Respect Your Shoebox like Rick Ross

Recently I came across a Youtube video from Tidal the music streaming service. They have a series called Side Hustle where they profile artists doing business outsiode of the music industry. Their first episode featured rapper Rick Ross and he said something I found interesting.

(see video here: Rick Ross on Tidal Side Hustle)

When the host asked what advice he would give people who didn’t have money like him he said that it isn’t about having a Rick Ross-sized bank account. He said:

It’s all about respecting your shoebox…

Respect Your Shoebox

That phrase stood out to me. By “shoebox” he meant where-ever you stash your money like a savings account or a literal shoebox that you might throw cash in.

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How To Kickstart Your Savings

Photo Credit: mymoneypet via Compfight cc

Having trouble getting your savings started? We’ve all been there. Some of us are still there. It can be hard mentally to get into the savings habit.

One of the biggest problems is people thinking they don’t make enough to save anything at all. After paying bills, buying food and just living life there’s nothing left over. That must mean there isn’t enough money to save, right?

You’ve got to get over that. If we’re honest with ourselves we know that we waste more money than we admit. If you don’t plan your finances it’s easy for certain items to eat your whole paycheck. For me it’s fast food and snacks.

Cutting back on that waste can be the building blocks for your savings account. I’m not telling you to cut out all luxuries and deprive yourself completely. I’m not even telling you to create a budget if you don’t already have one. There are painless ways to get your savings up and running. [Read more…]

Get Creative or Get Run Over

If you’ve got money problems then you’re probably pretty stressed. With money problems come all kinds of other problems.

Without money then you can’t eat properly. Health problems.

Without money then you can’t afford a good place to stay. Housing problems.

Without money then you fight with your significant other. Relationship problems.

Like I said, all kinds of problems.

Now, what do you do with problems? You solve them!

You don’t cry about them. You don’t whine or complain about them. You don’t post about them on social media. No moaning, no groaning.

You solve your problems. You face them and tackle them head-on.

How do you do that? [Read more…]

Earn Your Weekend

Most people spend all day at their job looking forward to the weekend. Working 5 days a week to make enough money to spend on 2 days worth of entertainment. People drink away their whole paycheck and have nothing to show for it in the morning except a hangover.

A hangover. That’s it. A headache to remind you of all the “fun” that you had the night before.

Please don’t be 1 of these people. Especially if you’re broke.

Don’t drink to forget your pain. Get rid of your pain. (That goes for all areas of your life by the way, not just money.)

If you’ve got money problems, do NOT take weekends off. You don’t deserve them.

If your money problems keep you up at night then why are you trying to sleep in on Saturdays? Money never sleeps so while you’re relaxing in bed then your money problems are likely getting worse.

There is no rule that says that human beings deserve 2 days off every single week.

Celebrations are for when something goes well. If you’re poor then you shouldn’t be partying. If your finances are messed up then what is there to celebrate?

If you want to have fun on the weekends then you need to earn it. If you haven’t done everything that you possibly can during the week then what makes you think you deserve days off anyway?

Don’t spend money that you don’t have and make your problems worse.

When it’s quitting time at your job then YOUR time begins. You need to get about the business of YOU.

This is when you really put in the work.

Remember, you’re the only one responsible for your life so you need to be on it 24/7. That means working on weekends if you have to.

That could mean a part-time job. Or it could mean earning a degree to get the skills that will increase your income. Or it could mean creating assets like books or courses that you can sell. Or investing in real estate.

Whatever it is, you keep doing it until you pull yourself out of your financial hole. You may need some rest but no relaxing.

Until your money’s right, forget about parties and drinking all night. Forget about YOLO.

Get serious about your life and start squeezing as much as you can out of your “days off”.

Maximize your days and earn your weekend.

 

 

6 reasons Why you need Life Insurance

Most adults don’t have life insurance. This is unfortunate because life insurance is an important part of any financial plan. Life insurance is vital for anyone who has people depending on them financially.

The main reason people don’t have it is because it’s connected to death. No-one likes to think about their own death but it’s going to happen to all of us sooner or later. We all need to be prepared for when that day comes.

Too many people are walking around without life insurance and thinking that they don’t need it. If you have children then you definitely need it.

The money isn’t for you, it’s for the ones you leave behind. Your responsibility to your family doesn’t end when you die. If you’re wondering if you really need life insurance then here are 5 reasons why:

[Read more…]

3 Secrets to Fixing your Money Problems

You’ve got money problems that you want to fix. All money problems fall into 2 broad categories, either you’ve got too much or too little. Most of us have too little.

What we’re going to talk about today is fixing problems that happen because of not having enough money.

You know what I’m talking about. Not being able to afford nice things that you really want. Can’t go on vacation. Choosing how hungry you are by how much the food costs on the menu. Not having enough month at the end of the money.

You get the point.

Time to fix your money problems. Here are 3 secrets that will help you get that done:

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Hustle more, hate less

Hustle. What does that word mean to you? You see it all over the internet in motivational quotes. It’s on hats and t-shirts. It’s in practically every rap song on the radio.

Hustle: busy movement or activity.

Everybody likes to say that they hustle. They’re hashtagging it. Creating memes and graphics. People are all over social media talking about how much they “hustle”. Everybody’s a hustler, no-one’s sleeping at all.

Then you take a good look. If you see them at work they do the bare minimum. They do just enough work to not get fired. Forget hustle, some people don’t even work while at work.

Then of course, the weekend comes…

And they’re in the club or they’re at the movies. They’re at restaurants. Or at a cookout, all day long.

Some people don’t even go out and party. They just stay at home and watch TV all weekend.

Where’s all the hustle that people brag about on social media?

It’s mostly fiction. It just makes people feel good to claim that they’re constantly hustling. Then there’s the flip side…

The hate.

People are all over the internet leaving negative comments about others who are actually making things happen.

Instead of producing, they’re hating on those that are producing.

If you have money problems then here’s what you need to do:

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It’s the weekend! Time to get to work

It’s Friday. TGIF. That’s what they say. Cheers to the weekend and all that.

Why do people get so excited when Friday rolls around? For most people they’re excited to get their weekend started. Two days to party, relax and amuse themselves until they have to drag themselves back to the office on Monday. (“Oh God It’s Monday!”)

People want to forget about their job and work altogether. They just want to relax and have as much fun as possible over the weekend. You know what I’m talking about if you dread going to work on Monday.

Time to change your thinking

If you’re someone who is unhappy with your life then you need to use the weekend not waste it.

Take control of your life. Use the weekend to fix your life’s problems not forget about them.

Your life happens 7 days a week. Every week! The weekend is your time to make life better.

If you’re broke then you can’t afford to take weekends off. You’re going to have to work weekends. That doesn’t mean that you have to get a part-time job but maybe you do temporarily.

You have to ask yourself where the idea of the “weekend” came from anyway. Life doesn’t stop or take vacations.

Your body needs food every single day, Fridays are no different.

If a bill has a pay due date that happens to fall on a Saturday, they still expect that payment on that Saturday.

On the weekends you’re free to work on the business of you instead of your boss’ business. Take full advantage of that time.

Stop looking at and “liking” memes and motivational quotes on social media about hustle. Actually get out there and hustle!

This is the time to get it done. Go after what you want while everyone is partying and relaxing. Being casual makes you a casualty.

You’ve got to get serious about your life. That means working on weekends.

Get up. Get out there. Get it done.

Cheers to the weekend.

 

What to do in a 3 paycheck month

Twice a year the typical employee gets to experience something magical.

The 3 paycheck month.

3 paychecks in 1 month! Always a cause for celebration. Or at least it feels that way.

It’s easy to get excited about that extra paycheck. It’s like free money. Who wouldn’t get excited about free money?

It’s free money!

(Well, it isn’t free money. You had to work for it.)

It can feel like found money even though it isn’t. And who’s going to miss found money if it gets wasted?

Try something different.

[Read more…]

Claim your independence

Recently people in the United States celebrated Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July. It’s time that we all declared our own personal Independence Day.

We should all strive for financial freedom. That doesn’t mean having mansions, luxury cars and expensive clothes to show off with on social media. It means gaining freedom from financial stress.

It means freeing yourself from a paycheck mentality and living hand to mouth. It’s about putting yourself in position so you’re not forced to do things that you disagree with because you need the money.

Isn’t it time to take control of your life?

Here are a few suggestions on how to do that. [Read more…]