On Friday, I announced the very first giveaway happening here on PFN…The “Excuses Begone” Book Giveaway!  If you missed it, you still have an opportunity to enter.

Over the weekend, I gave some thought to our financial excuses: why we have them and how we let them affect our lives.  Seth Godin calls these excuses, The Lizard Brain.  Eckhart Tolle calls them, Voices in the Head.  No matter what we call these excuses, we allow them to stunt our growth and keep us from achieving all that life has to offer us. 

I can remember saying in my early 20’s as a college student, “When I start making lot’s of money, I won’t have problems managing it.”  I could not have been more wrong.  I’d never heard the concept, “The more you make, the more you spend.”

An excuse becomes an obstacle in your journey to success when it is made in place of your best effort or when it is used as the object of the blame. – Bo Bennett 

For anyone that has given themselves a reason, not to achieve their financial best, I humbly offer a little advice.  I don’t want to claim that I have all the answers, but would like to share ways I  overcome my negative thoughts.  Do I still have them?  Of course.  I’m not sure I’ll ever rid myself of negative thoughts, but I try my best to recognize them and reverse the pattern.

Be Inspired

Inspiration is my key to daily action.  I don’t wait to become inspired.  I create my own sources.

1. Type and post my goals.  These goals are posted all around my home so I can view them in the morning and evening as reminders of what I’m trying to achieve.
2. Set motivational thoughts as alarms in my cell phone.  Each alarm is a bit of inspiring thought to keep me on track.
3. Read daily.  I read stories of others who have attained success in the area I’m seeking.  For example, when we were paying off debt, I constantly read stories of others who were able to achieve financial freedom.

See, inspiration is not a one time thing.  It is needed constantly.  So throw out your old lame excuses and take on some new financial challenges.  Think about it.  You could actually change the future of your family.  For Generations.

The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.  - Jim Rohn

Now over to you.  Can you list a few financial excuses?  Do you allow them to hold you back?

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win the book, “Excuses Begone”, written by Dr. Wayne Dyer.  You must get your entries in by Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

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Have you heard about my new special report?  Sign up to receive your copy today.  Be sure you are subscribed by Email or RSS to find out if you are one of the winners for the “Excuses Begone” Book Giveaway!  Thank you so much for reading.  I really appreciate the time you spend here with me!

Hello Readers and Friends,

Well, this day marks the start of the very first giveaway here on Personal Finance Notebook.   Needless to say, I am very excited!

The prize is one of the latest books written by best selling author Dr. Wayne Dyer entitled – Excuses Begone.  This book is very transformational in that he reveals 18 self thinking habits that are keeping us from reaching our full potential and how to overcome them.

Even though you may know what to think, actually changing those thinking habits that have been with you since childhood might be somewhat challenging. – Dr. Wayne Dyer

I have the hardcover and audio versions of the book and refer to both frequently.  After gaining so much inspiration from them, I have decided to give away not one, but TWO copies of this book to TWO lucky people.

How to Enter

To enter the giveaway, become a fan here at Personal Finance Notebook Facebook with Patrenia Spears AND and say under the thread for this article “I want the book Excuses Begone!” .  You may even state why you would like to have the book (optional). 

* If you’re already a fan, giving the short statement will include you in the giveaway! 

To double your chance for winning – feel free to send me, @patreniaspears, a tweet on Twitter saying “I want the book Excuses Begone!”

Only one entry via Facebook and one entry via Twitter is allowed and you must get your entries in by Wednesday, March 10, 2010.  I’ll choose a winner with a random number generator and make the announcement on Friday, March 12, 2010.  I’ll make contact with the winners shortly thereafter and will send the books out at my expense.

Good Luck to Everyone!!!

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If you’re just visiting here today, I wrote an article on Monday that ties in very well with this theme – What Can We All Learn About Financial Contentment?  Take a moment to read it and also join the conversation there.  Thank you so much and I really appreciate the time you spend here.

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Have you heard about my new special report?  Sign up to receive your copy today.  Be sure you are subscribed by Email or RSS to find out if you are one of the winners for the “Excuses Begone” Book Giveaway!

This is a given: theft and forgetfulness.

Each and everyday, millions of us are subjected to one of or both of these casualties leaving our credit and debit cards to fall into the hands of those who are not honest enough to return them to us. 

Our bank accounts can be wiped clean and credit cards charged to the max before we’ve even realized what’s happened. 

I can’t make this experience totally stress free, but I will provide some tips that will keep you from becoming a helpless victim of circumstance.  I’d rather be proactive now than reactive later.  Let’s get started.

Things You Need To Do Now:

1. Make a list.  Compile a list of all credit, debit, rewards, and insurance cards, etc. in your wallet only listing the name of the card and the phone number to customer service.  There is no need to include account numbers in your list.  Your providers will be able to access your accounts with the personal information to supply to them verbally.
2. Put this information in a safe place.  There are very simple ways you can record and file away your list. 
   • Choice #1 – File the list in a safe place in your home.  “But, what if I’m away on vacation?”, I hear you say.  I’m glad you asked. 
   • Choice #2 – I think the best way to store this information for easy access is Google Docs.  It is an easy application with Google which only requires you to have a username and password.  If you already have a Google account, just use your current information to log in.  If you don’t, signup is really easy.  The major benefit of this choice is that it only requires an internet connection to be able to retrieve your information…anywhere, anytime.

What To Do If…

These ideas are not new and I certainly didn’t create them, but listed below are four basic rules to follow if you have been a victim of forgetfulness or theft.

1. File a police report (if your information was stolen).  You can provide this report to your bank and/or credit card providers as some form of proof, if needed.
2. Call the customer service departments of all card providers.  Do not forget to write down the name and mailing address of the person you speak with.  This information may be needed at a later date. 
3. Call the three national credit reporting agencies (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax).  Ask that they immediately place a fraud alert on your Name and Social Security Number.  This will require lenders to verify your identity prior to extending any new form of credit.
4. Make contact with your local Department of Motor Vehicles.  You must get your license replaced as soon as possible.  There is nothing worse than having your wallet stolen, thieves using your license to steal your identity, and then you get stopped by the police.  Do you think they will buy the “my wallet was stolen” story?  I’m sure they’ve heard that one a million times.

Will I Lose Everything?

Not if you act fast.  Thank goodness the Federal Government has given us different levels of protection.  By law, once you report the loss or theft, you have no further responsibility for unauthorized charges and there is a maximum liability.  See the different levels below.

• If you report the loss within two business days, your max liability will be $50.00.
• If you don’t report  the loss within two business days, your max liability could be up to $500.
• If you fail to report the loss within 60 days, your max liability is unlimited. OUCH!

Now Take Action

Don’t just read this information and say, “Aw, that was a nice little article.”  Use it.  Be inspired. Move.  Take the steps necessary now to protect yourself from disaster later.  I even took a few minutes today to create my own personal file in Google Docs. 

It would also be a great idea to include the “What to do if” steps above in your personal file.  The step by step directions will help you to keep a clear head. You’ll be glad you did.

p.s.  For these wonderful tips, I accept all forms of donations – cash, credit, PayPal.  (ok, ok, I’m just kidding).  Enjoy your day! 

Talk about your progress in the comments.  Did you use a different process?  Have you already been a victim?  Share your story!

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Have you heard about my new special report?  Sign up to receive your copy today.  Be sure you are subscribed by Email or RSS so that you can be a part of the very first giveaway that will be happening this week!!!  Thank you so much for reading and I really appreciate the time you spend here .

Financial Contentment.  I’ve thought a lot about this concept over the last few years.  What does it really mean? And how does it relate to our lives? 

Contentment is defined as satisfaction or ease of mind.  So, we can say that Financial Contentment is being satisfied or having an ease of mind about our current financial status. 

There are many thoughts that have been shared in reference to the concept of contentment.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. – Buddha

There is no end of craving.  Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness.  Therefore, acquire contentment. – Sivananda

Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything. – Aesop

Keeping in line with these ideas is where I think most people get stuck.  Don’t get me wrong, I love these quotes and I think that they inspire us by helping to maintain peace in our lives.  But I’m working towards a key point here, so stay with me.

There is another word that can be used as a synonym for content.  It is called complacent.  The definition of complacent is pleased or satisfied.  So, if they have the same definitions then they must have the same literal meanings right?  Wrong.   These two concepts are really not one in the same.  You can have contentment without being complacent.  When you mix the two, you get caught in what I’ll call non-action. 

Let me give a few of examples:

1. Jill is a college graduate and a receptionist for a local contracting company.  Her current annual salary is $25,000 per year.  She receives annual raises of about 2-3%, but the maximum she will ever earn in this position is roughly $30,000.  She has no debt and has managed to save over $50,000 within a 15 year time frame.  Should Jill think of or find ways to make better use of her educational resources to increase her income?
2. Patricia, an 18 year old, has not had the best start in life.  As a child, she was teased in school because she didn’t have the best of attire and the latest gear.  Her parents don’t have the best education which means that money is always a scarce commodity.  Should Patricia have the attitude that this is how it is and this is how it will always be?
3. The Carter’s, a nice suburban family with a house, two kids and a dog.  Both are educated people and have great incomes, but over the course of their lives have managed to build up a load of debt and are basically living paycheck to paycheck.  They sometimes wonder what life could be like if they didn’t have the debt, but that’s all – wonder.  Are they living to their maximum potential?

If you answered the questions above, you probably quickly said yes, no and no.  Now, step outside of your own life…tell your story.  Do you recognize any financial contentment AND financial complacency in your life?

Push the Envelope

What I think financial contentment really means is to be grateful for what we have and where we are in our journey, BUT always having dreams and goals of something better.  Setting goals.  Taking action.  There’s no harm in that.  Just don’t be caught in the next 5 years moaning and groaning about the same issues you have today.  Start now to create the financial changes you want to see.  Paying off debt. Giving to others.  Starting a business.  Building wealth.  Each day remember…one step in front of the other.  Eventually you will reach your destination. 

I have a few goals I’m currently working towards and one of the most important is to be able to give more of my money and my time helping others.    I can’t make this happen if I’m lost in contentment and complacency.  Neither can you.

It’s o.k. if you’ve set financial goals and have gotten off course, just realize that you don’t have to stay there!

How do you view this concept?  What has been your story?  Start or join the conversation in the comments.

Happy Monday!

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Have you heard about my new special report?  Sign up to receive your copy today.  Be sure you are subscribed by Email or RSS so that you can be a part of the very first giveaway that will be happening this week!!!  Thank you so much for reading and I really appreciate the time you spend here .

Hello All,

This is a photo taken in my city of one of our lottery billboards.  It’s been a permanent fixture over the last few years and is a nice “enticement” for our state lottery.

Sometimes I pass this billboard and wonder how different life would probably be if I won the lottery.  Would it be a change for the better or a change for the worse?  I’ve told myself that since I’m better at managing my money, it would be for the better.  But most of the lottery stories I’ve heard have been for the worse.

Now,  I don’t play the lottery, so I don’t expect to win anytime soon .  And I also don’t lust for things I don’t have, but each time I pass this sign, I do wonder, “What If?”.

Though not realistic, a girl can have a dream, can’t she?

Have you ever dreamed of or had hopes of being given a fresh start with a large amount of money?

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Have you heard about my new special report?  Sign up to receive your copy today.  Thank you so much for reading and I really appreciate the time you spend here.  Be sure you are subscribed by Email or RSS so that you can be a part of the very first giveaway that will be happening next week!!!

 Hello friends and readers,

Today, I present to you your own copy of a special report I’ve created entitled, 10 Easy Tips to Save Money Now!

If you have been a regular reader or have had a chance to read a little about my story, you know that my husband and I were able to pay off about $93,000 on November 14, 2008.  No, it didn’t happen all in one day.  It was a process that took us about three and a half years to complete.  

During that tedious process, we often reviewed our financial state and looked for ways that we could cut a few corners thereby allowing us to apply more funds towards our debt.  We were very successful in that we found ways to save ourselves about $5000 per year.

In this special report, I give in detail those big and little wins that helped us to accomplish our goals.  Are these tips the new and cutting edge “secrets” that we invented?  No, they are not.  But they are the successful tips we used which also happen to be very simple and practical for immediate application to your life.

After you have downloaded and read the report, please take a moment to read the “SPECIAL OFFER” extended to everyone, including my fellow personal finance bloggers.

Now, to get this special report, please fill out the form in the sidebar area of this site and follow the directions thereafter.  Signing up to receive the report will also make you eligible to receive my monthly newsletter which will include additional financial tips, bonuses, giveaways and exclusive content not available on the site.

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Do you like the report? Is it helpful?  I have two simple requests:

1. Tell everyone about it.  Share your feedback in the comment area here on the site.
2. Spread the word.  Tell all of your friends, family and co-workers about this special report and have them sign-up to receive their own special copy.

I love saving money.  How about you?

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Thank you so much for reading!  Please remember that education and knowledge about money is power, so don’t forget to pass this message on to your friends.  I appreciate the time you spend here and I send you lots of love .  Be sure you are subscribed to this blog for the very 1st giveaway that will be happening here next week!

 Loan Officer:  “Ma’am (or Sir), your application  to borrow $5000 unsecured has been approved.  Your payment is going to be $xxx.xx for 2 years at a rate of 11%.  I’ll just need your signature and you’ll receive your funds.  Thank you so much for doing business with us.”

Customer (like a deer in headlights):  “11%?!?! I thought the lowest rate was 9.5%?  Why so high?  I always pay my bills on time.”

Every one of us have had or will have to cross this path to get access to funds we need, but don’t have readily available.  Whether it be through loans obtained at banks/credit unions or by using credit cards, our goal should be to get approved and pay the lowest interest possible.  That way we keep the cost of doing business down to a minimum getting the best possible deal and saving money for other uses.

Let’s go ahead and discuss some of the major reasons why our cost of doing business becomes expensive.  Last week, I asked the question – “Why Do You Think We Pay High Interest?”  I’m happy to share the great responses I received along with my elaborations and additional reasons. 

Reason #1. “We don’t know any better…” -Gina, Gina’s Bookkeeping Service

Ignorance is not bliss.  If you’re not familiar with credit, credit scores and current interest rates, you can be told and sold ANYTHING.  The key is to negotiate (if possible), ask around, and check the internet for companies that track what the current rates are for a specific area of business (credit cards, auto loans, mortgage loans, etc).  There are also financial professionals waiting on you to ask them for their advice.  An educated shopper is a smart shopper.

Reason #2. “It depends on what you’re borrowing against…” –Daniel, Casual Kitchen

There are two different types of loans:  secured and unsecured.  A secured loan is when a borrower uses assets as collateral to decrease the risk assumed by the lender.  An unsecured loan is a loan that is not backed by any collateral.  It is just your signature and a promise to pay back the loan.  The risk for an unsecured loan is much higher than for a secured loan so you can expect to pay higher interest.  BUT you need to know what the interest rate ranges are for your level of credit (see Reason #1) to determine if you are getting a fair deal.

Reason #3. “Interest Rates fluctuate with the economy and status of the Federal Reserve Bank …” –Lakita, Personal Finance Journey

You can attempt to predict future rates by paying attention to what’s called the federal funds rate which is set by the Federal Reserve Board (the FED).  This is the rate that banks charge each other for overnight loans and is an early indication of the trend for longer term interest rates.  It’s basic supply and demand.   When the FED feels the economy is growing too fast, the rates are raised making it more costly to borrow money.  When the economy slows, the rates are lowered making it less costly to borrow money.  So if you can start noticing the trends of the federal funds rate, you can choose the right time to borrow money.

Reason #4. “We cannot wait…” –Eric, Eden Journal

Hmmm…impatience.  Yes, this is a great reason.  We can avoid the whole issue of paying interest just by saving up and using cash.  I do realize that this is a hard concept to apply to the large dollar amount purchases, but what about all the small purchases that we pay for with the swipe of a card.  The small purchases are actually the ones that do more damage because we pay for them over a longer period with compounding interest. 

Reason #5. “How much credit we have available and how often we use it…” –Susan Liddy, Secrets to Ultimate Living

This is actually funny, but when I was young, I used to think that having a lot of credit cards meant that you had lots of money.  But I think this concept was sold to me by television commercials.  If I remember correctly, weren’t there commercials on television that used to promote having many available sources of credit? The portrayal was of a consumer with a credit card that was not accepted, the spin was that the consumer would just pulled out another card to be used for the purchase.  The message was that it was “cool” to have many credit cards.

Well, those days are long gone.  The amount of credit available to you actually hurts your credit.  The risk is that you will use the available credit and not be able to afford to pay it back, which could then lead to a loss to the lender.  This has also led to many lenders closing accounts that have been inactive for a certain period of time.

Additional Reasons:

Reason #6.  Late pays, delinquent accounts.

This is an obvious cause for paying highly for the cost of credit.  Late pays and delinquent accounts appear on your credit as a “warning” to new lenders that you are a risk.  This new lender knows that you have the potential to default on repayment which prompts them to charge you the higher interest rate.

Reason #7.  Too many inquiries.

Another red flag to lenders…you’re shopping.  The inquiries show up on your credit immediately, BUT there is no way for the lender to know if you have been approved or denied which takes us back to Reason #5 – the total amount of available credit.  Lots of available credit equals a huge risk to the lender.

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As stated before, when it comes to borrowing money most times we cannot avoid the payment of interest.  We do have the luxuries of maybe using the “0% down” or the “Same as cash” plans, but that is credit dependent and a whole different animal.  The purpose here is to start making corrections in our credit profiles to lower our risks to the lender which lowers the amount of interest we pay.  $10 here, $20 there per month adds up to a lot of money over time.  I’d prefer to keep more of the money I’ve earned. 

It all boils down to this:  The higher the risk to the lender, the higher the rate for the borrower.

So, what say you?

• Do you pay the high cost of credit (high interest)?  Does this information help you to understand why?
• Have you overcome paying the high cost of credit?  What did you do to turn it around?
• Comments are encouraged and welcome!

Special thanks to the commenter’s who contributed to this article.  You guys are awesome!  And thanks to ALL OF YOU for reading.  I appreciate the time you spend here and I send you lots of love.

Don’t forget that education and knowledge about money is powerful so don’t forget to pass this message on to your friends. 

Greetings friends!  TGIF!!!  I have spent the majority of my time today with a class full of rambunctious 3rd graders.  Needless to say, it’s been a very interesting one.  But now I have a quick little Q & A that I would like for you to participate in.  Let me give you the details.

Over the next few days here on Personal Finance Notebook, I’ll be exploring the topic of “interest rates” and why they are low for some and extremely high for others.  I know we all want to default to the fact that those who get stuck with the high rates are the one’s that don’t pay their bills, but there are additional factors to consider as well.

I’ve identified a few reasons that I’ll be communicating later, but I do want to open the floor for everyone to list their own.  This is a community of learning and  sharing any ideas related to Personal Finance.

I would like to use a few quotes from your comments so be sure to include your name and web address (if you have one) in the appropriate areas of the comment section.

So, here’s the question again:  “Why Do You Think We Pay High Interest Rates?” – You may give specific factors used to determine a consumers interest rate.  Keep this in mind:  You can have an excellent pay history and still be offered a crappy rate.  Why?

No answer is too simple or too complicated.   I look forward to reading what you have to say about the subject and sharing my ideas within the next week or so.  Be sure you are subscribed to Personal Finance Notebook by RSS or Email to receive the articles posted in the coming series.

Thank you in advance for participating!

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If you have a financial question you would like answered in the “Ask Personal Finance Notebook…” Series, please feel free to do so by clicking on this link: “Ask A Question”.  Education and knowledge about money is power so don’t forget to pass this message on to your friends.  I appreciate you for your support and I send you lots of love!

Today, I’ll talk about a minor problem I encountered recently.  It caused some undue frustration, but the outcome was…well, let me just tell you what happened.

A few months ago, I got the opportunity to become a part of an amazing group of people by way of a forum.  As you may know, forums are a wonderful way to connect with like minded individuals from anywhere in the world.  Most forums are free to join and participate in, but the administrators of this forum decided to charge a very special, low introductory price because of the well known connections included.  The intro price? A whole $1.95 per month – for life.  Yep, that’s all…$1.95.

The introductory price was to last only for a short while, so I secured my $1.95 per month for life price immediately.  I had nothing to lose.  If I didn’t get any value from it, I could cancel at any time.  Pretty good investment if you ask me.

Well, about two weeks ago, I tried to log into the forum only to find that there was a bit of a problem.  My username and password were not working.  I tried several times, but no success.  Hmmm…

After the unsuccessful attempts, I had the normal questions.  “What in the world is going on?  I KNOW I paid MY bill!”  No, really I did.  It’s an automatic draft through PayPal.  This should be an easy fix, right?  Wrong!

After I logged into my PayPal account, I realized that there had been a problem I was unaware of.  I’m not a frequent PayPal user so I called customer service to get some answers.  This error had to be fixed immediately.  Not corrected, I could lose my introductory pricing and would have to pay the new price which is now $5.95.  Still not too steep, but that’s $4.00 more than what I was paying.

The representative checked my account and could not find any reason why there should have been a problem.  She apologized and stated that there would be another draft attempt within the next two days.

The next draft attempt – successful.  All access granted.  But wait!  There is another problem.  PayPal has deducted $1.95 from both sources of payment I have listed in my profile.  That means I have paid a total of $3.90 for the month. O.k., this has gotten a little out of hand.

The Lesson:  Automating payments is a wonderful practice for those of us who use the service, BUT be sure to verify your monthly statements with your payments.  Double checking avoids two issues:  not paying and over paying.

Note to self:  Call PayPal.  I want my $1.95! <Seriously>

Have a great day everyone!

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If you have a financial question you would like answered in our “Ask Personal Finance Notebook…” Series, please feel free to do so by clicking on this link: “Ask A Question”.  Don’t forget to subscribe via RSS or Email to receive updates from this site!  If you’ve already subscribed, I want to say thank you.  Education and knowledge about money is power so don’t forget to pass this message on to your friends.  I appreciate you for your support and I send you lots of love!

If you are planning on being successful with your finances this year, you and a written budget should consider becoming very familiar with each other.

I wish there were an exception to this process, but your spending plan IS your roadmap to financial success.  Every month, I conquer my battle against financial distress by creating a budget.  It’s my battle plan. 

Many times we get discouraged after we attempt a new process only to be stopped dead in our tracks by roadblocks.  Are these roadblocks meant to be a dead end?  No.  A roadblock is an action or condition that obstructs or hinders progress toward an objective.  Very important words – obstructs or hinders – not stop. 

If you’ve tried budgeting before and it didn’t work, consider giving it another attempt.  You remember what W. C. Fields said, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  Your first budget may not be or may not have been perfect, but I hope the suggestions below will help to lessen your learning curve and help you become more confident with your money management process.

Balance your checkbook.  Before you can start your budget, you must balance your checkbook so you will know how much money you have left in your account to spend for the rest of the current month. 

Now you can create your plan for the next month.  Because a budget is a “monthly” cash flow plan, you have to try your best not to spend any of the new income you receive within the month.  This money will be used for budgeting next month’s income.  For example, today is January 7th and I just created my first budget.  My pay dates are January 15th and January 30th.  The money received on the 15th and the 30th will be the income used for my February budget and spending.

Carry a notebook everywhere you go.  This is a tedious process, but it can help you to estimate dollar amounts for your budget categories.  After creating your initial budget, make it a point to write down actual amounts you are spending for each category.  Compare those numbers to your budget estimates.  Are your estimates too strict?  To loose?

Include a mandatory “blow” money category. This area can be your lifesaver.  The blow money category relieves you of surprises and  small instances of overspending.  You place money in this category on purpose to alleviate these financial surprises.  The amount varies depending on your income and your spending tolerance.  You can thank me for this advice later.

Prepare for Lump Sum payments.  These are non-monthly payments which can put a snag in your entire plan if not accounted for.  The answer?  Convert them into monthly savings to avoid strain when the payments are due.  For example, your auto insurance is due in June with a payment of $550.  Since we are currently in the month of January, you have five more months to save up for this large payment.  To calculate the monthly amount to set aside, you would use the following calculation:  $550/5 = $110.  So, you must allocate $110 each month in your budget for auto insurance.  This example holds true for ALL lump sum payments (ex. Real Estate Taxes, Homeowners Insurance, Home Repairs, Medical Bills, Tuition, Vacation, Christmas, etc).

Be patient and flexible.  Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, your budget won’t be perfect in one day, but it will be your guide for spending.  You may at sometime during the month have to change the budget, but it still has to balance zero. For instance, if you have an unexpected expense that requires a $100 payment, you will have to adjust the budget to spend $100 less in another category.  This will keep your budget balance at zero instead of $100 negative. 

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Will you still have to encounter speed bumps?  Probably.  But when issues arise, you will be better equipped to handle them.  Don’t waste time on minute details.  There are plenty of resources available to you to help you reach your financial goals.  Feel free to ask questions.  Matter of fact, I encourage them.

Tell us about your budget bumps or successes in the comments.  We’d love to hear from you.

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Don’t forget to subscribe via RSS or Email to receive updates from this site!  If you’ve already subscribed, I want to say thank you.  Education and knowledge about money is power so don’t forget to pass this message on to your friends.  I appreciate you for your support and I send you lots of love!