Category Archives: Money

3 Ways to Build Wealth Through Your Mindset

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Whether you want to believe it or not, your MINDSET is your strongest asset in helping you manifest your desires and reach all your lifetime goals. For many people, building wealth is on the top of the list but many people do not know where to start. Time and time again, as I just pointed out from the very beginning–it all begins with your mindset. It is your choice in how you develop your thoughts, so why not think with intention and develop a stronger mindset? The good thing is, it is never too late to develop a positive mindset in regards to how you view money and navigate your financial future.

Believe in Your Money Making Potential – For me personally, making money has always come very easily. Mind you, I have always worked very hard to ensure that I make enough money to be financially independent while also saving for my future. My earning potential has always been abundant not solely due to my deep desire to build wealth but also because I strongly believe that I have the capacity to generate a ton of money. This belief propels me to take the action that is needed to manifest and make it happen. I don’t sit around and wait for the money to fall from the sky because I recognize that the process does not work that way. Maybe for some people, they are not in a position where they need to work or they have someone who can totally provide for them. While this might appear nice on the surface, it goes against my core belief that I am a money making machine. Hence I have never been one to rely on others for money and have always found ways to make a good living where I have enough money for daily expenses and where I can still put money aside for the future. This goes to show that anyone can do it given they have the right mindset.

Understand that Building Wealth Is a Gradual Process – Everyone is looking for a get rich quick money strategy or wants to be rich right now but realistically, most people who have accumulated a substantial amount of wealth will tell you that it was not an overnight process. It is more about how consistent you are with your money habits and setting long term goals which will ultimately lead to a good amount of money. Besides saving money, it is important to invest your money so that it continues to grow and accumulate over time. It is okay if you are starting small or with essentially nothing, as long as you stay on a good path to wealth with the mindset that you are going to continue to keep building wealth throughout your lifetime by your everyday money habits.

Be Willing to Make Sacrifices for the Greater Good of Your Financial Future – I recognize that saving and investing money might not be as exciting as spending it right now but it is ESSENTIAL to get into the habit of holding onto more money than you are taking home. This is a necessity not only for building long term wealth but this habit will allow for you to become financially stable and prevent you from taking on any unnecessary debts. There will always be temptations in your life from having the fanciest car to having designer clothes to wanting to eat at the nicest restaurants or whatever you want to spend your hard earned money on to provide you instant gratification but you need to shift your mindset to believe that you don’t need these things and prioritize your future above anything else while just focusing on your basic necessities as much as you can. That is not to say that you are not allowed to treat yourself from time to time but rather to not let instant gratification be the driving force of your spending decisions. It is better to make financial sacrifices now for the greater good of your abundant future that lies ahead.

How to Save Hundreds of Dollars – A Money Saving Tip That Many People Overlook

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When people talk about saving money, people think of the basic things such as cutting back on how often you go out to eat and/or pick up a coffee, shop when there are sales, focus on just buying your daily necessities, and one that many people dread to hear–create a monthly budget. While these are all great starting points when it comes to saving your money and things that I agree will help you save more money from month to month, there is something that people often overlook and never really talk about but it comes down to your consumption of your resources. The good thing is, this can apply to many things in your everyday life and it is never too late to start!

Think about it, if you used a smaller amount of your daily goods, you would not need to replenish them as often. This could include basic items such as your skincare products, shampoo, makeup, etc. If you used just a little lesser of an amount of these items or perhaps they are items that you use sparingly, then they would last you for a much longer time meaning that you wouldn’t need to buy them as frequently.

While I would agree that going out to eat can be costly, you can still treat yourself to a nice meal but that does not mean that you need to go overboard and buy an appetizer, main course, drink, a dessert, and etc. Maybe just getting a light appetizer and a drink is enough where you feel satisfied. Another thought is to get a meal that provides a large quantity and plan to only eat half of it so that you have the other half to take home which would provide you a second meal. This way, you paid for one meal but it will last for two meals.

When you are home, do you pay attention to the energy that you are consuming? If you are not using a light, then shut it off. The same also goes with your water usage where you can control how much you are using. If you do not really watch much TV, maybe it is a good idea to cancel your cable package or reduce it so that you just have the basic channels. In other words, there is no need to pay for more than what you need.

While many of us rely on cars to get to work, there are still ways to cut back on your gas costs. Maybe when you run your daily errands, try to coordinate it where the locations are within a closer distance to each other so that you are making fewer trips. If there are scenarios where you can carpool with someone, then you should. There are definitely little ways in which you could reduce your gas usage which could save you extra money each month.

At the end of the day, making the conscious effort to conserve your resources could literally save you hundreds of dollars in a month and within the course of the year! While it might take some discipline on your end, if you actually take the time to pay attention to how you use your resources and cut back on the areas that you could, you would be amazed with how you are are able to get more bang for your buck on your daily expenses. Even if you have financial stability or you are in a good financial place in your life, who doesn’t want to expand their savings even more and accumulate more wealth? Some of the wealthiest people who you know are wealthy because they know the secret of cutting back on their spending and already have applied these habits in order to increase their wealth. Again, if you can save more, why not? 😉

Why Do People Like to Play the Lottery? – Even When They Know They Are Throwing Their Money Away the Majority of the Time

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A couple weeks ago, the highest lottery jackpot in the USA was won in the state of California–the prize winnings had climbed up to 2.04 billion dollars! The total was going up week after week and was getting a ton of media coverage which elevated Powerball ticket sales significantly until someone finally won the big jackpot. What I find funny about lottery ticket sales is, no matter how high the prize amount reaches, the statistics are still as low as they were regardless of the prize total. However, despite this, you will see more people buying tickets in hopes that they could claim the big jackpot.

When it comes to playing the lottery, it shows that people love to take chances. Even when the odds are stacked against them, there is always that chance and people get hooked on that hope. I also think that everyone likes to think that their innately lucky which also feeds into their hope mindset even more so to provide them the feeling that they have a chance when ultimately we know that the statistics of winning are still extremely low. If one genuinely believes that they are lucky, then most likely this person will want to play thinking that they are luckier than the masses so it is worth taking the chance. Even if one thinks they are lucky, while this is a positive mindset to possess, it also demonstrates how rationality can very easily go out the window once there is a level of risk involved. This is where people need to be careful and practice moderation if they intend to play the lottery or it is very easy to become addicted and lose a ton of money over time.

There is nothing wrong with having a little fun and taking a chance with the lottery. As previously mentioned, moderation is key which is why it is wise to set a limit and to consider a budget prior to playing. It is a good idea to determine the maximum that you are willing to lose a month and to choose an amount that you can comfortably afford and that you will not lose sleep over if it is lost. It does not hurt to take a chance because as they say, you have to be in it to win it! Just remember to play responsibly if you are going to gamble or play any lottery games.

A Great Money Quote to Share – “Making Money Is Action…”

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I stumbled across this from a YouTube comment and looked it up to find that it is an actual quote. I thought it was valuable enough to share with my readers and something that I also agree with. In order to attract financial abundance, it is important to actually take action by going out there and working for it! Unfortunately for most people, money doesn’t just fall from the sky or land in people’s bank accounts for no reason. Often people complain that they are broke and if this is the case, then it is time to dig deep and find ways to take action to change this. This might mean that it is time to change careers or find multiple streams of income. There are unlimited opportunities in this world to make money and many that do not even require a professional degree. In other words, you do not always need a formal education in order to make a living and ultimately it all starts with taking action.

While generating an income is important, having the right habits and behaviors to ensure that you are saving what you can and not overspending is equally essential and oftentimes even more so. Meaning that no matter what you are starting with, you have the ability to control the way in which you spend your money and you can actually build up a good savings, even if you are not making a lot of money at the present moment. The best ways to go about this is to track your spending so you can examine exactly where your money is going, set savings goals to keep in order to stay hyper focused, and make a conscious effort to not spend beyond your means which might mean cutting back in certain spending areas in your life.

While the last saying in the image above is labeled as “growing” money, I would say another word that can work in place of it besides growing is investing. I would agree that this does take extra knowledge and research in order to find ways to invest your money in order for it to grow over time. While many people think for today, when it comes to your money, you need to think about your future many years down the line to ensure that you have money during all stages of your life which also means your retirement years. Even if that seems very far away from now, you still should start investing at a young age so that your money continues to grow abundantly.

Is There Such a Thing as Being Too Frugal?

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When it comes to money, I always tell people that money management is an essential life skill. If someone makes a good salary but does not know how to keep the money in the bank, then this is definitely not in an ideal financial situation. It is for this reason that people should get better at saving their money and cutting back on their everyday spending. However, is there such a thing as being too frugal? I think too much of anything typically is not a good thing and that it is smart to find a balance with both of your money saving and spending habits.

While it is important to conserve your money, you also do not want to do so to the point where you are depriving yourself of living your life to the fullest or having everything that you desire. It is healthy to spend money on the things that you value and/or mean something to you which is why you should make it a point to do so. If you are constantly depriving yourself, that is also sending the wrong spiritual message out into the Universe that you are not deserving of nice things. Furthermore, it also on a subconscious level is hindering you from attracting abundance into your life if you are obsessed with saving every little penny because putting such strong limits on yourself comes from the belief that you cannot afford things or that you are not worthy of having something which is the total opposite of an abundance mindset. If you are faced with a lot of debt that needs to be paid off, then I would say that this is a situation where it is crucial to live within your means and to stay disciplined until you can get back on a good financial track again. There could be instances where being overly frugal might have to be the reality but it should only be a temporary one as opposed to a permanent one because as I mentioned, you are deserving of a full and happy life! 🙂

My Thoughts on Inflation and What Can Be Done About It

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It is no secret that inflation is at an all time high right now. It is said that the rate of inflation has not been this high in about 40 years. While there are many contributing factors such as the pandemic, supply chain shortages within many industries, the war in Ukraine which affects the global economy, and many other things that are not within our control–there is something that we can all do to control the situation. The answer is: ADAPT. While I know on the surface, that might come off as ignorant because not everyone is in a good place in life or have the financial means to simply “adapt” but what I want to address is the point that we as individuals have to take life as it comes. People are so quick to complain about exterior things or to blame the outside world for the problems that we face or how we are impacted on a personal level. While I admit that I by no means am in favor of inflation, I do not let it get the best of me and you won’t hear me make an issue of it. Why? For one, in the grand scheme of things, it is the least of my concerns in that I choose to put my mental focus on the positive things in life and what I am most grateful for. Internally, we all have control on how we react to situations and it is best to not let the outside world bring our lives down. I know that might not seem easy at times but it is something that we all can consciously get better at. As I mentioned previously, it is all about how we choose to adapt to situations.

Although I am not a science person whatsoever, I do want to point out the basic principle that what goes up must come down. While this explains gravity, this concept actually applies to so many things in life! Inflation is inevitable but the high elevation rate in which we are experiencing right now is only temporary and is not sustainable. Eventually prices on certain things such as gas and real estate will eventually have to drop in price. People have to learn to stay positive and hang in there during these uncertain times because things are bound to level out over time.

If you are someone who is having a tough time keeping up with the rate of inflation as far as your finances are concerned, my advice is to take this as a time to level up your life. That might mean putting in more hours of work a week, picking up a second job, finding an extra source of income, or cutting back in certain areas of your life if it comes down to that. It is easy to blame inflation for not being able to keep up with daily expenses but I look at it that the underlying issue in this situation is SELF and not inflation. In other words, the money issues probably existed before inflation so rather than declaring that as the problem, it is better to take a deeper examination of self and find ways to develop better spending habits and finding ways to make more money so that you can live a more comfortable lifestyle that does not leave you struggling during these times of uncertainty. It is essential to both save and invest your money not only for a brighter future but also when unexpected emergencies arise such as situations like this where having extra funds as backup is incredibly beneficial.

How to Cut Spending Without Feeling Deprived

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I haven’t really written a financial related blog in quite some time and I feel that while this is always a topic of interest, proper money management is also a much needed life skill. As important as it is to amp up your salary or to find multiple streams of income, someone can make all the money in the world and not know how to manage it or overspend it where they do not have much money at all. That is why it is beneficial to know how and when to cut spending but to do so without feeling deprived so that you can still live your life in abundance.

Which leads me to the point that although it sounds like an oxymoron to preach about having an abundant life but then you have to cut back on spending money, the truth is that you can actually do both at the same time. For one, it is important to be thankful for what you currently have because practicing gratitude actually attracts more abundance into your life. Also consider that if you are happy with what you have, you will likely be spending less money on things that are not a true necessity which is a good thing because that means that you will be spending less money on things that you do not need.

Everyone has different areas in their lives that they are willing to spend more money on and things that they do not care about or prioritize as much. I would suggest establishing what areas that you can cut back on and the ones that you are willing to splurge on. For example, for me personally, I think it is a waste of money to buy lunch all the time or to purchase coffee daily so I do not spend much money on these items as I prefer to save the money and make my food and coffee at home. On the other hand, I know that there are people who find it to be quite enjoyable to buy their lunch and/or coffee on a daily basis because it is a luxury to them and just makes their lives more convenient. My point is, what I might label as a “waste of money” might be something that is very valuable to another individual so that is why I said that everyone needs to determine what they like to splurge on and then what areas that they can save their money on. This way you will have a balanced approach to your spending where you can have the things that you really care about but then you can also save money as well by cutting back on the things that are not essential to you personally.

“You Can Always Make Money But You Can’t Make Up for Lost Time”

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The death of Gabby Petito had not only made headlines nationally but also worldwide. Gabby’s life was cut short at the age of 22 years old and she was sadly found dead in an area out in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. Her death was confirmed a homicide and is a tragedy that continues to draw media attention. At her funeral, her stepfather Jim Schmidt had said, “You can always make money but you can’t make up for lost time.” This quote resonated with me and I am sure many people can agree with this. As much as we dedicate our lives to our careers and working lives, at the same time, we have to realize that there is more to life than just working and making money.

I had recently wrote an article this past summer talking about this exact topic. As I have gotten older, I definitely value quality of life (aka my personal time) over money. That’s not to say that I don’t work as hard but what it does mean is that I make an effort to make time to do the things that I LOVE! I never want life to pass me by and look back wishing I had done something that I really wanted to do. I truly do try to live life in the present as best as I can. I think everyone should take the time to pursue their interests and as the title of my blog states, “Make up the life you love.” I am not saying that work is not important or that we don’t need money. I just believe that we should find a balance where we have a healthy work life along with a healthy personal life filled with whatever makes our life feel most complete. 🙂

5 Money Saving Tips to Improve Your Money Management Skills

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As much as we strive to increase our salaries and find multiple streams of income (which are both great financial goals might I add), it is equally important to become better savers. I truly believe that every dollar counts so every dollar saved is essentially money that is earned. It is incredibly important to be good at money management and I always say that I do not care as much about the size of a person’s salary as much as I care about a person’s actual money habits. One can be very “rich” when looking at their annual salary but on the other hand actually be carrying large amounts of debt or simply never have anything stored away. This is where money management comes in and why it is a life skill that we should also all strive to get better at–no matter how much money you make or what you currently have now as there is always room for growth and change.

Buy Things Second Hand – My parents instilled in me at a young age the benefits of thrifting which for me meant shopping at consignment stores and second hand shops. Of course there are certain items that I think is best to buy brand new but there are plenty of things you can easily buy second hand at a fraction of the cost. There are also many websites nowadays where people are giving stuff away or selling things at a very low cost which means extra money to be kept in your wallet.

Compare Prices Before Purchasing – While many people buy things impulsively or choose to purchase something on the spot, I cannot stress enough the importance of shopping around first before you make a final decision because often times you will find a better deal just from comparing all your options.

Online Coupon Codes – I will admit that there are many good deals to be found on the internet and for convenience, why it is best to do a lot of shopping online. Before I make a purchase, I always google coupon codes and often times get lucky with finding a percentage off or a free shipping code. I have even been more tech savvy where I’ll look for coupon codes from Instagram influencers who publicly post a code on one of their posts which they tend to get credit for and I also get to save a few dollars.

Rakuten.com – I am obsessed with Rakuten! Who doesn’t like free money?! Formerly known as “Ebates,” this website offers plenty of online retailers who will give you a small percentage back from your total purchase (on average between 2-10% cash back). Once you create an account, you just search the online shop and it tells you how much cash back you can receive that day from making an online purchase. Each store varies and the rebate amounts change daily.

For every person you refer, you both will receive a $20-30 cash back reward so it is a win/win because your friends create an account to save and you’re also getting a little something in return. Last summer, I referred 10 friends/family members to join while it was a $30 cash reward promotion so I earned $300 on top of my online purchases. Again, who doesn’t like free money? If you are not familiar with Rakuten and want to start collecting free money today, be sure to use my referral link — (we each receive $30 back after you make your first purchase)!

Don’t Buy Something for the Sake of a Good Sale – Of course I advocate buying things on sale but how often have we purchased things on sale or in the clearance section when we really didn’t need these items? I am sure we have all been guilty of this and have just bought things for the sake of a really good deal. I have gotten much better at passing up on sales because even if it appears to be a good deal, it is a waste of money if I am buying something with little to no use. That is why it is much wiser to resist the urge to shop during sales so you don’t end up with useless items. I much rather pay a little more for something that I truly want and/or need than to just buy things to “save money.” Remember that the things that are on sale are often on sale for a reason.

Quality Time vs. Money – What’s More Valuable?

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As adults, we spend much of our lives working and developing our careers in order to build wealth and financial security. I am definitely all for working hard and making a lot of money but at the same time, I don’t think money is everything. Yes, money can buy many material goods and is needed to pay the bills but over time, I have discovered that quality time is much more valuable in the long run. Quality time to me means having the luxury to do the things that you enjoy such as pursuing your favorite hobbies and spending time with the people you care about most. The way in which we choose to spend our quality time really is personal to all of us and can also vary throughout the course of our lifetime. (Hey, it is never too late to pick up a new hobby!)

However, I will admit that the catch 22 of the situation is that you sort of need to have financial security (money) to buy you more quality time. By that I mean, in order to have more freedom and time, one must really have the money in the bank to be able to do what you want without having to constantly be working in order to make the money. That is why I cannot stress the importance of striking the right balance between work while also setting up free time for yourself. Working a crazy amount of hours might mean extra money in the bank but if you do not have the free time to enjoy it, is it really worth it? On the other hand, utilizing more of your free time without bringing money in is also not the way to live as it’s an added stress when you cannot make enough money to pay your monthly expenses.

When you’re much younger, sometimes it is necessary to really put in the extra work while you have the energy and are more dependent on working towards financial security which means less quality time to dedicate towards your passions; however, I can tell you from my personal experience, it is actually worth it (later)! That is not to say I was not having fun in my youth, I still think I managed to find a balance but I definitely made many sacrifices in order to comfortably build financial independence which now has paid off in giving me the opportunity to have more free time where I can afford to work less than I did before and allot more free time for myself. Working will always be very important to me as I look at it more for providing me a sense of purpose in which I will continue to be dedicated to my profession; however, I am not in a position where I am working incessantly in order to get by. It is wise to strive towards both financial security AND putting time aside for yourself but it’s good knowing that financial security will often provide you the quality time you deserve. Nowadays, I can take a step back and relax a bit to enjoy more quality time that is separate from my work life thanks to all the times I put in the extra work previously. Often you might find that you need to work harder in the beginning in order to earn quality time in the future. Trust me, it’s worth it! 🙂

This is a photo that was taken of me yesterday on my day off. Quality time is valuable, so let’s all find a way to enjoy it!