Spending plans are a money management tool designed to help you manage your purchases and control spending.

When you plan for the purchase, you know the amount of money you budgeted for the expense — which allows you much more control over your spending. You can set a cap on the amount you will spend. In this way, you’re much more likely to save money on your purchases because you can factor in sales items.

Grocery stores are recurring revenue systems. Stores make money week after week, often from the same consumers. A grocery spending plan — a list you take with you to the store — is your best weapon against a system designed to encourage you to spend more than you actually want to. A grocery list helps you curb impulse spending.

A money-savings tip: Do not sample food during your shopping. And if you sample, remember that you do not have to buy that caloric-loaded, lip-smacking, hips- and butt-swelling treat. It’s a marketing tactic! Don’t fall for it.

Another money- and health-saving tip: Make the majority of your purchases from the store’s perimeter. Stay on the edge where the fruits, vegetables, and nutritious stuff lives. The high-fat, high-sugar, lower nutritional value products are located in the middle of the store.

Make a grocery list before you go shopping. You will spend less and have what you need to prepare delicious and healthy meals for the week. Each week is different; make a new list before every trip.

If you want to go for frugality — and why not — look for coupons and sale items. Advertisers spend billions annually to get you into stores to buy sale items and all the other goodies at full price. It’s a money-wise person who takes the time to check out the newspaper before her weekly shopping excursion. Buy only what is on your list. You’ll save money, eat better and healthier, and lose a few pounds too. It’s a win-win way of managing your life, money and health.

Monitor your spending regularly. After the first month, review your progress. Have your food expenditures decreased from the months before you started relying on a grocery list? Are you eating more of the food purchased instead of tossing fruits and veggies out because you didn’t include them in your meal plans? What about your kids — are they wasting less and eating better?

What benefits have you experienced from preparing your grocery spending plans? Let me know.

Warmly,
Judith, The Money Lady

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Talking About Wealth

Comedians are often funny while imparting some damn truthful information. Comedians like Chris Rock. This brother is so smart and insightful that he makes himself angry as he thinks about the truths he shares with his audience. He sees finance clearly and explains it graphically. To love or hate him is your choice. But listen up and learn. The man knows money.

Chris is sometimes crude, annoying, and irritating. But, if you can get past the swear words, racial insults and mental body blows, Mr. Rock is fundamentally enlightening and illuminating.

Check him out … if you dare. He is not talking about being Rich. He’s talking about building wealth.

Warmly,

Judith, The Money Lady

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GoToMyPC

I have an Acer mini computer. It’s fantastic. Light weight, sleek and beautiful. I haven’t named her, but I want to. She’s that cute.

I use the mini when I work outside of my office. Sometimes I work at my favorite coffee house because I want a change of scenery, or to be around other business owners and solopreneurs.

Occasionally, however, I need access to my main computer. I want a file that I don’t have on the flash drive I carry with me, or I need other info that resides on my main computer.

GoToMyPC.com has a 30-day free promotion. The promo code is MSNBC, but I don’t think you will need it. I’m going to see how it works. So many people are using multiple computers these days. You may want to check it out too. If you do, let me know how it worked for you.

QuickBooks

Grow your business with the FREE version of the world’s #1 small business financial software. Intuit Quickbooks Simple Start Free Edition 2009. Click and see if it meets your bookkeeping and accounting requirements.

Equifax

Equifax.com is offering free credit scores until May 31, 2009. Yes, you really do want to know what your credit score is. Get your score now while it’s free.

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Talking about money is a specialized communication skill set we all need to practice for your financial health and well being. You want to be able to discuss money with your spouse, parents, family, friends, associates and children in a positive, appropriate and self-enhancing manner. It’s time to learn how to talk about money,

We have been programmed to fear money conversations — whether asking for the sale or negotiating a salary increase – generally we would rather not. Let’s get past the fear and anxiety that preparing to talk about money produces and move to acquiring the communication skills needed to have successful money talks.

Start to incorporate money language into your everyday conversation. Talking about money is a major mindset shift because expanding your views about money will change your whole life.

Talking about money is big. So big and so important that I’ve started a new VIP Facebook group about it. We talk about money in all its forms – investments, savings, debt, and whether we feel good or not-so-good about it.

The group is a safe environment to learn more about money, how to attract it, keep it and make it grow for you. Join us on our new YES to Financial Fitness Facebook Group. I look forward to seeing you there. 

Regards,

Judith
The Money Lady

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There is inner work involved in the process of  learning-more-about-money. Smart money management is about ensuring that you are working for your own best interests, for what you want in your life. It requires  self-management of your thoughts and emotions.

Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness, Esther and Jerry Hicks’ new book, will guide you in deciding who you are now and how to create what you want in your life.

… because such a high percentage of your thoughts in any given day reside around the topic of money or financial success, as soon as you are able to deliberately guide your thoughts, not only is it certain that your financial success must improve, but the evidence of that success will then prepare you for deliberate improvement in every aspect of your life experience.

Are you thinking it sounds good, but it’s not real for you? Have you lived in doubt or fear for so Full Story →

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