A New Way to Make Money Resolutions Pay Off

by

money resolutionsMoney resolutions sound more painful than the office Christmas party. But…just like showing up to see the boss wear the fuzzy hat and tell lame jokes, money resolutions are important to your future.

 

But resolutions are tricky.

 

The research says 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by February.

 

Which categories go down in flames the fastest? 1. Healthy eating and 2. Improving our finances.

 

Making a money resolution or getting your financial “house” in order is second only to losing weight. But if those resolutions are #1 and #2 that means they are important to a lot of us. So it pays to take time and sort out how to improve the success of our resolutions.

 

The experts say in order to not be a part of those statistics you should break down your resolution into little steps.

 

We love that idea on both fronts: smaller money resolution “bites” that are manageable along with smaller bites of our favorite pizza. (Have you ever met a pizza you didn’t like? Same with us.)

 

We probably won’t be much help on the health resolutions (see our comment on pizza), but money and relationships are our passion so we’ve thought of a few tricks to make your money resolutions pay off this year.

 

Break your money resolutions into three categories and choose one resolution from each category (if you complete it and want to go for two, do it!):

Profitable Money Resolutions:

Money Resolution #1 – Improve Your Finances

There is an infinite amount of “good things” you can do to improve your financial situation, BUT that endless list is sometimes where we get overwhelmed and just tap out.

 

This year choose one financial resolution you’d like to focus on. If you pick too many large goals you are more likely to feel failure when you don’t complete them. Who can save for a house, start a business, and eliminate thousands of dollars of debt in one year?

 

Pick ONE helpful, doable resolutions with a good impact on your new year.

 

  1.  Automate your savings. We recommend an app like Qapital where you can set it to round up your spare change on a purchase to the next dollar amount and it moves that money into an FDIC insured account.
  2.  Evaluate your life insurance. Do you need more? Is there a better product? Are you over-insured?
  3.  Conquer a percentage of your debt. Pick a fun number, i.e. 77% or 51%. Get real with your debt responsibilities and then chunk it up. Remember to celebrate each month as you near your goal (track your progress on your fridge or your bathroom mirror so you can watch that debt shrink!).

 

 

Money Resolution #2 – Invest in Your Relationship

We may both be financial planners, but we think your relationship is more important than your money. So make sure you invest in that priceless relationship this year.

 

  1.  Choose honesty. This year make a resolution to say, “I am not going to tell money lies or fudge the truth to my partner. This means no secret accounts, hiding of money, or lying about expenses. Resolve to be 100% transparent with one another. We call lack of financial honesty, “Financial Infidelity”.
  2.  Budget for a weekly date night.  Date nights are so important to keep your relationship “young”. Allocate that money and think of those funds as a “use it or lose it” account. If you put money aside the person who never thinks you can afford it can’t argue with your weekly plans.  Invest in each other.
  3.  Get your financial papers and accounts pulled together so both know where it all is.  If something were to happen to one of you it is important that everything is easily accessible, i.e. birth certificates, insurance documents, passwords, etc.

 

We know we said to choose ONE of from each category, but we’d really love it if everyone would honesty AND another item to improve their relationship this year. Thanks!

 

Money Resolution #3 – Educate Your Kids About Money

Choose an area of your finances to educate your children on, depending on their ages. Any age is a great age to teach your children something useful about money management. They’re never too old to learn (regardless of the eye rolls).

 

  1.  Open a savings account or a 529 or an IRA. Educate them on the savings vehicle, how to make it grow, and the potential future uses of that money.
  2.  Buy a stock that interests them and teach them how to track it. Some young ones may really enjoy investing, while others not as much. Every person in your house views money differently. And that goes for your kids too.
  3.  Teach them how the cell phone bill works. We have a 14 and 16 year old and this year we are going to teach them how to analyze the bill because they don’t realize data and minutes make a difference. We may even change Cole’s name to “Mr. Data” because he takes so much of it.

 

Pick and choose 3 resolutions this year. You can do it! Pick a winner because any forward progress you make pays off.

 

Pick smaller goals this year. Instead of I resolve to “not be in debt” this year, go smaller and more specific.

 

This is your year for better finances, relationships, and the opportunity to arm your children with money management skills and education. The time you invest will pay off.

Make it happen!

Watch this quick interview about making your money resolutions pay off.

3 Ways To Make A Pain-Free Money Plan

by

financial planning

Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” What a smart guy. (Although flying a kite in a thunderstorm doesn’t look like wisdom at first glance.)

Planning is a key to success – especially with your money.

Planning doesn’t just help you get ahead financially; it helps put (and keep) your relationship on solid footing. When no money plan is in place financial infidelity creeps into relationships.

Financial infidelity is lying, cheating, or hoarding money in a relationship. Basically any dishonesty about your finances. And it’s killing marriages.

A recent study says “money worries” is the #1 cause of relationship strain (62%) – above working long hours (40%), AND extra-marital affairs (36%).

When you don’t have a financial plan people get desperate to fix things and go to extreme lengths like secretly borrowing or opening secret credit card accounts to cover up mistakes. Others might overspend without telling the other because they think it won’t be noticed or matter because there isn’t a plan in place.

Benny is right, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

The Good News: You can avoid the pain of failure by taking these three steps:

1. Schedule a start time.
Be intentional about when you will start your money plan. Circle a date on the calendar to start your discussion about money, or set alarms in your phones for a day and time and then respond to the urgency of that alarm by sitting down and openly discussing your money.

Pick a good time for both of you. Not late at night. Not when the kids are running around or are hungry. Pick a Saturday morning or a weekend afternoon with a glass of wine. Select a time where you can begin to plan to succeed.

2. Name your money plan.
This is a new idea for most people. So it may seem a little odd, but we’ve found if you name your plan for success it feels a little more “official”.

A couple of names we’ve heard are: Our Money Success Plan and The Rock On Money Plan. You can pick anything. The Let’s Buy An RV Plan, The Start A College Savings Plan Plan ☺, The Let’s Not Work For Them Anymore Plan, or The Let’s Destroy Our Student Loans Plan.

Name it. Make your plan official.

3. Make sure you both feel good about the line items in your plan.
Most people marry someone who approaches money differently than they do.

In fact, over 150,000 individuals have taken our free Money Personality Assessment and 80% of the people who have taken it (and their spouse did too) discovered they are married to someone who approaches money exactly opposite from them.

So when you design your money plan, be aware of your differences and honor those. This money plan can’t just be a saving plan. You need spending in there too.

Honor your differences and avoid the pain. Figure out how to craft a plan that takes into account how both of you approach money.

We know that setting aside time to talk about money seems boring. And life is so busy. But we’d really like to encourage you to jump in — pick a start date, make your plan feel official by naming it, and consider both of your opinions as you plan.

We’ve heard from lots of couples in your same boat who took the plunge. The planning plunge. Those couples tell us, “Not only did our finances improve, our relationship did too.”

If you’re not entirely sure how you’re wired to approach money (we call that approach your “Money Personalities” — you each have two), or you have a hunch and you’d like it confirmed, take our free online Money Personality Assessment.

Money and marriage – neither are simple. And we don’t have all the answers, but we are here to help. Leave us a question or comment on your biggest planning challenges or something you’ve found that works for you.

Make it Happen!

Scott & Bethany Palmer

How Your Vacation Can Teach Your Kids About Money

by

Vacation is an amazing time to teach your kids about money. The good, the bad and the ugly all comes out when you are spending time with your family. Maybe it’s the close quarters, maybe it’s because mom and dad see that they are spending WAY MORE than quarters, but whatever it is take a deep breath and then take this opportunity to help your kids understand money a little better.

#1 Let Your Kids Pick An Adventure!

First, they research vacation options, which they will probably do on their phone.  Then they  is make sure it is applicable for the whole family.  So, don’t do something mom or dad will hate.  And the third thing is, they do the research on how much it costs.  It is not like they are paying for it, but the hope is they will appreciate the experience a bit more when they actually know what they are spending.

We did this with our oldest last year.  He said, “Dad I did the research.  It costs $75.  It’s going to be great.  It’s this inflatable ball thing where we roll down a hill.”  So we drive through this trailer park in the back woods of Missouri and we get to this barn where this guy has dug out a huge ditch all the way down this hill with a tractor.  So we squeeze through this tiny hole to get into this inflatable ball (Beth and I did it together), we clamp each other in and the guy just literally kicks the ball down the hill.  You could just hear my sons laughing hysterically.  I was horrified.  We got to the bottom, alive, but with our hearts racing a mile a minute.  It was a great memory and our son got to own that.  

#2 Money Up Front For Extras

So what is an extra.  You know when you are on a road trip and you stop at a convenience store for fuel and next thing you know everyone grabs chips and a soda?  That is an extra.  Or, you know when you are at an amusement park and you want to get a souvenir? You came for the experience not the stuffed animal, so that is an extra.  So up front you explain to your children how much money you will give them for extras each week.  Explain the total amount and then…let it go. Say, “This is your money for extras.  If you spend it all in your first two days, oh well!”  So, it teaches the kids how to make their money go farther.  And, here is the opposite side to that.  Some kids are afraid to spend money so you tell them, “This is your vacation money, you have to spend this money this week.”  If they don’t spend it they have to give it back to you.  So we want to make sure we teach both the Spenders and the Savers.  

#3 Describe Your Money Anxiousness Before The Trip

Often times there is one parent who is really anxious about spending money so they talk about it the whole time and spoil the trip.  Things like, “Oh my gosh!  I can’t believe we are going to do that it costs so much money.”  It ruins the trip for everybody.  And what that teaches your child is that the trip is all about money, but the trip is really about memories, fun, and family.  So talk about your money anxiousness before the trip because that teaches your child that it is okay to have money anxiousness but you need to talk about it, get it out, set it aside, and then go have your fun vacation.  

As we age, we’ll never say, “I’m sure glad we never took any vacations with the kids.”

Yes, trips take some work to plan and it takes money, but memories are truly priceless. Every moment won’t be filled with smiles and rainbows and thankful kids, but some moments will be. And those moments will make it all worthwhile. Involve them in the planning, give them an opportunity to budget some funds, and share how you feel about money and you’ve made a memory and helped your son or daughter take steps toward a positive financial future.

Now that’s worth it!

Scott & Bethany Palmer

 

3 Tips To A No Fight Home Renovation

by

 

When it comes to home remodeling there can be a lot of stress and a lot of money involved!  It is a major financial commitment.  There is a lot that goes into the decisions of remodeling.

 

We just remodeled our whole house in three months!  We considered doing  the standard one room at a time, but…not us!  We jumped in and did the entire house. One huge mess, but only one time. And then it’s done!

 

We knew this could be a stressful time for our family and our marriage so we made sure to talk through things before the dust started flying. Here are 3 things we did before we started that might help you on your next home project:

untitled-design-12

#1  Determine the Value of the Investment

 

Figure out where you are going to put the money and how you are going to get a return on that investment. We are not talking about a flip or flop type of investment.  To recoup the most money from your investment, it helps to make a commitment to the house for a least five years.  You really do have to determine the return not the investment you are making.  And then, figure out where you are going to make the investment.  It’s amazing, but you can put almost the same amount into landscaping as you can in remodeling the house.  

 

#2  Determine the Non-Negotiables

 

If you are married go around the house together, write a list of the things you definitely want to do and another list about the things that you would like but it doesn’t matter as much.  For example, our fireplace reno was a non-negotiable but our master bath was okay and we didn’t feel we absolutely had to have something done with that.  Another example is our upstairs railing.  We hated the old railing so that was a non-negotiable.  Agree on those basic things before you get your estimates because things will otherwise steamroll out of control.

 

untitled-design-6

 

#3  Determine Where Will You Be Living During the Remodel

 

You have three choices.  First, live in the house with all the dust.  Second, live with family or friends.  In our case we love our family so much we didn’t think living with them for nine weeks would help.  Third, check into a hotel for that time (this is what we did).  Our dog and our fish even came.  We got two adjoining rooms so our teenage boys had some space of their own.  We negotiated how much the rooms would cost.  When you go to a hotel for that long you can absolutely negotiate the price.  For example, they don’t clean the room everyday so there are options for them to decrease in costs. We made great memories and had lots of laughs, but none of us want to see a styrofoam breakfast plate again anytime soon.  

untitled-design-11

Remodeling is a big investment of time, energy, and money, but it is also an investment that pays dividends almost immediately. Imagine the priceless peace for your family of expanding your space where everyone seems to hang out. Is it your kitchen? Your family room? The back deck? Or maybe you would smile just a bit brighter every morning if you didn’t have to share a sink with your spouse. You love him or her, but you’d rather see their moves on the dance floor than banging into each other every morning in your bathroom.

 

No matter what you’re thinking, it’s free to dream. Take some time and dream together. Then put some price tags on those dreams, you might be amazed.

 

Make it Happen!

Scott & Bethany Palmer

 

 

Go Deeper

Should you be making homeowner decisions before marriage?  Why & why not?

Check out the ALL NEW Money University to get your money and relationship in order!

So you know how to get out of debt, but you are struggling to figure out how to get out of debt with your spouse?  Discover the 4 Cs to getting out of debt together, now!

How To Score Unusual Scholarships

by

Whether you are investing in your own education or getting ready to support your kids going through college, we have some great tips for you to score some unusual scholarship money!  Did you know that most people go after very general scholarships when there are many unusual scholarships that many people overlook?  Make sure you do your research!  Don’t miss out on some great unique opportunities!  Here are a few tips we picked up from Carrington College that are just what you need to start your search!

crazy-scholarships-infographic-1

How To Score Unusual Scholarships

Standard scholarships and grants offer great opportunities for students — particularly those with exceptional grade point averages and those who have overcome difficult life circumstances. However, in their pursuit for these competitive scholarships, many students forget about the many smaller, yet still valuable scholarships out there. For example, experts at CNBC claim that the chances of getting major athletic scholarships are slim for most students — especially non-traditional students — but lesser-known scholarships can be surprisingly easy to score.

Aside from more traditional and well-known funding opportunities like the Gates Millennium Scholars Program or the Rhodes Scholarship, there are also a number of pretty unusual scholarships available, as Carrington College point out. There are generous scholarships for Dr. Pepper lovers, talented duck callers, and Klingon enthusiasts. They can in fact range from several hundred to several thousands of dollars in value. If you’re wondering how to land one, here are three tips:

Highlight Unusual Talents

You may have taken flak in the past for your unusual talents, but with the right scholarship, that unique ability can pay for your college education. For example, the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest awards $2,000 to the most talented duck caller.

Pursue Unique Interests

Perhaps you don’t have a unique talent or are not aware of it yet — but you’d like to develop one. Many scholarships are offered for unusual areas of study, in the hopes of getting students interested. If you’re a Trekkie and like the idea of studying Klingon, you’re a natural fit for the Klingon Language Institute’s scholarship.

Make Your Resume Pop

According to the Wall Street Journal, the right hobby can make your resume stand out, thereby possibly improving your chances of landing your dream job. Simply claiming you have a rare hobby isn’t good enough — you’re far more likely to impress prospective employers if you can prove that you received a scholarship due to your unique talent.

Grants and scholarships can ease the transition back into student life, allowing you to focus more on your studies and less on your financial situation. Use your valuable experiences to your full advantage, and don’t be afraid to try for unusual scholarships.

3 Reasons Not to be Homeowners Before Marriage

by

Originally appeared in Your Tango, Article published in August 2015 and reposted in February 2017.

More and more young couples are buying a house together before saying “I do.”

[Read more…]

15 Ways To Have Valentine’s Day Every. Single. Day.

by

Keep your love alive (and chocolate on hand) all year long.

stories

Valentine’s day is only 24 hours, once a year – so how do you keep the love growing in your relationship year round? It takes some work and it’s not always easy especially when you are tired and had a busy day. But imagine a relationship where real connection, chocolate, and love notes are common, not the exception.

Here are the top 15 ways to keep your love alive and make it even better after Valentine’s Day:

We would love to hear other great ideas so jot them in the comments section below….let’s make our relationships great this year!!

  1. Don’t pet your dog first – How many times do you walk in the house and your dog gets a kiss and smooch before your spouse does? Be sure to greet your loved one first, before the kids, before the dog or before you get a snack.
  2. Get rid of the mess – who likes to come home to a messy home? No one! Taking a few extra minutes to make things nice and tidy for your spouse. Doing this oozes with “I am ready for you to be home”. And this works for him or for her.
  3. Flowers aren’t just for special occasions – Not everyone loves flowers but most do and we don’t know a guy who wouldn’t love a balloon bouquet with a love note attached!
  4. Surprise, Surprise – Keep the element of surprise alive. A new place for dinner, a surprise camping trip, a room cleaned out, a garage newly organized, taking the kids for an hour or two of “free time”, a back massage. Keep the element of surprise alive in your relationship.40257477 - happy young woman sitting at breakfast tablet holding cup of coffee getting a shoulder massage from her boyfriend. young couple in morning with boyfriend rubbing girlfriends shoulders in kitchen.
  5. Consistent date nights – We can not express enough how important this is. Even when Bethany went through her cancer journey we still took one time a week where we went out, just the two of us. Once a week – that’s right, keep it consistent. (Or as consistent as you can.) Your kids need to see your love grow and the only way for love to grow is if you spend time together. Believe it or not it makes your kids feel safe, knowing that mom and dad love to spend time together!!
  6. Love notes – Make it a goal to send at least 1 love note a week. Either through a text, note on the mirror or letter on their steering wheel. Try a theme to the notes like, “52 wonderful memories I have with you”, or “52 reasons I love you”!
  7. Invest in your relationship – Don’t let this year go by without going to a marriage seminar, class, or retreat. These programs are designed to bring you closer together.
  8. Get a Ph.D. on your spouse – Make it a goal to learn everything there is to know about your spouse. Be inquisitive. Know their love languages, their favorite color, their favorite candy and of course their 2 Money Personalities . (click here for access to the free Money Personality Assessment).
  9. No more “yes dear” – Don’t pacify your spouse. It isn’t nice and it doesn’t help with your connection. If you don’t understand where your spouse is coming from–ask questions. If you can’t finish a job for your spouse then tell him/her you can’t and when you do plan to finish it.
  10. Defend each other – We all need to know our spouse “has our back”. Defend with love and honor.
  11. Brag about your spouse – Once a week, either to a friend or colleague be sure to brag about your spouse. It will come back to your spouse and boy does that feel good!
  12. Refuse comparisons – The grass is always greener on the other side – another person may have shinier hair, or longer legs or a thinner waistline. Make a conscious decision not to compare. You found the love of your life, don’t forget it.
  13. Great eye contact – Nothing says, “I care” more then great eye contact. Nothing says, “You don’t matter” more then wondering eyes. When your spouse speaks, listen, and give the gift of great eye contact.

    29832493 - attractive teenage girl and boy looking at each other smiling

    29832493 – attractive teenage girl and boy looking at each other smiling

  14. Start and end each day holding hands – Ahhhh, how sweet is that? Be one of those couples that you see who really love each other after 50 years of marriage – take each others hands and say, “I love you” or “thank you for doing the dishes” or if appropriate….hold hands and pray together.
  15. Don’t raise your voice – Who likes to be yelled at? No one. Just don’t do it. The dog doesn’t like it, and neither does your partner. Shelve the shouting.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day, all year long.

Scott & Bethany Palmer, The Money Couple, are financial planners, authors, and speakers who help couples tackle money issues in their relationship. Grab a copy of “The 5 Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language,” and take the FREE online Money Personality Assessment.

Originally appeared in Your Tango

2 New Year Challenges for a Healthier, Wealthier Life

by

Did you know that about one third of New Year’s resolutions are about finances?
And we all know the sad statistics for how often resolutions are kept. Hardly ever.

So this year we decided to create some New Year, New Money You challenges to make your money management more exciting and more successful.

Are you up for the challenge?

Challenge #1 Use a Money App

There are lots of apps out there and most of them are free. One we really love is called Qapital! If you purchase something for $2.50 it will round up to $3 and take that difference and stick it in a savings account for you! The average savings is about $44 a month. If you do that for a full year you will have saved about $550, which could be your whole Christmas budget, and it didn’t even hurt!

Some other great apps are MINT and Quick Books! Check those out for personal budgets, and small business management.

pexels-photo

Challenge #2 Invest

Invest in your future, yourself, and your education. Pick one or all three — investing in you is a sure bet!

Invest in Your Future

This is something we are usually really bad at, but the easiest way to do that is using a 401(k) or 403(b) through your employer. Nine out of ten of those have a matching plan so GO DO IT! I was a stay at home dad for seven years so Beth used the 403(b) at our organization while I was at home. Now we both use ours. It is great because it is 100% return on your money. Most companies will match a percentage: 3, 4, 5, or even as high as 6%.

If you can put in 3% and get another 3%, why wouldn’t you do that? I have been in investment advisory for 20 years and I can’t find an investment out there that provides 100% return, so USE IT! If you don’t have one of those use an IRA or a Roth. Just put $50 away a month. It doesn’t have to be this huge amount, just start.

apple-iphone-books-desk

Invest in Your Education

One of the things we are horrible at is continuing to keep ourselves educated. For me as a financial advisor, I have to take continuing education courses, but not every occupation requires it. So you need a little extra nudge. So jump into a community college class or find something online!

How about a class from the world-renown Massachusetts Institute of Technology? They offer all kinds of FREE classes through their MIT OpenCourseWare site – just sign up. Plus you can tell your friends you’re “going to MIT”. Go, invest in your education!

Invest in Yourself

Again, just pick somewhere to start! Get that gym membership, start a home brewing system, take a class, explore the time savings of a virtual assistant or maid, upgrade your look with a new wardrobe or hairstyle, take a floral arranging class, or find a knowledgeable counselor to help you get to that next level this year. Do something that you can really enjoy in 2017.

From the famous “philosopher” Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Start the year off right by challenging yourself to have a healthier, wealthier year.

Make it Happen.

Scott & Bethany Palmer
The Money Couple

Other resources:

[Blog] 6 Benefits of Giving for Your Money and Your Relationships

New Year, New Money You Challenge #5: Give to Others

by

You would think that after you faithfully arrive at #5 of the New Year New Money You challenges (catch up links to other challenges listed below) that it would be a fanfare all about you. And we are proud of you, for sure, but the 5th challenge is actually a reminder that–it’s not all about you. If you are fortunate enough to have money, we encourage you to find ways to “share the wealth”. Give to others.

Congrats. You made it all the way to the New Year, New “Money You” Challenge #5!

shutterstock_567089275

Challenge #5 Consider: Who can you help this year?

How can you share the monetary resources you have? A little or a lot. Who needs your help?

After a rough year financially, when you can only donate a little, is it better to wait until next year when, maybe, you can give a lot?

Not really.

We would challenge you to find some portion of your finances to give to a worthy cause, this year. Your final New Year, New Money You Challenge is to choose a charity and donate to help their good work. Does this mean you have to write some crazy, big check? No. Although, we are sure they would accept it. Just give generously and from your heart.

untitled-design-3

Imagine someone in need, opening your financial gift as if they discovered it wrapped with a big bow and note just for them. Explain to your children how this gift, and the sacrifice you make in giving it, will help others in need.

You are diligent in taking steps to improve your money and your relationships. And now that effort will extend beyond the walls of your home.

Thank you! And well done!

Congratulations on the challenges you conquered to make this year, the best year ever.

Need to catch up?

Challenge #1 – Get a money app

Challenge #2 – Invest in your future – a little grows a long way

Challenge #3 – Review last year’s financial wins and losses

Challenge #4 – Pick your top 3 dreams for 2017

“Then give to the world the best you have. And the best will come back to you.” Madeline Bridges

Keep up the good work!

Make it Happen!

Scott & Bethany Palmer

The Money Couple

P.S. Did you skip a challenge? No worries. Take some time today to make it happen.

It’s Good To Dream: New Year, New Money You Challenge

by

dream, coupleCan Dreams Improve Your Relationship? Do you have a bucket list?

Have you heard someone say they are adding something to their “bucket list”?

Don’t think big, orange bucket that smells like a hamster cage. A bucket list is a compilation of activities a person wants to do before they die.

Why is it called a “bucket list”?

shutterstock_562099636

Well, we had to look it up.

Apparently the list contains items to accomplish or see or experience before one “kicks the bucket”. Ugh. Okay. Not a happy visual, but a good idea.

Research shows actually writing down something you’d like to accomplish makes you 80% more likely to do it.

So our New Year, New Money You Challenge #4 is make a dream list. No bucket needed. We recommend you and your spouse pick 3 money dreams for this year. Three things you would like your money to accomplish for you in the next 365 days.

It can be three small things or one big thing and two small, or any combination that makes your day “in the trenches” seem more worthwhile.

  •      Sign up for the class you have been wanting to take
  •      Take your kids out individually, each month
  •      Go on a vacation together
  •      Paint your house
  •      Read a motivational book each month
  •      Sponsor a child
  •      Save money

Let your mind DREAM and DREAM Big!

Write those 3 money goals on sticky notes for the mirror, the fridge, or your car. Or put those 3 items on a monthly or weekly reminder on your phone’s calendar. Whatever it takes to keep the goals in front of you.

You work hard for your money; make sure this year it works hard for you.

Make it Happen!

Scott & Bethany Palmer

The Money Couple

Other Resources:

[Blog] 2 More Money Challenges: Do You Measure Up? Challenges #1 & #2