Looking back over my money journey, there were some key money moves I made  that accelerated my drive and gave me massive results with my money and my time. 

 

These moves aren’t complicated. Most of them can be done this week and seriously change the game for you and your  money. 

 

Are you ready to stop dancing around your money and make these money moves today?

 

Let’s do this!

1. Talk About Money–It’s Empowering!

You can talk about money. You can talk about your desire to have more money. There is nothing wrong with that or taboo.

When you talk about it you empower yourself and might inspire others who are listening. 

Talk about your money goals. Figure out how you can reach them and take massive action. Most importantly speak your goals and your desires into existence, there is nothing like a woman with money and a plan. 

Actions steps:

• Find someone or a group of people to talk money with regularly, inspire yourselves to greatness with money 
• Join The ReEducated Twenties Money Level Up Facebook Group  

2. Look at Your Bank Account Weekly

This is a must. So many things could happen from your check not going through, from overcharges with your bills, from someone stealing your identity and buying from every store in the mall.

 I check my bank accounts once a week, but also have an alert set up with my credit card (which is the only thing I use online) for any transaction.

I have caught double billing, someone stealing my information from a site and shipping me a $800 iPhone, and an overdraft when my rent went out twice in 1 month. The quicker you fix these things the better. So make sure you are checking in regularly.

Actions steps:

• Download your bank’s app onto your phone and set a reminder to look at it.
• Set up any needed alerts on your debit and credit cards either has notifications, text, or emails 

 3. Automate Your Budget 

This is the easiest budget in the world. You set it up once and then let the magic happen on every paycheck.

 It can be scary to do at first especially if you know you can overspend, but this budget gives your overspending consequences which should lead to better results.

 Set up your bills and minimum debt payments to be automatically paid.

Set your emergency fund,  sink funds, and investment accounts to be automatically filled.

Automatically put more money towards your debt and investments to align with your goals  and then spend the rest on your daily needs and wants. 

Wallah, my friend, you are now in budget heaven! You still have to check it regularly, but budgeting is 10x’s easier.

Action Steps:

• Would you like a step by step walk through of this method? Tell me in the comments or let’s talk on the ReEducated Twenties Facebook Group. 
• While you are waiting check out the Automation Master Ramit’s amazing guide to money automation. 

4. Check Your Credit Score Regularly and Follow The Recommended Steps to Boost Your Score 

Sign up for a free account with Credit Karma or Credit Sesame and check your score once a quarter or once a month. Some online bank apps have it on their home screens so you don’t have to login into a different account. 

This keeps you alert to anything off with your score, aware of the areas you need to fix, and helps you align your credit with your money goals. Aim for 750+ for the best things credit can offer. 

Action Steps:

• Sign up for Credit Karma or Credit Sesame 
• Sign up for your bank apps credit monitor 
• Download a copy of your credit report once a year 

 

5. Have An Emergency Fund 

If nothing else strikes you out of this entire list: HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND! Big or small it will help you get through all the crap life will throw at you. 

We are living through a world pandemic right now with millions of people furloughed, without jobs, in the hospital racking up bills, or dealing with the cost of funerals all without emergency funds. It makes the pandemic all the more tragic. It makes emergency funds all the more needed!

 Start one today! Preferably in another account out of easy reach.  Just add any money that you can to a savings account on a regular basis and it will build up over time. Aim for 1 month of expenses and then build it to 6 months or a year. You will not regret this extremely strategic and saving grace move with your finances. 

Action Steps:

• Get another high interest savings account outside of your checking account- another bank is ideal
• Set up an automated amount to go there every paycheck to build up your money 
• Use it for emergencies only- don’t play with this money it can save you from financial destruction

 

6. Create Sink Funds For Your Known Irregular Expenses

This is a game changer. Like seriously!! Sink funds are my Baes! They have saved me from so many “uh ohs” with my money. 

We are humans we forget when we say yes to things or even in the rush of the holidays that we actually have to spend extra money for two months of the year. 

Sink funds are self-regulated bills you add to your budget for things that you know will be an expense, but aren’t there every month.

My favorite sink fund to start with is Christmas. You know it comes every year so spend the year saving up for it. Take the amount you usually spend on Christmas and divide it by 12 (or 11 if you shop on Black Friday) and that is what you put into a high-interest savings account monthly. 

This stops overspending in its tracks and keeps you ready for life’s expenses. My favorite way to do this is  with money move #8 so you keep reading to find out. 

Action Steps:

• Calculate your basic sink funds today by dividing the annual amount needed  by 12. My basic sink funds are car, Christmas, household needs, and annual expenses  rental insurance, amazon, mint mobile). 
• Get a bank account that allows multiple savings account ( this is my absolute favorite)  and set up automations of your sink funds on your pay day 
• Update your sink fund regularly and try to add more based on your goals and needs

7.Create an action plan on to pay off all your debt in 5 years or less

There is a huge difference in interest when you pay a debt in 5 years vs.  when you pay a debt in 10 or 20 years. No matter how big.  

If you can pay it in 2 years you are technically borrowing huge amounts of money for free. Do not let your debt sit for too long, put all your will behind it.

Pro-Tip: Pay off your cars in 18 months or less or save up for the full loan. This is the easiest one to get you in trouble because there is no ability to stop or decrease the loan like student loans and its a substantial amount. 

 I teach you how to pay off your student loans in 5 years or less  in my mini-training. Watch  it and reap the benefits my friend. 

Action Steps

• Watch the mini- training  
• Do what the mini-training says 
• Slay that debt

8. Do An Annual Money Plan 

Plan out your money for the entire year at the beginning of the year. This prepares you for all the things that will be coming your way instead of the things that affect you next week or next month. 

 Know exactly when you are going on vacation, when your best friend’s wedding is coming up, and all the events and expenses in between.

 Tell yourself how much you can spend on clothing and divide it up weekly and quarterly for your clothing sink fund. Figure out how much makeup honestly cost you and plan for it throughout your year. 

This is so important because it let’s you know  how badly you need a raise or need to leave a job or how much you need to reign in your expenses. 

 Knowledge is power! Use it strategically with your money. 

 Action Steps:

•  If you haven’t set up a money plan for the year, sign up for a money reset or kickstart and plan out your money year with Rizzy.

 9. Have Money Goals AND Put Your Money Goals In Front Of You

Always have a plan for your money!  Always. 

Make goals for how much you want to save or even for financial freedom (we will talk about that later). This keeps you focused instead of sporadic with your money and helps you optimize every dollar. 

What’s the point of having all that money slip through your hands with nothing to show for it? Write them down and either check them weekly or post them in a place you see regularly.

I love using  vision boards for this as it’s a conscious and subconscious reminder of what you want to achieve. 

Action Steps:

• Set  goals for your money and then calculate it down. That means divide it by years, then months, then weeks, then days. This is key to making them manageable and attainable. 
• Put them in a place for you to see everyday. We all need visual motivation. Try a money vision board for inspiration.  

 10. Calculate Your Net Worth

This is one of my favorite money moves! It’s what pushed me to start my money journey and kept me on the course. 

Your net worth is your assets minus your liabilities. If you are currently in debt, I’m pretty sure it’s negative right now.  Do your very best to make your net worth positive as soon as possible. 

That means remove the debt (student loans, cars, credit cards , mortgages)  or acquire more assets (paid off cars, paid off property, investment accounts, etc.) . If you have no debt and all assets you are in an even better space. If there is one money goal to reach its positive net worth! 

Action Steps:

• Make a list of your assets
• Make a list of your liabilities 
• (Assets)-(Liabilities)=(Your Net Worth) 

 

11.Calculate Your Financial Independence Number

This is the most motivating number!  It’s the exact amount you need in your investment accounts at a 5% return rate to never need to work again. 

When I say never need to work that means you can quit that crap job you hate and do the job you love (that may pay less with no worries about your bills) or you can literally not work,  whatever floats your boat. 

To figure out your FI number calculate your monthly expenses x 25. So if your expenses for the year are $35,000 your FI number is 35,000×25= $874,000. 

Monthly expenses means the cost of your bills and lifestyle, so if you decide to lower your expenses by doing something like paying off your mortgage you will have a much smaller FI number to strive for.

It’s amazing how the math works, the only thing you have to do is be ok with the lifestyle you are living right now and don’t inflate it. 

Action Steps:

• Figure out how much you spend every year by downloading your bank or credit card transactions and then X’s it by 25 to get your FI number.
• Make a money plan to reach that number sooner than later.

12. Calculate your Financial Freedom Number

This is the ultimate goal and is very similar to your FI number. The freedom number calculation is your monthly expenses x 35. This gives you the ability to live a luxury lifestyle while also never needing to work again. 

So using the same number of above that would calculate to $35,000×35=$1,225,000. It’s a stretch but it is attainable. The only thing holding you back is yourself. 

Action Steps:

• Figure out how much you spend every year by downloading your bank or credit card transactions and then  X’s it by 35 to get your financial freedom number.
• Make a money plan to reach that number sooner than later.

13. Get a Higher Raise or Find Another Job

 Bring value to the company and then ask for what you want or need. Fear will keep you in a lower pay grade for the rest of your life. 

Don’t let fear run your money. If they say no, ask about what you need to do to make them say yes. If it’s outrageous or you know your boss will never give you a decent raise,  head out to someone who will.

 While we are on the subject. Get out of there if it’s for the interest to your health, your money, or your life. I cannot stress this enough. Don’t stay in a place that makes you hate your life 40+ hours a week, 160+  hours a month, and 1920+ hours a year. 

Come to peace with what you hate about it and start planning your way out of it. It’s not worth your sanity or peace. Let it go.

While you are preparing for the move add some skills to your resume, think about switching careers into something more aligned with your why, or even start your own business.

 These things are possible for you, don’t believe the drama or excuses in your head. You can get better and do better, you just gotta make the move.

Actions steps:

• Ask yourself, would I choose this job again if I had the chance? If you say no, it’s time to move on
• Get some soft skills through free or paid online courses 
• In your next interview ask for what you want, don’t hesitate, you are leaving thousands of dollars on the table by being scared to negotiate. 

14. Invest Your Money

The only saving you need to do is for your emergency funds and sink funds the rest of your money needs to go to investments. This will grow your money rapidly and get you closer and closer to Financial independence and Financial Freedom.

 Notice I said investments and not just investment accounts. If an investment is a masters degree so you can make more money, save up and make the investment. If it’s in  a new camera so you can start your photography business or become a YouTube personality, make it happen.

 It doesn’t have to be just investment accounts, although those are hella important for financial independence, it just needs to bring a return that is aligned with your goals.

Investments are worth the risk, especially if it gets you closer to your dreams. 

Actions step:

• What are 3 ways you can invest in yourself this year?
• Plan out how you will start and pay for all 3 investments
• Open up a Roth IRA with a  Robo-Advisor, even if you have a 401k, this step gives you practice on investing on your own and is a good tax benefit . All you need is $100. Make sure to also set up an automatic payment for every check it can be as little as $10. You got this!

15. Get a Money Coach

If you want to be better at something, invest in someone who can navigate you to better in half the time. 

A financial coach navigates you to wealth. You work so hard for your money why let even a penny go unoptimized? 

A money coach helps you see your money future and navigate to it with ease. You work on your mindset, set amazing goals, and most importantly reach them. This accountability is gold in your financial life and is not to be taken for granted. 

You probably spend more on Starbucks and your favorite snacks then you would on a finance coach but you get a huge investment in return. If you need one, you know I am here to navigate you to money clarity and freedom. 

Actions steps:

• Sign up for a financial kickstart today to figure out the best of the money moves you need to make today with your money 
• Keep gaining financial knowledge if you are not ready to take the step into coaching, knowledge is power. 

My Last Two Cents:

Let these money moves change your money life for the better. They have changed mine and created so much peace and motivation when it comes to money. 

You do not have to make all of these moves at once and you definitely don’t have to do all of them. All your money moves should align with your money goals.

This list was made to inspire you because we all need someone to spark something in us. 

You can do great things with your money and remember the little steps always count. So get to moving! 

 

-ReEducated Rizzy <3