Have you had trouble saving money or are having trouble saving money currently? If so, this blog post may be for you.

Here are 5 tips to begin a great savings pattern:
1. Start small.
Whether you are able to save $5 or $500 per week or pay period, just start. Do not cheat yourself out of a healthy savings plan.

2. Be consistent.
Whatever Whichever frequency you chose choose, remember to be consistent. Do it every single week, pay period, or month,. whatever you Decide what works best for you.

3. Pay yourself first.
Paying yourself first is one of the most important tips, and it will help with consistency. To avoid the temptation of spending, pay into your savings just like a bill. Deposit into your savings immediately after receiving your paycheck. That way you can avoid the temptation of spending.

4. Automate!
Automatic deduction is my favorite tool for saving. This tool also helps with paying yourself first. Set up an automatic deduction from your paycheck to be deposited directly into your savings account. If your savings and checking accounts are held at the same bank, you can have an amount deducted from your checking into your savings at an appointed time of the month.

5. Out of sight, out of mind.
If you have trouble saving money or find yourself withdrawing from your savings account often, having your checking and savings accounts at different financial institutions is recommended. Open a savings account at a bank located in another area of town. Additionally, do not link your debit card to your savings account and do not set up online banking. The goal is to automate your savings and forget you have it. Over time, you will be surprised how much you accumulated (if you do not touch it).
Simplicity is recommended. To remove withdrawal temptations, put saving on autopilot. Put it away, make it inaccessible, and forget about it.
If you think you may need additional assistance with saving, please feel free to contact us. One of our coaches will be more than happy to walk through this process with you. Call us for a free consultation.

Leases are very attractive….You get a new car every few years with a payment that is lower than what you would have to pay if you purchased the vehicle. So leasing is the way to go….right?

Maybe….

If you are like me and you like to drive a lot, then leasing my not be for you. Leases have mileage limitations and if you exceed the limit alotted, there can be hefty penalties when your lease ends. Penalties can range from 5 to 20 cents per mile over your limit. There is an option to pay an extra cost upfront for a higher mileage cap.

With buying a new vehicle you are essentially purchasing a depreciating asset. The value of your vehicle will decrease substantially in the first two years. This could possibly put you in an upside down situation with your auto loan.

As stated earlier, with leasing, your payments will be lower vs. buying, at the end of the lease period, but you have nothing to show for it. You will have the option to purchase the vehicle or lease another one.
Ownership is an advantage to purchasing. At the end of the loan period, the vehicle if yours for as long as you choose to keep it.

Here is a quick breakdown that may help you decide which purchasing option is best for you.

Leasing may be for you if:
You like driving a new car every 2-4 years.
You don’t drive a lot or have a second vehicle to keep mileage down
You take good care of your vehicles

Buying may be for you if:
You keep you vehicles for long periods of time
You log a lot of mileage on your vehicles
You like to customize your vehicles

I hope this helps you decide which option is best for you. If you are in need of guidance with buying or leasing a vehicle, feel free to contact us. We are happy to help!

At the time of the post we are in the midst of a global pandemic known as Covid-19. With that being said, it has had a significant impact on the global economy. What does that mean for the car industry? Will there be killer deals available? Will I be able to buy a car at the fraction of the original price?
The pandemic has had an impact on the car industry already and the total impact has yet to be determined. There are deals available now, and they may or may not get better within the coming weeks. Will you be able do get a car at the fraction of the original price…probably not.
With auto manufacturers shutting down production over the last few weeks is preventing the market from having a huge surplus of new cars therefore limiting the extent of how deeply vehicles will be discounted.
However, there are some attractive offers from a few auto brands at the moment. One of the most popular seems to be the 0% for 84 months.

This is is a killer dealer right! Maybe…..Maybe not.

First of all, I wouldn’t advise anyone to drag an auto loan out for 7 years. 7 years! Also, if you have followed me for a little while you know that I am a proponent of purchasing preowned vehicles vs. new.

Is there a catch? Well here are some things to consider.

Most dealers only offer 0% financing or a rebate. Not both.
A small interest rate such as 1.9% with a rebate could actually be a better deal. The monthly payment may be slightly higher but the total amount paid over the term of the loan could be lower.

Check out the video below by David B sells Chevy on YouTube where he breaks down the math on an example.

When most people purchase a car, they are generally most concerned about the monthly payment and whether or not, they can manage it.
What should be considered most is the total amount of the loan including finance charges and interest over the total amount of the loan. Just becase the payment is lower doesn’t mean it less expensive.

Moral of the story, pay close attention to total amount being financed, interest rate, and monthly payment. That way you can determine the total amount you will have paid at the end of the loan period.(This will also be in your finance paperwork as well when you are signing the final documents.)

Well, Q4 is upon us. This is what I consider to be the best time of year to purchase a car.

As you probably already know, dealerships have goals and quotas to meet. Included in this would be end-of-year goals. Making a car purchase at the end of the year could increase your chances of getting a better deal. According to iseecars.com, the months of November and December offer 26.9% and 23.5% more deals than average, respectively. If I were in the market for a new car, I would begin my search now, in October. There are deals to be had in October, and it gives more time research and compare prices. Pick 3-5 vehicles that you are interested in and compare pricing, options, rebates, promotions, etc…

In addition to quotas, another prompt for dealers to discount cars is due to overstock. The new models begin to roll out late summer and fall, and the dealer has to make room for these new cars. For instance right now, you may begin to see better deals on the 2019 models as the 2020 models are beginning to fill up the dealer lots. Pay attention if a vehicle has been redesigned for the new model, you may begin to see significant discounts on the current model, because they can appear to be less desirable. On the flip side of this, if you are in the market to lease a vehicle, you may see better lease deals on the newer model compared to the current model. Tip: Ask the dealer to show you a side by side comparison of 2019 and 2020 model lease rates. The newer model will likely have better rates due to residual value. Residual value on a lease refers to the estimated value of the lease vehicle at the end of the scheduled lease term.

If you are in the market for a preowned vehicle, there are deals to be had, they just may not be as heavily discounted compared to new vehicles. Larger dealers will begin to receive an influx of people who want to trade in their cars for the latest models and lease terms will be coming to an end. This will present an opportunity to purchase a nice preowned vehicle.

When doing your research and preparing for your car purchase, there a few things to keep in mind.
If the vehicle you want is a strong seller and in high demand, there may not be much of an incentive for a dealer to discount the price.
This may be a similar case for smaller independent used car dealers. Their profit margins may not be as large and they may not have the overstocked inventory problem to contend with to warrant heavy discounts.

The end of the year is not the only time there are good deals offered. Take advantage of holiday sales events and promotions. Christmas and New Year’s, but also Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day sales can have good discounts.

Most importantly, exercise patience. When negotiating a car purchase, be willing to walk away if you do not feel good about the deal and if isn’t right for you. Wait for the deal that you want (if it is within reason). Chances are you will not likely get a $20,000 car for $12,000. Do your research so that you know what your ideal car is selling for. Truecar.com and Cargurus.com are great resources for price comparisons.

Good luck on your car purchase journey!

It’s that time of year….
Income tax returns will be in the mail or in our accounts very soon. Make sure to spend it wisely so that it can put you ahead in a few ways for the months and years to come. Below, I have listed 5 good ways to spend your upcoming income tax refund.
1. Start or add to your Emergency fund. We all need to put something away for a rainy day. Trust me, rainy days will come. It’s good to have funds available when an unexpected event arises, such as car or home repairs, or even the loss of a job.

2. Pay off debts. Especially high interest debt, such as credit cards or any high interest loans. Paying off high interest debt is extremely difficult when you are only making the minimum payment. This is because the majority of your payment is paying off interest and only a small percentage of it is actually paying down the principal payment.
3.Open Retirement Accounts. Open an IRA(individual retirement account) or add to an existing one. Max out on your annual contribution if possible. This will help keep you on track with your retirement goals.
4. Invest in the stock market. There is a wide variety of investments that you could invest in to grow your funds. Make sure to do plenty of research prior to investing.
5. Give! This is the most important tip. Give to your local church and/or organizations that speak to your heart. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

When you receive your refund this year, implement 1,2 or all of the tips below. You will thank yourself later!
“Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” ― Richard Cushing

Since it is the beginning of the year, I’m sure you have several goals….Perhaps fitness, financial, spiritual or otherwise. I have a question…

Are you putting your goals in writing or are they just in your head? Goals that are only in your head are just dreams. While dreams are awesome, and they are the inception of goals, there are additional steps that have and need to be taken in order to manifest those dreams into existence.

Here are a few of my thoughts and experiences regarding goal setting.

Write down your goals…There is POWER in seeing written goals. It incites action!
Revisit your goals often. This will serve as a reminder to keep you on track to achieving those goals. Don’t let them become an afterthought. You may become tired at times during this journey and you will also probably encounter distractions or deterrents.

I like to post my goals on sticky notes and place them in locations where I have to see them at least daily.(i.e. My bathroom medicine cabinet)

This helps me with holding myself accountable. In the morning, I ask myself what can I do today that he get me one step closer to reaching my goal? At night, I ask the question, what did I do today to bring me closer to my goal? If I don’t like the answers, that means that I have to work harder and be more intentional the following day.

Keeping my goals visible allows me to pray and meditate on them often as well. I usually place an inspiring Bible verse or verses near the goals. I am acutely aware that I cannot accomplish my goals on my own.

I encourage you to try this practice of writing down your goals for at least 90 days and see how it goes. I am willing to bet that if you have never done this before, you will see a significant difference in your goal achievement results.

Don’t just make a resolution and let it fade away in a few weeks. Set goals and crush them!

Over the past few years there has been a resurgence of podcasts.  Right now you can find a number of podcasts out there on any given subject.  As my life has become increasingly busy, I have found that podcasts are a great source of information and entertainment. With efficiency being a main goal, podcasts and audio books are are a great way to learn new things while on the go. I have listed below my current favorite podcasts.  They feature topics ranging from personal finance, real estate, to entrepreneurship in general.  There is a wealth of information in these podcasts.  On your daily commute, I would invite you to give these podcasts a listen.

Side Hustle School – I have found this podcast to be super inspiring. Real stories from real people are being shared. Side Hustle School features stories on how people have started profitable side businesses while maintaining their day job. It is awesome to learn how creative some people are. The business ideas on this podcast are so clever! One of the key things I like about this podcast is each episode only lasts an average of ten minutes. It is a great way to keep your entrepreneurial side motivated. The narrator of the podcast is Chris Guillebeau, who is an author and speaker.

Bigger Pockets – Bigger Pockets is about all things real estate. If you are a real estate investor or thinking about real estate investing, you should definitely be listening to this podcast. The interviewees are very knowledgeable and the hosts do a great job of dissecting the information that the guests provide. The guests are very transparent on how they were able to get started as well as current projects. They share the challenges they have encountered along with the successes they have experienced. My advice is to keep a notepad close when listening to this podcast…lots of gems to capture.

School of Greatness – One word…gratitude. Lewis Howes, an author and speaker, does a great job emphasizing the importance of gratitude while interviewing intriguing high profile guests, such as Tony Robbins, Marie Forleo, and Michael Hyatt, who is mentioned later in this post. If you are looking for motivation as an entrepreneur or just a self-help podcast, you should definitely give this podcast a listen.

This is your Life-Michael Hyatt – Michael is a great host, who is all about teaching you the dos and don’ts of building your platform as well as being intentional about the things you do in business and in life. This is a great podcast to learn best practices and “how-tos” to be more efficient and successful in business and life.

His and Her Money – His and Her Money is a personal finance podcast. Married couple, Talid and T, share their own stories as well as others on how they were able to pay off large amounts of debt and how to build good savings/investing habits. The stories and interviews are ultra inspiring and motivating. No matter how much debt you are in, it is definitely possible to get out of it.

Honorable Mention

Business Boutique – Business Boutique is a podcast targeted towards female entrepreneurs. I stumbled upon it by reading a blog post that was sent to me. The host, Christy Wright, shares tips and how-tos that any entrepreneur can put into practice.