Awesome Wealthy Woman's Strategies For Paying Down Debt

When most people think about their debt, they think about the ‘big 3’ – mortgage, car loan and credit cards.

There are different strategies for each type of debt, which I’ll cover in the next couple of blog posts, so let’s dive right in…

Mortgage

This is likely the biggest debt you will ever assume and it is not to be taken on lightly.  You may be familiar with stories of folks who were talked into buying more house than they could really afford and then getting stuck with huge mortgage payments and, sometimes, foreclosure when they couldn’t keep up on their payments.

Strategy #1 – Pay Your Mortgage Bi-Weekly

This is the single biggest contribution to reducing your cost of borrowing.  Yes, your mortgage is a loan.  Granted, it’s one that can span up to 25 years for repayment but you must remember that the longer you take to pay it down, the more interest you are going to pay.

When you pay your mortgage bi-weekly, you will automatically shave years off your amortization period, saving yourself thousands of dollars in interest.

For example, when we chose a bi-weekly payment, our 25-year term was reduced to 22 years and 4 months right from the start  – saving us the interest we would have paid on those 2 years and 8 months.

Strategy #2 – Make Lump Sum Payments

Please note – not all mortgages allow you to make lump sum payments so double-check the terms of your mortgage to find out if and when you can make lump sum payments and to what maximum amount each year.

If you are able to make lump sum payments, these will go directly toward the principal amount of your mortgage, reducing it faster and costing you less interest.

In our case, we were allowed to make lump sum payments up to a maximum of 15% of the original mortgage amount each calendar year.

When you make your regular mortgage payments bi-weekly and make additional lump sum payments in the weeks between regular payments, you will see your balance owing drop significantly.

Just by using these two strategies, our 25-year mortgage was paid off in about 9½ years – what a great feeling!!

BONUS TIP:

If you are living at home (rent free) and saving to buy a condo, townhouse or detached home, start putting what your mortgage payment would be aside in a special savings account.  This helps you get used to having that money allocated for your future mortgage.

In addition, the money that you set aside in savings will become your down payment and help you get a solid foothold on the property ownership ladder.

Next time, I’ll be sharing strategies to buy the right car for you, without having to finance it.

Until then, if connecting with me feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“It’s time to start thinking differently about money and debt and start the healing process – and the process toward wealth and freedom.” ~ Robert Kiyosaki

Awesome Wealthy Woman Says 'Automate Your Wealth'

Two of the most common New Year’s resolutions are to pay down debt and to start saving.

If these two are on your list for 2015, why not make it as easy as possible to achieve your savings goals?  (I’ll talk about paying down debt in another post).

How?

By automating your savings.

When you set pre-authorized payments (PAPs), you create a ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ savings plan.  One that will never forget to set the money aside and will ensure that you keep building your nest egg for the future.

There are several ways you can do this and it is to your advantage to maximize them (and your savings!)

First – if you have an RRSP or a company pension plan that you can contribute to by payroll deduction, this reduces the amount of taxable income on which your income tax is assessed (savings #1).  When you contribute the maximum allowable to your RRSP each year, you can claim your contributions on your income tax and generate a refund (savings #2).  BONUS TIP:  Re-invest your tax refund into your RRSP and you will continue to grow your retirement funds.

Second – if you have a TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account), you can set up an automated transfer each month, up to the maximum allowable contribution for the year.  This is a particularly attractive savings vehicle as you will never pay tax on the interest you earn on your contributions, and, you will never pay tax on the withdrawals you make from the account.

Third – if you set up an automatic transfer from your chequing account into your savings (aka Emergency Fund), you will find that you become used to your ‘new normal’ in terms of how much money you have available to spend.

The beauty of your automated savings is that you don’t miss what you don’t see (in your day-to-day spending account).

Meanwhile, your automated savings are going into one, two or three different accounts that will grow and provide you with the financial security you want for your future.

Although you can get away with contributing less when you start young, don’t let your age stop you from implementing these plans. 

It’s never too late to start building your future wealth and there is no better time to start than right now!

A word of warning – be sure that you do not exceed any legislated maximums for your contributions, in order to avoid penalties and, most importantly…

Leave the money in your accounts!!

The longer your money has to accumulate, the more you will have – thanks to the power of compound interest.

So get going this week and set up (or top up) these three accounts and then congratulate yourself for taking a very important first step towards your financial security.

Ready…set…SAVE!!

If you need some help finding the money to move into one (or more) of these savings accounts and connecting with me feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“Forgive yourself for your past money mistakes. When you know better, you can do better.  Make it your business to learn how to ‘do’ money better.” ~ Patti Smith, Founder, Awesome Wealthy Woman International

Awesome Wealthy Woman Says 'Forget Making Resolutions - Set Your Wealth Intentions Instead'

Just 3 more sleeps and we will be starting a brand new year!

Can you feel the excitement that’s building?

Are you feeling a swell of anticipation about what your 2015 will bring?

This is the time of year when many people set their New Year’s Resolutions.  You know, that ‘same old, same old’ list of things you think you should want to accomplish over the next 12 months …

…Lose the weight I put on over Christmas (and maybe a few more pounds as well)

…Quit smoking (I licked that one in 1997 and have been blissfully smoke-free ever since)

…Clear out the clutter in my …kitchen…spare room…closet…office…

While those are all worthy goals, statistics tell the sad story that most people will break their resolutions in the first 3 to 12 weeks of the new year, depending on how committed they were to the resolution in the first place.

I’d like you to stop writing that list of resolutions and focus instead on creating your ‘Wealth Intentions’ for 2015.

Not sure what I mean by Wealth Intentions?  Here are several for you to consider:

1)  I intend to create my personal and business (if that applies to you) Emergency Funds
     and make regular contributions to them from every pay cheque, or, monthly – it doesn’t
     matter what the frequency of contributions is so long as you make them!

2)  I intend to set up a pre-authorized deduction of at least 10% of my net pay into a TFSA
     (Tax Free Savings Account) or RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) – if you
     don’t already have one or both of these, get them set up as soon as possible in the new
     year.

3)  I intend to create a realistic debt repayment plan to eliminate my consumer debt as soon
     as possible – if you’re unsure how to do this, start by listing all your debts and the
     interest you are currently paying on your outstanding balances. There are many other
     things you can do in this category but this is your essential first step.

4)  I intend to expand my knowledge of money management by reading at least 1 related
     book, magazine or website every week – if you’re not a fast reader, make it every
     month…just do it!

By now, you can see where I am going with this.  Are you starting to get some other ideas for your Wealth Intentions?

Most importantly, phrase them in the present “I intend…”.  While ‘I am’ are the two most powerful words you can speak, “I intend” are almost as potent.

Then, ensure that you have worded your intention in a positive way (no negatives here, please).

BONUS for those who want to quit smoking (I used these when I quit in 1997):

“I intend to be smoke-free for the rest of my life” and “I intend to be free of cravings for cigarettes for the rest of my life”.

Remember, it takes anywhere from 3 weeks to almost a year to make a new habit your default behaviour so keep at it!

Repeat your intentions out loud every day…

Post them where you can see them throughout your day…

Take action on them!!

In addition to the usual good wishes for a healthy and happy New Year, I also wish you huge success with setting, implementing and reaping the rewards of your Wealth Intentions!

If you would like help in creating your Wealth Intentions and connecting with me feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“Every decision you make takes you one step closer to being wealthy…or one step further away.” ~ Shay Olivarria

"Twas 3 Nights Before Christmas"

Twas 3 nights before Christmas

and all through the house

came delicious smells

cooked up by my spouse.

The emails and cards

Were already sent

With heartfelt good wishes

and true sentiment.

When what to my wondering mind

Should occur

But the need for a blog

That good feelings could stir.

So now, my dear readers

As I wind down the year

These words do I offer

To bring you good cheer.

The love of your hearts

And the talents you share

Will make all the difference

And show how you care.

Keep striving and learning

Your wealth to increase

May your lives be enriched

and blessed without cease.

And now I must close

for the family is here.

Merry Christmas to all
And a Happy New Year!

Awesome Wealthy Woman Asks, 'Are You Investing in Yourself?'

When most people think of wealth, they think of rich people who have advisers telling them how to invest their money in order to make more money.

That’s one kind of investing, but there is another kind which is even more important and that is, investing in yourself.

What do I mean by investing in yourself?

Are you continuing (or perhaps starting) to learn about money and how to make it grow?

What books have you read?

Seminars have you attended?

Audio programs have you listened to?

There is such an incredible array of information available to use, both online and offline.

When was the last time you visited your local library?  You may want to check out its ‘Business’ section and see how much is there for you to learn.

You don’t need to be a high-income earner or high-net worth individual to value good financial advice.

You don’t need to have a huge stock portfolio, or real estate holdings, or other valuable collection in order to start learning how to make the most of your money.

You just need to take some time and invest that in learning as much as you can about how to make your money grow.

Make up your mind that you are going to become well-versed in everything you can find that can teach you how to have your money make more money for you.

That investment of time, attention and energy in your own financial education will pay rich dividends if you master the lessons and implement them.

So … fire up the “Google machine” as a colleague of mine calls it or dust off your library card and get started on the investment in a sound financial education. 

Your potential gains are only limited by what you believe you can achieve!

If you would like a list of the books that I consider to be the “Essential Wealth Library”, please visit my website and check the ‘Resources’ tab.

If you would like more support and connecting with me feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Awesome Wealthy Woman Asks 'Is Your GPS Working?'

Everyone is familiar with the GPS (Global Positioning System) that comes with their vehicle or that they can buy to stick on their windshield.

It’s a handy device that can show you the way to get where you’re going when you don’t know the way.

Did you know that you have another GPS?

This one is your ‘Get Prosperity Sooner’ system and, for many of us, it doesn’t work all that well so we tend to ignore it completely – or worse – we don’t even turn it on.

Our childhood programming – from family, school, friends’ families, the media, etc. – all tell us that making money and being successful are HARD.

We are told that we have to get good grades in school so that we can get into a good college or university and pay lots of money to earn degrees that may or may not allow us to work in our chosen field when we graduate.

We are taught to expect to incur thousands of dollars of student loan debt in order to get that degree and that it will probably take most of our working lives to repay it.

We are told to expect to have to ‘pay your dues’ and ‘put in your time’ and put up with all manner of unpleasant work, colleagues, bosses and customers in order to collect our meagre pay.

And…we’re taught to believe that there is no other way…

WRONG!!

I am here to tell you that there is absolutely another way to live your life and create the wealth that you desire and enjoy doing it!

Since the old ways have caused us to lose heart and turn off (or ignore) our Get Prosperity Sooner GPS, why not try turning it back on and see where it directs you?

What if you could take the knowledge and experience that you have gained and turn it into a book, or a workshop, or train and certify others to do what you’ve learned to do?

What if you could find a way to take the hobbies and passions and interests you have and share them with others who are looking for what you already know?

The old ‘Theory X’ management style in the old hierarchical workplaces is broken.  It’s been broken for a long time and the sooner you realize that the person in charge of your future is YOU, the happier and more in control you will feel.

Use your Get Prosperity Sooner GPS to find people with similar interests.

Look for potential Joint Venture partners or associates who serve the same type of clients that you want to serve but with a different product or service (perhaps something they would buy before, or after, they would buy yours).

Open your mind up to possibilities and keep asking “How can I…?” and “What would happen if…?” and “Who do I know that…?”

Remember, you are the CEO of YOU Inc. and your Get Prosperity Sooner GPS is your number one tool for creating the success and wealth you deserve.

If you need help calibrating your Get Prosperity Sooner GPS and connecting with me
feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu

Awesome Wealthy Woman Looks at Family Values and Spending

It’s official … you now have less than 24 days to complete your Christmas holiday shopping.

Do you have a budget for this year or are you just going to dash out, buy everything you can think of for everyone on your list and hope you get to the end of your list before your credit cards are maxed out completely?

Have you taken a moment to really stop and think about why we exchange presents at this time of year?

My religious upbringing was in the Anglican church – singing in the choir and caroling with my friends from school.

When we heard the story of the birth of Jesus, we understood that the wise men brought gifts to honor the arrival of God’s son on Earth.  We give each other birthday presents, so this made perfect sense to me as a child.

The idea that we would receive gifts too, from our family members  - and from Santa – was exciting, and we used to spend hours poring through the holiday gift catalogues, carefully marking every item that we wanted.

We were also taken shopping so that we could buy gifts for our family and friends and it was always an important excursion, which usually included a special lunch.

I have fond memories of decorating the tree as a family and coming into the living room during my parents’ annual Christmas Eve gathering to call up the chimney to Santa the one gift we really, really wanted before being shooed up to bed.

There was magic and a sense of wonder about this important day in the year.

There was a general mood of happiness and anticipation.  Christmas dinner was planned and executed with the greatest attention to detail.  And each year, the time spent with family and friends became more important.

Nowadays, people seem to be running around, oblivious to the real reason for the celebration of Christmas.  Regardless of your religious background, or lack thereof, this time is meant to be a celebration of the ‘family of man’.

While it is lovely to receive a gift that was chosen for us with care from a relative, friend, co-worker or client, the best gifts are the sharing of ourselves – our time, our company, our stories, our laughter – and the creation of new memories of good times spent together.

Instead of spending, spending, spending (and perhaps overspending), why not start a new tradition this holiday season?

Why not make a charitable donation in the name, or memory, of a loved one?

Why not volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen, or an organization that donates food, gifts and clothing to those who are less fortunate?

Why not make the spirit of giving of ourselves the focus this year?

Please take another look at your list and ensure that there is something on it for someone who would otherwise go without this year.  I guarantee it will make you feel wonderful!

If connecting with me feels right for you, please call me at 705.881.1846 or 1.844.881.1846 or email me at Patti@AwesomeWealthyWoman.com and I would be delighted to speak with you personally.

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” ~ Dale Evans