Practical Money Skills:

Do you need a financial motivator....something in the nature of a daily money tutor? Then click here and give "Practical Money Skills" a look. It's free and it's there whenever you need a financial pick me up!

Purchases Should Enrich Our Future:

On the way into work this morning, I was listening to my favorite morning zoo guys, and they reminded me of a question we should all ask ourselves before we make a last minute purchase: "Will this purchase truly enrich my life?" Alright, it might sound like an odd question, but think about it, for more than one minute. "Do I really NEED this $35 T-shirt, or would putting $35 into my savings account that earns 4.5% make me feel stronger and more secure in my day-to-day life? Like most things in life, I find myself making several snap purchases each week without really thinking too much about each of them. If I thought for more than a few seconds, I would probably have more in my retirement account, or I would travel and enjoy seeing the world and experience other cultures. Like the morning zoo guys I agree that we should all have more life experiences; learning and growing as a person, laughing and sharing, and seeing the world for ourselves are good things to invest in. So, with this in mind, here are my questions for each of you. Find the question that fits where you are today and then make a promise to yourself to take care of your future beginning this week: 1) Do you have a retirement account? 2) Have you opened up a second mutual fund (so as to diversify your holdings and spread your risk)? 3)Have you begun your retirement account? 4) Have you thought about beginning a mutual find? 4) Would you like to travel, or jump out of a plane, or learn to fly one? 5) Would you like to take a college class, just for the sheer pleasure of it? 6) Would you like to raft down the Grand Canyon, go to a play in NYC, or spend a week in Vancouver next to the ocean? 7) Would you rather have that expensive pair of sneakers (necklace, car, $1800 flat screen TV).....Or would you rather enjoy life, make the purchases you really want which will enrich your life, and maybe retire at an

Here is my advice - don't wait another day, week, or month, and don't put off saving for an emergency and for retirement...begin this week. Make a call to someone who knows 'how to save' - or call a financial advisor and make an appointment - make several appointments - JUST TO GO AND TALK. This is how I began, and this is how everyone begins...by asking questions and learning. Then choose an advisor (whether it is a family member, a friend in the know, or a professional); begin saving today....put aside $10, $100, or $250 to begin with. Whatever you can afford - you don't have to be rich to open a mutual fund. The trick is to simply BEGIN. This is about baby steps - no one begins all at once with all the knowledge they need. This is one of those times when paying for advice can be a really good thing!

The Effects of Consumerism on Your Life:

Maybe a better title this posting would be, "The Effects of Advertising on Your Budget." Over the memorial weekend I was talking to a friend who has been studying up on non-western ways (subjects like Buddism) as a means of simplyfying his life. He explained to me that for many years he was caught up in having "lots of things." He liked to own the latest gadgets. He owned a big home in a nice area, drove a new car, went on great vacations, and enjoyed many things others cannot because he made "really good money." Despite his monetary success, he felt like something was lacking in his life; all these "things" didn't seem to make him feel like he had really "made it" and he discovered that his happiness was not tied to the material things he enjoyed accumulating. With all that said, I turned the topic to consumerism and that is what this posting is about. I would like to remind my SMTM! students, and other readers, that advertisments and salespeople (as dedicated and needful as anyone) are in business to take away your hard earned money. Everyone wants to convince us that we need a newer cell phone (because the one we have is so inadequate - LOL), that we need to see a movie the first week it comes out, and that all good parents take their children to McDonalds to eat weekly. Dollar stores are popping up on every corner, as are payday lenders, and storage facilities! Why? Because they are GREAT businesses that feast on our percieved needs. We buy more stuff (that we often really DON'T need), then we need more money to cover our debts and bills, and lastly we need a place to store all the stuff because we ran out of room to show it off. We have stores for spending, for lending, and then for storing...that's America! A student from Caracus, Venezuela once told me, "Coach, only in America can someone go to a store (like PetsSmart) where everything in it is for animals!" I concur - we have everything we need, and much that we don't. I wonder how many people "think" they can't budget because they "think" they don't make enough money? I want you to consider that advertising affects each of us, more than we know, every day of lives. TV ads and big signs tell us, "You earned the right to drink a $3.75 latte!" The first fix is simple: Take a moment to ponder over what you can do to keep more of your money working for you, than for someone else. Go to David Bachs Latte Facotr site and see how much all your extras add up to - then let the online calclautor show you how much you spend on your extras in a year...and how much it would be worth to you to set that money aside by investing it. This is your challenge - if you don't know how much money you waste, find out! One of my students was shocked to discover that his energy drink fix was going to cost him about $1200 a year. Before you question me, "No, that is not a typo." Yes, advertisers pay big money to hire focus groups (an ordinary group of poeple) who tell the company marketing directors what they need to do to get people to buy their product, even when they know people don't need "a new phone." Why do you think celebrities get all those freebies? Exactly! They get photographed with the newest Coach handbag and then every teenager wants one. Yep, that's how it all begins. Consumerism at it's finest. Personally I prefer to make my own choices, and save the rest of my hard earned money for myself; retiring at 52 sounds like a good plan to me. Do you have a plan for the rest of your life?

Are You Tired?

When we get tired, many things begin to happen, most of which are NOT good! We eat wrong, sleep more (or less), we stress out about little things that probably won't happen, and both our personal and professional livelihoods may suffer. When you are tired, what is the first thing you give up? Is it "doing the dishes", walking the dog, skipping breakfast, or perhaps you buy fast food instead of cooking an actual dinner? Do you skip seeing your family or friends so you can stay home and rest up? If so, then a really important thing to do when you are especially tired is to simply be mindful. Be aware of when you are about to get overly tired, and be prepared!

1) FOOD: Hit the grocery store and stock up on healthy food - prepare them and keep them ready to go so instead of ordering pizza, you will have something ready at home. Keep healthy snacks at your office to combat being tired - if you don't know the ten healthiest snacks, go online and find them. Prep your breakfast at dinner time...and have it waiting for you to take on the run come morning commute time. If "bad dinner food" makes you feel all warm and cozy come nighttime, then make a meatloaf ahead of time (or other comfort food, but avoid anything fried) - this way you will get all the mouthfeel of what you want, without all the extra fat and calories; make sure to add good colorful veggies to your grocery list. Like apples, but don't eat enough of them? Slice them up, add some lemon juice, and keep refrigerated. Fruit and veggies go bad at your house? Buy some "green bags' - they have clay infused into the plastic which absorbs the ethynol gas that causes spoilage (these bags keep things fresh up to 3 weeks - the commercial produce market has used them for years).

2) SLEEP and EXERCISE: These two things go hand in hand. I was reminded of this when I saw my girlfriends' husband drag himself into the gym the other morning; recently diagnosed with M.S. at only 37 years old, he has just began taking medication. But the drugs that are supposed to help slow down the progression of the disease have turned him into a walking zombie. Hair uncombed, clothes sitting askew, he was still coming to the gym for 15 minutes on a bike; he knows that the ramifications of not getting up, no matter how tired and awful he feels, is the worst thing to do. I figure if he can get going, so can the rest of us. After work, put on your sneakers, grab a bottle of water, and go for a walk - anywhere! Those extra 10 minutes of time in the outdoors making your heart work a little extra is better than nothing - right? If you plop down too soon, make yourself get up during a TV commercial and walk around the block. Take heed though - exercising too heavily can cause you to not be ready for sleepytime until midnight. About 2-3 hours before bedtime, take a really warm bath. Both exercise and bathing will kick up your core body temp a little bit, which, as your body cools off later on, will induce sleep (BTW...showering wakes you up). Another tip - don't nap if you are not a good sleeper; you are just training your body to want sleep whenever it wants. Set a time and stick to it best you can; develop a routine and your body will respond within 21 days.

If you can eat right, exercise a little, and sleep well, you will find yourself much more in control of your life. Control equates to saving money, and that is why I felt a need to remind you, today, to be ready for those hectic times. P.S. Excuse any typos - my computer is creating a problem for spell check so I'm typing this off quickly without much proofreading.

Improve Your Credit History and FICO Score

Tired of a VISA rate of 18%? Want to be eligible for low home mortgage rates and 7% credit card interest rates? The first step might be to become better organized so bills get paid on time. In addition, there are many other things you need to do in order to qualify for the best loans and interest rates. Take steps now to improve your credit history. As of early 2007, 5000 college students will be able to obtain their FICO score for free. On the same Web site, I found all the steps ANYONE needs to take to make themselves look better to a lender. Click on: http://www.whatsmyscore.org/

Learn and Grow: PracticalMoneySkills.com

When I find a great Web site, I want to share it with my readers. This time it's http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com . Years ago, it wasn't much to look at. Now it's jam packed with plenty of well written, basic, step by step lessons. You'll be learning something new and applicable every week! Take some time and scour this website. There are lots of different lessons and categories; make sure you sign up for the free newsletters. Eventually you will graduate onto another site that is a little more complicated and advanced. Or, maybe you will do like I do, which is to spend a few minutes every day exploring Yahoo Finance and MSN Money - then, maybe like me, you will get inspired and then google a specific topic to find out more. (LOL) O.K., so the few minutes turn into an hour - but HEY!...at least it's not wasteful time. This is what learning is all about - exploring. We wander around the Internet, looking for the best information, researching, wanting more encouragement and motivation... all the while discovering new ways to make our money work better for us! Yes, baby steps always lead to something bigger and more challenging. This is the way we learn as children, and this is the way we grow as adults - some things never change.

"The Secret" and The Law of Attraction:

In 2006 a friend turned me onto the DVD called The Secret. It's all about the Law of Attraction which states that whatever you put out in the universe you will get back. Some people explain it by saying that in order to accomplish a goal you need only to ...."Think and Believe to Achieve". Last year copies of the DVD were sold without mass marketing; the lady who read coined the term "The Secret" is a marketing genius. She studied and became a real believer that "we are what we believe". She took a concept from hundreds of years ago, updated it, and created something huge. Recently, Oprah devoted two days on her show to The Secret, and today you find the DVD and book everywhere you look. Bookstores sell it for about $38; the book is less.

SO, is it worth it? I believe you will have to decide for yourself. With that said, I will tell you this: Too many people think negatively and paying attention to what this law states could very well help someone achieve greater things out of life, and money. I permitted 13 of my workshop participants to watch it not long ago; 12 people gave it 5 out of 5 points. The 13th person gave it 3 out of 5, but said he would strongly recommend it to other people. Several people told their officers it was "life changing", but you can decide for yourself. If you took my workshop and want to watch it, give me a call and I will set you up, free of charge.

Chase interest rates using online calculator:

I am always wondering how much more money I could make by moving my money from a 4.5% APR savings account...to one earning 5%. I finally located a calculator on someone's blog that can estimate these additional potential earnings. Try it out and see if your bank is really doing you justice! His blog site is also packed with lots of other solid money tips for good credit card bank rates, and more.

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/2006/10/the-ultimate-interest-rate-chaser-calculator.html

2007 Tax Season Tips

Tax season is HERE, and there is truly no time like today to begin pulling reciepts and such together. Come on, you know that if you procrastinate, you will be tired and grouchy, and mad at yourself for waiting until the last hour - again. So, why not do something different, and then sit back and watch everyone else around you hurrying to get theirs done! Set a date and time (at least two hours) to pull things together. Then call whoever does your taxes and set an early date to get in and get it all DONE. Or get a computer program and do it yourself? Is the short form really the way for you to go? Or, should you itemize your 2006 tax year?

If you get money back, it is to your advantage to do your taxes today - think of all your money earning interest in a short term CD...just until you find something TRULY better to do with it! I mean...I truly believe that you CAN find another means to get caught up on your bills without using your tax money, and you really DON'T need a new TV that bad - do you? Begin saving more money today; take the first step (if you have not already done so) and begin to put some aside for retirement (open a Roth IRA at a bank, credit union, or through a financial planner - or go online at ING Direct and check their IRA programs - it's really so very easy).

For those of you with court fees - chunk 70-80% of your refund towards your fines, and save the rest. I don't know for sure, but maybe you could be one of those people who gets off probation a little early.

Here are some tips from the web to get you going: http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/14/pf/taxes/do_not_miss_tax_breaks/index.htm?postversion=2007021411

Great Online Retirement Calculator!

Let me ask you one question - how much money do you have saved up for retirement? Do you have at least one CD in your name, one savings account (for emergencies) that earns a minimum of 4% (it may be weak, but it keeps up with inflation), and have you put anything into that unique thing called a Roth IRA? "NO?" "Hello?!!!!" I will keep this simple - and it is "simple" - truly it is:

If you are over 25, you should have already begun these 3 things. Why? Because the simple effect of compound interest will work in your favor. A 25 year old who becomes savvy about what they need to do with their $30,000 income will retire far wealthier than someone who is 32 and makes $50,000; that 32 year old can try as they might, but they will struggle to "catch up" with the 25 year old.

Many times my friends and I have each said, "I want to retire young enough so I can still enjoy life." I would guess each of us, including you, would have a different take on how much will be enough money when we are "old". I used to think that once I got my house paid off, that my state retirement plan might be enough. Oops, I forgot about that thing called "inflation"....and I am ASSUMING my health will still good. But what happens if I can't take care of myself and I need to enter one of those $5000 a month assisted living homes? Egads - nope, one retirement plan is NOT enough for most of us if this happens. I'm not saying being poor is a good thing at all mind you, but if you did "O.K" and had a decent job most of your life, I doubt any government or charitable agency is going to help pay to put you up during retirement - I think this group should be called "the once hard working, but now poor group".

I have viewed more websites about how to prepare for retirement than I care to remember. Each one was more confusing than the previous; I could hardly understand what information they wanted me to enter in those dang boxes - until today. I found an 'EASY to understand' website that doesn't take a degree in finance to use. I discovered it when I read an article on Ben Stein - he is that guy with the glasses that many of us know as a comedian/actor. Well, I never knew that this "funny guy with the weird voice" has an impressive education at 2 Ivy league schools, a law degree, an amazing career path that spans both government and private agencies, among other things. I suppose I prejudged him - you know...the weird voice and all made me think he was a just another funny, political satirist type guy. Nope, this guy is incredibly smart, and he is into teaching people about retirement. He sits on a board of this agency that distributes free information. Click on and take a tour - print off some of the materials. Use the retirement calculator and see how much money you will have coming in at age 58, 64, 68, and so on. It took me two tries to figure it out, and here are my tips to you. You HAVE to put in two different savings plans - if you don't have one, just put in something measly like "I have one dollar now and I will put in the same beginning in one year"....you will see what I mean by this. Also, the website forces you to say you have an IRA - use the buck trick again. It may also force you to put in a pension plan amount - again, I don't have this, so I did the buck trick. It will highlight anything it still needs in red...after you fix it an amazing color bar graph will pop up for you. Pretty cool. I discovered at age 66 that my income will drop dramatically before my SS steps in. Lucky I am young enough to fix this problem, but if I had waited I would have had several very lean years, and little travel money to enjoy.

Are you ready to get serious..... or are you still not convinced that today is THE day that you need to get going? I say it's about baby steps; 20 minutes today will get you going.

please check the website out and let me know if you like it, or don't. I'll be looking for your comment!

http://www.retireonyourterms.org/

P.S. You also might want to check out the AARP magazine website. It's pretty useful even if you are younger!
http://www.aarpmagazine.org/ OR http://www.aarp.org

Tucson Money Classes begin Jan. 2007:

Various organizations, in cooperation with the Tucson Public Libraries, will be teaching free financial literacy classes from 1/17/07 through 2/28/07. You will find a tremendously wide range of one hour classes spread throughout the city, so log on now before it's too late. For a schedule, click on http://www.tppl.org.

Tips on Repairing Your Credit:

Now that the holidays are over you, like many people, may find yourself struggling to pay off debt or trying to keep up with a car payment or rent. By summer you may want to apply for a loan or credit card but will be turned down because banks consider you too high a risk. Despite that, there are other banks out there that will take advantage of you. These lenders will lend you money, but do so by jacking up the lending rate as much as 22%! They do this knowing you are desperate for financial relief, and they may rightly assume you don't understand the game of percentages and lending rates. They fully intend to snag and lock you in at these high rates. To your own financial demise you will end up paying off their high percentage "loan"- eventually. What do they do with all the money they make? They take it and re-invest it, and make even more money off you. Lenders prey on those who can least afford a high interest rate, while those who don't need credit can routinely purchase it for as little as 5.9%.

Here are my 4 simple, but mindful, suggestions. The fourth tip comes via Oprah Winfrey.

1. Be organized and smart with your money.
2. Don't let people take your hard earned money out of your hands.
3. When trying to crawl out of debt, look back! Don't forget what got you in debt - do something smarter with your money. For starters, try keeping more of it!
4. Ask for a lower rate on an existing credit card. You can't cancel a card while still paying it off, but you can cut it up and not use it! Explain to the bank rep that there are too many competing interest rates out there; tell them nicely if you cannot get a lower interest rate, your spouse (or parent) is forcing you to cut up your card immediately, and while you really hate the thought of this, it's out of your hands and up to them (banks want to keep you). A rep will transfer you to someone who will try to convince you to stay on with them. By all means give them the chance! Staying with a lender/bank for a long time is GOOD for your credit, and paying it off will help you mend it.

"For me, doubt means don't. Don't move. Don't answer. Don't rush forward." - Oprah Winfrey, June 2003. Oprah is a wise woman and smart with her money. I think this statement from her book called, "What I Know for Sure" is a winner. If you ever doubt yourself, or need a pick-me-up, I recommend you read this book; although it is short, it is full of heartfelt and sound advice and will only take about one hour to read.

I won't re-write all the tips on mending bad credit, but if you want some advice on what do to work on just click on the link below.
http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/English/at_home/columns/repair_110606.php

Save Money - Eat Right!

While I was doing my daily scanning of worthy news articles, I came across this site: www.mypyramid.gov It has some things to get you moving in the right direction towards creating a better you, beginning with what you eat!

I got to thinking (again) that those of my friends who take care of their health and eat right often appear to manage their finances more wisely. Come to think of it, that's really hogwash, but it sounded like a great intro! *laugh* Honestly though, people who watch what they eat, who eat out less often, who walk and smile more, generally seem to have "it" together, if you know what I mean. These people traditionally procrastinate less and are more organized - heck, they have more energy so why wouldn't this make perfect sense!!!

Are you one of those people who eats out more than is healthy? Do you grab a piece of fruit, or a fresh veggie, as often as you do a meal replacement bar, or a bag of chips? If you eat too much meat for breakfast and/or lunch, do you cut back at dinner and make a wiser choice? This website has some good pointers on it, beginning with a daily worksheet - it helps you plan ahead (which saves money as well).

How would you like to have more energy and feel better? How would you like to sleep better, smile more, and cringe less? How would you like to save money, while making your whole life better? Stop procrastinating - knowledge is power! Just like your finances, eating right takes a little bit of extra time, and a little bit more elbow grease. But once you get the tricks down, it becomes second nature. Log on for your life, your happiness, and your pocket book. O.K., I'm stepping off my podium now. "Whew!"

The Old Adage is New: Payment is Compliance

An old adage in probation is, "Payment is Compliance." Walk around the halls at any adult probation office in the nation and you will see at least one sign above a desk reminding us all of this steadfast rule. However, the old rule is "kind of" new again, and people need to sit up and take notice. As minimum wages go up, so do court costs. People can earn themselves an extra payment plan that the courts call "restitution and payments". Those who commit a crime and refuse the (possible) option of probation...who don't want to do community service, or who don't care that much about their families may serve out their time in a jail somewhere. This cold hard fact is certainly not very appealing to many of us. But staying out of jail costs someone money, and that someone is the defendant.

For many people, keeping up with paying their fines is one of the most difficult parts of being on probation. So, in order to help, Pima County Adult Probation developed an in-depth financial literacy program to help people get into the swing of banking and saving, and that is where this blog comes into action. "Show Me The Money!" is a once a week, five week program designed to motivate people to cut corners and save more. By sharing information and learning how to get out from underneath debt, people can begin to get ahead. In probation circles this means complying with the courts and taking charge of financial obligations. I decided I should address this underlying challenge of payment compliance right here - upfront, but not to personal.

The other day I was talking with a supervisor who explained some things to me about payment compliance. He explained that many inmates in jail would gladly pay $2 a day to be "out"... working. They could then go home at nights and enjoy time with their families. That is what probation is all about - giving people an opportunity to have some kind of life while they make work to better themselves, take classes/counseling, and make restitution with the courts and/or a victim. When an officer is encouraging a client to make a payment he is attempting to help someone stay compliant and out of jail. The goal is to keep the case moving ahead in a forward direction so that termination occurs on schedule, or sooner if at all possible. A probation officer's main goal is to supervise and assist people in getting ahead, not to make their life miserable as some people may mis-think. Keeping up with payments and such is only one part of an officer's challenging job, and it is a necessary one.

Clients need to appreciate that at any time supervisors may suggest revocation to an officer, or vice versa. At the judge's decision, a case can be revoked, whereby the defendant is re-arrested and returns to jail. When someone tells me it is more important to keep food on the table for their child than to pay restitution that month, I have to remind them that if they are in jail for failure to pay, someone else will be taking care of their child. The cold hard fact is that probation comes first and people have to find the means to "Get the job done regardless of their other responsibilities." Sometimes I will ask someone to rank the importance of what it is worth to them to get off probation. If they say a 10, but they are behind in their payments, then what they are saying and what they are doing are not matching up. Keeping up with payments needs to be a high priority.

I find both anger and resentment holds back quite a few of my workshop participants. They are angry for being put on probation, and they waste valuable time talking/arguing about the circumstances that got them there. I suspect the person they are really angry at is themselves - for trusting another person, for being in the wrong place, for making a poor choice, or for simply getting caught. Probation is about time, education, and the development of a good tool box. It's also about being financially responsible and visiting the county clerk every week, or month, to make that payment. I encourage people to let go of the anger and just deal with the consequences because resentment only makes for a bad day, and goodness knows things are tough out there as it is. Be thankful of the opportunity you have been given to still be a responsible citizen.

When it comes to paying, something is better than nothing - remember that. The Nike ad says it best, "Just do it!" If you have not paid in months, then for one week avoid fast food, a soda, or Starbuck's coffee...and put the $5 in the clerk's payment box. Next time, make a game of it - can you find a way to put in $10 next week? Most of my students, regardless of their income, can do this quite easily I have found. College students know how to stretch their money very well, hence the term "starving college student" and many do it better than anyone. They eat so much spaghetti, Top Ramen, and baked potatoes it makes me shudder. In 1996, I watched one break off the ends of the broccoli at Safeway one time, and I asked her about it. She told me she wasn't going to pay "that much for all the tough ends." College students do what they can to afford staying in school, and they do so knowing in the end that by pinching money they are buying themselves an education, and that someday soon they will be able to afford steak. We should all be so creative.

Be glad this money management workshop is free. Be happy you still get to "go home" everyday. Be glad someone is the courts thought you were good enough for probation (not everyone is). Begin somewhere, and begin today if you already have not, and ask for help along the way. It doesn't matter how well equipped we are, or how fancy our educations are (or, are not). Basically, it doesn't matter who we are...we all need guidance. It's why some people hire accountants, though it's only the smart people who know what their accountants are doing. Know what you are doing with your money. Know where it is going, understand it's control over you, and most of all appreciate it's power and what it can do for you tomorrow instead of just living for today.

All my best to your future success, Shanon

Online Thefts of Brokerage Retirement Accounts

It turns out, not even your retirement account at a big brokerage is safe! Go to this link for more details on potential web thievery.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2007/01/one_moment_dave.html#posts

It's 2007; Time for Some Goal Setting!

Every time this year we think about what we have accomplished over the last year, and then we think about the new year, looming ahead of us. We ask ourselves, "Do I want to repeat 2006 all over again, or do I want to do something different, or perhaps do something more with my life, my money, and so on?"

Often we get into a rut; we do the same things over and over again. Well, ruts can be destructive to the spirit. Just like our bodies, our spirits need some kind of "food and water" to grow and survive. I think about "changing things up" nearly every day when I wake up, and I try to look at it as a good thing (though I admit is can be scary at times). It may be something as simple as going out to see a movie after work (when I'd rather be home after working 10 hours), or waking up and taking a bath (with candles) before I head off to work. lately though, my thoughts turn to finding a better interest-earning bank, or about moving versus staying in my rather cramped home. I think about "things" a lot because that is my nature. I also recall a simple greeting card that a friend gave me many years back; it was a drawing of a brick wall. That's it - JUST a red brick wall, with gray mortar. Inside it read, "The next time you feel like talking to a man, beat your head against this until the feeling goes away." I laughed, she laughed...everyone laughed. For me however, the card has more meaning than what it implies. It reminds me that, "If I continue to do what I've always done, I'll keep on getting what I've always got." The analogy to the card is that if a man isn't listening to you, then you need a different approach to help him want to listen. Goal setting is something like this for me; if one approach doesn't work, I have to try another way until I succeed. I understood this principle when I accepted teaching this workshop. To be successful at managing money meant I HAD to learn to "like" managing it...or at least find some sort of amusement, or challenge. I knew I had to make it fun for me - somehow, someway.

Who sets goals? My answer is, "nearly every successful person you admire". Many write them down, though I work with someone who claims she hates the word "goal", much like I dislike the term "budgeting". You see, procrastinators NEED to write a goal down, and look at it often so they will act on it. The movers and the shakers, who arise at 5AM, often prefer to keep their goals in their heads. Well, this may work for them, but it isn't for everyone. For many of us, setting goals is a PROCESS, and this process has definite steps, the first of which is to write things down! Buy a journal or notebook, or use your computer if you have one. Just don't forget to print the pages off so you can see them, handle them, write and take notes on them. Tucking them away does us no good whatsoever. It's like the cattlemen I used to work with who religiously weighed and recorded calf weights, but who never did anything with the data - their time and efforts were nearly worthless. So, if you don't plan on working on your goals, you are better off going and cleaning your kitchen counter right now. Reading my blog won't help you, unless you truly want to learn to make better use of your time and money.

1: First of all, you need to know that a goal is different than a dream or a vision. The Dream = No financial worries. The Vision = I'm going to become a millionaire. The Goal = I'm going to pay off my debt, and here are the steps that are going to take me there. You need to stop dreaming that someone is going to come along and give you money so you can do what you dream of. If you are on probation and owe money to the courts or a victim, you need to stop getting upset about it, and organize yourself - let things take their course. You can't control everything - you can do only what you can do. You need to do something- not make excuses. Take a posititve step and own up to what you owe, and step up to everything in front of you.

2: You need a PLAN and the plan needs to be yours - not your mother's, or your wife's plan, but yours! What will make you happy and help you to look toward your future? How are you going to get there - baby step your plan of attack. You must also recognize that many things in your life need some goal setting. You should plan to improve both your spirit and your finances. If you are stuck at home, for whatever reason, you need an outlet. Maybe it's learning to paint using watercolors, or learning to read better. Maybe you can be a pen pal to a person in another country and learn about their life in third world country. Explore the library as an adult - they've changed a lot since we were children! Go to the dog park - even if you don't have a dog. Volunteer at the hospital, holding children whose parents are kept away while they work out of town. Find a reason to improve your own life, whatever that means FOR you.

3: Goals must be specific in order to work for you. I can't just say I want to buy a house. I need to understand what kind of house, what area it should be in, how large, what view it should have, and how much it should cost. I can't simply say "I want lose weight" and expect to lose it. How much, by when, how will I do it, what do I need in order to reach my goal...now the goal is becoming specific.

4: Goals need timelines: If I state that I want to buy a house before March 2007, I should plan on it happening by then. With that said, timelines require baby stepping and they too must be reasonable. When you set timelines, you are setting a goal in an of itself. For example: By January 15, 2007 I will call the mortgage lender and begin the pre-approval process. By January 20, 2007 I will call my agent and ask him to begin locating houses that fit my needs and wants. If I had simply stated that my goal was to find my dream house by the end of next week, then the chance I will find that house is pretty poor. My goal is doomed to fail. Be serious about goal setting and write down some good baby steps and make sure each step has a good timeline. To the procrastinators: Don't give yourself too much time, or you will lose steam. Set a moderate pace - not too slow and not too fast. This leads to success!

5: Now for the doozie---you should state your goal in past tense, so it sounds like you have already accomplished it. Example: "Today is March 15th: I have lost 10 pounds by thinking carefully about what I eat and by walking with Cindy twice a week. I love the feeling of being in control and I am really happy about achieving my goal." Some people call this a "mantra". Sales people are well known for getting up each day and saying their mantras outloud. Think of it this way: People who fail often are telling themselves, through their words and actions, that they are not good enough. They wake up, look in the mirror, and say, "Gosh, I look AWFUL today!" A grunt usually follows that sounds something like, "UGH." Well, do you really think the day gets much better when we do this to ourselves? Hello? Are you listening? We need positive re-enforcement, not negative. Try this simple test: Next time you feel sad, go to the grocery store - walk around pushing a cart and smile...at everyone you see. Smile at the old man who has missing teeth, smile at the lady with the screaming child and tell her she looks nice today, smile at the produce man who has been working 9 hours and wants to go home - tell him he does a great job at keeping things in order. When you go home, ask yourself if you don't feel better. I will bet you do, because when you smile it changes the brain and you actually do perk up! Put a goal in past tense and repeat is outloud.

6: Review your goals: Put your goals on paper, where you can see them occasionally, and then review them once in a while. If you are not moving ahead towards your goal then you aren't doing something right. Plan to make adjustments along the way and you will succeed.

When goal setting some people like to remember the acronym, SMART. Goals must be: Specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and timely.

I believe many of spend more time thinking about what shampoo we want to purchase than sitting down and thinking about what we really want in life. We dream, but we don't spend much time planning. Maybe we should all devote two hours a month to planning out our dreams so we can finally feel what it's like to live fully. Live your dream! Create and give a name your vision- close your eyes and feel what it will be like to reach your goal. Then write down what you need to do, set a timeline, and create the baby steps. When you falter, ask for help from someone you value. Successful people love to help other people succeed. Good luck!