Cindy Parran Brochu : Financial Organizer

Listening to Your Inner Money Voice

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:29:02 +0000

When you spend money, do you hear a voice saying to you, “I shouldn’t really be buying this,” or “How am I going to pay for this?” Maybe you hear no voice at all. Is it so buried that you wouldn’t even hear it if were screaming at you?

Recently, I happened to be at the same event, and at the same table, as one of my clients that I had just begun working with. Another woman at the table had brought some beautiful watches with multi-colored bands and was selling them. My client saw those watches and immediately went in like a vulture, grabbing its prey. It was clear that her money voice had been shut off and given no chance to speak. I asked her at our next appointment what she was thinking when she initially saw the watches. She told me that she couldn’t help buying the watch when she saw that it was pink! I knew then that we had some work to do!

Here are three questions to ask yourself before you make your next purchase or find yourself in an unexpected situation where there are pretty things!

Question 1: Why am I shopping? If you know that you’re emotionally shopping (upset and want to buy something to feel better), than leave the store. This might be really difficult to do because you want to feel joy, but this won’t do it and the urge to stay in the store might be really strong, but find the courage to leave anyway—walk yourself right out the door! Shopping when you’re emotional is just as dangerous as buying groceries when you’re hungry! Create a Joy List: Write down all the things that bring you joy that cost nothing, and when you feel like emotionally shopping the next time, pick an item from your Joy List. Recognize how great you feel afterward!

Question 2: Can I afford this? When you find yourself about to make a purchase, take a few quiet moments and then ask this question. If your inner money voice doesn’t know the answer, then this part of your financial life needs work. So, until you know for sure what you can afford, refrain from purchasing anything other than expenses for your basic needs.

Make time and commit to developing your Money Plan so that you know the next time you go shopping what you can afford to buy. Having a Money Plan lets you decide in advance how you’ll spend your money, takes away impulsive buying, and creates financial peace. Knowing in advance what you can afford to spend will help you make sound financial decisions, especially in those moments that you don’t expect to find yourself in—when pretty pink-banded watches pop out on the table! If you need help in developing a Money Plan, go to my 5 Steps to Your Financial Freedom at www.spendingplan.biz to find out how.

Question 3: Do I really need this? Understand your needs versus your wants! A need is essential for you to sustain life and includes food and shelter expenses. A want is a desire to possess or do something. Let me be clear–it’s perfectly fine to want. What’s important is to know that what you want, you can afford. With a Money Plan, when you make a ‘Want Purchase,’ it will feel great when you know, without a doubt, that you have the means to do so.

So, the next time you find yourself ready to make a purchase, STOP, and then ask yourself the above three questions. Also, I’m happy to say that my client now listens to her inner money voice. I’m so very proud of her. She has committed to her Money Plan and has financial peace in her life.

You are worthy to have more money in your life and to live a financial life of abundance! If you need help in getting to the financial life you desire, please contact me at cindy@spendingplan.biz, and I would be happy to help you take back control of your financial life.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz.

“20 Ways to Have More Money in Your Life”

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:37:34 +0000

Do you believe you can have more money in your life? You can! When you fully decide to commit to making financial decisions that will take you to your ideal financial life, you will begin experiencing financial abundance and peace. Here are 20 ways for you to have more money in your life!

1. Increase your income. Let your boss know at your next review how valuable you have been to the company. No need to posture about it, just present what you have done that brings value to the company, and then smile.

2. Spend money only on what you need for the next month. At the end of the month, put the extra money toward your retirement savings or start an emergency savings account. Realize how you feel at the end of the month—perhaps you didn’t really miss out on anything by just spending on your needs.

3. Hire an accountant. You may be making mistakes that are costing you or forgetting about deductions that will benefit you on your tax return.

4. Stay away from your money temptations. When you feel stress, instead of seeking relief by heading to the store to buy a new outfit (which is only temporary relief), do something else that gives you ‘real’ relief and joy like exercising, watching the sunset, calling a best friend.

5. Put systems in place that lead to greater financial efficiency—use personal financial software to track your spending, set up automatic transfer to move money from your checking to a savings or retirement account every month, and create files for your important financial papers and paid bills.

6. Be money mindful – take time to think about money and set goals on creating more of it! Be specific about how much you want to make, how to get there, and in what time period you want to achieve it.

7. Include a financial organizer and a financial advisor/planner on your money team. It doesn’t matter that you don’t know as much as you feel you want to about saving, planning, and investing. What’s important is to hire key people you trust, who do know, and can provide you with the knowledge you need to be financially successful. These people will help you get to where you want to be in your financial life.

8. Make a list of all the things you LOVE that cost nothing!

9. Pay off your credit card debt, then only spend what you can afford each month. Think of the money saved from interest alone!

10. Reduce your expenses. Think of being lean and fit, only using money for items that fuel your life. Ask yourself if you really need the whole enchilada cable package.

11. Instead of going out to dinner, buy some yummy food at the grocery store and dine-in. Include soft music and candlelight, even better!

12. Know your money truth–get real and get honest. Knowledge is power!

13. Use coupons for one month. Go to couponsuzy.com and look for the products you use, than print (clip) out those coupons for your next trip to the grocery store. Only clip coupons for items you need. At the end of the month, write down how much you saved.

14. Take a vacation in the State you live in and save on airfare, car rental and maybe even some lodging costs. Does your state have mountains, trails, an ocean and/or lakes? Research beautiful sights to visit and go for it! Get excited about getting up each morning and heading out to your amazing destination.

15. If you’re reaching your maximum for retirement savings, have no credit card debt, and have an emergency savings account, start a taxable investment account with the goal of creating an additional stream of pre-retirement income.

16. Grow a vegetable garden and save on your summer grocery bill. If you decide to undertake the project of canning, you’ll save on your winter grocery bill too. What will you do with your savings?

17. Create a Spending Plan. Planning how you’ll spend your money before you actually do, leads to financial success.

18. Increase your retirement savings. Be sure your financial advisor/planner prepares a long term plan for you. This will help you know how much you’ll need to save now for the life you want in retirement.

19. Commit to making your financial life a priority! Know what you want your financial life to look like and only do the things that get you to that place.

20. Change your thinking. Think money abundance!

You are deserving of a financial life of peace and abundance! Many of the individual items above will make a difference in your financial life, however, if you choose to implement several of the above tips, you’ll see even bigger results!!

August 5th Ezine: Creating Healthy Money Thoughts

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 16:35:13 +0000

Hello Friends,

Happy August! I hope you’re enjoying this very beautiful summer season. I’m on vacation right now with family and enjoying every moment.

When I think about where I am in my life financially, I am reminded of all the times I have believed that I could make more money, save more money and refine my spending plan year after year. It’s really all about creating healthy money thoughts and beliefs. I hope this week’s article will help you to realize that you can do the same for you!

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at cindy@spendingplan.biz. I am always here to help you in creating a financial life of peace and abundance!

5 Most Important Steps to Financial Freedom

In this FREE pdf download, you will learn what the ”5 Most Important Steps” are and how to begin to apply them to:

· Take control of your financial life.
· Create new and positive money behaviors.
· Create the financial life you desire.
· Determine how you want to spend your money.
· Understand how to stay on financial track.
· Learn how to live in financial peace and abundance!

Get your complimentary copy today here!

“Creating Healthy Money Thoughts”

When you think about money, what goes through your mind? Do you think you’ll never have enough? That you have never been good with money? That it’s too hard to manage it. Do you justify your negative thoughts with comments like, “This is just the way it is, and I’ll always be struggling?”

I was talking with a woman the other day about helping her get her finances back on track. She said during our meeting, “My life is crazy busy.” She said she found herself saying that often.
By repeating her negative thoughts (to herself and aloud), she continued to put herself in a place of being stuck, a place of no forward movement toward what she really wanted. Because she kept reaffirming that she didn’t have enough time to pay attention to her finances, it never happened.

I looked at her and said, “You have yourself believing this because you keep repeating it to yourself,” and then proceeded to say to her that she was acting exactly as she thought she was supposed to according to what she had convinced herself into believing (that she didn’t have time for her financial life). Before my eyes, she had an aha moment! Love when that happens!

Our thoughts drive our behavior. Let me say that again, our thoughts drive our behavior! If you believe you deserve more money in your work, you’ll figure out how to get it. If you believe you’re not good with money, you’ll spend it as soon as you make it. Have you ever believed something so strongly that you made it happen exactly how you knew it would? You can apply the same techniques to getting your financial life in order and back on track.

In order to change the actions you’re taking with money, you first need to change your thoughts. Here are three things you can begin doing today to turn your negative money thoughts into positives ones:

Believe that you have everything it takes within you to take control of your financial life. Let this be your affirmation daily—“I have everything within me to take control of my financial life.” When negative money thoughts creep in, repeat this affirmation several times, if needed.
Meditate 15 minutes per day—really! Visualization is powerful. See yourself spending wisely, saving, reducing your credit card debt, saving for retirement, and paying your bills on time.
Write down three decisions you will make each day to benefit your financial life. For example, you might say you’ll spend less on coffee, catch up on your filing, spend money only on items you need, or make your work lunch.

Healthy money thoughts will lead you to a healthy financial life! Take action today and you’ll be on your way to financial peace. You’ll be so glad you did.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE?
Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:
Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz

Cindy Parran Brochu is a Financial Organizer, and her mission is to empower people and to teach them how to achieve financial success. She believes that when people are financially organized in their lives, they have more time to focus on their true passions, free of worry and stress.

She offers dynamic programs and products that show her clients how to become financially organized. Cindy will teach you how to take control of your financial life. She helps her clients create new and positive money behaviors, and she provides support and guidance they need to build confidence in managing their financial lives.

Cindy’s experience is personal and professional. After her husband passed in 1998, and having a son to raise, it became a priority to manage her finances, with great detail. Over the years since then, she streamlined the process and became very proficient at being financially organized, which led to her financial success and freedom. Her professional experience includes managing a non-profit corporation with a $3.85m budget, where she was responsible for all aspects of running the business. She left that work to focus on her true passion of educating people on how to take control of their own financial lives and achieve financial success. She is a proponent of practicing what she preaches in her own financial life.

She lives in Saco, Maine, with her husband, son, pet cockatiel bird and Spanish mustang horse. She loves nature and staying active.

“Creating Healthy Money Thoughts”

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:32:41 +0000

Our thoughts drive our behavior. Let me say that again, our thoughts drive our behavior! If you believe you deserve more money in your work, you’ll figure out how to get it. If you believe you’re not good with money, you’ll spend it as soon as you make it. Have you ever believed something so strongly that you made it happen exactly how you knew it would? You can apply the same techniques to getting your financial life in order and back on track.

Believe that you have everything it takes within you to take control of your financial life. Let this be your affirmation daily—“I have everything within me to take control of my financial life.” When negative money thoughts creep in, repeat this affirmation several times, if needed.
Meditate 15 minutes per day—really! Visualization is powerful. See yourself spending wisely, saving, reducing your credit card debt, saving for retirement, and paying your bills on time.
Write down three decisions you will make each day to benefit your financial life. For example, you might say you’ll spend less on coffee, catch up on your filing, spend money only on items you need, or make your work lunch.

Healthy money thoughts will lead you to a healthy financial life! Take action today and you’ll be on your way to financial peace. You’ll be so glad you did.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE?
Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:
Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz

July 23rd Ezine: “What Does Being Financially Successful Really Mean?”

admin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:02:41 +0000

Hello Friends,

Going for a bike ride along the beach over the weekend, I saw some gorgeous homes with beautifully manicured lawns. I wondered how many of those homeowners defined financial success as owning a vacation home in Maine. This brings me to this week’s article.

Do you ever wonder what it really takes to achieve financial success? This week’s article focuses on three things that financially successful people have in common, and three things you can do Right Now in your life to move you in the direction of financial success.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at cindy@spendingplan.biz. I am always here to help you in creating a financial life of peace and abundance!

5 Most Important Steps to Your Financial Freedom!

In this FREE pdf download, you will learn what the “5 Most Important Steps to Your Financial Freedom” are and how to begin to apply them to:

Take control of your financial life.
Create new and positive money behaviors.
Create the financial life you desire.
Determine how you want to spend your money.
Understand how to stay on financial track.
Learn how to live in financial peace and abundance!

Get your complimentary copy today here!

“What Does Being Financially Successful Really Mean?”

Do you think that being financially successful means having lots of money? Or maybe a six- figure salary? Does it mean being able to buy whatever you want or owning a big house? Do you wonder what it takes to feel and be financially successful?

People who are financially successful have three things in common—they have a money plan, they have patience, and they do what it takes. Financially successful people only spend what they can afford to spend, know that financial success might mean sacrifice in the short term for greater gains in the long term, and stay focused on their plan to achieve their financial goals, whether that’s saving for retirement, living frugally, and saying no to spending when necessary.

I worked with a couple who decided they were going to be financially successful. I saw their commitment right away. We created a money plan for them to know how they would spend their money, which included reducing credit card debt. They were willing to do whatever it took to pay off their credit card debt—which meant suspending their family vacation for one year (a savings of $5,000). This couple has shown tremendous patience. They kept focused and committed to their plan, and even were able to make more money to pay down the debt faster. They knew that sticking to their plan would mean financial success for them. I can tell you that their goal was to be credit card debt free in 12 months. It has been 9 months and they are debt free! How can you do this?

Here are three things you can do Right Now in moving you forward to achieve financial success in your life:

Decide to take control of your financial life and stop letting your financial life
control you. That means know where your money is going. Write down your
monthly income and your monthly total (all) expenses. If your total expenses
exceed your total income, decide where you’ll cut expenses. Ask yourself if the
things you buy are needs or wants, and only buy your needs.
Be patient. Know that your commitment to financial success will pay off if you stick with it. People often give up too quickly on their goals and dreams and usually just when success is right around the corner. So, take moving toward financial success one day at a time.
Do what it takes! Apply your never- give-up attitude that you have for the things you love in life to your path to financial success. If you have credit card debt, create a plan to get rid of it. If you want financial freedom in retirement, create a plan to save for retirement. Write down what you want your financial life to look like in the short term and long term, and ONLY take action that will get you to that life!

If you want to find out more, be sure to read my 5 Most Important Steps to Your Financial Freedom. Let nothing detract you from staying on track with your Money Plan. It will be your road to Financial Success!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it: Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz

She lives in Saco, Maine, with her husband, son, pet cockatiel bird and Spanish mustang horse. She loves nature and staying active.

Planning Your Financial Success

admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:33:50 +0000

It sure is summertime in full force! It’s my favorite time of the year because I get to partake in all the activities I love—cycling, nature walking, spending time with my horse, to name a few. Actually, while working with my Spanish mustang horse recently, I started thinking about my article, “Do You Have a Money Plan?” specifically, how planning has helped me succeed in many areas of my life, financial and otherwise. I’ll share with you how it’s helped me in one area of my life.

For those of you who don’t know, one of my passions is spending time with my horse, Hombre (he came with the name and it certainly befits him!). I bought Hombre when he was four and he was considered “green” (that means untrained). I didn’t have horse training knowledge. Actually, truth be told, I was considered “green” too (that means having little to no experience with horses). Okay, so you might be wondering why would I buy a young horse instead of an older, more seasoned one? Well, because I wanted to learn as much as I could to be a really good horsewoman, and I knew that I would achieve it if I bought a horse that needed me to step up and be the leader. Talk about pressure!!

It’s amazing how planning to achieve my horse goals parallels planning to achieve a successful financial life. I won’t go into all the details of my journey with Hombre, although it has been an amazing five years now! What I can tell you is that, it’s all about the planning and doing! Here are five steps that I used in planning my horse goals, and they are steps you can use in achieving your financial goals:

Step 1: Deciding on what the end result (goal) is and would look like. Write this down in detail.

Step 2: Determining what steps you need to take to reach the goal. Write these down in detail.

Step 3: Taking action one step at a time.

Step 4: Being patient with yourself when the plan doesn’t work out exactly as you had hoped.

Step 5: Never giving up!

Follow the above steps in planning your financial life and you’ll see big results! I truly wish you a life full of financial abundance and peace.

Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz.

July Ezine: Do You Have A Money Plan?

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:32:07 +0000

Below you will find my Ezine that was sent out on July 8th, 2010. If you find this ezine helpful, please remember to signup to get my biweekly ezine delivered directly to your inbox!

Hello Friends,

I hope you are doing well and are having a great summer. I’m certainly enjoying summertime—barbecuing, cycling through the countryside, and just soaking up the sunshine!

Are you planning your summertime fun, or are you just letting the days pass you by without taking any control? Planning is the key to getting to where you want to be–in all areas of your life. This week I talk about planning and how important it is in your financial success. Do you want to be worry-free about money? Check out this week’s feature article below. Learn how to create and commit to a Money Plan!

Please check out my newly created business Facebook page to keep up with me. I’ll also be sharing tips & tools that help you live the financial life you desire!

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at cindy@spendingplan.biz. I am always here to help you in creating a financial life of peace and abundance!

5 Most Important Steps to Your Financial Freedom!

In this FREE pdf download, you will learn what the “5 Most Important Steps to Your Financial Freedom” are and how to begin to apply them to:

Take control of your financial life.
Create new and positive money behaviors.
Create the financial life you desire.
Determine how you want to spend your money.
Understand how to stay on financial track.
Learn how to live in financial peace and abundance!

Get your complimentary copy today here!

“Do You Have a Money Plan?”

Are you tired of worrying about money? Are you hiding when it comes to money issues? Do you do the same things week in and week out when it comes to money, even though it doesn’t feel good? So many people worry about money and just continue with the same pattern of haphazardly spending because they somehow become familiar with it. This can often feel like an endless cycle. I am here to tell you that the money madness can stop here and now!

Having a money plan will help keep you focused and relaxed. Planning is merely deciding in advance. It’s the same as planning your workday, or planning when you will pick up your child after school. Planning helps you know where you need to go and will completely take the guess work out of any in the moment financial decisions, because you will already know what you will and won’t do regarding your spending. You will have decided, “in advance.” It is true that you can go through life without worrying about money.

Here are four tips to help get you started on creating your Money Plan:

1. Get real about your money behaviors. Over the next two weeks, observe your actions around money. Be honest. Do you go the ATM several times a week and feel stressed every time you do? Do you spend money on lunch every day and then justify why you do it? Write down your observations in a notebook. Be sure not to judge yourself here, but to merely look at your relationship with money. At the end of the two weeks, review your list, and decide what behaviors aren’t serving you. Which ones don’t feel good? Let those negative money behaviors go, and decide now to focus only on those that take you exactly to where you want to go. Commit to behaving only in ways that will bring you financial success.

2. Know your life goals and things you love. Do you want to take an art or dance class, or do you love nature walking? Your goals may or may not cost anything. Sometimes the best things in life are free! Decide on what is important to you in your life. Take some quiet time to think about what really fuels you and brings you joy and write them down.

3. Know how much you will spend, in advance! Take a look first at where you currently spend your money. It’s great if you can look back at three month’s of expenses. Now, take a look at where you really want to spend your money, and then determine where you’ll work in some of your life goals. For example, if your life goal is to spend more time with family or to work on a project that’s been awaiting attention, you might decide that it can be accomplished by reducing time in front of the television, so basic cable instead of the deluxe cable package will become part of your Money Plan—a big savings. If you know that you love to splurge on shoes a few times a year, work that into your Money Plan. If you have to make some sacrifices to make that happen, then you may decide that it’s worth packing your work lunch three days a week so that you can buy those rockin hot shoes! After you have determined how much you will spend on all your categories, write them down on a spreadsheet. If you need to keep a postcard in your purse or wallet to remind yourself of how much you can spend monthly on certain items, then do so until it becomes second nature to you. This will greatly contribute to your financial success.

4. Say Yes. This might just be the most important tip! Saying yes to your Money Plan is saying yes to YOU! When a friend at work asks you to lunch, and it’s your “Eat Your Own Lunch Day,” say “Yes” to your Money Plan, and let you’re friend know when you can go to lunch with her. When you see the new spring dresses for sale in your favorite store, and it’s part of your Money Plan, then most certainly you will say, “Yes,” and wear it proudly!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it: Financial Organizer, Cindy Parran Brochu, publishes her “Simplify Your Financial Life” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live a peaceful and successful financial life, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Simplify Your Financial Life at www.spendingplan.biz

She lives in Saco, Maine, with her husband, son, pet cockatiel bird and Spanish mustang horse. She loves nature and staying active.

Are you living the financial life you desire?

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:33:55 +0000

Are you living the financial life you desire?
Did you think you would be where you are financially at this time in your life? If not, then why not? What would happen if you felt financial peace in your life? I bet you wouldn’t worry or stress about money issues—you would, instead, be living the moments of your day and your life without worry or stress. Did you know that living in financial chaos takes years off your life? That’s a great reason to get financially fit—creating a spending plan, eliminating credit card debt, saving for emergencies and retirement, paying bills on time, and respecting money.

Did you know that financial freedom is meant for you?
This is true! What would financial freedom feel like for you? Financial freedom is all about planning and then putting those plans into action. You plan other parts of your life that you consider a priority, right? This is the same thing, just in another area of your life. You have everything within you to do this. I know because I see people make big changes all the time!

Through my programs, my clients learn how to take control of their financial lives. Through my coaching and support, my clients understand how to create a spending plan, create new and positive money behaviors, how to stay on track and in control of their financial lives. My clients know that getting to their ideal financial life means making the necessary changes and taking action.

When will you decide to make your financial life a priority?
It’s all up to YOU! When you take action, you’ll see big results! I worked with a couple who committed to do whatever it took to get to their ideal financial life—eliminating credit card debt, creating an emergency savings account, and having more money. We worked out a plan for them to be credit card debt free in a year and half. It has been six months and they’re almost debt free—they got so excited when they saw their hard work paying off, that they found more money to reduce their debt faster! They are well on their way to financial freedom because they decided to put their financial life number one on their list.

Are you ready to put your financial life on the very top of your list?
You can do it! It’s merely taking a step forward toward the financial life you desire. Let me help you take that step. I offer everything from one-on-one intensive sessions, to a guided workbook and program to help you get your financial life back on track and moving toward financial abundance. Please click here to review my comprehensive list of programs to help you gain financial freedom.

I truly wish you a life of financial abundance and peace.