Planning your Escape
…dealing with limiting beliefs!

OMG so you have made the exciting choice to become financially free. The promise of a life where you call the shots and wake up knowing that the bills are covered. Yay you, go get’em!

Pam and I were exactly where you are now just a few years ago. We realised that we had a dream and good reasons why we wanted to achieve it. We had started to feel that the world had changed and the normal, work hard, build up a pension fund and retire when you are 60/65 had started to sound hollow.

The reasons to strive for financial freedom are many and varied. Maybe you have become part of the squeezed middle, or you’re sitting in a J.O.B that you can’t see yourself doing into your 70’s or simply you want to spend more time with your family and live a more carefree life? These are all great motivators to start doing something and to start… Now!

You may now be wondering what to do next and how to fix this thorny little issue? If so, you are in the right place we are here to help you start your journey. Maybe, like us, you have made the decision to be financially free but feel unsure of what to do next or how, little you, could possibly climb that impossibly high mountain. Don’t worry, we have been there, we have managed to do it and we are normal people like you.

The good news is that you are now over the first hurdle. You have recognised the problem and identified the dream situation. All you need to do is come up with a strategy and deal with the issues that arise from trying to achieve the goal. We are not going to say that this is an easy thing to do, the road to riches can be long and arduous but the goal is worth pursuing.

In our experience fear can quash the dream before it’s even had time to get off the starting block. The enthusiasm for starting the journey can quickly hit a rocky patch simply because doubts start crowding out positivity and action. We call these fears ‘self-limiting beliefs’. They are well documented, very common and very normal. They are a battle that, even the seemingly most confident, people must deal with. Sorry to say, you will have to deal with them along the way too.

Here is a list of the top 10 limiting beliefs, identified by psychologists which, lead to crippling action and self-defeating behaviours….. read them fast so they don’t hurt too much!

OK, hopefully we haven’t put you into a spiral of doubt? Over the four years Pam and I have worked together we have had to deal with all ten of these limiting beliefs. They have played with our minds and slowed us down but they never stopped us. What we have learned is if you power on your confidence grows, your successes become larger and your horizons brighter. Over the next few weeks we are going to show you how we and people we know battle through despite having these limiting beliefs and how they are changing their lives!

See you next time when we start kicking these limiting beliefs into touch!... before you go, don't forget to sign up for the book '6 Steps to Financial Freedom'...

Bye for now!

Tania & Pam

Tips on Improving Your Finances for Life

There is no way to avoid dealing with money and finances these days. Therefore you should try to learn as much as possible to help you make good financial decisions and to increase your confidence about money.

When you make a budget, it should be realistic regarding your income and spending habits. Be sure to include all of your income such as alimony, child support, rental income, or any other. Always use your net income not your gross earnings in these calculations. Once you have the numbers, you can consider how to adjust your spending to stay within your income range. To maintain your budget never exceed your incoming cash flow.

The next step is to total up your expenses, and you should make a list of all monthly expenses. Your list should document each and every expense that you have whether it expense, spontaneous or just a one time expense. Remember that this list needs to have a complete breakdown of your costs. Be sure to add in expenses that you have from restaurant dinners and fast food as well as grocery bills. Reduce expenses linked to your cars, such as gas and insurance. If you have payments that you make quarterly or less frequently, divide them up to reflect a monthly payment. Make sure you include incidental expenses, for instance, baby sitters or storage unit rentals. Try to have the most accurate list possible.

Now that you have a good idea of your income and expenditures, you can start planning a new budget. Look at each expenditure on your list, and decide what you could do without. If you normally buy coffee from a cafe, calculate how much money you would save on a weekly basis if you bought it from McDonald's instead, or made it at home. Exactly what and how much you are willing to compromise is completely up to you. The first step is identifying expenses that are not necessary so you can use the money for something else.
If your utility bills are rising, you may want to upgrade your appliances to save some money. Upgrading to well-fitted double-glazed windows, for example, can reduce your heating bill dramatically. Besides you can repair any leaky pipes and only run the dishwasher with a full load.

Swap old, inefficient appliances for those that use less energy. Although doing so may cost you some money upfront, over the long-term you will save a fair penny on your utility bills. Unplug the appliances you do not need. In time you will notice significant savings in your energy consumption.

You can make a significant decrease in your heating and cooling bills by improving your insulation, as well as the roof above it. Insulation or roofing issues can be very costly, as maintaining a regular temperature in the home can be expensive. If you invest in the upgrades, it will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Using these tips not only saves you money, but it also helps you start bringing your budget under control. An expensive upgrade can save a lot of money in lowering electricity or water bills. This is one way that you can make your budget more reliable.

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