Spring Clean Your Money

I confess up front: upon first glance this will not appear to be a sexy or entertaining post.  But it is something that will absolutely help everyone, I couldn't not share.  Sometimes we have to spend a little time dealing with the not fun things to get them in order so we can really enjoy the fun things.

Make the Most of Your Money

Finances.  Something we all have to deal with on a daily basis, but if you think about it, really something we never get formal training or guidance on.  Its the cause of many debates and issues in relationships, and can cause such stress and drama in life if not managed properly.  For something that basically dictates our lives, it doesn't seem the most sensible that we all pretty much wing it.  There are people out there that are educated in money management and financial planning, but those services themselves tend to cost and arm and a leg, and its the people who can't afford those services that really need them.  Enter LearnVest.

This is not a paid or sponsored post.  I have personally used this service and think it's great.  When I hear my friends stress or complain about being able to save and budget and get their finances in order,  I cannot stress enough that they should use this service.

LearnVest is quality financial planning for the 99%.  They say their primary clients are those that make between $30,000 and $250,000 annually.  Married or single, young or old.

Here's how it works:

Sign up on their website and create an account, and then complete your profile.  The more extensive and specific your profile, the better for you.  You want to list ALL your bank accounts, retirement accounts, credit cards, loans, rent, utilities, annual reoccurring expenses (memberships, subscriptions),  etc.  Think about what your financial goals are: retirement savings, buying a house, college savings, pay of debts, etc.  Be honest, and don't be embarrassed by your current financial state. (Odds are they've seen worse than you.)

After you've completed your profile, it gets submitted to one of their certified Financial Planners, and they will review on their end to get an overview of you and your situation, then a Strategy call is scheduled.  They are available 24/7 to work with the busiest schedules.  During this call your Planner will ask questions for clarity, and talk to you about your goals and money life, to find out exactly what it is you want to achieve.

A plan for your money is just a plan. A program is about putting that plan into action.

After this call, your Planner will take all the info and develop a course of action for you to achieve your financial goals. You will schedule another call, and they will show you the numbers (i.e., how much you will need to have in retirement by the time you retire, and how to save that much between now and then.) They will help you set a daily budget, and help guide you to the proper allocation of your money.  They will also tell you what kinds of legal documents (wills, power of attorney, health care directive, etc.) you should have, and what kind and how much insurances you should have (life, renters, etc.)

Additionally, their website contains resources and recommendations for providers.  And if you're the kind of person who benefits from being accountable to someone, then your Planner can regularly send you reminders and information to keep you on track.

The planning process and obtaining your customize financial plan is $299. But right now there is a coupon for $50 off (LETSGO). $249 for a complete financial plan is a steal!  Then if you need/want to retain On-Going support, you can sign up for $19/mo (can be cancelled at any time.)  I know if you live paycheck to paycheck that even $249 sounds like a lot, but they have payment plans, and if you invest this in yourself now, and then follow the advice you receive, you will not be hurting from this expense.  Things will only get better.

In really just a few hours you can get your entire financial situation straightened out and on track to you won't need to worry about your money anymore.  How can you not do this?

Progress doesn't happen overnight. But it can start today.
 

Dear IRS, I would like to cancel my subscription

I hope you're one of those people who got your taxes done early, and are getting a refund. I, unfortunately, am not one of those people.  I start my taxes early, then always seem to wait until the last minute to mail them in.  Though I don't wait as long when I'm getting a refund. This year is the first in many that we actually owe (and, annoyingly, a significant amount).  But for those of you who will be getting a bit back, some merchants are offering extra discounts to help you stretch that dollar and enjoy your money back.  For the rest of us, at least this way we won't feel so guilty when we spend what little money we have left. ;)

  • Boston Market: buy one meal get a second free today.
  • McDonalds: Big Macs and Quarter Pounders are buy one, get one for $0.01 at select locations today.
  • Olive Garden: A buy one, take one deal gets customers two entrées from a select menu starting at just $12.99. Or you can claim a coupon good for $6 off a dinner for two here.
  • Alloy: Use this RetailMeNot-exclusive code for 15-30% off purchase through April 30: AVDRMN.
  • Ann Taylor: Today only, use GET40 to save 40% on your entire order.  Get 25% off full-priced items with the coupon code ANNT3BE, good through April 30.
  • Babies'R'Us:  Use this coupon to get $8 off Pampers or Huggies value boxes of diapers, valid through April 30.
  • Carter's:  Get 25 percent off purchases of $40 and up with code OKSP1514.
  • Express: Use coupon code 9068 online or this coupon in store to get 15 percent off through April 30.
  • Gap: Shoppers will get $25 of GapCash for every $50 spent through April 26 that can be redeemed May 13 through May 17.

For a more complete list, click here.

A Penny Saved is a Penny....

A Penny Saved is a Penny....

I have clear memories from my childhood of my dad at his desk on the weekend balancing the checkbook and paying bills.  I understood early on that proper money management was important, and when I got my first checking account I would do the same as my dad, sit with him at the dining room table and balance my checkbook every weekend.  If I was even just a penny off, I would go back through everything until I found the error.

I'm not quite as precise these days, ironically since I have so much more expenses and cash flow, but I am an above average manager of my personal finances (if I do say so myself).  Money management is really not something we learn in primary education, and its one of the foundations we need to be responsible, functioning adults.

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