5 steps to get $150 TODAY!

Changes you make today can get you more money this month, and every month.  It's not the "no spend month", I'll never recommend that.  It's not the "stop spending at Starbucks", nor is it "go rob a bank".  All three of those things are ridiculous, okay maybe one more than others - but it's not going to help your life in any way if you do ANY of those things.  There are, however, 5 things you can do TODAY to get more $$ in your pocket.  I've done ALL of these in the past few months, and I'm saving over $1800 per year.  That $150 back in my pocket per month, yes please!

1.  Refinance your house, or change up your rent  

Refi rates are cheap, it only makes sense, 2.71% is the lowest it may ever be.  If your rate is above a 3.25%, it is worth looking into.  You cold be saving over $100 per month.  If you own your house and don't know what a refinance is, check out my (future) post here where I break down your mortgage statement and what it all means. We just bought a house, with a rate .75% lower than our old mortgage.  We are borrowing the SAME amount as our last mortgage and are playing $175 less each month.  Yes, it is worth it.

If you rent, talk to your manager about some things you can do around the complex or house to help lower your rent.  We were renting the past 3 years in LA, and I had friends that helped keep the complex clean, or do things for the manager, and were offered rent reduction.  We also had a rental, and the tenants took care of the yard work for rent reduction.  If they would have offered to do more, like fix up something, or repair broken shelves in the garage, I would have definitely offered reduced rent.  This doesn't work in all cases (some managers/owners are jerks), but it is worth asking.

2. Change your car insurance

If its been 6 months since you've gotten a quote for your car insurance, do it again!  It's free, and all online.  Especially if you have a violation on your record, check at least every 6 months.  The further out you are from the violation, the cheaper your insurance will be.  We are saving over $50 per month since we switched in November.  It is definitely worth it.  More money in my pocket!

3. Change your renters/homeowners insurance

Remember how I said we just bought a house?  Well we have already changed homeowners insurance.  We are only saving $75 per year, but that's $6 per month.  Plus it's usually a better deal when you bundle with car insurance.

4.  Switch your phone plan

If you are paying over $20 per month for your phone plan, you are paying too much.  We switched to Mint Mobile in October, and not only are we NOT going over on our data, we are now saving $35 per month.  Plus they are having a great deal right now, 3 months for free.  No brainer!

5.  Modify your health insurance

We switched to an HSA (Health Savings Account) last year, and we absolutely love it.  This is not for everyone, though.  If you have health concerns, a HSA may not work for you.  Check out my (future) post here on what an HSA is and isn't and how it can help save you money.  If you live in a big city, like LA or NYC, healthcare is pricy, and this may not be your best option.

Another reasonable option is switching to a "lower" plan.  So don't take the top comprehensive plan, look at what the other plans offer.  You may not be able to go to all of the practicing hospitals in your city, but you would still get exceptional healthcare.  This also keeps your money in your pocket.  Or if you choose a plan with a higher deductible, and lower premium, this could save you money per month.  See my (future) post here about how health coverage works.  The money you save per month, put away in an account for when you do need to use it for your deductible.  When you have that amount saved, that extra is in your pocket!

With any of these options, you can put more $$ back in your wallet.  If you need help doing it, contact me.  I'd be happy to help you out getting along on your road2more G's. 

 

If I Were a Rich Man or Women

The first time I saw Fiddler on the Roof is right after I got married.  For free entertainment (we were college kids) we would borrow DVD's from the library to watch for our date nights.   Now that Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, there's no need for free library DVD rentals, hum...maybe I could save a few bucks if we reverted to the library...!  I'll have to think about that one.

I love this movie, it's an oldie but goodie.  You have to remember it was filmed in the 70's, and depicts the life of a Jewish Russian family and village in the early 1900's.  It teaches some hard lessons to kids, at least those who can sit through it.  My 8 year old sat through it and had some great questions afterward.  We were able to talk about freedom, history, culture, and religion.  It is a lovely story of tradition, and while tradition is great, but evolves.  Some see this evolution of tradition as great, others do not.

Tevye, the main charactor, and dad of the story, has a passion for his religion, his family, and his community.  In his "If I were a rich man" song,   I love his dancing in the barn with his beloved animals, his dibby dibby dum's.  Get up, raise your hands and dance while singing along the dibby dibby dum's.  Not only will you be in a better mood, you will want Tevye to be a rich man too!  Tevye also passionately sings in this song all the things he would do if he were rich: the service he would provide the Rabbi, the spiritual enlightenment he would obtain, and the double chin his wife would have (I mean...yes please!).  

Tevye's question to his God is:  "Lord who made the lion and the lamb, You decreed I should be what I am.  Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?  If I were a wealthy man."  In other words, if I were rich right now, would it make a big difference in my life I'm living?  I mean Tevye would have a fat wife, a happy rabbi, and more animals - all good things, so why not be rich now?  Why is he not rich?  Why are others rich, or inherit riches and most have to work to just get food on the table, let alone anything else?

Here's some statistics that may change your mind about instant wealth.  According to Wolf Street, 1 out of every 3 people that win the lottery end up declaring bankruptcy.  That's one third,  that's a little less than half.  That's a lot of people.  CNBC says that the 1/3 of these bankrupt lottery winners go broke 3 to 5 years after winning.  Other studies show that winning the lottery does not make you happier.  According to Jonnelle Marte from the Washington Post "Evidence shows that most people who make it to the top 1 percent of income earners usually don’t stay at the top for very long."  She says this in referring to those who won the $1.6 billion Powerball.  Basically, the lottery can make a person miserable.

If you don't have a plan with your money when you make $30,000, or even $80,000 - how would you know how to handle $1.6 billion?  If Tevye were given $1.6 billion, I'm sure his wife, rabbi and animals would be fat and happy, but would Tevye be the same man?  Would he still happily dance around his land delivering milk to his community?  I'm only thinking of this time of Tevye singing in the barn, not the entire movie (if you haven't seen it these people are asked to move because of their religion - I'm sure a billion dollars defiantly could have changed that).  Tevye is happy man with what he has.  His daughter is happy married to a poor Taylor, instead of the rich butcher that had been arranged.  I'm not indicating money keeps people from happiness, but it can ruin it if you aren't prepared.

So would being rich "spoil some vast eternal plan" or ruin the rest of your life?  Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or on my insta.

Also, Fiddler on the Roof is on Netflix right now.  It's almost 3 hours long, you're welcome.

Road 2 More

We road tripped Crater Lake this past summer. Oregon has some of the most beautiful drives in the world, and this drive is the top of my list.  Imagine driving in a very thick forest that lined the two lane highway.  The pine trees rose as high as a Chicago high rise, or so it seems. We opened the windows and felt the coolness of the air rush through our fingers as our loaded van drives on.  The further we drive into this forest, the more dense the pine and shrubbery become.  The coverage of this forest is so thick, we couldn’t tell the small incline we were making as our car drove.  An hour or so into our forest journey, we encountered a clearing, where we could see just how far up had gone.  Eventually we made it to the entrance to Crater Lake National Park, still covered in pine.  Being Andrew’s (my husband) first time visiting the park, he asked where this supposed lake was.  Since I am the usual navigator, I took us in a wrong turn down into a campground, hoping we would get a glimpse of this mysterious lake.  Disturbed campers wondered who we were driving slowly and peering through their campsite in hopes we could see any patch of blue water down below. No such luck.

When we finally saw these magical blue waters shimmering between the tall pines, it was breathtaking. We stopped at all the little stops around the lake to get a different view of the crystal clear water down below. After a mile climb down the face of the volcano caldera, made it to our destination - the water. We swam in the refreshingly cold water. Our kids still frequent this memory, and the beauty being right next to the sparkling water. There is something so magical about Crater Lake, no wonder it is a National Park.

In your road of life, you find yourself in a dense forest (be it tropical or wooded, take your pick...), wondering "when the road with the high trees and dense foliage will cease and give you a break?"  Even though those mighty high trees are so beautiful at the start, tree...after tree...after tree becomes mundane, and burdensome. You become immune to the beauty that surrounds you. This journey also includes so many unexpected challenges, including twists, turns, backtracks, obstacles, and full-on roadblocks. Sometimes there is a fair bit of warning, but most times they just appear. You start to beg and plead with your creator for a clearing, a break, a unique purpose in this journey called life. You plead for a glimpse of those crystal blue waters to know you're almost there and you are on the right path.

Your road to life is yours. You may have people come and go, but truly you are the only one in this entire universe that has walked your distinct path. No one has a history that you have had. No on has had happen what has happened to you. No one has overcome what you have overcome. This journey is yours, its beautiful, distinct, and hard. You may think a person, that looks very successful has had it easy, or is walking on a path that looks to you to be very flat and without obstacles. I can guarantee if you were on that their path you would see a very different story of jumping hurtles, fighting off wolves and dodging bullets, you just cant see it from your path.

We all need a helping hand to help alleviate the stress and take the burden so we can see that road to more. Someone to chop down those trees so you get a peek at that beautiful blue water. I've been on your road before - felt defeated, felt alone, felt lost. Let me help chop down some trees and guide you past those threatening obstacles. Lets chase those beautiful vistas, and glimpses of wonderful things ahead. The road will forever be there - unless you are dead - so you may as well destroy the obstacles and enjoy those beautiful vistas along the way.

I'm a money coach talking all things money, planning ahead, investing, and business growing. Let me help you find your #road2more @road2more