Budgets Suck - How to Ban the 'B' Word and Take Control of Your Financial Future

Picture: (L to R) Host Mike Jerrick, Sanyika Calloway Boyce, The Financial Fitness Coach & Host Juliet Huddy of The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet on FOX

The usual reaction of frustration and fear around the thought of creating a budget and actually sticking to it was completely changed for me when I redefined the word budget as, “telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.”

What an extremely different way of thinking of something that represented resentment, restriction and rules. I actually liked the idea of telling my money where I wanted it to go; I’d sure had enough practice with being confused about where it went, especially shortly after going to the ATM and having nothing to show for it.

The bottom line is, while budgets do suck, spending plans are smart and necessary road maps for you to reach your financial goals, but you’ve got to take action.

Here are a few pointers for redirecting your cash flow and increasing your financial fortune, first watch them... (click link below)


Watch Sanyika on The Morning Show

**IF THE VIDEO DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY PLAY HIT THE
PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON ON THE LEFT TO SEE VIDEO**


Then follow them...

1. Decide what you want

A) Identify at least three financial goals you’d like achieve within the next 6 to 12months.

B) Figure out how much it will cost to reach those goals, get clear about why you want to reach those goals then begin telling your money where to go!


2. Know what you spend

Keep purchase receipts in the same section of your wallet as cash so you’ll have a running total of what you’ve spent and where you spent it. Also, check your bank balance and credit card balances regularly.

3. Avoid wasting money

Get serious about keeping your money where it belongs; in your bank account not someone else’s. Commit to eliminating one money waster every 3 months. Late fees (or worse, automatic charges from Blockbuster) for movie rentals, and parking tickets all stack up – against you.

4. Keep the change

By the end of the month it’ll be time to tally your total. Most banks or supermarkets have automatic change counters. Just pour it in and watch it figure out how much cash you have, put half into your saving account as an investment toward your goal and use the rest however you want! After all, you need to allow room for treats, hobbies, and hanging out too!

Even the best laid plans should be reviewed from time to time. You can always make adjustments if your spending plan just isn’t working for you, but don’t abandon ship completely.

It’s important to remain consistent and committed to having and following your spending plan. Besides, if you skip this step now, you will pay a hefty price later…budgets suck, but having a spending plan is really smart – and necessary for your financial success!

To your continued success!

Sanyika, The Financial Fitness Coach
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Please be sure to leave feedback/comments on my blog!

Don't have a Blogger account?

You can still leave your comment my clicking "Comments" link and then clicking the "Anonymous" button - but don't be a stanger tell me your first name, last initial and what city and state you're from.

Watch Sanyika LIVE on The Morning Show

Picture: (L to R) Diana "The Saver" & Baby Kelvin, Host Mike Jerrick, Sanyika Calloway Boyce, M&Js "Money Madam", Host Juliet Huddy and Sean "The Spender"




On The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet (Fox)
I had the pleasure of working with Sean & Diana
a "financially frustrated" couple to help them:

- Redefine a budget (spending plans are smart)
- Count the costs and consider the options of "splurging" and
- Understand how to spend "emotional currency"
And much more!

Watch the video now: (click the link or cut and paste)


Watch Sanyika on The Morning Show

**IF THE VIDEO DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY PLAY HIT THE
PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON ON THE LEFT TO SEE VIDEO**

To your continued success!

Sanyika, The Financial Fitness Coach
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Please be sure to leave feedback/comments on my blog!

Don't have a Blogger account?

You can still leave your comment my clicking "Comments" link and then clicking the "Anonymous" button - but don't be a stranger tell me your first name, last initial and what city and state you're from.

How Couples Can Prevent Holiday Financial Fallout

Sanyika, The Financial Fitness Coach will be featured on
"The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" which airs on
Wednesday, November 28th from 9AM to 11AM EST
(see below for weblink and station identification)

The focus of the show will be:

"How Couples Can Prevent Holiday Financial Fallout"

and if you've ever wanted to find better ways to talk to your
honey about money - especially around this time of year - tune in!

Here's where to catch the show in your area:

http://www.mandjshow.com/where_to_watch.html


Additionally, she'll highlight "7 Tips To Keep You From Busting
Your Budget and Breaking The Bank This Holiday Season"

Can wait?

Want to know the 7 tips now?

Keep reading...

Fighting The Urge To Splurge
7 Tips To Keep You From Busting Your Budget and Breaking The Bank This Holiday Season

The holiday shopping sprees have begun and
the urge to splurge comes with it, here are
a few tips to Keep You From Busting Your Budget
and Breaking The Bank This Holiday Season:

1. Count the Costs and Consider Your Options

If the holidays put you in hock and the idea of
parties makes you panic, then you need to put on
the brakes before you go bust this holiday
season.

The simple question you've got to answer is, "What
is the point of gift-giving?" If you said anything
other than to acknowledge someone’s love, support,
friendship or positive influence on your life then
no wonder you're miserable!

Trying to "buy" friends and influence people with
the amount you spend is sure to leave you feeling
empty inside and it won't help your bank account
either.

A simple yet sincere "Thank you" and "I love you"
are phrases that don't come with dollar amounts
or big fancy bows but are sure to be remembered
long after all the presents are put away.

2. Pocket the plastic, pay with Cash

There is something about "seeing" the money
we're spending that makes it more real than
pulling out a piece of plastic.

When shopping, I suggest getting envelopes
to put designated amounts of cash in with each
persons name on it. Write the items you'll buy
for that person on the envelope and when it is
gone, the shopping should be done.

You'll not only fight the urge to get them
"just one more thing" you'll have a very real
connection to each person you buy for.

3. Set Your Minimum Purchase Limit

Due to the high cost of merchant accounts
many stores have adopted policies that you
have to spend at least $20 before you can
use a credit card for the purchase.

That makes sense, but would you be willing
to pay an additional $48 dollars for a gift
that's only worth $20?

Not unless you've had too much eggnog, but
when you buy low cost items on credit and
don't repay them within the next billing
cycle, you're telling the credit card
company that you'll pay them back that $20,
plus another 20% or so in interest - each month -
and after 12 months you've paid $68 dollars
for a pair of $20 gloves!

When it comes to pulling out the plastic, I'd
suggest you create your own minimum purchase
limit of at least $50 and know when you're
going to pay it off.

4. Activate "Dollar Power"

A dollar might not seem to go a long way these
days, with the skyrocketing price of everything
from gas to milk these days but it still packs
a powerful punch at a crop of stores that have
sprung up in every neighborhood in America
selling their items for one dollar or less.

These stores make great one-stop-shops for stocking
stuffers, gifts for co-workers (i.e. coffee mugs,
picture frames) and gifts for unexpected guests
during the holidays.

Plus you could save a small fortune when buying
wrapping paper, gift boxes, tape and bows - all
disposable items that you're sure to need lots of.


5. Give group gifts.

Get your friends, especially the ones with kids, to
participate in a secret buddy gift exchanging session.
All you got to do to choose a secret pal, set a limit
on the gift prices, challenge each other to be creative
and pick a time to reveal your secret buddy, this can
relieve a lot of pressure and be a great way to keep your
costs down.

Best of all if you can do this with friends and family
near and far online at SecretSanta.com and it's fast,
fun and free!

6. Avoid getting swept up with the crowd.

Camping out over night to get one of only 5 Plasma TVs
for one-hundred bucks might seem like a brilliant plan,
but there is something about sleeping in a lawn chair
with one eye open that impairs your judgment and busts
your budget, not to mention your back.

Crowded stores and close-out clearance sales can turn
sensible shoppers into panicked purchasers who quickly
get swept up in the frenzy of the crowd and buy things
you don't really want or need.

Avoid overspending, and a potential stamped by ordering
online, shopping during the slowest times of the day-
typically 10AM to 3PM and sticking to your gift list.

7. Plan ahead.

The holidays come around every year, so avoid
the panic of not planning by opening a Christmas
Club account early. Sure, they don't pay huge
amounts of interest, but most of them can be set
up through direct deposit and they're a practical
way to save small amounts over time.

Plus the practice keeps you on from feeling the
financial crunch in your budget at the end of the
year.

Sanyika Calloway Boyce is an International Speaker, Top-selling Author and Financial Fitness Coach who teaches individuals how to gain true financial freedom by mastering their money mindset and changing their attitude about money.

Visit her online today at www.sanyika.com

Beyond Money Principles Testimonial

Sanyika Calloway Boyce knows all to well that “winging it” is a terrible way to mange your money and your life. Financially frustrated and facing bankruptcy in her 20s, she was determined not to be a victim. Now in her 30s, she is the CEO of her 10-year old company, an International Speaker, Top Selling Author of several books on personal finance, host of Next Level Lifestyle, as well as the creator of the “Beyond Money Principles” a set of six steps designed to help individuals of all ages discover how to gain true financial freedom by reviewing, releasing and rewriting their “money stories” and changing their attitude about money.

~Watch to see what one participant had to say about Sanyika's Beyond Money Principles

Recently, I watched the season finale of "American Inventor" as Greg Chavez, a passionate Firefighter from California was crowned the winner.

He received one million dollars and the offer from First Alert, a leader in home security systems to bring his unique and life-saving "Guardian Angel" fireextinguisher for Christmas Trees to life.


I was drawn to the show about 4 weeks ago as I was flipping through the channels and saw Greg, a handsome man dressed in his Fireman's uniform, with tears streaming down his face.

I paused for a moment to hear what he was saying and was mesmerized by this mans conviction and commitment to making a difference.

He told the panel of judges that as a fireman he's seen far to many avoidable deaths and while he was frustrated that he had been unable to afford to build a working prototype after many years of trying, and even though there were several times when he wanted to give up, he vowed to use the $50,000 cash infusion given to each semi-finalist as seed money to get his product working and take it to the next level.

Napoleon Hill calls it "burning desire" and according to him and countless others who have tried and at times fallen short, it is the stuff that champions are made of. It's the only way to ever taste victory.

While burning desire doesn't mean you'll always win, it does mean that you'll never stop trying.
Greg's story reminded me of a wonderful singer and songwriter I met in South Africa, Verity.

I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing the stage with this amazing woman who helped me change my perspective of doing business in the face of limited resources.

She had a burning desire to become an internationally known singer which lead to an inspired thought to market and sell an album that doesn't even exist yet!

Like Greg, there were times when she wanted to give up, to push the dream aside, but the "burning desire" wouldn't be tamed for long.

Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, limited resources and the frustration of being an "outsider" in an industry where it's not about how much talent you have but who you know; Verity is making her dream come true.

When Greg Chavez was crowned the winner, he said "It's amazing. It's amazing. A year ago I was sitting in the chair at the house and I was watching the show and I said to my wife I'm going to win next year. She said 'I know you are.' And here I am, a winner, after all these years my dream has come true!"

Not all of us were meant to win American Inventor, or American Idol for that matter, but we all have something that the world can only get from us, something that we've been created to give.
I hope that you never allow the flame of your burning desire to go out, although it might grow dim from time to time.

Understand that it will not always be easy, and there may not ever be a crowd of people standing around to cheer you on, but you must persevere. You must continue to pursue your passion.

I cannot imagine what life would be like if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. allowed his dream to die, or if Bill Gates believed that "people would never have a need for personal computers in their homes" as so many people told him or if I never wrote my first book.

Your dream might not be on what you'd consider a "grand" or life changing scale, like Greg Chavez - but it is important none the less and it's necessary for you to bring it to life just like Verity,Bill Gates and even me.

When you are loosing faith and feeling frustrated as you work to make your vision a reality that all can see, I encourage you to remember a fundamental principle: ASK. SEEK. KNOCK.

ASK: It's important to always be curious and ask questions often so that the answers will appear. They may come in the form of something you read, someone that you meet, something
that you hear, or an inspired thought like Verity.

SEEK: Being open to doing things that you haven't done before,learning things that are new and seeking to have experiences that stretch you and cause you to be more, have more, do more. (I learned to self-publish because my desire to get my books written and now I've sold more than 50,000 copies!)

KNOCK: Taking action everyday, not just doing things for the sake of being busy but knowing clearly why this particular action is necessary to get you closer to your goal.

I use these principles daily and I have incorporated them into my interviews for the Success with Money CD of the Month Club, through the process of practicing A-S-K, I've met many amazing people like Verity who have provided me with a different perspective, challenged me to ask questions and encouraged me to continue to knocking on the doors of opportunity until they swing wide open!

If you have a burning desire that you want to keep stoked, I'd like to invite you to find out how you can become a member today when you visit:

=====> http://www.successwithmoneytoday.com/


To your continued success!

Sanyika, The Financial Fitness Coach

Sanyika Calloway Boyce
International Speaker, Top Selling Author, and Financial Fitness Coach