Budgeting is a lot like dieting—it might yield some immediate support, but actually prevent us from succeeding in the long-term. Why? Because budgeting prevents us from reaching the ultimate goal of spending consciously. The Problem With Budgeting Budgets can be very motivating when you think you’re makingchanges that will increase cash flow immediately. The problem,…
DetailsWhen starting the budgeting process, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the little decisions that come up before you’ve even started to track one cent. To streamline the “getting started” phase, I recommend taking eight specific steps: Go high tech. Managing the budgeting process in a low tech way simply means keeping a…
DetailsWhen you feel fear or anxiety around your money, it’s important to distinguish between the manufactured fear and anxiety your brain generates because of disappointment over your cash flow, portfolio or home value, versus the fear and anxiety you feel because you need to take (or avoid) action. People’s fear and anxiety become a constant inner monologue; reviewing…
DetailsIf you’re committed to increasing your wealth, you have to approach it as if you were developing a brand new skill set, such as learning a sport or a game. If you want to continually improve your ability to create wealth, you need to keep in mind 4 stages of awareness and progress. The Four…
DetailsVulnerability is difficult to sustain in an intimate relationship, even without bringing money issues for couples into the fray. You can’t have increased intimacy without regular communication where you allow yourself to NOT be the best you can be, and trust that your loved one accepts and loves you anyway. Money Challenges and Intimacy No…
DetailsWhen it comes to mutual fund investing, many people ask me how to evaluate the performance and quality of their mutual funds in their brokerage account, 401(k) IRAs, etc. Simply evaluating performance in terms of rates of return can be disappointing in our current environment; additionally, it doesn’t speak to an overall investment philosophy or…
DetailsLots of people play the blame game with money—you blame the person who “owed” you because you worked so hard, or tolerated something else that you thought would bring a greater payoff—but whenever you play the blame game, you miss the opportunity to gain more power, control and peace over your money. And when you…
DetailsNo one can ever be perfect with their personal budget; there will always be moments when you choose to overspend in a certain area, because something holds a higher priority for you than sticking to your budget. This can be either a conscious or unconscious decision. But getting back on track doesn’t have to be…
DetailsIf you are going to figure out how to make a budget that lasts, you can’t just jump to categorizing and slashing expenses—that’s a lot like jumping into a diet and following a certain regime without really understanding the “why” behind your eating—it’s not a sustainable solution. Just like with eating, you have to understand…
DetailsThis will close in 0 seconds
