NBCLX + Raya Reaves Segment – Students & Money I was fortunate enough to be featured on NBC’s Digital Platform NBCLX to talk about money-saving tips for high school seniors and college graduates! Watch the video below to check out my tips for students, when it comes to their money! Tips for HS Seniors: If you’re taking out student loans, only take what you need as they may offer you more than you truly need. Be mindful to only spend loan disbursements on school and living related costs (not on fun). Create a simple budget as early as possible. If you don’t know what you’ll spend yet, give yourself goal amounts to strive for. Going into college with numbers helps you feel more in control. If possible, try to work a part-time job or side hustle while in school. The money you earn can help you enjoy life and build a savings. Apply for a student credit card, only after your budget is created. Only spend what you can afford to pay off in full.   Tips for College Grads: As soon as you’re able to contribute to your company’s retirement plan. If no retirement plan option is available, open an IRA through a financial institution and start contributing. If student loans or excess credit card usage left you with low credit, focus on building it back up. Your goal should be to pay off debt. You can also leverage Self’s Credit Builder Account to help improve your credit score and history. Save something every paycheck. Create a budget to understand what you can realistically afford to save without touching it. The more money you make, the more tempted you may be to spend. Set short-term and long-term financial goals early on, allocate money towards those goals, then spend o … NBCLX + Raya Reaves Segment – Students & MoneyRead More »

5 Helpful Resources to Learn More About Finance Did you know that April is Financial Literacy Month?! An entire month dedicated to help people learn and understand finance – music to my ears! Obviously, at City Girl Savings, we’re dedicated to helping people learn and understand finance on a daily basis. We should all cultivate financial literacy, because we all need it to function in society. If you’re not familiar with the term “financial literacy,” check out the article What It Means to Be Financially Literate. To summarize it quickly, financial literacy is a person’s understanding of personal finance principles to make better decisions with their money. The better decisions we make with our money, the further ahead we can get in life. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources out there designed to help people learn more about finance. Whatever your learning style, there’s an option for you! Keep reading for 5 helpful resources to learn more about finance. 5 Helpful Resources to Learn More About Finance #1 Podcasts The podcast industry is booming…and for good reason! Multi-tasking is the norm nowadays, so people can get work done while listening to things that entertain or educate them. Podcasts are great to listen to while commuting, cleaning the house, or while exercising. If you’re a person who takes in information orally, podcasts can be a great resource to help you learn more about finance. Here are some of our recommendations: The City Girl Savings Podcast – We launched the City Girl Savings podcast at the beginning of the year. It’s a weekly show focusing on the intersection of money and the city-girl lifestyle. If you want to enjoy your life, but manage your money in the process, this podcast is for you! Subscribe now! The Corporate Side Hustler – This podcast is great for people looking to start a side hustle, or ditch corporate America and turn their side hustle into their main gig! Choose FI – Looking to potentially retire early? Maybe you just want to reach financial independence? Choose FI is a podcast designed to help listeners improve their money situation and become financially independent individuals. #2 Books You can never go wrong with an old-fashioned book! Some people learn the best by reading, which is why textbooks are such a big deal! Fortunately, there are plenty of books out there related to personal finance. You can find stories from individuals who struggled and turned their situation around. You can also find how-to guides to help you become better in specific financial areas. Before you dive into picking a few personal finance books, decide what type of book you’ll actually read. Do you like straight-to-the-point walkthroughs? Maybe you need some humor and story with your education? Narrowing down your preference will make the book search easier! Check out the article 5 Books That Changed How I Handle Money for the five books that had the biggest impact on my personal finances. This article is a great starting point if you’re struggling to find a book. #3 Blogs Do you enjoy the digital aspect of reading? Perhaps you like getting personal anecdotes from people you admire or relate to? Blogs are a great resource for learning more about finance, and like books, there are plenty of options out there to choose from. You’re obviously already privy to the City Girl Savings blog if you’re reading this article (and P.S., thank you for that)! Thanks to the City Girl Savings blog, I’ve been able to find plenty of other bloggers in the finance space. I’ve also made friends with other finance bloggers! Here are a few of my favorite personal finance blogs and bloggers – some of them have video blogs as well: We Bravely Go – Kara Perez of We Bravely Go has done a great job of educating people on financial principles. If you’re not earning much, or want to a path to get started, this blog won’t disappoint. Investing Latina – July of the Investing Latina is so sharp when it comes to teaching others how to invest. She also has no problem sharing her own wins and opportunities. The Organized Money – Alaina Fingal of the Organized Money incorporates planning into her money and budget routine. They’re more connected than you think, and Alaina does a great job of merging them! #4 Coaches, Educators, and AdvisorsWhen it comes to learning about money and implementing what has been learned, some people need extra attention. Working with a coach, educator or advisor can provide the extra accountability needed to make the right changes. I like to look at working with a coach as an investment – an investment in skipping the learning curve and saving time. When you work with a coach, you’re learning exactly what you need to do when it comes to your money. You no longer have to leverage the trial-and-error approach. As long as you do the work, you’ll get the results. Does this sound like something you need? Schedule a free financial focus call with me! I’m a personal finance coach who specializes in budgeting. I help women create and stick to realistic budget plans to allow them to reach whatever goals they set for their lives. You can also find other coaches, educators and advisors online. Start with Google, explore Instagram, and reach out to established financial institutions. There’s no reason for not finding someone who suits your needs. #5 Online Courses and Workshops The final resource you can leverage to learn more about finance is online education. Digital courses range from small to large, inexpensive to expensive, there are a variety of online courses and workshops to help you improve financially. If you want to grow or learn more about a specific topic, I’d recommend a workshop. You can get specialized training in the topic of your choice and quickly implement what you’ve learned. If you want longer, more extensive training, online courses are a great option. One of the most popular finance courses is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. City Girl Savings also has an online program. Money Management Mastery is an 8-week step-by-step program designed to help people master the money they make. We only open enrollment once or twice a year, so get on the waitlist to be informed the next time it comes out! Related: 6 Need-to-Know Principles of Personal Finance   Finance is not as taboo of a topic as it used to be! You can find plenty of outlets to learn more about the subject without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. How do you learn best? Drop a comment below … 5 Helpful Resources to Learn More About FinanceRead More »

Control Your Spending Like a Pro! This post is made in partnership with The Network Niche Influencer Agency and Control Card. All opinions are my own. I’m all about controlling my spending. Obviously. I’m a budget coach! However, I wasn’t always a coach! In fact, there was a time in my life (early 20s, college student) where I couldn’t control my spending if you paid me! The minute money hit my bank account; it was gone. So, if anyone understands the struggle that comes with controlling the impulse to spend, it’s me! That’s why I’m so excited to share how you can control your spending with The ControlTM Prepaid Mastercard®(1)! Why wasn’t this around when I was in college?! Keep reading for some tips and tricks on how to control your spending like a pro! Why Prepaid Cards Keep Your Spending Controlled The most important aspect of a prepaid card is that you have a set amount of money on that card, and that’s it. Once the money is spent, there’s no more spending left to do until the card is reloaded again. This can work to your benefit when trying to control your spending! It’s like using cash. Once the cash is gone, the spending stops. However, there’s no hassle of managing cash! Your balance is managed with your prepaid debit card. I’m personally not a cash person, so I love leveraging features that help me control my spending without the need for using cash! A prepaid debit card is the perfect tool for managing your variable spending. Think things like groceries, gas, discretionary, and other spending that most of us do each month but may struggle with managing. Put your budgeted amount for those spending areas on your prepaid card and VOILA! You can now control your spending like a pro! Introducing the Control Prepaid Mastercard Now that you can see the benefit of controlling your spending with a prepaid card, I want to introduce you to the Control Prepaid Mastercard! And yes, I have one too! Driven by a greater purpose to see ethnically diverse communities succeed, Control is committed to helping you take Control of your money and experience new financial possibilities—together! How amazing is that?! Any resource designed to help us break through the system and come out on top with our money is high in my books! What really takes the Control card to the top is the mobile app(3) that comes with it! The app lets you manage your account wherever you are, whenever you need it. This means you can always keep an eye on your spending! Use it to check yourself!  Plus, the app lets you set up Anytime Alerts (TM3) and get text messages alerting you of your Card Account activity. There will never be a reason for your not to stay on top of your spending money! Another awesome feature that comes with the Control card is the ease and accessibility of transferring(4) money to other card users! If your family, friends or significant other have the Control Prepaid Mastercard or other Netspend prepaid cards, you can easily transfer (or receive) money online.  Whether you have friends or family who owe you money, or if you need split purchases, Control Card makes it easy to get your money without having to worry about continuously following up. Trust me, I know that’s not a fun activity!  All in all, the Control Prepaid Mastercard can help you control your spending by giving yourself only what you need to spend. There’s no getting around the need to keep our spending in check, so make your life a little bit easier with the Control Prepaid Mastercard! -RayaThe CGS Team   1 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OPENING A CARD ACCOUNT: To help the federal government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, the USA PATRIOT Act requires us to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens a Card Account. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU: When you open a Card Account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and your government ID number. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying information. Card activation and identity verification required before you can use the Card Account. If your identity is partially verified, full use of the Card Account will be restricted, but you may be able to use the Card for in-store purchase transactions. Restrictions include: no ATM withdrawals, international transactions, account-to-account transfers and additional loads. Use of Card Account also subject to fraud prevention restrictions at any time, with or without notice. Residents of Vermont are ineligible to open a Card Account.  (2) Cash Back Rewards is an optional program. You may opt-out at any time by visiting the Cash Back Rewards page in your Online Account Center. Reward offers are based on individual shopping habits. Cash back rewards are credited to your Card Account and are not available in the form of a check or other direct payment method. See the program FAQs and Terms and Conditions in your Online Account Center for additional details about how and when you get rewarded. Program sponsor: Netspend Corporation. MetaBank and Mastercard are not affiliated in any way with this program and do not endorse or sponsor this program. (3) No charge for this service, but your wireless carrier may charge for messages or data. (4) Fees for bank transfers are determined by the transferor’s bank and may be charged to the transferor’s bank account by the service provider or originating bank. No cost for online or mobile Account-to-Account transfers between Netspend Cardholders; a $4.95 fee applies to each such transfer conducted through a Netspend Customer Service agent. The Control Prepaid Mastercard is issued by MetaBank®, National Association, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Netspend is a registered agent of MetaBank, N.A. Certain products and services may be licensed under U.S. Patent Nos. 6,000,608 and 6,189,787. Use of the Card Account is subject to activation, ID verification, and funds availability. Transaction fees, terms, and conditions apply to the use and reloading of the Card Account. See the Cardholder Agreement for details. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Card may be used everywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted. © 2022 Netspend Corporation. All rights reserved worldwide. Netspend is the federally registered U.S. service mark of Netspend Corporation. All other trademarks and service marks belong to their … Control Your Spending Like a Pro!Read More »

#17: Why Your Budget Should Always Include the Things You Love A budget is the number one tool for financial success. No matter how much money you make, or how little money you make, you absolutely need a budget to manage that money properly. Create a simple budget plan by listing out your monthly bills, expenses, and spending. Then, list your monthly income. Subtract your monthly income by your spending and assess what is left over. That left over amount (also known as profit) is what can be used to allocate money for fun and to your financial goals. One of the most important reasons to include the things you love in your budget is because it allows for sustainability. Constantly telling yourself not to spend money on things you love sets you up for failure. Instead, factor an amount you can afford into your budget. When you know you can afford to spend money on fun things, you won’t feel bad for doing so. Here’s a glance at this episode: [01:25] Learn to take the emotion out of budgeting. A budget is simply a tool that provides you with information on what should be happening with your money. [02:40] When creating your own budget, it’s important to make sure all of your bills, responsibilities and priorities are covered first. [06:39] There is an exception to the budgeting-for-fun rule: when you’re working towards a tight savings deadline, fun spending may be put on hold temporarily. [10:30] Don’t be afraid to experiment with your budget month over month. Look at each month as a fresh start to find a money routine that works for you. Click here to listen! Rate, Review, … #17: Why Your Budget Should Always Include the Things You LoveRead More »

How’d She Do It? Rachel Rodgers Whe … How’d She Do It? Rachel RodgersRead More »

March 2022 Money Review When it … March 2022 Money ReviewRead More »

What You Should Save Before Becoming a Full-Time Business Owner I’ve been running City Girl Savings since 2014. We officially launched on 1/1/2015, but there was a lot of work to be done prior to launching.While I started the business nearly 8 years ago, I only became full-time in May of 2021. That’s right: it took me 6 years to finally take my business full-time.To be honest, though, when I started City Girl Savings, I hadn’t thought about taking it full-time…at least right away. I’ll share more about that later!If you’re thinking about quitting your job and taking your business full-time, keep reading. I’m sharing what you should save before becoming a full-time business owner.My Full-Time Business Owner JourneyAs I mentioned above, when I first launched City Girl Savings, I hadn’t thought about taking it full-time. I was making money working from home with another company, so I just wanted to focus on growing City Girl Savings.I started the company with a loan from my own personal savings. I was constantly feeding money into the business to cover expenses.I was making good money elsewhere, so it wasn’t straining to constantly put money into the business. I eventually got a business credit card and maxed it out with social media marketing.I was spending so much money on paid traffic and not seeing a financial return. I didn’t start making consistent money in my business until year 3, and even then, I was still in the red.I was spending more than I had coming in.Finally, in year 4, I made the decision that I wanted to take City Girl Savings full-time. I was nowhere near where I wanted to be financially to do that, though.From a personal perspective, I had some debts that I paid off and some investments I was focused on. My emergency fund wasn’t where it needed to be. I also hadn’t hit a net profit in my business.When I made the decision to take City Girl Savings full-time, I completely reevaluated my situation. My boyfriend and I had purchased our condo, so my monthly expenses had gone up.I needed to have a safe number in savings before I could even dream of quitting my job.My safe number ended up being 15-months worth of expenses. I’m not saying that’s the amount you need to have saved before taking your business full-time.It’s the number I felt comfortable with based on my current situation – personal and business.It took nearly 3 years to hit this number and make sure everything else was tightened up (no debt, business generating what it needed, etc.), but I eventually got there.My last day in corporate was 5/13/2021 and the next day my boyfriend and I went to Hawaii to celebrate. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, but it’s been a journey!There’s something different about knowing you no longer have a steady paycheck.I certainly prefer the stability, but the time-freedom that comes with running your own business and working on what you want to work on is worth the instability of not having a steady pay cycle!What You Should Save Before Becoming a Full-Time Business OwnerNow that you’ve heard my story, let’s talk about what you should save before becoming a full-time business owner!Let’s start with your monthly business expenses. How much does your business spending monthly to stay operational?You’ll want to have 3 months’ worth of this number saved in your business bank account. That way, when you do go full-time, you won’t be worried about your business having enough money to cover what it needs to.Once your business savings is taken care of, it’s time to think about your personal situation. You should be budgeting your money on a regular basis. In doing so, you’ll be able to determine how much you need to make to survive.What are your monthly bills and expenses? I recommend having six months’ worth of this number saved in your personal savings account.Next, think about your personal goals and wants. Are there things you’re saving for currently that you’d want to continue saving for when running your business full-time?What about your normal life? Do you have certain non-necessary expenses you wouldn’t want to get rid of?The point is to think about what you have going to savings and fun monthly and decide if you want that to continue when running your business full-time. If so, have three to six months’ worth of this number saved as well.All Things Point to Business RevenueOnce you have your business and personal expenses saved, it’s time to focus on getting your business revenue to a place that covers your personal and business expenses each month.If your business expenses are $2000 a month and your personal expenses are $4000 a month, your goal is to get your business to make $6000 a month.If you can do that before quitting your job, you should never have to touch all the savings you have before running your business full-time.Now, things never go 100% according to plan, but if you know your business can make what it needs to (because it has before), then you should feel confident that it can do it again.Related: 10 Lessons Learned After 4 Years in BusinessBefore wrapping up, let me just say that this article is solely based on my own opinion and experiences.I took a more conservative approach before leaving my corporate job, and that’s because I have a certain lifestyle I like to live. I also have other people who depend on me to do my part, and I never want to feel like I can’t cover what I need to.I gave myself 15 months’ worth of time to find other revenue, if my business couldn’t generate what it needs to. That’s a comforting feeling.You don’t have to do it how I did it, but the more security you give yourself, the better you feel. Not to mention, you don’t want your business functioning from a scarcity perspective!Are you thinking of taking your business full-time? How much do you want to have saved? If you’re a full-time business owner, what was your journey t … What You Should Save Before Becoming a Full-Time Business OwnerRead More »

#15: My Debt-Free Story and the Biggest Takeaways Did you know millennials carry an average credit card debt amount of about $4,600?I’m proud to say that I’m credit card debt-free, but that wasn’t always the case.In fact, I had gotten myself into tens of thousands of dollars in debt multiple times.It’s like I hadn’t learned my lesson the first time and kept coming back for more.Thankfully, I got myself out of debt for the final time and I’ve stayed out of it!The first time I got into debt, it was due to constantly spending more than I had.Over time, my debt continuously compiled on top of itself.It took years and thousands of dollars to undo the damage.My biggest takeaways from this experience were:It takes minutes to go into the amount of debt that can take years to pay off.Interest is a killer – it keeps you stuck in the debt payoff cycle – especially when you have high balances.Never go over the credit limit and never pay late – the fees aren’t worth it.The second time I got into debt, it was because I convinced myself the money I was spending was good for my business…it wasn’t.I went down a blackhole of marketing that cost me so much time and money.I thought because had curbed my desire to spend on material things, I’d be safe.I convinced myself that paying for all this website traffic was helping my business – only to realize I had spent all this money on traffic to FEEL good.My desire to spend up until this point was always based on how it made me feel. Now I’m finally at a place where I spend based on how it impacts my budget and goals. I make sure to budget in fun money, so I can feel good when I spend but NEVER to the point where I’m not in control.Thankfully now I can control my thoughts, which control my emotions and I’m never driven by that feel good desire to spend – especially when it comes at the expense of something else.I eventually paid that debt off and have managed to stay debt-free ever since.If I can do it (twice), anyone can do it!Here’s a glance at this episode:[02:10] Credit limit increases can be dangerous territory as they give you a false sense of security that can lead to more spending.[04:31] Learn from my mistake…making minimum payments and continuing to use credit cards, combined with interest fees, can quickly take you over the credit limit.[06:52] If you’re not careful with your credit card usage, it can take minutes to overspend and accumulate debt, and then take years for you to get out of the debt payoff cycle.[08:49] If you do not get to the root cause of your overspending, you will end up back in debt.Click here to listen!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple … #15: My Debt-Free Story and the Biggest TakeawaysRead More »

#14: Mapping Your Path to Millions I’m not a millionaire…YET! But, it’s something I’m actively working on and it’s something that is realistic for everyone. Anyone can become a millionaire. Sure, it may be harder for some people compared to others, but it’s possible for everyone. The earlier you start investing, whether it’s through retirement or not, the easier it will be to reach the million dollar mark. There are 8 steps that everyone can take to work towards millionaire status. Step 1: Affirm your million-dollar savings goal. Put out into the universe your intentions of becoming a millionaire! Step 2: Start reducing your negative “profit margin”. Get rid of any unnecessary or excess spending and use that money to save and invest. Step 3: Live a life of frugality. Frugal living doesn’t mean not spending on things that matter to you, it means saying no to things that don’t matter – or saying no to things that don’t help you reach that end goal. Step 4: Ask for a raise (or start making more money). Once you get your spending under control and have your investments set up, you can make more money to help you reach your millionaire goal faster. Step 5: Start investing. The earlier you start investing, the more you will have when you’re ready to take that money out. The power of compounding growth is unmatched! Step 6: Remember, your 401k is an investment. Your 401k or retirement plan is an investment vehicle! You can put all your effort into that plan to help you become a millionaire by the time you retire. Step 7: Change your circle of influence. Jim Rohn said “you are the average of the 5 people you hang around”. If you want to be a person who makes money moves, start hanging around other people who make money moves. If you want to be a millionaire, start hanging around millionaires – easier said than done, I know, but they are out there! Step 8: Stay consistent and be patient. Anything worth having is worth working for, so stay consistent and don’t give up until you reach millionaire status! Here’s a glance at this episode: [03:39] If you want to become a millionaire, the first step is to affirm your million-dollar goal. Affirming this goal can happen in a variety of ways. [06:28] Increasing your profit margin over time is the goal. The more you have leftover after your bills are paid, the more you can save and invest to get to the million dollar milestone. [11:13] Investing is one of the best ways to reach a million dollars, especially if you’re getting a later start with your savings. [15:12] Leverage an online calculator to help you determine what you need to contribute towards retirement. Click here to listen! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Raya and City Girl S … #14: Mapping Your Path to MillionsRead More »

6 Money Moves to Make Before Starting Your Business Starting a business can be a lucrative and fulfilling task, and I don’t just mean financially! When a person starts and grows a business, they put a piece of themselves into it.That’s what can help you put the time and effort into making the business a success. More and more people are looking to start businesses, and for good reason.Has the thought of starting a business crossed your mind? If so, I challenge you to tap into that power! However, you’ll want to make sure you have a few money moves completed before getting started.Not only will this help set your business up on the right foot, but it will help ensure you have exactly what you need to have in place before diving in.Keep reading for 6 money moves to make before starting your business.6 Money Moves to Make Before Starting Your Business#1 Pay down your high-interest debtTake it from me, you want to get rid of any and all high-interest debt before you get your business up and running.If you don’t want to wait, at least get your debt to a place where it’s manageable. Your business will eat up your funds, especially in the beginning or before you start making a profit.Because of this, you’ll want to make sure your cash flow isn’t tied up in debt payments.You can also consider a consolidation loan. Basically you put all your balances into one loan with a much lower interest rate. Your monthly payment may be high, but at least it won’t fluctuate over time. It’s not easy or fun working to pay down debt, but you’ll feel so much better about starting your business knowing that you don’t have to worry about interest-bearing debts.#2 Make sure you’re saving for retirementThe one thing I love about working for someone else is they usually offer retirement plans with matching contributions.This allows you to get more bang for your buck each pay period and contribute more towards your retirement. Not to mention, 401(k) plans have higher contribution limits than IRAs.When you start a business and focus on it full-time, you won’t have the option of contributing to a 401(k) plan. At that point, your only option is an IRA.It’s still better than nothing! Get into the habit of saving for retirement before you start your business, so you have peace of mind knowing that you’re looking out for your life at retirement.#3 Start eliminating any unnecessary expensesAs I mentioned before, your business will eat up a lot of your funds in the beginning. There’s always a new cost or unexpected expense coming up.It’s much easier to deal with this when you have the extra money on hand. Get rid of any unnecessary expenses before you start your business to free up monthly income.Save extra money and put it into a high-yield savings account to help cover your business costs. Since you eliminated unnecessary spending, you transition that money right to something worthwhile.This is where a budget can come in handy! Your budget should outline everything you spend and allocate your money to.When you have that holistic view, you can pinpoint things that don’t need to be there. Once you’ve identified costs that aren’t serving you, get rid of them and put that money somewhere else.#4 Have a personal emergency fundDo not start your business if you don’t have any form of savings in place. Whether you’re running your business full-time or not, you absolutely need an emergency fund.I would suggest having 3 months’ worth of expenses saved before starting your business, at minimum. Personally, I had 15 months’ worth of expenses saved before I took my business full-time.I did this because I share expenses with my boyfriend and I didn’t want him (or me) to worry about costs not being taken care of.When I first started my business, it was a part-time side hustle. I had money saved because I had forecasted some start-up costs for my business.I didn’t have that much saved, however, because I knew I had a full-time job with income coming in to support my lifestyle.If you’re not taking your business full-time right away, you still need an emergency fund. You never know what could happen or what costs your business may need to get up and running.Having that savings will make you feel more at ease and comfortable financially.#5 Decide how much you want to start your business with and save that amountIt’s not realistic to expect that your business won’t need money to get up and running. In fact, it’s wise to take a conservative approach.Expect to need more money than you originally think you will. Whatever amount you think your business will need to get up and running, multiply that by 2 or 3.Once you have identified the amount you need to start your business, it’s time to start saving for it! Have that amount saved before you start your business.I promise you that mental security is priceless. Knowing you have the money before you need it is so valuable. It also allows you to focus on your business without worrying about making money right away.You don’t want a scarcity mindset when starting your business!#6 Have a plan in place for adding personal funds to your business (in case revenue is slow)Let’s assume you saved money to start your business and ended up using it. What now?If your business has additional costs, you’ll need to pay with your own money. Start thinking about this before it happens! What is your game plan?How will you know when and how to add funds into your business?Maybe you have a line item in your budget for business. If you need it, it’s there and if you don’t, it gets saved.Your plan could also consist of the business earning money. That puts some pressure on you and your business, but it means you won’t need your personal funds for the business.Another option is loaning money to your business. Anytime you use your personal funds to help the business out, your business has to pay it back at some point in the future.I did this early on in my business. Since I was running my business part-time, it wasn’t making as much. When I had a big expense, I would loan the business the money.The business eventually paid it back, with interest, and it’s all legal.Regardless of the option you go with, have the plan in place before a situation comes up. It may be difficult to think about, but it’s be one less thing to worry about when you get your business started.Related: 5 Ways to Find Motivation to Start Your Side HustleOnce you have the 6 money moves above in place, there’s no financial worry that should be holding you back from starting your business!You have put yourself in the best position to succeed financially as you get ready to start your business. That’s a wonderful feeling.Remember, you don’t know what the future holds, but you can do things now to set yourself up for success!You got this! Have you started a business? What money moves did you make before getting your business up and running? Post a comment below to share yo … 6 Money Moves to Make Before Starting Your BusinessRead More »

#13: 7 Questions to Ask to Determine What You Want Out of Life When you feel like you have a sense of purpose in your life, you wake up each day full of gratitude and a fire to work towards that purpose. I want you to look up and realize that you’ve achieved or you’re working to achieve everything you want out of life. Question #1 What would I like to be doing during retirement? Depending on how you answer this question, you’ll have a better idea of what you should be doing now to get you there. If you know your retirement is filled with travel and luxury, you’ll need to up your retirement savings right now. This could mean some sacrificing now, so you’ll enjoy it later. If your retirement seems low key, maybe you focus your extra money on other things. Question #2 What is my love language? Finding out your love language as early as possible allows you to express to others what you need to feel loved and show love. You’ll have a better understanding of yourself and what you need. You can use this information to share with others, to ensure you’re fulfilled. Knowing your love language brings an added layer of self-awareness, which is the key to seeking happiness. Question #3 What impact would I like to have? I believe we’re all put on this earth to make a difference. That difference can be in the form of helping one living thing or thousands. When you know the impact you’d like to have, you can start doing things to help you leave that impact. You can act with the intention of having that impact on others. This will leave you feeling fulfilled at the end of your days. Question #4 What are my core values and beliefs? When you know your core values and beliefs, you can act in integrity with those values and beliefs. When I say “core values and beliefs”, I’m referring to the key principles you stand by. The point is to identify your core values and beliefs and start living a life centered around them. Question #5 If money were no object, what would I be doing? I challenge you to get deep here and have fun. The goal is to understand what brings you joy – whether it requires money or not. When you know what brings you joy, you can start putting yourself in a position to consistently seek out those things. Question #6 What am I most passionate about? People can be passionate about a variety of things. There’s no right or wrong answer here, only the answer that serves you. Similar to the other questions: when you know what you’re passionate about, you can start working towards having those things in your life regularly. Question #7 Do I like to live in the moment or plan ahead? I ask this final question because it’ll help give you insight into how you operate. If you’re a person who likes to live in the moment, you’ll have to work a little harder to have a plan in place for your life. If you’re a person who likes to plan ahead, you’ll have to be mindful of your day-to-day activities. Here’s a glance at this episode: [01:53] First question to ask yourself is what you want to be doing in retirement. What does your life look like then? [03:13] Second question to ask is what your love language is. This helps you understand how to give and receive love. [04:55] Third question to ask is what impact you would like to have. [07:14] Fourth question to ask is what your core values and beliefs are. These will help you make decisions throughout your life. [08:15] Fifth question to ask yourself is what you’d be doing if money were no object. [09:24] Sixth question to ask is what you’re most passionate about. [10:11] Your final question to ask will help you determine how you should plan your life. Are you more spontaneous or structured? Click here to listen! Rate, Re … #13: 7 Questions to Ask to Determine What You Want Out of LifeRead More »

5 Easy Ways to Incorporate More of You in Your Business Branding From one business owner to another, nothing sells better than YOU! This is especially true for service-based businesses. Business branding is everything!I used to hide behind the City Girl Savings brand. Instead of putting my name and face out there, I’d act as if I was The CGS Team. Technically, I wasn’t acting – I was The CGS Team!My point is that I never let anyone see or hear from me. I did this for years, but it wasn’t until I came out of the shadows that my business truly started to take off.I was afraid to let myself shine through in my business and its brand. Whether I lacked confidence, had imposter syndrome or felt safer behind the CGS Team, I eventually fought through it.When I started introducing myself, showing my picture and sharing my story, more and more people wanted to hear from me.I looked like them. I had the same experiences as them. Because of that, they knew me. They liked me. They trusted me. Now, I’m no longer afraid of being the face of my business. I’m no longer worried about how others may perceive me.I’m unapologetically me and it’s opened my business to more than I ever though possible. I want the same for you.If you’re hiding in the shadows, it’s time to come to the light! Check out 5 easy ways to incorporate more of you in your business branding.How to Incorporate More of You in Your Business Branding#1 Show your face on videoOne of the best ways to incorporate more of YOU into your business’ branding is by hopping on video. That’s right, show that pretty face of yours!You can do this via YouTube, Instagram stories, Instagram Live, Facebook live, or by recording a video and sharing it.Let people see you. Let people see the person behind the brand. This builds a connection that turns into long term supporters, a thriving community, and new customers.I know it’s not easy, especially if you’re an introvert, but don’t let that stop you. In fact, share that information with your audience! Let them know you’re getting out of your comfort zone.The support you get makes the effort worth it!#2 Include your own personal experiences in your content (social media posts, blog articles, podcast, etc.)One thing I started doing that changed the game for my business was including more of my own personal experiences in my content.Now, I share how I did something, how it impacted me, what results I got, and so on. I also share my thoughts, feelings, struggles and awakenings.Nine times out of ten, your audience or someone watching can relate to your own personal experiences. Sharing builds that connection I mentioned earlier. When someone feels they relate to you, they instantly learn to like and trust you.Your entire piece of content doesn’t have to be centered on your own personal experiences, though that isn’t a bad idea.You can sprinkle in bits and pieces of your own experiences. You can use your thoughts as nuggets to drive home a point.An easy way to get started is to share why and how you started your business. I did this for City Girl Savings in the article My Start-Up Story: Why I Started City Girl Savings.#3 Give a glimpse into your lifeLooking for another easy way to incorporate more of you in your business branding? Give glimpses into your day, dinner, or life!Share the people you love. Share your pets. Take a picture of what you’re eating for dinner. People want to know you’re a real person.I started doing this on in the form of a monthly “Day in the Life” series via Instagram stories. I take my audience behind the scenes of my life on a particular day each month.I’m personally trying to get better about doing this on the regular, but I knew if I had a set day/time every month, it would happen.You can ease your way into this. Start small by sharing your favorite way to have coffee.Eventually you’ll get comfortable with sharing more about your life, and that will turn into an eager and engaged audience!#4 Share some of your favorite things Maybe you’re not ready to give your audience a glimpse into your life just yet. Instead, share some of your favorite things.You can do this in a blog post, in a pre-recorded video, in a social media post or in an email newsletter. Just take the time to share the things you like most.Feel free to start basic with things like your favorite color, song, movie, or hobbies. Then work your way up to your favorite podcasts, stores, influences and start sharing why.This is a great way to continue building upon that connection your audience craves. It also helps people get a better understanding of who you are.Sharing your favorite things lets potential clients know if you both jive. If not, it’s totally fine! You want customers you can jive with!#5 Put your picture up in multiple placesIf you’ve been following along but feeling anxiety with each tip that passes by, start here! If you want to incorporate more of you into your business branding, start by putting your picture up!Put your picture on your website, put it on your business’ social media platforms. Share it in stories! It doesn’t take as much effort to share your picture as it does some of the other ideas in this article.Start here to get your nerves to wind down. Don’t have a picture worthy of sharing? I highly doubt that—but consider taking headshots.Everyone needs a professional headshot, and it could be a great picture to share across your marketing channels.Related: CGS 5 Year Mark: Success and OpportunitiesFollowing the tips above will help your current and future customers relate to you in ways you never would’ve expected.In a saturated online space, the only thing differentiating you from someone else is your own look, experiences, and voice.YOU are the thing that makes your business different. Share more of you, and those who resonate will become loyal followers and customers.Are you scared to put yourself out in your business? How do you incorporate yourself in your business’ branding? Share yo … 5 Easy Ways to Incorporate More of You in Your Business BrandingRead More »