How financial coaching finally helped this couple see eye to eye on their finances

How Financial Coaching Helped this Couple Get and Finally Stay Ahead

The budget you have today is not meant to be permanent. It can and will change. Furthermore, it should change. Your budget is a living document. So instead of trying to squeeze into it like a pair of jeans that no longer fits, give yourself some breathing room and create the budget you need to match your life as it is now. Listen to this podcast to learn about the four signs you budget is no longer working for you and how to create one that does.

A caretaker is someone who uses their time, money, or energy to assist their immediate family members, friends, or colleagues.  Are you always stepping up to meet the needs of those around you?  Do you support a spouse or partner by working a lot or in a job you don’t enjoy so they can pursue a hobby or dream job? If you ask yourself often, but “What would they do without me?” If so, you may fall pretty high on the spectrum of caretaker tendencies.  As financial coaches, we sometimes have to coach our clients to balance their caretaker tendencies with taking care of themselves and their own finances. We support people to give, but in ways that don’t cause stress on their health or finances.   In this episodes of the Fiscal Fitness Podcast, learn: What care taker tendencies are How they show up How to balance the need and desire to help with your own financial goals Ways to flex your non-caretaker muscles

If you have kids, usually it’s not a matter of to Disney or not – it’s a matter of when. Whether you’ve never been to Disney or make it an annual pilgrimage like our very own Coach Jaclyn, this episode is for you. We brought in an expert to talk about ways to plan and budget for your perfect Disney vacation. We chatted with Stacy Ellis, a travel advisor for Key to the World Travel, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. She’s been to Disney more than 16 times and loves helping families and Disney loving couples plan their best Disney trip. In this episode, we discuss with Stacy: The average cost for a family of four to Disneyland and Disney World Figuring out your ideal Disney trip (everyone does Disney different) Off season vs. peak season costs How to plan in order to not blow your Disney budget Staying on a Disney property to not Planning decisions (what to pack, what to eat, what add-ons to buy) Tips for doing Disney with little kids (Did you know kids under 3 are free?!?) Stacy’s biggest and best piece of Disney travel advice for people with kids: Don’t wait until they are older. Take the trip as soon as you can and enjoy every moment.

When it comes to bodybuilding and wealth building there is one thing that seems to be very true: Once you build the foundation, it’s pretty easy to maintain. Unfortunately building that strong foundation is what keeps so many of us held back. We face a long list of challenges, including: Too many choices/options and trying to decide which is right for you  Decision fatigue Trying to use an app when it’s not built for your unique scenario or needs  Lack of accountability No ability to ask questions or troubleshoot as you go Sustainability/Consistency over speed Seeing it as a lifestyle vs a finite goal with an end date (this is a lifelong endeavor) If you follow Coach Jill’s instagram feed, you know she’s no stranger to the gym. Despite suffering a debilitating back injury years ago, Jill recommitted to her fitness in a big way in 2020 and has turned that 2020 motivation into a life-changing and life altering way of looking at her health and fitness.   Resources / links related to topic / mentioned in podcast: Schedule a free Q&A call with one of our financial coaches Read more about a Eureka session, or schedule your own! Read these client success stories. We are always inspired by what our clients accomplish! (https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/client-success-stories/) The Fiscal Fitness Podcast, Episode 61 

In this episode of the Fiscal Fitness Podcast, Coach Jaclyn interviews Coach Jill, who is a mom of two, all about kids and money. They discuss at what age to introduce debit cards, how much you should spend on daycare, and how much allowance you should give and how it should be given or earned. Jill also admits that at one point when her two boys were young she was paying $20,000/year for childcare. It gets better parents of young kids!   Extra Resources for Kids and Money: Schedule a free Q&A call with one of our financial coaches Read more about a Eureka session, or schedule your own! Read these client success stories. We are always inspired by what our clients accomplish!  Our Podcast Episode with Allowance Expert John Lanza How to Budget When Daycare is a Thing of the Past

Do you ever feel urgency or stress around this idea of "I need to make my money work harder for me!". If so, this one's for YOU! “I want my money to be working for me”. This is something we hear from people who reach out to us all the time. When we ask clients what their goals are, so many of them will tell us they want their money to be working for them. They want to be doing MORE with their money. They want to make sure they are making the best decisions with their money, etc. And I love this! These are all great things! But one thing I often sense is that they are feeling some urgency or stress around this idea of making their money “work” for them. This is usually the way of framing that they want their money invested and earning compound interest. You know - earn money while you sleep sort of thing, right?! Which of course is a beautiful thing. But what I want to talk about today is that there are many other ways that you can get your money working and none of them have to do with investing. In fact, I would argue that many of these things should be in place before you start investing, or before you put that PRESSURE on yourself to PUSH to invest more aggressively. Main takeaways from this episode: Before you start putting this pressure on yourself to make your money be “working harder for you”, make sure it is all working smoothly to begin with. What you do financially should feel easy, predictable and boring. If you do not feel this way (yet!), then release this pressure you are placing on yourself and work to build a strong foundation first. The things we do with our money shouldn't feel like a race or a sprint to the finish line. What we do financially is a marathon. It is something that should feel sustainable. Steady. Something we can do for LIFE. Resources: Schedule a free Q&A call with one of our financial coaches Read more about a Eureka session, or schedule your own! Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group  Read these client success stories. We are always inspired by what our clients accomplish The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 91: Are you INTERESTED? Or INVESTED? The Fiscal Fitness Guide to Saving The Fiscal Fitness Podcast, Episode 22: Active vs. Passive Investing with Financial Advisor Shanna Tingom

Do you have big goals for 2021? As we head into the new year, so many of us are setting different goals for the year. We created a free download (click here to download) to support you throughout 2021 so that you can stay present and focused to your goals all year long. In this episode you will learn... How to set a SMART financial goal How to challenge yourself with Good, Better, and Best goals How to track your 2021 goal progress with our freebie: 2021 Goal Tracker   Additional tips: To visually watch this episode, join our free Facebook community where Coach Jaclyn went live to show how to use the 2021 Goal Tracker. To participate in the 21-Day Challenge (mentioned in this episode), join our free Facebook community - this is where all the activity of the 21-Day Challenge is happening!   Resources: Click here to download the 2021 Goal Tracker New Year, New $$ Checklist Sign Up for the 21-Day Challenge Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group

Just because it’s called a “stimulus” check does not mean that it is your responsibility to go out and stimulate the economy with it. A big purpose of this stimulus bill was to provide additional financial relief to the American people. So in this episode, I am going to share five things you could do with your stimulus check to bolster and strengthen your own financial position, as well as some ideas of how you could use it to support your community.   In this episode you will learn... How to check the status of your stimulus check if you haven’t received it Five ways to bolster your own financial position with the stimulus dollars A few ways you can support your local community with your stimulus check   To get the latest updates about the stimulus check and other forms of Coronavirus relief, join our free Facebook community - we’ll help keep you informed, answer your questions, and connect you with other like-minded people who want to focus on being more financially savvy.   Resources: IRS.gov Get My Payment Tool Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group

It’s back! It only happens twice a year - our 21-Day Challenge is starting on 1/21/2021. We are super excited to kick off this challenge which is designed to help you move your money forward in a bigger, better way than you ever have before. In this episode you will learn... What the 21-Day Challenge is and how you can sign up Who the 21-Day Challenge is designed to help Who should not participate in this challenge To participate in the 21-Day Challenge, join our free Facebook community - this is where all the activity of the 21-Day Challenge is happening! Click here to sign Up for the 21-Day Challenge Click here to join the Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the December FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!   Resources: New Year, New Money Checklist: fiscalfitnessphx.com/newyear - Episode 107 Choosing your word of the year: https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/oneword2019/ www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com

Famous financial gurus are known for their popular, one-size-fits all approaches to money. Here at Fiscal Fitness, we know from working first hand with hundreds of clients that no formula works for every single client. In this episode you'll hear why Coach Jaclyn herself chose to abandon one of the popular approaches out there when working on paying off her non-mortgage debt. In this episode you will learn... Why the one-size-fits-all approach wasn’t working for me - what I liked and what I didn’t. How working with Coach Jill changed my approach and what she taught me How having a custom approach was actually a much wiser path for us to take   Resources: Schedule a free call with one of our coaches Episode 92 - Coach Jaclyn’s Top 5 Money Mistakes Episode 104 - Emotional Spending and Preparing for the Holidays Take our free Debt Pay-Off Quiz to find out which strategy might work best for you Episode 103 - Why I Left My Teaching Career to

Many clients tell us that setting goals isn’t something they have ever done. That it feels really unnatural for them and isn’t something they feel comfortable with. We have definitely found that goal setting is a skill that must be learned and the better you get at setting your goals, the better you get at achieving them time and time again! Unfortunately, goal setting fails for so many people. Here are a few things we see or hear from clients when it comes to goal setting: They say it feels pointless. They don’t ever feel as though they are reaching their goals. They forget the details of their goal. Their goals are set up as pass/fail, and they find themselves failing time and again. They aren’t specific enough, so they never know if they have actually achieved their goal. When it comes to financial goals specifically - they don’t have a solid foundation (aka budget) that actually works - so their financial goals are more like wishes, rather than concrete goals where they can see the steps to take to achieve them. In this episode, Coach Jill talks about the steps you can take to turn this around and become a master at goal setting AND goal achieving! Some steps you want to take to improve your goal setting skills: Begin with creating a REALISTIC budget. Stop making your goals Pass/Fail by using the Good-Better-Best strategy. Write your goals down.  Be specific.

So long 2020 and good riddance!  This episode is a rerelease of episode 48 from 2019 but it is so great that we want to share it with you again.  Research shows that resolutions are largely ineffective for making positive, sustainable change. Twenty-five percent of people break resolutions within one week and sixty-five percent break them within weeks. Selecting a word of the year can help us to embrace a larger vision that feels expansive and possible. A single word is easier to remember than a whole list of goals and resolutions. Your “word of the year” anchors your daily life, helps you focus, guides the work you do, choices you make. The benefits of choosing one word: Can feel more expansive than goals or resolutions. Can feel more inspirational vs instructional. Especially great for people who do not do well with structure, deadlines, or too many rules. Allows one to adjust their goals and resolutions as the year goes on – things can happen and change and having a single word can give you the flexibility you need. By having one word to guide my year, I found it easier to create goals and resolutions that aligned my whole approach for the year. My “word of the year” anchors my daily life. It helps me focus. It guides the work I do, the choices I make, and the way I navigate my everyday. When I feel adrift, I remember my word of the year and come back to myself & my goals Steps to find your Word of the Year for 2019 1. Reflect on areas of your life: Your wellbeing Your career/business Your family Your health Work/life balance Finances 2. Reflect on the type of person you want to become Wealthier Happier Healthier Dive deep into your soul 3. What are the characteristics of the person you want to become? 4. What do I want to change or gain in my life? What is one thing I’d change about my life? What is one thing I’d change about the way I spend my day? 5. Find a quote (or multiple) that embodies this word. 6. Trust your intuition You don’t necessarily have to labor over this decision; you likely don’t need to turn this over in your mind a thousand times. 7. Now consider how you can apply this word to your whole life “Supported”’ at home means something different than “supported” in your professional life. And “connected” to your body is different than being “connected” to your partner. How does your word apply in the context of work? At home? Does it affect the way you move your body or the choices you make around food? Will it change the way you use technology? When you take the time to imagine the way your word applies to all the areas of your life, you’re ready to make that word happen everywhere. 8. Fortify Your ONE WORD With Visibility, Repetition, and Accountability One Word Ideas and Inspiration Improve – Begin – Challenge – Wellness – Balance – Courage – Creativity – Evolve – Change – Heal – Release – Grow – Begin – Finish – Health – Truth – Expansion – Abundance – Connect – Abundant – Aligned – Balanced – Bliss – Congruent – Consistent – Creative – Depth – Desire – Devout – Divine – Educated – Enlightened – Fit – Forgiving – Free – Free-Spirited Game-Changing – Giving – Glowing – Gracious – Grateful – Gratitude – Happy – Healthy – Honest – Humbled – Journey – Joyful – Laser-Focused – Loving – Mindful Of Service – Open – Passion – Peaceful – Radiant – Sassy – Savvy – Sexy – Sexy – Smart – Soulful – Sparkle – Spiritual – Strong – Tenacious – Truth – Unstoppable – Vibrant – Wellness – Whole – Freedom – Revitalize – Complete – Whole – Design   Podcast Music by Annti Luode

This episode was originally published in December of 2019 as episode 74.  It was so impactful and popular that we wanted to put it back on your radar.  You may be excited to set new year’s resolutions and goals with your finances this time of year, but if you’re not careful, you could be getting ahead of yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure, check out our New Year New Money Checklist FIRST. It will help you lay a really solid foundation from which to build from! Get ready to make your new year financial goals a resounding success in 2020! You can visit the original blog post with downloadable "New year, new money" worksheet here. 

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the November FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

This is a replay of one of our most popular episodes, episode 23: Holiday Traditions and Gift Giving Ideas that will Not Break the Bank. You can check out the amazing companion holiday shopping and traditions blog post here. 

This time of year, tends to be one of the most EXPENSIVE times of year for a lot of people. It is when there are a ton of festivities happening all within a relatively short period of time and we often can get swept away with the fun, the tradition, the expectations of family or friends and ALSO tempted by all of the sales and amazing marketing that is about to be around every turn.  We want YOU all to be prepared for it. Not only financially, but also from an emotional place, so you don't get swept up in the excitement of it all, only to regret it come January.  Notes: A lot of the really big sales that are going to be promoted in the coming weeks will have advertising that makes you want to "ACT QUICKLY" because the deal will end soon, stock is limited, shipping times may be delayed. All of these reasons will be used to push you to BUY and BUY quickly.  Spending money should actually feel very neutral. The excitement should come when you get to enjoy the thing you have purchased. NOT in the actual transaction itself.  Plan ahead for the holidays by following these simple steps:1. Make a list 2. Jot down the ideas you have for each person 3. Get a price estimate for how much each of those items will cost  4. Total everything up.  5. Be prepared to cut things out Don't forget to budget extra for additional food, decor, cards, family pictures, donations, and misc extras. Resources: Take advantage of coupons and discounts while shopping online by installing the browser extension www.joinhoney.com Earn rebates and take advantage of additional discounts by shopping with Rakuten. Use this referral link to earn a $30 rebate after your first purchase. https://www.rakuten.com/r/JILLEM47?eeid=28187 Use the browser extension Camel, Camel, Camel to check prices on Amazon and ensure you are getting the best deal. https://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/

"I think a lot of people, when they meet a financial professional, assume that they’re someone who is just naturally good at money, that they have some sort of formal financial training or degree in finance, or that they’ve always made good decisions with their money. And that’s just not true. I became a financial coach because of how financially stressed I used to be and the transformation I experienced from working with a financial coach myself" Jaclyn Wise, Financial Coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix   In this episode you will learn... What the major catalyst was for Coach Jaclyn to finally make a change How Jaclyn got her start in financial coaching Why Jaclyn left her teaching career to coach full time Additional tips for when changing careers: Tip #1 - Before you make a big financial decision like buying a house, having a baby, making a big career change - hire a financial coach to help you navigate the day-to-day side of your finances and see the impact on your financial future Tip #2 - Quit the traditional monthly budget template, and instead create a spending plan for each paycheck you receive. Tip #3 - If you’re financially stressed, if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and not gaining any traction on your financial goals, if you’re fighting with your partner about money - reach out to us to schedule a free call with us and see if financial coaching is a good fit for your situation. There is always hope!   Resources: Schedule a free call with one of our coaches Episode 92 - Coach Jaclyn’s Top 5 Money Mistakes Episode 66 - Coach Kelsa’s Top 5 Money Mistakes Episode 65 - Coach Jill’s Top 5 Money Mistakes Join our free Facebook community - Money Strategies Follow Fiscal Fitness on Instagram! Follow Coach Jaclyn on Instagram Follow Coach Jill on Instagram Follow Coach Kelsa on Instagram  

Does it seem like learning to manage your money is just plain impossible? Do you keep trying to become better with your money, but then you find yourself giving up? In this episode, we dive in to the 4 stages of learning with money. We provide key characteristics of each one so you can easily identify where on the journey of growth you are. We also give you specific steps to take to keep you moving along the 4 stages.   In this episode, Kelsa will help you understand and implement: The 4 stages of learning a new skill Characteristics of each stage Steps to continue progressing through the stages Questions to ask yourself that will boost your commitment to progress See the image of the four steps Kelsa mentions in this episode here.   

In this episode Coach Jill walks you through how to assess whether a home project is worth the investment and if you decide to move forward, what are some of your options for deciding how to pay for the project. There are so many options out there - from paying cash to credit to HELOC’s to loans. Let’s talk about what option makes the most sense for YOU when deciding to move forward with a home improvement or renovation project.     Questions answered in this episode: How do you determine whether a home improvement project is “worth it”? How do you decide the best financing option based on the size of the project?  When's the best time to use a HELOC vs. home equity loan? What we recommend for anyone considering home improvement projects this year   Additional tips and strategies: Do your research! Spend time in the researching phase before you move into action. Doing this research and weighing your options will help you to save money in the long run and help you feel confident in your decision. Get at least 3 quotes for from contractors for your home improvement projects Consult a financial coach to help you figure out all of the moving pieces and things to consider! Start saving now, even if you don’t have a project in mind yet. One of the certainties of home ownership is that home repairs and improvements WILL come and you want to be ready for them when they do. 

Most of the time a brand new client finds Fiscal Fitness, they find us by searching for a “financial advisor.” And most people don’t know what a financial coach even is. In this episode, Coach Jaclyn breaks down the differences between financial coaches and advisors, and help you decide which one you need on your money power team today.

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

Why is it that we want to shout from the rooftops when we hire a personal trainer to help us get in the best shape of our lives, but we want to keep it a secret when we want to hire a financial coach to help us get in the best financial shape of our lives? Coach Jill dives into the thoughts we have about money that are actually holding us back from becoming skilled in this incredibly important area of life.  Have you ever thought “How are they doing that?” when you see friends going on vacation, renovating their house, taking a voluntary sabbatical from work, or driving their new dream car? Usually this thought is followed by another one that involves self-doubt, shame, or embarrassment because we believe we must be “doing it wrong”.  Asking for help to figure out how to “Do it right”, brings about an onslaught of emotions that often prevents us from taking steps to learn a better way. WHY do we feel shame asking for help in this area of life, but would never experience shame asking for help with our fitness, or in learning a new trade, or learning how to cook or even parent better? Let’s dive in to examining the thoughts that are holding us back and why we are having them in the first place.    Here are some of the top reasons why people feel afraid to invest in their financial health: It feels too vulnerable or embarrassing. I fear judgement for my past mistakes or mishandling of money. I worry that I will be told that I am beyond help. That there is nothing that can be done/it's too late. I don't want to be told what to do with my money (This is likely UNTRUE. You likely DO want to be told what to do with your money - you just want it to be told you can do and have all the things you want.) It is too expensive. I already worry about money, how will I add this additional expense? (Listen to find out what this thought is really all about.) Resources: Jill mentions her good friend and cookie artist Jen. Check out her amazing talent on Instagram @jentasticsweets

The simplest description of the Diderot Effect is this: “The introduction of a new possession into a consumer’s existence will often result in a process of spiraling consumption.”    What does this mean? You buy a new car and now you need a new tint job, new rims, a new phone charging cable, new sunshades, etc. That one purchase has resulted in a multitude of purchases that before the initial purchase, were not even on your radar.    The Diderot Effect is a VERY common spending phenomenon that nearly everyone falls victim too. In this episode, Coach Jill gives examples of how the Diderot Effect might be showing up and she also gives you 7 tips to help you reduce its financial impact.    Coach Jill's 7 tips to reduce the Diderot Effect Awareness is key. Imagine how the new item will fit in with the rest of your life. Limit temptations. Look for opportunities to borrow, trade, or rent before you buy. Always budget for MORE than you anticipate needing. Set Limits/Pace yourself.  Make linear purchases if possible.   Resources: Use the app Unroll.me to help you easily unenroll in all of the emails you receive and limit temptation. Read the book: Atomic Habits by James Clear, where he talks more about the Diderot Effect, along with so many other wonderful tips on how to build or break habits.

Did you know that the average American household spends over $200/month on their cable bill? For most of us, that makes cable our most expensive utility. Learn how to save money with streaming by cutting the cable cord in this episode.   Notes from episode: Guest expert (and Jaclyn’s husband) John Wise shares different options for cutting the cable cord that can save you more money than you might have thought possible. Cutting the cable cord does not have to mean that you lose access to sports, local TV, or DVR. In fact, John and Jaclyn have access to all of them. One of the most inexpensive ways to cut the cable cord is to install a rooftop or wall antenna, which will enable you to pick up locally broadcast channels. You can completely eliminate your cable bill by doing that. A more popular option is to use a streaming device (like a FireTV Stick, Roku Stick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast) or a Smart TV and install/subscribe different streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, etc.). If you’re not ready to cut the cord, we have a few other suggestions you can try to lower the cost of your cable bill. Additional tips: If you’re going to install a rooftop antenna, make sure you’re not violating any HOA restrictions in your neighborhood, and you might need to pay someone to help install it for you.  When signing up for streaming services, you can cancel at any time. Pause the ones you aren’t currently using and only pay for what you’re actually watching. We really like YouTube TV for an all-inclusive service because it has unlimited DVR capabilities, and you can watch your recorded shows on all of your devices. Additionally, you can have multiple user accounts so that different users can record their own shows and watch them on separate devices at the same time. Resources: Solid Signal - great rooftop antennas YouTube TV - an all-inclusive streaming option

Money is a LIFELONG journey. No matter where you are starting, there will always be something “Next” on the list. When we think about our financial lives, it’s as if we are climbing a mountain. We are always looking up and we can see the next step towards the goal we are working towards, but it’s like the top of the mountain is covered in clouds. Every time we think we must be JUST about to reach the peak, we get through the clouds and discover there is still so much more to go.  There will ALWAYS be more we are striving for and if we aren’t careful this can lead to frustration It is easy to compare ourselves to others who we see as more successful and think - “they are so far ahead, I will never get there.” So to combat this, we need to manufacture some artificial peaks for ourselves. We need to have a way to measure our progress and recognize that while it still feels as though we are climbing a never ending mountain, we actually HAVE made so much progress and that makes it worthwhile to keep on going!   Notes from the episode: Our brains want to keep us “safe” and “safe” = Familiar. This isn’t actually a good thing if the things we have been doing aren’t getting us the results we want. In order to “retrain” our brains, we need to create positive memories and experiences that relate to our financial wins.  Setting goals or milestones is the first step. We need to have something clearly defined that we are working towards, so we know when we can celebrate! Visual cues and reminders can be extremely useful for positive reinforcement and training our brains to focus on what is most important to us (this is why vision boards are actually so powerful!). Be intentional about using ordinary experiences and turning them into purposeful and intentional ways to celebrate and acknowledge your progress!

Adoption can be one of the most loving and selfless things someone can do. It's fair to say that the foster care system for each state is extremely underfunded and overfilled with children that need loving homes. Michael and Kelsa made the decision to adopt through the Arizona foster care system almost three years ago and were lucky enough to adopt their son, Alex, on June 14th of 2019. Many people have asked them about the process as well as the financials for adopting Alex. While each state is different in regards to the foster to adopt programs available, Kelsa and Michael have put together some great talking points about their experience so you can do some initial leg work for your state.   

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

Meet our newest financial coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix, Jaclyn Wise!!! She wasn't always this awesome at budgeting though. It took some determination to look inside herself to be able to ask for help from a financial coach. And she hasn't looked back. Today, Jaclyn is sharing the top 5 money mistakes that she has made in the past and provides some strategies and action steps to help you avoid those same mistakes. Here are Jaclyn's top 5 money mistakes: Money Mistake #1: I blew through my grad party money. Money Mistake #2: I misused my student loans. Money Mistake #3: I struggled in silence (for six years!) Money Mistake #4: We bought way too much house Money Mistake #5: I overspent for the wrong reasons You can find Coach Jill's Top 5 Money Mistakes here. And you can find Coach Kelsa's Top 5 Money Mistakes here.  www.fiscalfitnessphx.com/episode92

What does it mean to be interested vs. invested and how is this showing up for you in your life? The energy behind these two words and the actions we take are entirely different and in this episode, Coach Jill dives into how being “interested” in something is showing up for you in life and how it is holding you back from creating the life you want. Notes from episode:  Think about something you have been “interested” in. What does this look like for you? What results are you getting in your life?  Think about something you have “invested” in. How did you show up differently? What was the result of being invested?  How were your actions different between being interested or being invested?  What area of your life are you currently interested in and how can you invest to get the results you are seeking? Related links: Join us in our private Facebook group: Fiscal Fitness Money

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Kelsa and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

Meet our newest Financial Coach - Jaclyn Wise! As a former math teacher you might expect budgeting would come easily, but Jaclyn shares she was a mess when it came to budgeting and balancing her own checkbook. Once she started making “real” money, she thought her finance worries would be solved. She was wrong. Six years after graduating college, she found she was still living paycheck-to-paycheck and feeling extremely jealous whenever her friends posted pictures on Facebook of themselves enjoying vacations in exotic places. She scrutinized and antagonized every purchase she made, big and small. Money made her feel all the wrong feelings.  That was years ago. Today, her life looks a lot different.  Since investing in financial coaching in 2015, Jaclyn and her husband have made a remarkable amount of progress in five short years.  Jaclyn shares her story of how she became a financial coach and some of the challenges she has overcome along the way. Jaclyn has a heart for financial coaching and wants you to see the all of the possibilities in life too. She is on a mission to help you reach the goals you have in life. Even the ones that seem out of reach right now. The thing is they’re not. Jaclyn cannot wait to show you how much closer you are than you think. 

Knowing your income and expenses are important. But just as important are numbers that show you the bigger picture of your financial situation and that’s where your Net Worth & Savings Rate come into play. Kelsa will walk you through how to calculate these, provide some insights as to why you might want to care about them, and even provide some tools for you to use! Notes from episode: Why your savings rate & Net Worth are important numbers to know How to calculate both of these figures Pros & cons of using these numbers Next steps once you’ve gained awareness of these figures How to improve & strengthen your net worth & savings rate   Resources:  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT Click here to get the downloads to calculate your net worth and savings rate. www.fiscalfitnessphx.com/episode88  

As we start the slow return to normalcy following the COVID19 quarantine, it's time to consider what our spending habits will be. Companies will more than likely start to market towards our need for normalcy and the things we have been missing out on the past few months.  Jill and Kelsa talk about some strategies to make sure that your climb out of quarantine will be well within your budget!   Tips from Jill and Kelsa: Some expenses you may see a quick spike in  eating out travel entertainment What else do you expect? Don't forget to add back into your budget childcare gas expense for traveling to work kids activities if they were cancelled for a while Grooming hair nails facials waxing etc Be honest and realistic with yourself on what you may need to add If you lost your job, now is the time to get your resume updated and maybe learn a new skill that makes you more marketable Resources: Gaslighting article mentioned Join our free awesome Facebook group here

Amazon has made it so easy and convenient to have all of your purchases on your doorstep within a matter of days (or sometimes hours!). The convenience is great, but how is this impacting your finances? The convenience of being able to order anything we want in the click of a button, may be holding you back from reaching your financial goals. In this episode, Coach Jill gives some quick and simple tips to help you gain control of your Amazon spending habits in this episode of The Fiscal Fitness Podcast. Coach Jill's Amazon best practices to stop overspending: The convenience of instant gratification may be sabotaging your financial goals. Practice strengthening your delayed gratification muscle by adding items to your cart, but waiting to click “buy” until a set day each week. (**Hint - choose a day at the beginning of the week - try Tuesday or Wednesday) Review your cart each week and determine if you still want each item and if the total amount of items in the cart are in line with your spending goals.  Move anything that isn’t top priority onto your wishlist to save for later. Prefund an Amazon gift card for yourself to keep your spending on track. Each payday, put a set dollar amount onto your gift card and make a commitment to yourself not to spend more than what you have put on the card.  

We were in a total funk for meals and found ourselves spending way too much on both groceries AND eating out! Here’s how we fixed it! Notes from episode/ summary of major points/ etc:  What being in a rut with food spending can look like  Various strategies for getting a handle on your food spending  One out-of-the-book solution you may want to consider Additional tips/ strategies/ other things to consider/ etc: This wasn’t always a problem - it just sort of becomes a problem suddenly. In fact, we used to be really good at cooking, eating at home, etc. Practical tips for meal prepping and planning  Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast:  Episode 49 - Financial New Year's Resolutions Super Episode  Episode 24 - Meal Prepping w/ Dr Mike Simon  Korean Sloppy Joes recipe: https://whatgreatgrandmaate.com/paleo-whole30-korean-sloppy-joes/

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Kelsa and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one! Related Links: The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Special Episode:  Keeping Morale Up During Covid-19. https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/covid-19/ Why It's Important to Know Your Net Worth and Savings Rate.  https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/why-its-important-to-know-your-net-worth-and-savings-rate/ Learn more about our Eureka Session! https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/services/individuals/

What are some simple activities that you can do that can have a quick yet significant impact on your budget? Kelsa is going to share 5 of those actions! Notes from episode: 5 Quick money-saving and confidence-boosting actions you can take today Why these things are more impactful than they seem on the surface 5 actions: Review your pay stub Is there anything you’re paying for that is optional that you’re not using?  Is there anything you’re paying for that you can take advantage of - such as an Accident policy or Aflac type. Or a prepaid legal service where you can get a free will for you and your family?  Does your pay look correct?  Call to get a CC interest rate lowered Call in the morning when customer call reps haven’t been answering the phone all day and getting yelled at by cranky customers all day Use first names, thank them for their help The first couple times, you might hear no. Thank them for their consideration and hang up. Wait a week or a few days and keep calling back. Tell them you’re loyal and you are hoping they can work with you. You don’t want to have to transfer the balance elsewhere and you’re looking to see what they can do. Even if they say it’s temporary - such as we can lower it for 6 months, take it. Every little bit helps.  Review your bank and credit card activity - NOT doing this can really bog us down mentally.  We worry and question about what might be happening or clearing that we're not aware of. We start to think "Gosh, I'm sure I'm blowing money but I just don't have time to get organized." And these thoughts to lead us to feeling bad with money and the trickle affect can be damaging.  So block off the time NOW to review all activity for the past 3 months on your credit cards and bank statements and even if you don't find anything wrong or that you can cancel, I promise that will be so reassuring and will be a huge boost to your financial confidence. Are you paying bank fees and you can avoid that by jumping through a hoop or two? Cancel a subscription you aren't using You can ALWAYS add it back later and chances are, they’ll even discount it substantially for getting you back.  Make a list of free activities you would enjoy doing And don’t just make a list but do any research too. The idea is that if you’re tempted to spend money, you want these things to be as easy as possible to do. No burden of figuring out where to park or what the address is, etc. Planning ahead is the trick. List of 50 Free activities can be downloaded by clicking here: fiscalfitnessphx.com/episode82 Resources/links related to topic: List of 50 Free activities can be downloaded by visiting this link:  https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/episode82/

When there is so much uncertainty and things feel out of our control, it’s very easy to get sucked up in the worry and feel as if everything is “on hold” until this all blows over. In this episode, Coach Jill talks about how important it is to keep morale high while living through this very uncertain time. We have the opportunity to choose or DECIDE what we really want to get out of this time, so let’s choose to make it a time that we can be proud of. Notes from episode/ summary of major points/ etc: Ask yourself: “What would make me really proud to say I did during the Covid-19 quarantine?” Our level of productivity will translate to our mental health. Take care of yourself by finding a way to be productive. Declutter, find a fitness or nutrition challenge to participate in, learn something new, put your spending in check with a financial challenge, volunteer or donate your time, money or talents. All of these things will help you to feel productive and proud of yourself at the end of this. Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast:  30 Day Declutter Challenge: https://www.yourmodernfamily.com/decluttering-challenge/ Peloton app at home workouts - FREE for 30 days: https://www.onepeloton.com/app The Betty Rocker FREE 30 day challenge: https://makefatcrychallenge.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImcTf_M6x6AIVBdVkCh3TKAl2EAAYASAAEgIYsPD_BwE Improve your diet with the Whole30 Challenge: https://whole30.com/ Article and links to cloth face mask patterns: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2020/03/20/calling-all-people-who-sew-and-make-you-can-help-solve-2020-n95-type-mask-shortage/#4696633f4e41

You can be really disciplined and still fall for temptations so today we’ll be covering 3 steps to conquering temptations once and for all. Kelsa will be covering: How to identify when triggers happen for you - this awareness is key!  Then Kelsa will discuss 13 ways you can reduce the chance of temptations tripping you up and essentially ways to prevent facing temptations to begin with. And then... How to have a backup plan of free activities so that when temptation strikes, you are prepared! CLICK HERE to receive the 50 Free Activities handout! Notes from episode: Identify your spending triggers that are pulling you off track Pick 2-3 changes you can make right away to curb your temptations Pick a minimum of 5 free activities you can do instead of spending money Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 76 - Top 3 "No Brainer" Ways to Save Money Shopping Online The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 50 - Cognitive Biases and How They Affect our Spending (Part 1) The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 56 - Cognitive Biases and How They Affect our Spending (Part 4) The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 43 - Hiring a Financial Coach is an Investment in Yourself The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 72 - The 7 Things You've Already Tried That Simply Are NOT Working Spending Triggers: Why They Happen and How to Identify Yours Never Feel Buyer's Remorse Again  

Thinking about buying a house?  Listen to what mortgage lender Jeff Quincey shares with Jill. Coach Jill interviews mortgage lender Jeff Quincey of Fairway Independent Mortgage and they give you the scoop on everything you need to know about mortgages, refinancing and what to expect in the process.  This podcast is the perfect prep for our 4-week “Home Buyers” course that is about to kick off on Monday March 23rd, 2020 (postponed and new dates TBD). This live & interactive course is led by our own financial coaching experts Jill Emanuel and Kelsa Dickey. This course will help you feel more well-prepared and confident as you make the big decision to buy a home, which may very well be the single largest purchase of your lifetime. It only makes sense to invest a bit of time, effort and money to learn how to ensure your home is a blessing and not a curse! Click THIS LINK to find out more and get enrolled!. The Home Buyers mini course is postponed and new dates TBD. Episode notes: Jeff tells us what you need to know in order to qualify for a loan, do’s and don’t, how much you need for a down payment, where your credit score needs to be….and so much more! We talk refinancing - when does it make sense and when doesn’t it? What are some of the key things you need to evaluate to ensure you are making a smart decision?  Hear some examples of past clients and the mistakes and successes that they experienced through the lending process!   We answered some questions from our Facebook Community! Janelle Asks: When should a mortgage be refinanced? At what rate difference is it “worth it” after all of the fees are added in?  Matt Asks: Dave Ramsey says you don’t need a credit score to buy a house. Is this true? Can someone who has no credit history actually get a loan?  Amy Asks: How does one go about refinancing in order to pull cash out for a home remodel/renovation? Can you elaborate on this? How much equity needs to be in the home to do a cash out, etc? Barbie Asks: Is it worth it to refinance a 15 year mortgage to another 15 year mortgage if the interest rate has dropped 1%? Not to add any more debt, but to lower the payment? (currently 14 years remaining) Ian Asks: What type of help can a first time home buyer get? And how do you know when you’re buying too much house for your budget?   Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: Monitor your credit score for free using Credit Karma at https://www.creditkarma.com/ Pull your FREE credit report at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action Looking for a great lender? Connect with Jeff here: https://www.jeffquincey.com/ Join the Fiscal Fitness Facebook Community! It’s the place you want to be to ask questions, get answers and connect to a community of like minded financial rockstars!  Register for the Fiscal Fitness Home Buyers’ course!Click here to find details!  The Home Buyer mini course is postponed and new dates TBD.  

What are 5 quick activities you can do that will make an impact on your finances? We get asked all the time “what are some things I can do to quickly make an impact”, so we’ve put together 5 things you can do right now to start to see a quick improvement in your finances! You don’t have to do all 5, pick one or two that make sense to try and give them a whirl. Of course, bonus points if you do them all! Some takeaways from this episode: Try a spending elimination diet Get locked in on your day to day spending Plan your meals and groceries Organize your debt payoff plan Get help from a financial coach (Book your Eureka session!) Resources/Related Topics: Book a Eureka Book a Q&A w/Jill Learn How to Budget The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 24:  Talking Meal Prepping with Dr. Mike Simon

It’s one of our favorite times of the year! It is time to chat about the New Year Money 21-Day Challenge. The 21 Day Challenges are designed to help participants with saving money, gaining clarity, having fun, making progress, fine-tuning expenses and gaining insights surrounding their finances.  The best part is the potential to even WIN money! And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing participants and having them share the great work and celebrating their accomplishments along the way. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

Oftentimes the initial thought when we learn we are getting a return is that it’s time to celebrate! We want to do something big with it - like book the vacation we’ve want to go on, make the big purchase we’ve been putting off, do some home renovations, or even pay off debt - unfortunately, even though these are done with the thought that this is all “extra money” to do it with, we can often regret our choices when a whammy hits us on the back side. In this episode, Coach Jill gives you a few things to think about to make sure you are using your tax return in the best way possible. Reminders of what to consider with your return: Resist temptation to do something “fun” with all of the refund. Think about using the 10/90% rule.  First ask yourself what your initial plans with this money is - get clear on the various options. Consider whether a whammy, or a large unexpected expense, will derail this plan.  Evaluate your current emergency fund and make sure you have a minimum of $1,000 saved for a true emergency.  Consider any debt you may have and identify the order in which you will tackle them.  Finally, you should consider what are the three most important things in your life. Make sure this extra money is truly going towards the things in your life that will give you the most fulfillment and make life most meaningful. Related links: Blog post:  How to Pay Off Your Debt Quiz:  Debt Payoff, Which Strategy is Best for You Personal Tax Return Checklist

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Kelsa and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

You might be thinking all those emails with sales and discount codes are doing you a favor. I promise - they’re not! These emails are tempting you to spend on items that would not have even been on your radar, if not for the enticing sale that just landed in your inbox. One of the ways I save hundreds every year and minimize my temptations is to get off those mailing list and use three browser extensions that help me find the best prices and deals when I shop online. In this episode I share with you my 3 favorite tools for saving money while shopping online: Rakuten, Honey and CamelCamelCamel. Be smart with your online shopping with these sites: Use the app Unroll.me to easily unroll from email lists that are bombarding your inbox (and your mind!) with shopping temptations.  You can still take advantage of the sales and discounts, but do it on your own terms, when you are actively looking for something and not when you have been targeted thru marketing.  Rakuten (formerly Ebates) gives you discounts and cash back rebates! Receive a Big Fat Check in the mail or into your PayPal account every quarter with the money you earn from shopping thru Rakuten (or with the Rakuten browser extension) The Honey browser extension will search and apply the very best active coupon codes into your cart before checkout, so you don’t need to search for coupon codes yourself anymore! Plus you earn points that you can cash in for $10 gift cards (extra bonus!).  CamelCamelCamel allows you to see the price history for the products you are shopping for on Amazon. There are constant swings in pricing, based on buyer demand and seller supply and this is one way to know that when you buy you are always getting the best price for your money! Check out these highlights and resources: Rakuten - Get $10 Bonus Dollars when you join with this link (after your first $25 purchase)   Join Honey - Install this browser extension and let Honey do all the hard work of scouring the internet for coupon codes for you! Honey will automatically apply the best coupon code to your cart at checkout, making sure you always get the best deal.  Use the CamelCamelCamel browser extension to always make sure you get the best prices when shopping on Amazon. Set up alerts to receive a notification when the item you are shopping for drops to the price you want to pay!

What makes a year your “best year yet?”. How is it that you can intentionally create the year ahead to be just that? This episode helps you reflect on the prior year, its’ ups or downs and identify what made it so great….or not so great. Once you have that information, now you can use it to craft the year ahead to be one you can feel proud of. Coach Jill reviews six key areas of life to evaluate and create a plan for that allow you to move into the New Year with clarity, purpose and intentionality. Let's recap some points that will help to make 2020 your best year yet!! Entering into a new year purposefully, must begin with a reflection on the year behind us. What factors contributed to how great, or horrible, we felt about the year behind us? How can we use this knowledge to intentionally recreate or completely reconstruct our lives in the year ahead?  Being intentional with our lives requires thought and a plan. We can oftentimes easily name the things we want to do or improve upon, but we must have systems and quantifiable ways to measure that progress in our lives.   Evaluate the core areas of your life and set some concrete measures to make sure you follow thru. Coach Jill plans her year by evaluating these six key areas: Health, Relationships, Family, Finances, Career and Leisure/Fun! Check out these other resources that will help you start your new year off on the right foot: New MiniCourses are coming this year! We are kicking off 2020 with our New Years 21 day Money Challenge, beginning on Jan 15th. Click Here for more info  Choose your Word of the Year - Podcast Episode 48  Listen to Kelsa and Michael’s New Year’s Resolution super episode - Podcast Episode 49  Set some Big Fat Hairy goals in the New Year - Podcast Episode 60

Before you set financial goals or resolutions - listen to this episode! You may be excited to set new year’s resolutions and goals with your finances this time of year, but if you’re not careful, you could be getting ahead of yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure, check out our New Year New Money Checklist FIRST. It will help you lay a really solid foundation from which to build from! In this episode, Kelsa talks about her 7 Steps to laying a really solid foundation for 2020. Step one is setting your intention. So firming up your wife for pursuing financial growth and progress in the new year. Step two is reflecting on your wins and losses in the past year. Step three, reviewing sinking funds and savings accounts. In other words, for any projects or special occasions and just everyday type expenses that might be happening in the new year. Step four is the year end checklist, getting organized and completing the annual tasks or at least getting them on your calendar of when you're going to complete them. Step five is your health and wellbeing intentions. Step six, lessons for the kids.  And step seven is adopting a growth mindset around money. Click here to get the New Year, New $$ checklist here. 

Once a month, Coach Kelsa and Coach Jill like to go live in our private Facebook group (Ask to join for free here).  Listen in as they share with you the highlights of the past month! Updates galore, inspiration, tips and budgeting tricks, what's coming up for Fiscal Fitness Fanatics and the awesome accomplishments of our clients!!

If you find that your financial life is not where you want it to be, chances are good that it’s not for lack of effort. What we see here at Fiscal Fitness is that our clients have tried for years to turn things around, yet for one reason or another - nothing seems to stick. Don't feel bad or guilty thought. A lot of these things are not because you are "bad with money" but because the systems and strategies are set up for you to fail.   Our mission at Fiscal Fitness is to provide you with the financial skills, behaviors and tools that will support you for the long haul. Give this episode a listen to see if you relate to the top 7 things we see people have tried in the past that simply did NOT help.   You can see the full transcript of the episode here. Coach Jill's 7 things that just aren't working for you and your budget: Living Extreme Trying all those apps Getting on a budget Swapping bill paying responsibilities with a spouse/partner Getting all the bills on autopay Trying what was recommended by a family member or friend Earning MORE money    Resources: Click here to schedule the complimentary 15 minute  Q&A with Coach Jill Click here to schedule a Eureka Session to kick off 1:1 coaching with Coach Jill Learn more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix Financial Coaching Learn more about our financial coach training program: Financial Coach Academy  

Once a month, Coach Kelsa and Coach Jill like to go live in our private Facebook group (Ask to join for free here).  Listen in as they share with you the highlights of the past month! Updates galore, inspiration, tips and budgeting tricks, what's coming up for Fiscal Fitness Fanatics and the awesome accomplishments of our clients!!

The average cost of college according to 2017/2018 polls show an estimate of $25,000-35,000 per YEAR and up to as much as $70,000 for some of the more “elite” colleges and universities. Student loan debt is becoming one of the greatest financial burdens, so we asked college admissions consultant and scholarship guru, Pam Andrews, aka - “The Scholarship Shark” to join us today to offer some insights about how students can best prepare for college and navigate the world of college admissions and gaining scholarships to offset the hefty price of college education.    Notes from episode: The best time to begin planning for college is as you are entering your sophomore year of high school.  Pam explains the difference between the “sticker price” and the “net price” of college and what you need to know to avoid paying too much. GPA is one piece of the equation, but many scholarships go unclaimed because they simply don’t have anyone applying for them. Even if your GPA is not as high as desired, you still could be awarded scholarships simply because you applied. There is a recipe for success and starting early helps you to be in a winning position when it comes to scholarships.    Resources: Pam’s website: https://www.thescholarshipshark.com/  Listen to more from The Scholarship Shark at: https://www.thescholarshipshark.com/podcasts/ www.fiscalfitnessphx.com www.financialcoachacademy.com www.facebook.com/groups/fiscalfitnessmoney www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachesunite

This episode is all about tackling the idea of what wealth really makes us do and feel.  Many people have a mindset around money, especially when it comes to wealthy people or gaining wealth themselves, that wealthy people are all entitled, greedy and un-empathetic. They avoid pursuing becoming wealthy because they feel that they will become the same thing that they hate about other wealthy people. Do they really think money is the root of all evil? If they were being honest with themselves, are they judging rich people? Continually look for every reason to prove or reinforce some sort of stereotype they likely already had about rich people? Here's where things start to get interesting... A team of psychologist at the University of CA Berkeley rigged a game of Monopoly so that skill, brains, financial shrewdness and luck - the pieces of the game that can create your success or your demise - have been made irrelevant.  Researchers watch and document every hand gesture, every eye twitch, each statement or exchange between the players, you name it. Here were the big picture findings: → As a person’s wealth increases, their feelings of compassion and empathy go down. → As a person’s wealth increases, their feelings of entitledness and self-interest increases. → As a person’s wealth increases, they care more about their personal ambitions and success and considered their own personal endeavors to be more important than the interests of those around them Tune into this episode to hear more of the details of this study but also hear Kelsa's thoughts on the mindset I believe we should all be adopting with this episode. Links: Full article: https://psychology.berkeley.edu/news/how-rich-are-different-poor PBS Segment of the Study & Findings: https://youtu.be/IuqGrz-Y_Lc Ted Talk by Study founder: https://youtu.be/bJ8Kq1wucsk Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson    

Once a month, Coach Kelsa and Coach Jill like to go live in our private Facebook group (Ask to join for free here).  Listen in as they share with you the highlights of the past month! Updates galore, inspiration, tips and budgeting tricks, what's coming up for Fiscal Fitness Fanatics and the awesome accomplishments of our clients!!

It’s great to know that your bills are paid on time every month and that you have no significant debt or that you have money going into your 401K. But just because money isn’t stressing you out, doesn’t mean you are reaching your full potential. One of the things the biggest things that holds people back from having an extraordinary life, is being comfortable and believing that what they are doing is “good enough”. In this episode, Coach Jill challenges you to look a little deeper. What possibilities exist for your life that you’ve not even begun to explore because you have shied away from pushing yourself in your financial world?   Notes from the episode: Being intentional with our money gives us possibilities in life that we can’t yet even see for ourselves.  Time is a precious resource. Every year we spend winging it is a year of lost opportunity to build a life of financial freedom. Stop wasting time.  Think of any skill you have mastered - in sports, a hobby, your career - you have likely invested a significant amount of time, money and energy into honing that skill to become better. Yet how much time, money and energy have you invested into ensuring your financial life is at its peak?  Wouldn’t life feel different if every month you felt like you were winning? If you had goals that you saw yourself moving closer and closer to and achieved them on a regular basis? How much more fulfilling would your work be? How much more enthusiasm would that bring to your life and your vision for the future? We rob ourselves of this by simply winging it or settling for “good enough”.

Did you catch Jill’s Money Mistakes? It was episode 65 so if you haven’t listened to that yet our owner and CEO, Kelsa Dickey, highly recommends it. She actually LOVES talking about mistakes she and her husband Michael have made. Which, maybe sounds a little strange but it's the truth!!! The easier it becomes to reflect on your past mistakes, analyze them and learn from them, the smarter you feel and the easier it becomes to anticipate future mistakes - and ultimately prevent them! How cool is that?   The better we get at owning our mistakes, the easier it is to take them in stride when they happen. The result is that you can actually be better at taking action overall because you don’t live in fear of making another mistake. And we know that happens with people in money - they’ve done some things wrong so they’re sort of frozen in trying anything new.   And it’s when we shy away from talking about them, brush them under the rug, don’t take personal responsibility over them that they become bigger than necessary.  Kela tries to do this in her business - she talks very openly about poor choices or snafus and then addresses them head on. Then guess what? She moves on! It’s super freeing!  It’s now Kelsa's turn to talk about her biggest money mistakes she and Michael have made!! YAY!   Kelsa wants to be clear---->  She doesn't regret any of these. Regret is such a strong word and in all of these, she's somewhat grateful for the lessons they’ve given her, the insights she now has to do it differently and for making her who she is today. They have made her a better coach because when a client faces something after a bad choice, she knows what that feels like - to look a mistake square in the eyes and have to clean it up. That’s why she doesn’t REGRET any of them. Here are Kelsa's top 5 money mistakes she and her husband have made: Getting her Master’s degree Buying a big house right after getting married No flexibility in her budget; her expenses matched income Baby-brain - not realizing just how much her decision-making was being impacted during this time She didn’t ask enough questions- they weren’t engaged or curious like they are now Listen to the full episode to hear about each mistake, why she considers them a mistake, how she overcame them and how to avoid falling into the same traps. 

We’ve all had our fair share of financial mistakes. All of those coulda, woulda, shoulda’s can weigh heavy, but know that you aren’t alone. I’ve had plenty of my own mistakes and in this episode I am sharing five that if I had a time machine would travel back and change today!  Below you can see a list of my top 5 money mistakes but you'll have to listen to the episode to learn why they were such a big mistake and strategies on how you can avoid making one of those mistakes in the first place. Here are Jill's top 5 money mistakes: Money Mistake #1 - I didn’t invest early Monday Mistake #2 - I didn’t understand the true cost of my college education and didn’t take proactive steps that would have helped reduce my student loan burden. Money Mistake #3 - We purchased a house when we should have rented. Money Mistake #4 - I kept telling myself “I deserve it” or “I’ve earned it”. Money Mistake #5 - I was to prideful.   

Get your Roadmap to Financial Independence We’ve got something exciting brewing over here at Fiscal Fitness that we can’t wait to share with you! If you haven’t yet heard of the Financial Independence (FI) movement, get ready - this is the topic of our newest LIVE course, that will be kicking off on Oct 21 2019. In this episode Jill provides a little sneak peak into Financial Independence and why this movement might just be the thing you’ve been searching for.  Notes from episode: The Roadmap to Financial Independence LIVE course kicks off on Oct 21, 2019  Weekly Zoom group calls on Monday nights for 4 consecutive weeks You get interaction and additional support from our financial independence experts within our FB community  Everything you need to kickstart your journey to FI  Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: Check out www.fiology.com if you want to binge on other blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos ALL dedicated to the topic of FI You can enroll in the Roadmap to Financial Independence course by visiting https://financialcoachacademy.thinkific.com/courses/financial-independence

Nowadays there are so many opportunities to make some extra side hustle money. Uber, Lyft, Fiverr and Postmates are very common options; just to name a few.  We have all sold something that we had lying around the house or just weren't using anymore. Maybe you have a garage sale once per year, consistently sell unwanted items on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace or really like to refinish old furniture.  You can take the same principles and, with a little strategy and elbow grease, make some pretty good money with a side hustle where you resell clothing, shoes, furniture and more. Rachel Sodergren makes extra money every month by sourcing items that she wants to sell by shopping around Goodwill, Salvation Army and other local thrift shops, cleaning the items, then selling them online for a profit.  She actually says she enjoys the thrill of the hunt, learning more about pricing and trends and making money all while having fun.  If you are looking for ways to make some extra money, enjoy the sport of shopping and enjoy using your hands and being creative; reselling might be for you. In this episode you will learn: What is reselling and how you can make some extra cash doing it What Rachel's process and normal day of reselling looks like How to get started reselling: equipment needed, strategies, etc. Helpful links and resources so you can learn reselling best practices   Links to Rachel's eBay and Poshmark stores: https://ebay.com/usr/soderrach https://posh.mk/1giOG7dIUY   Links for helpful resources for new resellers: Youtube channels dedicated to reselling: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMRgFPXOgQrtejm_FZaJmVw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4wV_IzlDCvZdw86Y4kRn2Q https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKoGXDJr0Tamg5zNIYed8lg   Helpful reselling Facebook groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/397275407350527/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1903866586517271/

The Power of Focus and Intentionality - Client Interview with Truman Weston Truman Weston is an accountant in the Lake Tahoe, California area, who stumbled across Fiscal Fitness while researching other potential lines of business that he could add to his already successful accounting practice. What he found through coaching is not what he expected, but so much more. He found that the connection between his money and his life was not what he had believed it to be. Through coaching, he found a renewed passion, not only for his business and its future, but for his life.  In this episode Jill and Truman discuss these pearls: A plan without action, does not get you anywhere. And accountability to take that action, can provide the motivation you need to make massive change in your life.   Earning more money is not always the answer. Knowing that the money you are earning is being used to help you live the life you want can make all the difference.  Being “good” with your money, and having clarity and a plan for your money are two very different things. Once you have clarity around your finances it can give you the confidence to make decisions and take actions that you otherwise would not have felt confident in making.  Learn to dance with the feeling of fear. The more opportunities you give yourself to fail, the more likely you are to grow.   If you’re ready to make a change, hiring someone to help and paying for a coach gives you skin in the game.  Knowing you have an appointment with your coach, helps to push you into action. You know you have someone to show up for and will be held accountable. Books and trainings are great for gaining knowledge, coaches can help to open the floodgates.   More about Truman Weston: After years of working with hundreds of small business owners as a CPA, Truman Weston saw a need.  The need is that most small business owners fall into the role of reactionary ( working in their business).  They are consumed with putting out fires each day and over time they become tired of it, uninspired and alone.  They lose the excitement they once had in their business. Simply put, this is due to a lack clarity on WHY it is they do what they do, and also lack of a clear vision of what they want to accomplish. Truman helps small business owners gain excitement through development and execution of an inspiring strategic plan.  Helping business owners wake up each day with a sense of excitement for that day’s work is what he is here to help with. If you are a small business owner and feel stuck, lack of focus, and are not excited about the future, Truman can help! He even has a no strings attached-exploratory 1-on-1 phone call to discuss your situation. Just send him an email at trumanweston@gmail.com or DM him through Instagram @trumanweston

Over the years financial coach Jill Emanuel has noticed that the great majority (80%!!!) of our one on one financial coaching clients clients are focused on their health as well as their finances. This fact got her wondering if there were certain personality traits that these people possessed that made them more likely to be successful in both. She has identified 10 traits that she sees time and time again in the clients we work with, that makes them people who are highly likely to be successful with their finances AND with their health. Here are Jill's top 10 traits of people successful with both their finances and health: They believe things (they) can be/do better. They are OK with being temporarily uncomfortable for the greater good They ask questions and seek advice and guidance from others who are successful at the things they want to be successful at  They know their numbers.  They abandon the ALL or NOTHING mentality.  They are open minded to trying new things. They are focused on a specific goal.  They create a plan and stick to it. They find a support system.  They celebrate their wins.   Related links Podcast episode 57: Are you eating all your money away? Podcast episode 49: New years resolution super episode Podcast episode 40: 9 strategies to help you manage your time and money Blog post: Budgeting for health insurance and medical costs Podcast episode 24: Meal planning and prepping with Dr. Mike Simon  

Are you avoiding your Big, Fat, Hairy Goals because they aren't realistic or tangible? In today’s episode Coach Jill talks about your BFHG’S, big fat hairy goals. The problem with these huge goals we have we start to feel overwhelmed and frustrated with the thought that we will never achieve those BFHG’s.  It’s when we start to put limitations on what we can achieve plus negative self talk that really holds us back and makes us think these goals are unrealistic and unreachable. How can you make them more tangible and real? What are the best ways to break down your BFHG’s to make them more manageable?  If you stay focused and follow Coach Jill’s simple tips you will see that your big fat hairy goals are actually very achievable! Tips on making your BFHG's more realistic, tangible and doable: Don’t limit yourself to the bare minimum or the easiest goals or what society says your goals should be. Go for what is going to make you happy, what is exciting for you and what is in alignment with your values. Once you accomplish your goal ask yourself, “What’s next? What is the next goal that I’m going to go for?” Exercise: write down 100 big goals.  Do not self edit or limit yourself. There are no wrong answers. What are 100 big goals that you want to accomplish? If you are saying, “This is my dream but I just know it’s not possible,” challenge yourself to find a way to get closer and closer to reaching that goal and making it a reality.  Don’t self limit yourself with negative self talk. If you don’t start thinking about big goals that are 3, 4 or more goals down the pipeline you will get stuck and complacent and ok with the monotony.   If you know your numbers and plan, you can actually create a very realistic timeline to accomplish your BFHGs. For each goal, ask yourself: What are the obstacles I must overcome? How can I prepare for these obstacles? What is my contingency plan when I hit an obstacle? What are the first baby steps to reach my goal? Resources: Podcast episode 47: Making your money goals money habits Related blog post: Using visual cues to achieve financial goals Related blog post: What your financial goals may be missing

Part 6 of a 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! This episode is part 5 of our 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! (Make sure you check out part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5 if you haven't yet) It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, we discuss how the Ostrich Effect is impacting the way we approach money decisions - do we tackle them head on or do we stick our head in the sand? In this episode you will learn: The Ostrich Effect - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making How this shows up on a regular basis for us The impact it has on our future potential with money How we can overcome this bias How to overcome the ostrich effect: Solution 1: Focus on the idea that paying attention gives you the power to make a decision when necessary. Not paying attention means no decisions are made. It’s disempowering. Solution 2: Stop and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? Why am I ignoring it or putting it off?” Recognize that just because you might think the news will be negative, doesn’t mean it will be. And, even if it is, once you know the reality, you can consider taking concrete steps to improve it. Dealing with debt may sometimes make you feel powerless, but the ability to make changes is what gives you control. Solution 3: Seek helpTake charge of your finances and, if necessary, seek help from Coach Jill & I. The more you know about your money, the more prepared you’ll be to handle it responsibly and positively. Commit to asking for help when you notice that parameters you’ve set for yourself are falling out of line. Resources: Part 1 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 2 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 3 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 4 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 5 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Related blog post: 13 ways to conquer financial temptations so you can spend less, save more and be happier! Join our free private Facebook group, Fiscal Fitness money strategies for driven professionals and solopreneurs, here If you are inspired to help others with their money ask to join our free private Facebook group, Financial Coaches Unite here or check out the Financial Coach Academy here.

This episode is part 5 of our 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! (Make sure you check out part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 if you haven't yet) It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, Coach Kelsa discusses how the Negativity Bias is impacting the way we define ourselves with money, our desire to make lifelong changes and the way we see our past decisions with money. In this episode you will learn: The Negativity Bias - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making How this shows up on a regular basis for us How it impacts the way we feel about money and ourselves as money managers How we can overcome this bias The impact of the Negativity Bias on marriage: https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/how-to-prevent-negativity-bias-from-running-your-marriage/ How to overcome the negativity bias: Solution 1: Positive self-talk: “The single most important underlying factor is….how we talk to ourselves about our experience.” Value all the good and positive aspects of your life so that you are not overcome by the negative. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to a friend. Solution 2: Avoid over-analyzing by not overthinking decisions you’ve made. We can always find fault or imperfections. Instead, try creating a playlist of music that makes you happy or read a good book when you find yourself beginning to overanalyze. Solution 3: Try to look at decisions and ask yourself “What did I do right and what will I repeat next time?” and “What would I like to do differently next time?” Solution 4: Focus on the idea that our money is something we should be curious about- we should experiment and try new things and challenge ourselves. Our goal is to make progress and not be perfect. Resources: Part 1 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 2 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 3 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 4 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series 13 ways to conquer financial temptations so you can spend less, save more and be happier! Join our free private Facebook group, Fiscal Fitness money strategies for driven professionals and solopreneurs, here If you are inspired to help others with their money ask to join our free private Facebook group, Financial Coaches Unite here or check out the Financial Coach Academy here.

One challenge that Coach Jill sees time and time again is that clients tell her they are blowing their budget when it comes to food and eating out. So many people are frustrated with how much they are spending in this area (or are too scared to even look!), but don’t know where to begin with getting it to a place they feel great about. In this episode she shares some of the easy things you can begin to do today to gain control of your food budget and use your money for the things that you really care about!   Tips and strategies from Coach Jill: Gaining clarity around how much you are spending on food and eating out is the first step to making a change. Total it up and reflect on what OTHER things you could be spending that money on? Are you just eating your money away? Be open to trying something new. Shop at a new grocery store, mix up your meals, make dining out special again by making it an event instead of an everyday occurrence. Shop the ads/sales and plan your meals around them. Food and meal prepping will save you money AND time - the preparation that goes into it is much less than the hours you spend every week making multiple trips to the store or to grab takeout - don’t believe me? Try it for two weeks - one tracking your time without meal prep, and one with! Meal delivery services definitely have a time and place - use the introductory offers to try out a few, even if only for a week here or there - sometimes they can be just the break we need in order to get back on the meal prep horse and try again! Resources: Try out Freshly with this link and get $40 off! http://refer.freshly.com/s/jillemanuel Try 4 FREE meals with Green Chef by using this link: http://greenchef.com/invite/qz6b8z Looking for some meal prep inspo? Check out this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday/ 25 tips to cook once and eat for the week: https://www.eatthis.com/meal-prep-sunday/ Podcast episode 24: Meal prepping with Dr. Mike Simon

Part 4 of a 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! If you missed parts 1, 2, or 3 of the series, be sure to check them out too.  It’s important to know what these biases are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, we discuss how the Bandwagon Effect is impacting the purchases we’re making but also the emphasis we place on the importance of those purchases in our lives. In today's episode Kelsa covers: The Bandwagon Effect - what it is and how it’s being used to affect our  decision-making How the bandwagon effect shows up on a regular basis for us in marketing, social media and more How it’s impacting the purchases we make and leading us to fall for temptations.  Check out our blog post on overcoming temptation here.  How we can overcome the bandwagon effect. Solutions to overcome the bandwagon effect: Solution 1: Become aware of how the bandwagon effect shows up and how businesses use this to impact us. Ask yourself, “How is this brand trying to make me feel included right now?” Solution 2: Have a list of the things you want to buy along with the things you don’t want to buy- that way if you’re being tempted, you can be reference your list to see where it stands - where did you prioritize that when you were feeling logical and rational?   Resources: Part 1 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 2 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series Part 3 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series 13 ways to conquer financial temptations so you can spend less, save more and be happier! Financial Coaches Unite private facebook group for financial coaches Fiscal Fitness - money strategies for driven professionals and solopreneurs private Facebook group

Part 3 of a 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this 6 part series if you haven't yet! It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, we discuss how the Attentional bias is impacting the purchases we’re making but also the emphasis we place on those purchases as being life-savers. In this episode we will cover: Attentional bias - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making How this shows up on a regular basis for us How it’s impacting the purchases we make and possibly leading to buyer’s remorse  How we can overcome this bias Steps to overcome Attentional Bias: Solution 1: Talk to someone you trust about it. When you’re about to spend your hard-earned money on something, share it with the group or with me or with Jill so we can give you our opinions. We are not falling victim to attentional bias so even hearing what we have to say is important. It’s BEST if you can find someone who is “casually” interested in the item or industry you’re focusing on but not so interested they are biased. Solution 2: Continue to do more research but in particular, search for negative reviews or criticism of that item. A negative review of an item can shatter that funhouse mirror quite effectively. It can bring me right back down to earth about an item and make me see that perhaps it would not be a good idea to spend a lot of money on that item. Solution 3: Give yourself a longer waiting period before buying it. This is exactly why so many of you created “spending time frames” for your financial principles. Time is one of the most effective responses to attentional bias. Solution 4: Consider the opportunity cost - what effect does this have on your goals and what can you NOT buy because you may buy this? Solution 5: Try to focus on something else entirely and unrelated. If you want to buy a new dress, go hiking instead or go to the gym. If you want to buy some electronics, read a book. Do anything other than think of that thing you desire.   Resources: Related Post: Never Feel Buyer's Remorse Again Podcast Episode 50: Part 1 of this 6 part series Podcast Episode 53: Part 2 of this 6 part series

Part 2 of a 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, we discuss how the Availability Heuristic bias is impacting the way we think of ourselves as money managers In this episode we'll talk about: Availability Heuristic - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making How this shows up on a regular basis for us How it’s impacting the way we think of ourselves as money managers How we can overcome this bias Additional strategies and tips: ASK YOURSELF---> What do your older memories say about how you are as a money manager? What do your newer/more recent memories say about how you manage your money? How are you allowing these older memories to influence your current decisions? What decisions have you made recently without looking to statistics - or using your budget? Surround yourself with people doing GOOD THINGS FINANCIALLY will actually lead you to believe it’s more likely to happen to you. Surround yourself with people doing BAD THINGS WITH MONEY will influence your belief around the likelihood that you will too. Ask yourself if your fear or belief has any basis in statistics? This is also why we look at our budget to make a decision. If we have been in the repeated position on not being able to afford things, it is likely then that when we have to make a decision, we assume we will not be able to afford it - that’s the most likely outcome simply because we remember all the times we haven’t been able to afford it- they are emotionally more memorable than being able to buy something. Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: Episode # 50 (Part 1 of this series) www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com

John Lanza, is on a mission to help families raise money-smart and money-empowered kids so that they can live happier, more fulfilled lives.  To that end, he has written The ARt of Allowance along with three other children’s picture books. John is the creator and Chief Mammal of The Money Mammals, an award-winning DVD and youth savings account program for credit unions nationwide, all built around the core Money Mammals Mantra, “we’ll share and save and spend smart too!”   John’s mission began with a simple question “How can we raise our kids to be money smart?” He and his wife quickly realized that financial literacy was vital not only for their own six month old but for all families and The Money Mammals were born - a pioneering program to get kids excited about becoming money smart.   In this episode Kelsa and John talk about: The best age to start doing an allowance? Allowance vs chores as part of the family dynamic?   What are the best ways to prepare kids for savings accounts, checking accounts and banking in general? How can families who have been “overly generous” or giving allowance that aren’t associated with any responsibilities “right the ship”? And much more Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in the podcast: www.themoneymammals.com www.theartofallowance.com www.facebook.com/themoneymammals Twitter: @themoneymammals

Hypnotherapist, Financial Therapist and CEO of Presidential Lifestyle, Kiné Corder founded Prosperity Club when she realized couples needed help with more than just the numbers. A former Morgan Stanley, Financial Planning Specialist, Kiné made the shift to counselor about 5 years ago. Helping patients feel more confident in every area of their lives. She is also a best selling author, international speaker, and her favorite pastime is traveling the world while healing it. In this episode Kelsa and Kiné talk about: Where confidence comes from financial or otherwise...and how to keep it once you get it. 3-things that cause us to lose confidence in ourselves, our partners, and our ability to stick to our love and money goals. Including how society, parents, and negative thinking affect us Comparing Complaining Competing Money cycle: earn, grow, protect, gift & enjoy 4-blocks and misconceptions that cause the most love and money challenges. Brain Society Social media feed Secrets 3 Actions they can start doing or stop doing to increase their confidence financially and romantically: A - Assess (Become aware where you are and where you want to be) C - Compliment (5 compliments to overcome 1 criticism) T - Train your brain for change     Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: Links to freebies I'll mention on the show http://kinecorder.com/money-quiz http://kinecorder.com/pa   IG: kinecorder.com/IG FB: kinecorder.com/FB

  Mandyy Thomas, born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, is a former civil engineer and holistic nutritionist turned financial coach.  She found that she was so stressed worrying about money and had significant health and anxiety related issues.  She was able to significantly reduce her anxiety and improve her overall health with proper nutrition and learning as much as she can about personal finance.  This led her to have a passion for helping other people take control of their personal finances by becoming a financial coach.  In this episode we talk about: How exactly her stress about money showed up in her life, even though she was making good money How she decided to become a financial coach and exactly what she did to become one The mistakes she made when starting her financial coaching business Her favorite tips for people that are stressing about money And much more   You can find out more about Mandyy at: www.mandyythomass.com https://www.facebook.com/mandyythomas/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/711525352381037/ https://www.instagram.com/mandyythomas/   Get her free download here: https://mandyythomas.com/confidentmoney   Learn about the Financial Coach Academy she talked about here: www.financialcoachacademy.com    

In part 1 of a  6-part series, Kelsa discusses Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. And advertisers and retailers are fully aware of what these tendencies are and they’re using them to influence you. Notes from episode/ summary of major points/ etc: What is a cognitive bias? The Anchoring Bias - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my decision making Kelsa’s example of how this bias impacted a choice she made recently How we can overcome the anchoring bias   Additional tips/ strategies/ other things to consider/ etc: In order to combat the effect of anchoring, it’s important to put your own anchor to the amount of money you would otherwise spend = called self-anchoring. Use something like “# of hours if I spend $x” or “# of days my goal is delayed for $Y.” Note that we can fall victim to anchoring when we’re faced with a decision we know very little about - so the first time buying an electronic, etc. That’s why research and price-comparison shopping comes into play b/c you are challenging the anchor. A good strategy for determining if a sale price is a good deal is to mentally block out the regular list price. Does it still represent a good deal for the item, for you, and for your budget? This can be hard to do if you’ve already seen the list price but try it anyway. This approach can help you view the price of “great deal” purchases more realistically.   Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast: The Anchoring Effect: What is This Jacket Really Worth? www.Fiscalfitnessphx.com www.financialcoachacademy.com www.financialcoachingsymposium.com www.cpfcoach.com

There comes a point where most everyone gets fed up with their financial situation.  They keep over-drafting their checking account (like Michael did in grad school) or they just can't believe the amount of debt they are in and want it out of their life.  Or really any number of things.   This episode was recorded on January 4th so if you have a new year's resolution to get your finances in order, get on a budget, get out of debt or beef up your savings, this is the episode for you!  If you have had that watershed moment when you realize your finances have stressed you out for too long and want to know where to start, this is the episode for you! We go through, step by step, how you start to address your finances when you can't take anymore. We also talk about what people typically do and why it sets them up for failure 85% of the time! Learn more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coach at www.fiscalfitnessphx.com Learn more about becoming a Financial Coach at www.financialcoachacademy.com  

We all have some kind of goals with our money and since we are getting close to New Year's resolution season it's time to start to get clear with the goals we have for our money. The problem that most people have is that once they set a goal they don't actually follow through with it and actually fail almost right out of the gate.  According to U.S. News, 80% of new years resolutions fail by February.  In this episode, Coach Jill has some great tips and strategies on how you can take you money goals and make them long lasting habits. Links: Rich Roll podcast: James Clear www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com  

Jennifer McDermott is the Consumer Advocate at personal finance comparison website, www.finder.com. She has more than 12 years’ experience under her belt in the finance, lifestyle and travel industries where she’s analyzed consumer trends. Jennifer is passionate about breaking down complex themes and providing actionable advice that empowers people to make better decisions about their money. In today's episode Jennifer helps break down side hustles:  How to choose the right one for you. How to know when to quit. When you should start one.  And much more! www.financialcoachacademy.com www.financialcoachingsymposium.com www.fiscalfitnessphx.com 

In this episode Jill talks about that there is sometimes more to what we think financial success actually means.  Highlights of this episode: Studies show that your idea of financial success is double whatever your current salary is.  The first step in understanding financial success is taking a look at what you are currently making and figure out how your current income can make you happy. To be financially successful you not only have to look towards long term goals and numbers but also look at nurturing what currently is making you happy and also eliminating what you are currently tolerating.  Financial success is living the life that you want to live with meaning and intention. 

In this episode Michael talks about the psychology of playing the lottery, why it's considered a "tax on the poor" and what the $364.5 million payout of this Friday's (10/19/18) MegaMillions could buy you.  Music by Antti Luode

Financial coach, Jill Emanuel, talks about her experience as a client of Fiscal Fitness Phoenix and how she and her husband had to make one of the hardest decisions of their lives in hiring a Financial Coach and why it was the best decision in their lives.    Music by Antti Luode

In this episode Coach Jill goes over why cash is so important, some strategies you can use to maximize cash and reduce "swiping syndrome" and how using cash can really impact your financial life and your relationships.   Find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix at www.fiscalfitnessphx.com Learn more about Financial Coach Academy at www.financialcoachacademy.com   Music by Antti Luode

When you think of franchises you probably think of McDonalds and Little Caesars but did you know there are so many more opportunities for having a franchise as a source of income?  It is very interesting to me that a franchise is more than chain restaurants and that there are so many options.  Navigating the options of opening a franchise can be pretty daunting and there are definitely do's and don'ts for when it comes to opening one.  Loren Kutsko is a career transition coach and for lack of better words a franchise coach.  He helps people that are either transitioning out of a job and looking for a way they can invest their money and still work, looking to own a small business but want a proven and predictable system or looking for a way to have a side hustle to invest in that may not take a lot of time or energy.  Or really anything in between. In this episode Loren and Michael talk about the current franchise market, how he helps people identify the right franchise for them, what to avoid when you are looking at opening a franchise and much more. You can find out more about Loren at https://lorenkutsko.youcanbook.me/ You can learn more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching at www.fiscalfitnessphx.com You can learn more about Financial Coach Academy at www.financialcoachacademy.com  Music by Antti Luode

Time management and money management are intimately connected and we often see clients that suffer from poor money management because they have poor time management.   In this episode Kelsa goes over her 9 time management strategies that will not only make you more productive but will positively affect your money too.  www.fiscalfitnessphx.com www.financialcoachacademy.com www.facebook.com/fiscalfitnessphx www.facebook.com/financialcoachacademy www.facebook.com/groups/financialcoachesunite  Music by Antti Luode

When you are sharing finances with a significant other there are many strategies and systems you can use to manage your bank accounts.   Some people combine all of their finances while others keep everything separate. And some people are somewhere in the middle of these two options.  In this episode lead financial coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix, Jill Emanuel, goes over the major reasons couples keep finances separate, when it does and doesn't make sense to do so, the major strategies on how to best combine your finances and the benefits of sharing finances with your significant others. If you combine finances with your spouse then you will learn some best practice strategies on how to maximize your finances.   If you aren't currently combining your finances with your spouse then you will learn why you should consider doing so and how to best do so to maximize your budget and do so with zero drama! You can learn more about our financial coaching services at www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com  You can learn more about becoming a financial coach and about our financial coach training course at www.financialcoachacademy.com   Music by Antti Luode

Over the years, Kelsa has worked with thousands of small business owners and was even accounting manager for Enterprise Rent-a-Car, so she knows about business budgeting! In this episode she talks about how having a growth fund can be a simple tool to use to keep your small business moving forward so you won't miss out on opportunities that can take your business to the next level.   Visit us: www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com  

Who doesn't love taking a vacation? With how busy everyone seems to be now-a-days it's about the only complete freedom we have anymore.  Whether it's to destress, get away from the routine of work, get in quality time with your loved ones, or just explore the world you live on, there are tons of options for vacations. Our amazing financial coach, Jill Emanuel, is going to tell you her top tips for getting that vacation (or vacations) you sorely need without breaking the bank.   She mentions: Glamping with www.airbnb.com (Check out our AirBnB, the Succulent Bungalow, in Gilbert, AZ here) The Chase Gauntlet for Travel Hacking your credit card rewards    Music by Antti Luode

Jill Emanuel is the lead financial coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix and has an amazing story about how she and her husband were hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and on the verge of bankurptcy, to clients of ours for 5 years where they paid off their debt and found financial freedom.  She realized that she wanted other people to feel the same way about their finances and wanted to help by becoming a financial coach.  You may have heard Kelsa interview her in Episode 30. In today's episode Jill talks about how married couples (or couples that share their finances) can get on the same page so there are no more fights, stress goes down, everyone's needs are met and the budget is just an afterthought. Since finances are one of, if not the leading causes of divorce, finding some simple solutions to have open communication between spouses, without judgment, is super important.  

In today's episode Kelsa goes over one simple yet powerful conversation you can have with your child (starting at the age of 2) so they start to form a positive relationship with money and jobs.    www.Fiscalfitnessphx.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com  Music by Antti Luode

Sheri Gundlach is a mother of 3 boys (one of which is a 2 time cancer survivor), a wife, a financial coach, a client concierge and one awesome lady!  Today she explains her system of how to plan and schedule when your life is crazy so you keep your priorities straight and sanity.  www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com  Music by Antti Luode

Financial life coach, Rebeca Lima, grew up poor in Brazil.  She eventually emmigrated to the United States, while a teenager and became fluent in Spanish and English.  After working in the financial industry for all of her adult life and having the heartbreaking experience of leaving a horrible relationship to live in her car she vowed that she wanted to make sure no one else had to live the same way.  She coaches both men, women and couples, and specializes in coaching women that are climbing the corporate ladder, that work hard for themselves but feel like they always have “just enough” to hold them over until their next paycheck. She helps her clients with the practical and emotional side of money by budgeting, empowering them over their money mindset blocks and nurturing their new money habit and mindset within themselves and their relationships. In this episode we talk with Rebeca about her life experiences that made her want to become a financial life coach, the huge need she sees for bilingual financial coaches, the differences between the needs of english speaking and spanish speaking clients and her tips on becoming a financial coach. Links from podcast: http://fiscalfitnessphx.com/ayuda-en-espanol/ - Bilingual financial coaching with Rebeca Lima www.Fiscalfitnessphx.com  www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com - Our amazing course that will help you create and grow your financial coaching business www.Transferwise.com for lower rates for international money transfer www.paypal.com  Rebeca's Facebook Financial Coaches Unite Facebook group Overcoming financial stress with the Saver and the Spender facebook group  

Things are changing for us at The Saver and The Spender.  Don't worry, all good things.  We've been really busy with our main financial coaching businesses, Fiscal Fitness Phoenix and Financial Coach Academy.  We've rolled out some amazing courses and added some amazing financial coaches so that we can help more people take the stress out of money. And with these changes we've been invigerated to do more with the podcast, be more consistent, add more voices and expertise and be more engaging and so, just like the Spiderman movie franchise, we are rebooting the podcast. Our mission is to take the stress out of money, and as the world-wide leaders in reducing financial stress, we feel a calling to change the name of the podcast from The Saver and The Spender to "Overcoming financial stress with The Saver and The Spender".  Stay tuned because we already have some great episodes in the hopper for the next few weeks. You can learn more about our one on one financial coaching services at www.fiscalfitnessphx.com You can learn more about our training program for aspiring financial coaches at www.financialcoachacademy.com You can join the podcast's private Facebook group here. You can join our private Facebook group, Financial Coaches Unite, which is for established and aspiring financial coaches.

In Episode 31 we talk with couple's coaches Aaron and Jocelyn Freeman, otherwise known as The Freemans.  They work with couples to help them communicate better, work better together, increase happiness and joy and reach their goals.  They are the authors of The New Power Couple, speakers, relationship coaches and angel investors. They have shared the stage with Tony Robbins, were nominated as Arizona’s 40 Under 40 Influencers, and have been featured in national media for mentoring couples & individuals on fulfilling their dreams & living in their full potential. They also host, “EmPowered Couples”, one of the top relationship podcasts on iTunes and lead two thriving companies. They are passionate about investing in socially conscious businesses and one of the companies they invested in was featured on an ABC Show, Shark Tank in October 2017. They have been trained as leadership & relationship coaches, are ordained, & speak around the world in their mission to reach one million people to have thriving relationships at home & in business. Some of the topics we cover today: Should couples separate or combine finances? What coversations and exercises engaged, newlywed and long time couples should have daily, weekly and monthly Strategies for couples who work together or want to start a business together How couples can capitalize on side hustles and multiple sources of income How money plays a roll in relationships And much more! You can learn more about The Freemans here: www.meetthefreemans.com You can get a free copy of their ebook, "The New Power Couple" here.  They have an amazing couple's meeting worksheet to be used for family meetings, available here for free (scroll down and click "download your sheet") You can find them: on Facebook  

Jill Emanuel is our newest financial coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix.  She started as a client of our nearly 5 years ago and had to drag her husband to their first session.  In one week they were cash positive $1500, which was unheard of, and flash forward two years later and they paid off nearly $85,000 in debt!  She found her passion for financial coaching after going through her journey with Kelsa and knew she wanted to help other people feel the same way she felt.   If you are looking to get ahold of your personal finances, pay off debt or reach your financial goals with gusto, she goes over some of her amazing insight that will definitely hit home for you.   If you are a person that feels you would love to become a financial coach but don't know where to start, don't know how to start or don't think that you can make a career change, she will tell you how she did it and tell you it can be done! You can contact Jill at Jill@fiscalfitnessphx.com    You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

How do you make a financial decision when you have some specific wants or needs but also are being budget conscious.  Kelsa goes over using value based decision making and how to make purchase decisions easy with a simple exercise.    You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Lauren Frontiera is the host of The Real Female Entrepreneur Podcast.  In each episode she explores a different women's personal journey into entrepreneurship.  She believes being a woman entrepreneur is not a one size fits all story and shouldn't be told like it is one.  Kelsa dives deep with her on her journey into being an entrepreneur and podcast host and some of her favorite stories.    You can learn more about Lauren and The Real Female Entrepreneur Podcast here.    You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Margo Brown is a productivity coach and owner of Wave Productivity based in the Phoenix, AZ metro area but works with people all over the world virtually.  In this episode we talk about goal setting, new years resolutions, personal organization, organizing your personal finances and budget, awesome organizational and productivity tools and apps to use and much more! Links Margo Recommends: Here is Margo's awesome review of different journals. Here is her article on the six basic questions answered by Evernote Trello - Organizational app Shinola - Journals, watches and leather goods made in Detroit!!! Getting Things Done by David Allen - Margo mentions David's productivity program   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here Music Credit- Antti Luode

One of the questions we get all the time is how budget for a fluctuating income.  Teachers, per diem workers, business owners, employees with hourly pay with bonuses, people paid with commissions or even just not paid on a set schedule say that it's impossible to budget for that.  You're not alone and we're here to healp.  We don't want you experiencing feast or famine with your budget where you are living thin then you get a large paycheck and you go celebrate or live a little too loose.  We don't want you to have the roller coaster ride that so many people experience.  We want you to plan your budget just like you are getting a steady paycheck.  Steady paychecks are nice and boring and when it comes to budgets, boring is good.  There are a few steps to take and actions to employ where you can make your fluctuating income budget your best friend.  Here's how: Get your expenses dialed in. Get them super consistent and organized.  Do this by writing them down in due date order.  Also, really think about what is a need versus a want and eliminate the wants if you feel they are adding to your stress. Get the actual amount of what your expenses are per month.  Bills, money for food, groceries, savings accounts, etc.  Create a deposit account where all of your income will go.  Whenever you get income you deposit all the money right into that account. On the first of the month you pay yourself a set amount out of that account into your checking account. That set amount you pay yourself equals your expenses. You can look at that deposit account as often as you want so you can see when you need to really ramp up your commissions or make more income. If you get a lump sum payment infrequently (teachers getting paid once at the beginning of the school year), you can put that lump sum in the deposit account and give yourself a paycheck until the next lump sum comes in.  Estimate low. If you're not sure what your next check is going to be, estimate low so you're not going to have issues with overextending yourself.  Expect it later than what you're thinking.  If you're not sure if your next check is coming in February or March, budget for March and if it comes in February you'll be pleasantly surprise and if it comes in March you will be prepared. Set a priority list of what expenses are really important or what is not necessary.  Do you really need Netflix and HBO the next few months?  Can you spend less on eating out or drinks over the next few weeks?  If it comes in higher or sooner than you thought you will know exactly where it is going and being very intentional and disciplined with your money.   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here  

It's been in the news now and since we recorded there has been some shinanigans so let's just talk about Bitcoin!   What is it? How do you get it? How can you spend it? Should you treat it like an investment? Is it safe to use? Is it the wave of the future?  Shanna Tingom from Heritage Financial Strategies joins us and talks about Bitcoin so we can all understand this odd cryptocurrency.   Financial Coach Academy Meal Prep Challenge 5 Steps to a Better Budget online workshop     You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here   Music credit: Antti Luode

Kelsa explains how to tackle your financial goals with the mindset of a Crossfit champion!

We cover a lot of topics in this episode but the main theme is about savings.  We talk about: A news article that says most Americans aren't saving enough and that an improving economy gets people out of a saving mindset.  How much should you be saving per yer? Where you should keep your savings based on ease of use and interest rate? The major places most people overspend and how to correct the behavior. (I'm looking at you Starbucks) Mind blowing ways to buy presents for your kids this holiday season. Here are some resources for finding the best savings account for you: http://www.magnifymoney.com/blog/earning-interest/best-online-savings-accounts275921001/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best-savings-accounts Make sure you join our Podcast Facebook group and the  Financial Coaches Unite Facebook Group.  If you have a goal or a New Year's resolution to get your personal finances in order check out our online workshops coming up on January 6th:"5 Steps to a Better Budget" or "5 Steps to a Better Budget: Solopreneur Edition".  If you want to join the Meal Prep Challenge, which starts January 1st, 2018, check out the info and registration page.  Finally, if you love personal finance, are proud of your budget and want to help people feel good about their money; or you are already are a financial coach, check out Financial Coach Academy. (Use code: earlybird by December 31, 2017 to get $500 off)   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

In the last episode I talked with Dr. Mike Simon about meal prepping and announced our 2018 meal prep challenge.  After thinking about it we want to change the focus to mostly meal prepping for time and budget savings and not focusing on the nutrional/ weight loss aspect.  In this episode I talk about some modifications to the rules and how my first time meal prepping went from last night.  I wanted to beta test the challenge to make sure it would work and be able to answer questions and give some tips before we start.  Join the Meal Prep Challenge here: www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com/mealprepchallenge   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Meal prepping is huge right now and for a few major reasons.  First of all, the cost savings of meal prepping compared to what you spend on random shopping trips and eating out is tremendous.  Secondly, the time efficiency of meal prepping is huge. You may remember we talked about it with Dimir from LifeHack Bootcamp on episode 13 in which he said that spending 2-4 hours on a Sunday meal prepping is significant less the time it takes to cook individual meals and eat out.  Lastly, when you meal prep, you are in total control of the quality of what you put in your mouth and the portion size as well.  Win-win-win. In today's episode we talk with Dr. Mike Simon, from Crossover Physical Therapy in St. Michael, Minnesota, about his experience with meal prepping, how much money he saves every week on groceries and eating out (and it's a crazy number!), how much weight he has lost and much more. He also goes over his tips and best practices for getting started with meal prepping, where to purchase your food and what are his go-to home run meals.   We also are excited to announce the 2018 The Saver and The Spender Meal Prep Challenge.  Starting on January 1st, 2018 we will be having a meal prep challenge to help people follow through on their new years resolutions to either be better with their budget or to eat healtier and lose weight; or both!  We talk about the rules and basics of the challenge in the podcast but you can find out more at www.fiscalfitnessphx.com/mealprepchallenge   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

We are starting a new feature of The Saver and The Spender.  We are calling them "Sprints" and they are quick one topic episodes that will give you a lot of information in a short period of time.  Our podcasts can be 60 minutes and some people enjoy that length and some people are in the mood for something a little shorter.  We hope you enjoy the first sprint and if you have any ideas for a future Sprint episode please let us know. In today's Sprint episode we highlight how we have clients use cash for day to day spending.  There are a lot of methods for using cash and they work for some people.  We feel like using cash should not be restricting.  When you use cash you should feel like you can see your money clearly, you aren't guessing with how much you have to spend, you have a clear budget and you have a boundary that is actually very freeing.  You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

In this episode Kelsa talks with financial advisor to the stars Shanna Tingom about passive vs. active investing and other topics to help clear up some confusion people have been having with investments over the past few years.   You can reach Shanna at here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

  Vanessa Shaw   Vanessa Shaw is an international Business and Success Coach, Wealth Mentor and Inspirational Speaker. Both lauded by her clients and admired by peers, her zone of genius is helping ambitious entrepreneurs and business leaders earn more income, make a bigger impact, and enjoy greater freedom. Leveraging years of experience working with startups to billion-dollar companies – and possessing a natural gift to connect with any audience – Vanessa is also a highly sought-after speaker and authority who can deliver moving and inspirational talks that empower attendees to get out of their own way and play a much bigger game in business and life. Her workshops and events, including her annual 3-day signature BIG BOLD EVENT, BOUTIQUE BUSINESS INTENSIVES, and BOLD WOMEN IN BUSINESS, demonstrate her natural ease and presence on stage and an ability to deliver practical insights and inspiration for those aspiring for more success in their business and life. She is a highly-accredited Business & Executive Coach who has dedicated years to her own professional and personal development. Her experience and skills as a coach combined with the hard-earned knowledge of what it really takes to be an entrepreneur and to create a business from scratch has led Vanessa to a genuine passion for coaching and mentoring small and medium size businesses and entrepreneurs. An important part of Vanessa’s business philosophy is to positively impact the lives of others by contributing to charitable causes and helping others who are less fortunate. You can learn more about Vanessa and her BOUTIQUE BUSINESS SCHOOL programs at vanessashaw.com. You can ALSO connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter @vcshaw, and Instagram @boutiquebusinesslifestyle. For all enquiries, including for speaking engagements, please contact her team by telephone at +1 (602) 730-5937 or by email at concierge@vanessashaw.com. Special pricing tickets for the Big Bold Event November 9th-11th at the Camby Hotel in Phoenix Click here for: Special VIP Pricing for The Saver and The Spender Listeners Click here for: Special Standard Pricing for The Saver and The Spender Listeners   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

The Credit Score Spectacular is here!  We dive into the Equifax breach, how to see if your information was taken and what to do if you were affected. We also go over the mysterious credit score, what it means, how to improve your score, what actions lower your score, mistakes people make with their credit score and much more! You can see if your credit information was affected here: https://trustedidpremier.com/eligibility/eligibility.html If you weren't affected you don't have to do anything. If you were affected, you can find out about credit freezes and freeze all three credit score companies here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs You can read our entire blog post about the Equifax breach here: http://fiscalfitnessphx.com/equifax-breach-need-know/ September 27th is Connect~Inspire~Go.  Get your tickets here https://www.connect-inspire-go.com/ Get two free tickets to the Arizona Ultimate Women's Expo here: http://www.azwomensexpo.com/ExhibitorComp   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Over the last 4 episodes we interviewed young adults to get their perspective on their personal finances. In this episode we have a great chat with two members of the greatest generation, who both live in Adara Senior Lifestyle Retirement and Assisted Living Facility in Scottsdale, AZ.  They were both born when F. D. Roosevelt was president and lived very interesting lives.  Their insight into debt, credit cards, saving and how they lived their lives in general is so interesting! We apologize for some poor audio quality in the middle of the podcast.  Max liked to fiddle with the microphone while he held it.  The message is still amazing!  Enjoy   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

In episode 16 we talked with Ally, a college senior who's financial stress level was a 9/10.  She was very reactionary with her money and only planned out her budget a week in advance.  She is going to graduate next year and was very worried about not having a budget or know what expenses she should expect when she is out on her own for the first time.   In this episode we talk to Ally after having her first financial coaching session and talk about what actions she plans on implementing, what she found out about her guilt over money and the best tips that she learned during the session that you can implement today!  We also find out her new financial stress number, but you'll have to listen to find out!   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Today in part 3 of our 4 part series on young adults and personal finance we talk with Alex McCall who just graduated from high school and will be a freshman at Arizona State University starting next month.  This kid is doing everything right!  He has recieved a few scholarships but didn't want to take out any student loans so he created a plan and figured out how much he needed to work this summer and next summer so he can pay for college for the next 2 years without having to work during the school year!  Amazing! We talk about how he planned, what are some of the lessons and activities that his parents used when he was younger to instill financial responsibliity and literacy and other great lessons and tips that he has found works for him.  This is a must listen to if you are a young adult getting ready to go to college or the parent of a young adult with college on their mind.     You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

In today's episode we talk with Ally Baker who is going to be a senior in college.  She rates her financial stress level as 9/10!!  We discuss what she has learned about financial aid and student loans, getting a job while in college, how she is going to transition into being an adult with a job after graduating college (and how scary that is to her).  This is an amazing episode for parents and they young adult children to listen to together and talk about strategies.   Ally is having her first Financial Coaching session with Kelsa and Sheri tomorrow and she will be back next week on episode 18 to talk about how she feels about her finances, what her plan is, what she learned and what the most important tips for young adults she has after her coaching session!   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Young adults have a lot going for them but also a lot going against them.  They have technology, science and research at their finger tips but one thing we continuously see is that they aren't educated in real practical personal finance topics.  They don't teach personal finance and budgeting classes in school's any more.  Only 17 states require a personal finance class (and economics or civics that cover personal finance are acceptable). Also, parents are not well equiped to teach their children about personal finance because they haven't been taught it either.   In this 4 part series, we will be interviewing 3 different young adults to get their point of view on what they know about personal finance, what they wished they knew and what they want parents and their peers to know.  Alex isin high school, Dakota recently graduated from college and Allison is still in college.  We will be interviewing Allison twice.  Once before a financial coaching session and once after the financial coaching session so she can give her perspective on the benefits of a financial coach and tell everyone the most important things she learned.   This episode features Dakota, who graduated from college last year and is currently working but planning on going to graduate school in the fall of 2017.  We talk with her about her experience with personal finance and budgeting, temptations, tips she has and mistakes she has made. You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Julie DeVito is a personal coach that specializes in working with professional women, leaders, mothers and others who set big goals for themselves and want to keep reaching new levels of success.  Her areas of expertise are performance psychology, leadership development, productivity improvement and stress management.  She is a certified professional coach, holds a Master's Degree from Pepperdine in clinical psychology and is currently in a Doctorate Program with an emphasis on brain research, motivation and goal directed behavior.   In today's episode we talk about: How to detox from digital distraction and social media time suck How money management and time management are related Time management hacks Her 7 step recipe for increasing productivity And much more! You can reach Julie at www.RealizationPartners.com and on Facebook @RealizationPartners   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Most people can agree that they can be more productive and organized in their life.  Demir at LifeHackBootcamp.com has found simple ways to hack your brain so that you are more productive, get more done in less time so you save money, get healthy and regain your life back so you have time to do what is important to you!  His LifeHack Bootcamp is an 8 week program that teaches you how to achieve more with less time and effort, get and stay motivated and have fun doing it! In this episode we chat about: being a productive parent and how to get your kids to be productive simple mind hacks to get you motivated to be more productive ways to systemitize your daily tasks and finances so there is no guessing how meal planning is one of the big foundations in saving money, saving time throughout the week and eating healthier how to get your significant other to get as motivated to change as you are And much more! Demir is offering our listeners a free one hour masterclass that encompasses the everyone's favorite lessons from his full 8 week course.  Go to www.LifeHackBootcamp.com/masterclass to get free instant access to the one hour workshop that will change your life!   You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Communication -the human connection- is the key to personal and career success. - Paul J. Meyer In today's episode we talk with The Dynamic Communicator, Jill Schiefelbein.  She is a communication expert and leads businesses and individuals towards better communication skills by involving 3 audiences: internal, consumers and general public.  She is the author of "Dynamic Communication" an Amazon best seller in two categories, has amazing instructional videos on Youtube and is a contributor to Entrepreneur magazine.   Today she shares her expertise when we talk about how small business owners can communicate with their ambassadors as well as their target market, how to be more assertive when asking for what you want, her personal (and financial) journey moving from Arizona to New York City to pursue her career and how to use communication to your advantage.  We also talk about her time analyzing terrorist communications that were intercepting in a raid and her thoughts on The Trump Administration's style of communication. Jill's website: http://www.thedynamiccommunicator.com/ You can find her new book, "Dynamic Communication", on Amazon here.  You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

In this episode we talk about budgeting when you are in the process of buying a house, saving for your kids' college, how not to pay off debt, and a concerning issue looming over the country (Dah Dah Daaahhhhh) and much more. You can find the link to the Money Personality quiz we talked about for the next episode here:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/wihm1u33cvgx8p6/BrentKesselQuizArchetypes.pdf?dl=0 You can buy Brent Kessel's book, "It's Not About the Money," in which this quiz is based on here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013TPUVQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Complete the printable PDF quiz and if you share finances with someone have them take it as well and talk about your similarities and differences.  We'll be talking about this next episode. We also mentioned the 5 love languages, which can be found here: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/ You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Jen Casey and Angie Lee are the geniuses behind The Wellpreneur Business Academy, which is an exclusive 3 month program that teaches health coaches systems and strategies that will launch their brand and master live video, social media and branding. Today we are chatting with them about how they coach wellness professionals to succeed.  Not only is this great information if you are a personal training or fitness and wellness professional but if you are a small business owner or entrepreneur that wants to make an online presence.   Here are some of the ways to find more about Jen and Angie and the Wellpreneur Business Academy: www.wellpreneurbusinessacademy.com www.healthcoachesmakebank.com www.facebook.com/angieleehttps://www.facebook.com/angie.lee.39 www.facebook.com/heyjencasey Angie's podcast, "Hungry for More", can be found on Itunes here and on Stitcher here Jen's podcast, "Entrepreneur Now Podcast", can be found on Itunes here and on Stitcher here. You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here  

How many of you are planning your wedding right now?  What kind of budget are you using and how are you doing at sticking to it?  For those of you who have already gotten married how do you feel about your wedding budget?  Did you stick to it?  Was it easy to use and accessible?  Did you go over budget, under budget or come within your budget? We know that planning your wedding is super stressful so we want to at least make the budget somewhat less stressful.  In this episode we talk a lot about the proper ways to budget for your wedding and some things that we wish we would have done.  Hindsight is 20/20 right? First you need to ask yourself a few questions: What are your top 3 most important purchases for your wedding? These are non-negotiables and are top priority. What things do you NOT want to spend money on? What are not priorities and will not be pressured to add? What number would totally make you sick to your stomach if you ended up spending this on your budget? To whom can you delegate tasks that will help hold you budget-conscious? There are a lot of great resources out there for budgeting for your wedding.  The Knot.com and Wedding Wire both not only have great online budgets but also will help you plan your wedding from start to finish.  After reviewing both of their budgets separately they are quite good.  We created a wedding budget that takes it a step further and has as many categories as we can think of (a few things that other budgets have missed) and added some mindset and accountability questions and nerded out to make a pretty cool functional spreadsheet.   You can click here to download our "Fiscal Fitness Ultimate Wedding Budget Worksheet" and the infographic that explains how to use it. Or go here: http://fiscalfitnessphx.com/the-saver-and-the-spender-episode-9-budgeting-for-your-dream-wedding/  Here is the link to the Milennial article: Millennials earn 20% less than Boomers did at same stage of lifeDownward mobility: Their student debt is drastically higher and "I think the opportunities have just been fading away."usatoday.com This week's topics: Millenials aren't making as much as their boomer parents. My employer matches my 401k up to a certain percentage, should I max it out? Budgeting for your dream wedding Best practices for paying with cash Carmen's Corner: How to talk to your kids about borrowing money, specifically mortgages and the like Budget Brag: Tami used cash and actually had some left over!   Want to get in touch?  We love hearing from listeners! Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

It's January of 2017 and there are a lot of things on our minds.  New years resolutions abound and for a lot of people taking control of their personal finances are top priority.  One thing you can do is start to plan the next year's worth of gifts and holidays by creating a gift budget.  We just went through Christmas, Hannukah and Thanksgiving so the costs are pretty fresh in your head.  Because of this you can get a list of holiday expenses down on paper pretty easily. Here is a link to our free printable gift giving budget!  This will help you budget for gifts and holidays for the entire year and help you think about all the little things that you may not think of or forget about.  No more surprises or over spending on gifts you didn't think about until it was too late. Listen as we discuss how to budget for this year's holidays and talk about a bunch of other financial topics, tips and tricks!   This week's topics: Child care is really expensive!  How do you not spend an arm and a leg? How to budget for moving costs. Budget for Christmas and other 2017 holidays now! Carmen's Corner: How to talk to your high schooler about financial responsibility before they go to college Budget Brag: Learn how Matt and his family paid off a $25,000 family loan in one year! And much more... Here is the gift giving budget guide we talk about in the podcast: Gift Buying Budgeting Guide Want to get in touch?  We love hearing from listeners! Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Do you find that it is difficult to find time to budget?  For most people budgeting isn't fun but necessary and if something isn't fun then why do it?  We want you to get out of that mindset.  Finding time to budget is just like finding time to work out.  You have to realize what your priorities, goals and values are and make time for them.  Budgeting doesn't have to be an everyday thing for the rest of your life.  If you are just starting out we do recommend that you spend about 5 minutes per day (first thing in the morning if you can) and once you get the hang of it make it every other day, then weekly if you can manage.   It is also hard to find time to have regular budgeting meetings with your significant other but this is a must.  There are some people that are numbers people (savers) and some people that are not (spenders).  The numbers person should realize that the spender only wants the facts when you have a meeting and doesn't care about the numbers.  This is 100% ok.  Make a bullet pointed list of everything you want to bring up, the spender gives feedback and talks about upcoming expenses and the meeting is over.  The spender needs to also be willing to participate and give feedback.  Saying "You can handle all the money, I'm not interested," is not allowed.  You are a part of the relationship and your input and feedback is necessary.  If not you are not allowed to be mad when the saver makes all the financial decisions and your wants are not met. This week’s topics:  What not to buy at Target and Walmart Financial Rule of Dumb: Lifestyle expenses should be 30% of your budget Listener Question: Should I switch from Wells Fargo to a Credit Union even if I have a credit card/ loan from them? How to find time to budget Carmen’s Corner: Should kids pay parents for phones, data and other expenses? And much more….   Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here Here is the video I mentioned about Sen. Elizabeth Warren destroying the CEO of Wells Fargo.   Here is the dollar sign pool.  I'm really hoping that Puff Daddy lives there!

We are finally back after a few crazy busy weeks.  This is a quick and dirty episode about the thing that you may be unknowingly saying to yourself about money.  Sometimes these are good things but more often than not you are sabotaging yourself by justifying or making yourself believe something that is setting your budget back.  Learn the major ones that we hear clients say and how to get yourself out of that mindset. You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

We have all had a vacation when you come back and you wish you had another vacation because you are so exhausted.  Or the kind where you are immediately stressed once you get back because now you have to figure out how you are going to pay for the supposed relaxing vacation you just took.     Vacations should be relaxing and enjoyable.  The best way to do that financially is to budget all year long for your vacations and travel and pay with cash.  After you get back, it is so rewarding and you feel so accomplished knowing that you don't have to worry about coming up with the money as fast as possible to pay off your credit cards.   Here is the step by step simple way to budget for all your vacation and travel.  (Side note: it doesn't have to be perfect)  Make a list of all the vacation and travel you are planning in the next 12 months.  List all associated costs (flight, accommodations, excursions, food/ drinks budget, etc) Total up your costs to one grand total and divide by 12.  This is how much you are going to need to budget and save every month. Use an online bank like www.capitalone360.com or www.ally.com to create savings funds for each vacation.  These link directly to your checking account. When it is time to plan your vacations, you can only use what is in the savings account.   Bring cash with you and use it as much as possible.  If you are international and don't feel safe using cash you can use a card but you tend to spend more because you can't see the money in front of you.   Come back relaxed and de-stressed, not having to worry about paying for your vacation after the fact This week’s topics:  ITT Tech shutting down We recommend Kayak, AirFareWatchdog, Costco (if you have a membership), google.com/flights.   Financial Rule of Dumb: Your mortgage payment shouldn't be more than 25% of my take home pay Listener Question from Dev: Using credit cards to get the points and paying it off at the end of the month Saving and Budgeting for Vacations and Travel Carmen’s Corner: What to do when kids are gifted money for holidays and birthdays And much more….   Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

People need to know that it is ok to not be the financial savvy person of their relationship.  Most relationships have one person that does the bulk of the budgeting and planning and one person that doesn't.   There are two things that can't happen.  First, the person that does not handle the finances cannot be a completely silent partner.  They need to provide input on what they feel is important and needs to be put in the budget, what goals they feel are priority and be able to give their input on anything else financial.  The need to be supportive of the financial person and understand that they need feedback and understanding of the big picture and current financial status.  They also need to understand the financial person is carrying a lot on their backs and need to be appreciated.   Second, the person that is responsible for the brunt of the finances can't feel that their doing the majority of the budgeting is unfair.  They need to understand that the non-financial person probably gets bored the second you start talking about the budget.  The financial person can get frustrated when the non-financial person acts like they are disinterested or that money doesn't matter.     There is a fairly simple and straight forward remedy to this situation: have weekly meetings.  They should take less than 10 minutes.  The non-financial person should be ready with anything they feel is important to them that should be included in the goals and budget.  They should be attentive and supportive.  The financial person should have what they want to cover bullet pointed and short and sweet.  As you get more in tune with each other and get in a rhythm you can change your meetings to every paycheck or bi-weekly.   By doing this everyone's needs are met, everyone knows where the budget is at and what goals are being met and no one can say they didn't know what was going on.   In this episode we will go into more detail about sharing responsibilities including how to prepare for the worst case scenario of the non-financial person being responsible for the finances after an unexpected death and other talking points and ways to get your financial needs met.    This week's topics:  Best times to book for Thanksgiving and Christmas from CNBC We recommend Kayak, AirFareWatchdog, Costco (if you have a membership), google.com/flights.   Financial Rule of Dumb: Your emergency fund should equal 6 months worth of household expenses.  Listener Question from Dev: Recommended best practice for combining or separating bank accounts for newlyweds.  Sharing responsibilities when it comes to money Carmen's Corner: When to introduce a wallet or purse And much more.... Want to get in touch?  We love hearing from listeners! Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Splurging.  We all do it.  But when is it ok to splurge and when is it not?  What constitutes a splurge?  How can you splurge without sabotaging your budget, finances and goals?  Should you feel guilty after a splurge?  We will dive into those questions and more in this week's "The Saver and The Spender".   First of all a splurge shouldn't make you feel icky after you do it.  A splurge is something that is infrequent, budgeted and adds value to your life.  Some people like to buy Starbucks every couple of weeks or go on a cruise once a year.   Buying Starbucks every day or buying a new Blueray every Tuesday is not a splurge because once you start buying something regularly it just becomes a recurring expense.  What are your splurges?  In today's podcast we will talk more in depth about splurging, how to do it correctly so you aren't sabotaging yourself and how to feel good about it.  Every financial decision you make should be budgeted.  Whether it is one single cup of coffee or a vacation to Hawaii.  Doing otherwise puts you on a track to get fast and loose with your finances and start using debt to buy what you want.   This week's topics: U.S. Olympic medal winners get taxed on prize money and value of medals!! Splurging without guilt and without sabotaging yourself Carmen's Corner: How to budget for your child's allowance Budget Brag: Erica pays for holiday gifts with cash by saving money every paycheck throughout the year And much more... Want to get in touch?  We love hearing from listeners! Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Thank you for listening.  First off, we apologize for the audio quality.  It will be corrected on episode 3.   Debt is a problem a lot of people deal with.  It is also a very relative thing.  Some people are ok with thousands of dollars in debt and some people can't stand to have $50 on a store credit card.  When it comes down to it, if you are trying to get out of debt you are doing it right.  There are many different strategies for getting out of debt and not every strategy works for everyone, unlike some financial gurus say.  You have to take into account the payment amounts, interest rates, your motivation and how much stress each individual stress causes you.   Not many people know that Kelsa and I were pretty far in debt when we moved to Arizona eight years ago.  We had some student loan debt, a car payment and some credit card debt.  We thought it was normal and were ok with it; until one day we weren't.  We decided that we were on very shaky ground if one of us lost a job/ income and the debt would engulf us.  What is your motivation to get out of debt?  If you don't have debt, what is your motivation to stay out of debt?   Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here

Thank you for listening.  First off, we apologize for the audio quality.  It will be corrected on episode 3.   In our relationship, I (Michael) am the spender and Kelsa is the saver.  I was never good with money, keeping my checkbook balanced or really saving.  Kelsa has a finance degree, MBA and has 13 years of financial experience including Financial Advisor, corporate accountant and her current business: financial coach.  It's a match made in heaven... or is it?  Da...Da...Daahhhh   Are you a saver or a spender?  What about your significant other?  How do your different (or similar) money habits effect your relationship?  Most couples have one saver and one spender.  They speak very different languages and have different principles when it comes to money.  Money issues are the number one reason for divorce in America and maybe that is because savers and spenders need to learn how to communicate about money as well as understand what their partner needs and wants.     It has take Kelsa and I almost 15 years to really figure out how we each deal with money and how to empathize with each other.  I still will go buy something not budgeted (although usually under $25 compared to hundreds of dollars a long time ago) and Kelsa is able to spend money on something she considers a "want" rather than a "need" where she used to think things were good enough and not necessary to spend any more money.     Take the time to think about your relationship and your significant other.  Are you the saver or the spender?  What about your significant other?  How do they see the finances and do they know how you see finances?  What would it take to compromise?     Comment below Email us: michael@fiscalfitnessphx.com Connect on Twitter: @IamFiscallFit Call: (480) 788-4588 Comment on our Facebook page You can find out more about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix financial coaching here You can find out more about Financial Coach Academy here