What Can We Learn from Bridget Jones?

December 19, 2011 By 10 Comments
MP900433178[1]

Movies can teach us a lot about life and money. I have found that I now like to watch mostly uplifting movies, and tend to avoid movies that bring me down, such as violent or depressing ones. Last night, I watched Bridget Jones Diary as part of my annual holiday movie event. It’s one of my very favorites! I get so frustrated with Bridget; she’s so pretty, naturally sexy, and smart, yet she keeps repeating the same mistakes. She so longs to be healthy and confident, yet she continually sabotages herself in every area that she longs to improve: her career, her weight, her unhealthy habits … [Read more...]

4 Smart Cash Flow Secrets

September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Monitoring Cash Flow is Always Smart! Exactly what is cash flow? It's the flow of money into and out of your financial accounts each month. Even if you are fortunate to have periods when you have more income than you want to spend each month, it’s wise to calculate your monthly cash flow. This is a smart habit for several reasons. Accomplish Your Money Reasons Sooner First, you can challenge yourself to reach some of those money reason goals sooner than you thought possible. For example, if your goal is to donate a certain amount to a children’s shelter by the time you are 50 … [Read more...]

I Can’t Afford It!

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

My son recently wanted to buy a Playstation with all sorts of extras. The “bundle” (as he called it) was too good to be true; it was completely irresistible. What I love about this story is that he did not say to himself: “I cannot afford it”; he asked “How can I buy it”? He calculated how many hours he needed to work in our businesses to buy the Playstation, and then worked 12 hours in a 24 hour period to make it happen before the sale ended. What do you do when you see something you want that is not in your spending plan right now? Do you say “I cannot afford it”? Or, do … [Read more...]

Is the Path Bumpy?

April 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Each month you are moving either toward or away from your money goals. I like to think of each month as one step on a long journey to reach your financial goals. Once again, growing money is like most other things in life; the path is rarely straight. Some months you may race ahead, and other months, you may take a few steps back. Sometimes these cycles last even longer. A simple monthly cash flow statement will easily show your direction for any given month; you can see what actions you need to take to improve your journey.  This statement will help you to think of your own household as a … [Read more...]

Is your money flow positive?

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tomorrow the Financial Woman Alliance for Investment Education expert call will be with April Lane Benson, PhD. I discovered Dr. Benson at the Texas Women’s Conference where she was an authority on overspending and compulsive buying habits at a financial workshop breakout session. I am so excited to personally interview and share her expertise at the Financial Woman Alliance. Money cash flow is such an important step in reaching your financial goals. While one daily purchase in and of itself may not seem to be an issue, the accumulation of those little spending habits can keep you stuck in … [Read more...]

What Are Your Gifts and Passions?

March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tamara Monosoff, founder of Mom Invented, whose mission to “Inspire, Inform & Boldly Promote Courageous Women in Business” and “Celebrate the Creativity of Moms by Launching Innovative Mom Invented Products Around the World” has joined the Financial Woman Alliance faculty. I am thrilled to have Tamara on board, especially since I have been an admirer since reading her book The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thing several years ago. I look forward to interviewing Tamara so she can share her secrets with the Financial Woman Alliance … [Read more...]

Does Anyone Else Procrastinate?

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One of the most challenging aspects for women and investing is time. I have decided the only hope for me to complete the tasks that need my attention, including those around money management, is to get them on my calendar. Last summer I saw that an amazing exhibit was coming to Austin's Blanton Museum from July though January 2, 2011. Where was I on January 2? I could be found standing in line at the Blanton Museum, of course, with the other Austinites that had procrastinated, but were committed to seeing works by Monet and Pissaro. While driving home after strategically making my … [Read more...]