where I was barely able to scrape $1,000 per month. And I know how all-consuming it is when you have more bills than money.
Bit by bit, you’re having to go without the little things that make your life enjoyable and make you feel “normal”.
Two of my favourite books about money are:
Rich As F*ck by Amanda Frances
Power of Kabbalah by Yehuda Berg
Step Seven:
Look for all the things you do and see if you can make and/or save money when you do them.
For instance, if you shop online then you HAAAAVE to install Honey. You can thank me later. Seriously.
I can’t tell you how much money I’ve saved on purchases AND, I also received a Starbucks gift card because you also get points with each of the purchases you make.
The skinny is this … you decide you’re going to buy X and once you’re at the checkout, Honey kicks in and will go through the internet and test ANY AND ALL COUPONS. The coupon is applied, the item you were just willing to spend $100 on, is now $20 cheaper. BAM. AND, you get ‘Honey points’. Anyhoo… you can check it out for yourself.
Another one is Checkout 51. If you’re going to buy groceries, you might as well make money.
I don’t want you going without when it comes to saving money. What I do want is for you to look for things you already do and see if you can save and/or make money doing it/them. Make sense?
We’ll leave it at lucky number seven. I’ll check back in with you to see how you’re making out and share more tips/resources/hacks.
Sending you so much love.