5 Ways to Think Differently About Money and Turn Money Blues Into Happy Money

It's not always about making more money. Try thinking about what money you have differently to feel Happier!

Women in business - if you're overwhelmed about finances, stuck on the treadmill of "never enough" and wonder how to ever get ahead - hang in there. Every Financially Savvy woman has to start somewhere. I sure did. In my pre-savvy days I didn't have a clue about money, didn't think about it really, except when bills were due and that didn't mean they got paid. Part of that was ignorance, part denial, part resistance.  Sound familiar? 

Here are 5 Steps to Help you THINK differently about Your Money - a Key to Acting Differently.

Step 1) The first step of change is being willing to do something different. It really does take 21 days to settle a new habit into your brain. Pick 1 thing from the following list and commit to doing it!!

Step 2) Focus on Experiences rather than stuff*:  I love this one. My husband and I live a simple life and one thing we value over a big house or fancy cars are experiences. Dave’s a hanggliding pilot, we like to travel and I like to push myself exercise wise – occasionally. This weekend I’m doing a 30 mile bike ride in Napa with girlfriends. Yes, there will be food and wine.

Step 3) Value the Money You Already Have: Research shows that after $75,000 a year more money doesn’t make people ANY happier – zip. Instead of focusing on making MORE focus on how can you get the most out of what you have. Think of your money as a friend rather than an enemy.  Look at your expenses – no, really print them out and look. Notice where you can cut and make conscious spending decisions. 

Step 4)  Pay Now, Consume Later:  We are a want it and want it NOW society. And, we have the debt to prove it. Yes, it feels different to SAVE and plan our purchases but the brain is trainable. Take one small purchase this next week and put it off for a couple weeks. Notice how you feel when you DO buy it.

Step 5) Time Affluence: Buy Time*: We are so BUSY. “…30% of emails are viewed as unnecessary.” (Happy Money) Try having a TECHNOLOGY FREE afternoon and unplug from email, texting, Facebook. (really – they’ll survive & you will too!!).

(* Information from Happy Money – Elizabeth Dunn & Michael Norton)

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR ON YOUR WEB SITE?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Certified Money & Business Coach, Professional Speaker & author, Lynn Telford-Sahl, writes the weekly PowerUP Your Money blog for women in small business and direct sales. If you’re ready to PowerUP your Money, your Business & your JOY get your FREE Strategy Session with Lynn at www.joywithmoney.com

"People Love to Give Me Money" - Obamacare Makes Insurers Pay Refunds

"People love to give me money," is an affirmation I picked up from Chellie Campbell author of The Wealthy Spirit, that I LOVE saying whenever I get unexpected money. I just received a check for $120.00 as a refund through Obamacare.

How? Here's the scoop:  Thank Obama for helping insurance companies be more accountable to us and the dollars they spend. The Affordable Care Act requires Blue Shield (& I imagine every other insurer) to spend at least 80% of the premiums it receives on health care services, not adminiatration or advertising. Since Blue Cross didn't, it refunded 2% of our premium which for me amounted to $120.00. Not a lot, but it went right in the bank for the vacation we just took to San Diego. Yes to vacations!!

"This 80/20 Rule of the Affordable Care Act is intended to ensure that consumers get value for their health care dollars. You can go to: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/costs/value-for-premium/index.html  for more info.

I help women in business make more money - keep more of their money - and have fun in the process! Register for FREE Webinar Women's Inner Money Game & How to Win It 

Women in Business: Are you a Financial Innocent? April is Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy month – time to pull your head out of the sand and plunge into learning about your relationship with Money. Not just the numbers – how much you make or what you spend - butwhat goes on with your thinking and your feelings about money.

Inside you is the answer to why you keep repeating the same old money mistakes over and over again. Here are some money mistakes women make: Overspending, Not paying your bills on time even though you have the money, Financially enabling others and not taking care of yourself, or a big one for women in business; Not charging enough!!

You may be like I used to be: I hated thinking about money. But, I had an awakening when I went through the training to become a Certified Money Coach.*  I found out exactly why I had the challenges with money I’d had since young adulthood. Yes, it did have to do with the way my parents handled their money. Not their fault, their parents had influenced them as well, and I was still responsible for the choices I made. But once I connected the dots and became conscious, I was able to make better financial decisions and to create less stress and more financial peace. That’s huge!! .  (*Certified through Deborah Price & The Money Coaching Institute)  Next time: Find out What The Money Types Mean and how each type shows up in your Money Life.

Won't More Money Will Solve All My Problems?

"If I just had more money, my problems would be solved." According to Brad Klontz." (author of academic study, "Money Beliefs and Financial Behaviors: Development of the Klontz Money Script Inventory," published in The Journal of Financial Therapy)  most Americans fall into this money belief pattern.

Our self-worth and our net-worth are very intertwined in American culture and our money beliefs are for the most part unexplored and below the surface of awareness. Have you ever overreacted to a financial situation like your spouse asking you something about the household finances and wondered, "What just happened?"  I know I have. That reaction is tied to your unexplored money beliefs, habits, attitudes and patterns.

The Klontz Study says there are four categories of "money scripts": money avoidance, money worship, money status and money vigilance.

Those of us who avoid money distance ourselves from money. (I used to, but no more). They stick their head in the sand, may abuse credit cards, believe they don't deserve to have money and can sabotage themselves and not understand why.

Then there's a money worship group that believe more money or a windfall will solve all my problems. They are status oriented. They will use credit cards to buy to impress others. Anxiety and status can cause people in this group to take  financial risks.

Understanding and exploring your money beliefs and how these affect the financial stress in your life and how you make financial decisions is life changing. Every money coaching client I've worked with has made belief and attitude shifts in the middle of the coaching process because of the light bulbs of awareness that occur. That's exciting and empowering.

Klontz doesn't let people off the hook regarding the homes they bought and couldn't really afford. He says don't blame Wall Street, but "...what led you to buy a house you couldn't afford?" I don't believe in letting the banks off the hook though.

To understand your money attitudes, beliefs and behaviors more read Mind Over Money by the Klontz's or my favorite: Money Magic by Deborah Price.