Fiscal Fitness - Money Strategies for the Fitness Obsessed

Episode 57: Are you eating all your money away?

One challenge that Coach Jill sees time and time again is that clients tell her they are blowing their budget when it comes to food and eating out. So many people are frustrated with how much they are spending in this area (or are too scared to even look!), but don’t know where to begin with getting it to a place they feel great about.

In this episode she shares some of the easy things you can begin to do today to gain control of your food budget and use your money for the things that you really care about!

 

Tips and strategies from Coach Jill:

• Gaining clarity around how much you are spending on food and eating out is the first step to making a change. Total it up and reflect on what OTHER things you could be spending that money on? Are you just eating your money away?
• Be open to trying something new. Shop at a new grocery store, mix up your meals, make dining out special again by making it an event instead of an everyday occurrence.
• Shop the ads/sales and plan your meals around them.
• Food and meal prepping will save you money AND time - the preparation that goes into it is much less than the hours you spend every week making multiple trips to the store or to grab takeout - don’t believe me? Try it for two weeks - one tracking your time without meal prep, and one with!
• Meal delivery services definitely have a time and place - use the introductory offers to try out a few, even if only for a week here or there - sometimes they can be just the break we need in order to get back on the meal prep horse and try again!

Resources:

• Try out Freshly with this link and get $40 off! http://refer.freshly.com/s/jillemanuel
• Try 4 FREE meals with Green Chef by using this link: http://greenchef.com/invite/qz6b8z
• Looking for some meal prep inspo? Check out this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday/
• 25 tips to cook once and eat for the week: https://www.eatthis.com/meal-prep-sunday/
• Podcast episode 24: Meal prepping with Dr. Mike Simon

Episode 58: Cognitive Biases & How they affect our money and spending Part 5 of 6

This episode is part 5 of our 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! (Make sure you check out part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 if you haven't yet)

It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day.

In this episode, Coach Kelsa discusses how the Negativity Bias is impacting the way we define ourselves with money, our desire to make lifelong changes and the way we see our past decisions with money.

In this episode you will learn:

• The Negativity Bias - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making
• How this shows up on a regular basis for us
• How it impacts the way we feel about money and ourselves as money managers
• How we can overcome this bias
• The impact of the Negativity Bias on marriage: https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/how-to-prevent-negativity-bias-from-running-your-marriage/

How to overcome the negativity bias:

• Solution 1: Positive self-talk: “The single most important underlying factor is….how we talk to ourselves about our experience.” Value all the good and positive aspects of your life so that you are not overcome by the negative. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to a friend.
• Solution 2: Avoid over-analyzing by not overthinking decisions you’ve made. We can always find fault or imperfections. Instead, try creating a playlist of music that makes you happy or read a good book when you find yourself beginning to overanalyze.
• Solution 3: Try to look at decisions and ask yourself “What did I do right and what will I repeat next time?” and “What would I like to do differently next time?”
• Solution 4: Focus on the idea that our money is something we should be curious about- we should experiment and try new things and challenge ourselves. Our goal is to make progress and not be perfect.

Resources:

• Part 1 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 2 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 3 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 4 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• 13 ways to conquer financial temptations so you can spend less, save more and be happier!
• Join our free private Facebook group, Fiscal Fitness money strategies for driven professionals and solopreneurs, here
• If you are inspired to help others with their money ask to join our free private Facebook group, Financial Coaches Unite here or check out the Financial Coach Academy here.

Episode 59: Cognitive Biases & How they affect our money and spending Part 6 of 6

Part 6 of a 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day!

This episode is part 5 of our 6-part series on Cognitive Biases and how they impact us and our money each and every day! (Make sure you check out part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5 if you haven't yet)

It’s important to know what these are because they are impacting the way you make decisions and the way you think about your finances every single day. In this episode, we discuss how the Ostrich Effect is impacting the way we approach money decisions - do we tackle them head on or do we stick our head in the sand?

In this episode you will learn:

• The Ostrich Effect - what it is and how it’s being used to affect my  decision-making
• How this shows up on a regular basis for us
• The impact it has on our future potential with money
• How we can overcome this bias

How to overcome the ostrich effect:

• Solution 1: Focus on the idea that paying attention gives you the power to make a decision when necessary. Not paying attention means no decisions are made. It’s disempowering.
• Solution 2: Stop and ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? Why am I ignoring it or putting it off?” Recognize that just because you might think the news will be negative, doesn’t mean it will be. And, even if it is, once you know the reality, you can consider taking concrete steps to improve it. Dealing with debt may sometimes make you feel powerless, but the ability to make changes is what gives you control.
• Solution 3: Seek helpTake charge of your finances and, if necessary, seek help from Coach Jill & I. The more you know about your money, the more prepared you’ll be to handle it responsibly and positively. Commit to asking for help when you notice that parameters you’ve set for yourself are falling out of line.

Resources:

• Part 1 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 2 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 3 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 4 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Part 5 of 6 of the Cognitive Bias series
• Related blog post: 13 ways to conquer financial temptations so you can spend less, save more and be happier!
• Join our free private Facebook group, Fiscal Fitness money strategies for driven professionals and solopreneurs, here
• If you are inspired to help others with their money ask to join our free private Facebook group, Financial Coaches Unite here or check out the Financial Coach Academy here.

Episode 60: Big, Fat, Hairy Goals.

Are you avoiding your Big, Fat, Hairy Goals because they aren't realistic or tangible?

In today’s episode Coach Jill talks about your BFHG’S, big fat hairy goals. The problem with these huge goals we have we start to feel overwhelmed and frustrated with the thought that we will never achieve those BFHG’s.  It’s when we start to put limitations on what we can achieve plus negative self talk that really holds us back and makes us think these goals are unrealistic and unreachable.

How can you make them more tangible and real? What are the best ways to break down your BFHG’s to make them more manageable?  If you stay focused and follow Coach Jill’s simple tips you will see that your big fat hairy goals are actually very achievable!

Tips on making your BFHG's more realistic, tangible and doable:

• Don’t limit yourself to the bare minimum or the easiest goals or what society says your goals should be. Go for what is going to make you happy, what is exciting for you and what is in alignment with your values.
• Once you accomplish your goal ask yourself, “What’s next? What is the next goal that I’m going to go for?”
• Exercise: write down 100 big goals.  Do not self edit or limit yourself. There are no wrong answers. What are 100 big goals that you want to accomplish?
• If you are saying, “This is my dream but I just know it’s not possible,” challenge yourself to find a way to get closer and closer to reaching that goal and making it a reality.  Don’t self limit yourself with negative self talk.
• If you don’t start thinking about big goals that are 3, 4 or more goals down the pipeline you will get stuck and complacent and ok with the monotony.  
• If you know your numbers and plan, you can actually create a very realistic timeline to accomplish your BFHGs.
• For each goal, ask yourself:
  • What are the obstacles I must overcome?
  • How can I prepare for these obstacles?
  • What is my contingency plan when I hit an obstacle?
  • What are the first baby steps to reach my goal?

Resources:

• Podcast episode 47: Making your money goals money habits
• Related blog post: Using visual cues to achieve financial goals
• Related blog post: What your financial goals may be missing

Episode 61: Finance and Fitness - here are the top 10 traits that will make you successful in both!

Over the years financial coach Jill Emanuel has noticed that the great majority (80%!!!) of our one on one financial coaching clients clients are focused on their health as well as their finances. This fact got her wondering if there were certain personality traits that these people possessed that made them more likely to be successful in both. She has identified 10 traits that she sees time and time again in the clients we work with, that makes them people who are highly likely to be successful with their finances AND with their health.

Here are Jill's top 10 traits of people successful with both their finances and health:

1. They believe things (they) can be/do better.
2. They are OK with being temporarily uncomfortable for the greater good
3. They ask questions and seek advice and guidance from others who are successful at the things they want to be successful at 
4. They know their numbers. 
5. They abandon the ALL or NOTHING mentality. 
6. They are open minded to trying new things.
7. They are focused on a specific goal. 
8. They create a plan and stick to it.
9. They find a support system. 
10. They celebrate their wins.  

Related links

Podcast episode 57: Are you eating all your money away?

Podcast episode 49: New years resolution super episode

Podcast episode 40: 9 strategies to help you manage your time and money

Blog post: Budgeting for health insurance and medical costs

Podcast episode 24: Meal planning and prepping with Dr. Mike Simon

 

Episode 62: The Power of Focus and Intentionality - Client Interview with Truman Weston

The Power of Focus and Intentionality - Client Interview with Truman Weston

Truman Weston is an accountant in the Lake Tahoe, California area, who stumbled across Fiscal Fitness while researching other potential lines of business that he could add to his already successful accounting practice. What he found through coaching is not what he expected, but so much more. He found that the connection between his money and his life was not what he had believed it to be. Through coaching, he found a renewed passion, not only for his business and its future, but for his life. 

In this episode Jill and Truman discuss these pearls:

• A plan without action, does not get you anywhere. And accountability to take that action, can provide the motivation you need to make massive change in your life.  
• Earning more money is not always the answer. Knowing that the money you are earning is being used to help you live the life you want can make all the difference. 
• Being “good” with your money, and having clarity and a plan for your money are two very different things. Once you have clarity around your finances it can give you the confidence to make decisions and take actions that you otherwise would not have felt confident in making. 
• Learn to dance with the feeling of fear. The more opportunities you give yourself to fail, the more likely you are to grow.  
• If you’re ready to make a change, hiring someone to help and paying for a coach gives you skin in the game. 
• Knowing you have an appointment with your coach, helps to push you into action. You know you have someone to show up for and will be held accountable.
• Books and trainings are great for gaining knowledge, coaches can help to open the floodgates.  

More about Truman Weston:

After years of working with hundreds of small business owners as a CPA, Truman Weston saw a need.  The need is that most small business owners fall into the role of reactionary ( working in their business).  They are consumed with putting out fires each day and over time they become tired of it, uninspired and alone.  They lose the excitement they once had in their business. Simply put, this is due to a lack clarity on WHY it is they do what they do, and also lack of a clear vision of what they want to accomplish. Truman helps small business owners gain excitement through development and execution of an inspiring strategic plan.  Helping business owners wake up each day with a sense of excitement for that day’s work is what he is here to help with. If you are a small business owner and feel stuck, lack of focus, and are not excited about the future, Truman can help! He even has a no strings attached-exploratory 1-on-1 phone call to discuss your situation. Just send him an email at trumanweston@gmail.com or DM him through Instagram @trumanweston

Episode 63: How be make money as a reseller with Rachel Sodergren

Nowadays there are so many opportunities to make some extra side hustle money.

Uber, Lyft, Fiverr and Postmates are very common options; just to name a few. 

We have all sold something that we had lying around the house or just weren't using anymore.

Maybe you have a garage sale once per year, consistently sell unwanted items on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace or really like to refinish old furniture.  You can take the same principles and, with a little strategy and elbow grease, make some pretty good money with a side hustle where you resell clothing, shoes, furniture and more.

Rachel Sodergren makes extra money every month by sourcing items that she wants to sell by shopping around Goodwill, Salvation Army and other local thrift shops, cleaning the items, then selling them online for a profit. 

She actually says she enjoys the thrill of the hunt, learning more about pricing and trends and making money all while having fun. 

If you are looking for ways to make some extra money, enjoy the sport of shopping and enjoy using your hands and being creative; reselling might be for you.

In this episode you will learn:

• What is reselling and how you can make some extra cash doing it
• What Rachel's process and normal day of reselling looks like
• How to get started reselling: equipment needed, strategies, etc.
• Helpful links and resources so you can learn reselling best practices

 

Links to Rachel's eBay and Poshmark stores:

https://ebay.com/usr/soderrach

https://posh.mk/1giOG7dIUY

 

Links for helpful resources for new resellers:

Youtube channels dedicated to reselling:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMRgFPXOgQrtejm_FZaJmVw

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4wV_IzlDCvZdw86Y4kRn2Q

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKoGXDJr0Tamg5zNIYed8lg

 

Helpful reselling Facebook groups:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/397275407350527/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1903866586517271/

Episode 64: Roadmap to Financial Independence

Get your Roadmap to Financial Independence

We’ve got something exciting brewing over here at Fiscal Fitness that we can’t wait to share with you! If you haven’t yet heard of the Financial Independence (FI) movement, get ready - this is the topic of our newest LIVE course, that will be kicking off on Oct 21 2019. In this episode Jill provides a little sneak peak into Financial Independence and why this movement might just be the thing you’ve been searching for. 

Notes from episode:

• The Roadmap to Financial Independence LIVE course kicks off on Oct 21, 2019 
• Weekly Zoom group calls on Monday nights for 4 consecutive weeks
• You get interaction and additional support from our financial independence experts within our FB community 
• Everything you need to kickstart your journey to FI 

Resources/ links related to topic/ mentioned in podcast:

• Check out www.fiology.com if you want to binge on other blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos ALL dedicated to the topic of FI
• You can enroll in the Roadmap to Financial Independence course by visiting https://financialcoachacademy.thinkific.com/courses/financial-independence

Episode 65: Coach Jill's Top 5 Money Mistakes

We’ve all had our fair share of financial mistakes. All of those coulda, woulda, shoulda’s can weigh heavy, but know that you aren’t alone. I’ve had plenty of my own mistakes and in this episode I am sharing five that if I had a time machine would travel back and change today! 

Below you can see a list of my top 5 money mistakes but you'll have to listen to the episode to learn why they were such a big mistake and strategies on how you can avoid making one of those mistakes in the first place.

Here are Jill's top 5 money mistakes:

• Money Mistake #1 - I didn’t invest early
• Monday Mistake #2 - I didn’t understand the true cost of my college education and didn’t take proactive steps that would have helped reduce my student loan burden.
• Money Mistake #3 - We purchased a house when we should have rented.
• Money Mistake #4 - I kept telling myself “I deserve it” or “I’ve earned it”.
• Money Mistake #5 - I was to prideful. 

 

Episode 66: Coach Kelsa's Top 5 Money Mistakes!

Did you catch Jill’s Money Mistakes? It was episode 65 so if you haven’t listened to that yet our owner and CEO, Kelsa Dickey, highly recommends it.

She actually LOVES talking about mistakes she and her husband Michael have made. Which, maybe sounds a little strange but it's the truth!!!

The easier it becomes to reflect on your past mistakes, analyze them and learn from them, the smarter you feel and the easier it becomes to anticipate future mistakes - and ultimately prevent them! How cool is that? 

 The better we get at owning our mistakes, the easier it is to take them in stride when they happen. The result is that you can actually be better at taking action overall because you don’t live in fear of making another mistake. And we know that happens with people in money - they’ve done some things wrong so they’re sort of frozen in trying anything new.  

And it’s when we shy away from talking about them, brush them under the rug, don’t take personal responsibility over them that they become bigger than necessary. 

Kela tries to do this in her business - she talks very openly about poor choices or snafus and then addresses them head on. Then guess what? She moves on! It’s super freeing! 

It’s now Kelsa's turn to talk about her biggest money mistakes she and Michael have made!! YAY!  

Kelsa wants to be clear----> 

She doesn't regret any of these. Regret is such a strong word and in all of these, she's somewhat grateful for the lessons they’ve given her, the insights she now has to do it differently and for making her who she is today. They have made her a better coach because when a client faces something after a bad choice, she knows what that feels like - to look a mistake square in the eyes and have to clean it up. That’s why she doesn’t REGRET any of them.

Here are Kelsa's top 5 money mistakes she and her husband have made:

1. Getting her Master’s degree
2. Buying a big house right after getting married
3. No flexibility in her budget; her expenses matched income
4. Baby-brain - not realizing just how much her decision-making was being impacted during this time
5. She didn’t ask enough questions- they weren’t engaged or curious like they are now

Listen to the full episode to hear about each mistake, why she considers them a mistake, how she overcame them and how to avoid falling into the same traps.