Overcoming Financial Stress With The Saver And The Spender

Do you ever feel urgency or stress around this idea of "I need to make my money work harder for me!". If so, this one's for YOU! “I want my money to be working for me”. This is something we hear from people who reach out to us all the time. When we ask clients what their goals are, so many of them will tell us they want their money to be working for them. They want to be doing MORE with their money. They want to make sure they are making the best decisions with their money, etc. And I love this! These are all great things! But one thing I often sense is that they are feeling some urgency or stress around this idea of making their money “work” for them. This is usually the way of framing that they want their money invested and earning compound interest. You know - earn money while you sleep sort of thing, right?! Which of course is a beautiful thing. But what I want to talk about today is that there are many other ways that you can get your money working and none of them have to do with investing. In fact,

Do you have big goals for 2021? As we head into the new year, so many of us are setting different goals for the year. We created a free download (click here to download) to support you throughout 2021 so that you can stay present and focused to your goals all year long. In this episode you will learn... How to set a SMART financial goal How to challenge yourself with Good, Better, and Best goals How to track your 2021 goal progress with our freebie: 2021 Goal Tracker   Additional tips: To visually watch this episode, join our free Facebook community where Coach Jaclyn went live to show how to use the 2021 Goal Tracker. To participate in the 21-Day Challenge (mentioned in this episode), join our free Facebook community - this is where all the activity of the 21-Day Challenge is happening!   Resources: Click here to download the 2021 Goal Tracker New Year, New $$ Checklist Sign Up for the 21-Day Challenge Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group

Just because it’s called a “stimulus” check does not mean that it is your responsibility to go out and stimulate the economy with it. A big purpose of this stimulus bill was to provide additional financial relief to the American people. So in this episode, I am going to share five things you could do with your stimulus check to bolster and strengthen your own financial position, as well as some ideas of how you could use it to support your community.   In this episode you will learn... How to check the status of your stimulus check if you haven’t received it Five ways to bolster your own financial position with the stimulus dollars A few ways you can support your local community with your stimulus check   To get the latest updates about the stimulus check and other forms of Coronavirus relief, join our free Facebook community - we’ll help keep you informed, answer your questions, and connect you with other like-minded people who want to focus on being more financially savvy.   Resources: IRS.gov G

It’s back! It only happens twice a year - our 21-Day Challenge is starting on 1/21/2021. We are super excited to kick off this challenge which is designed to help you move your money forward in a bigger, better way than you ever have before. In this episode you will learn... What the 21-Day Challenge is and how you can sign up Who the 21-Day Challenge is designed to help Who should not participate in this challenge To participate in the 21-Day Challenge, join our free Facebook community - this is where all the activity of the 21-Day Challenge is happening! Click here to sign Up for the 21-Day Challenge Click here to join the Fiscal Fitness Money Strategies Facebook Group

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the December FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!   Resources: New Year, New Money Checklist: fiscalfitnessphx.com/newyear - Episode 107 Choosing your word of the year: https://fiscalfitnessphx.com/oneword2019/ www.FiscalFitnessPHX.com www.FinancialCoachAcademy.com

Famous financial gurus are known for their popular, one-size-fits all approaches to money. Here at Fiscal Fitness, we know from working first hand with hundreds of clients that no formula works for every single client. In this episode you'll hear why Coach Jaclyn herself chose to abandon one of the popular approaches out there when working on paying off her non-mortgage debt. In this episode you will learn... Why the one-size-fits-all approach wasn’t working for me - what I liked and what I didn’t. How working with Coach Jill changed my approach and what she taught me How having a custom approach was actually a much wiser path for us to take   Resources: Schedule a free call with one of our coaches Episode 92 - Coach Jaclyn’s Top 5 Money Mistakes Episode 104 - Emotional Spending and Preparing for the Holidays Take our free Debt Pay-Off Quiz to find out which strategy might work best for you Episode 103 - Why I Left My Teaching Career to

Many clients tell us that setting goals isn’t something they have ever done. That it feels really unnatural for them and isn’t something they feel comfortable with. We have definitely found that goal setting is a skill that must be learned and the better you get at setting your goals, the better you get at achieving them time and time again! Unfortunately, goal setting fails for so many people. Here are a few things we see or hear from clients when it comes to goal setting: They say it feels pointless. They don’t ever feel as though they are reaching their goals. They forget the details of their goal. Their goals are set up as pass/fail, and they find themselves failing time and again. They aren’t specific enough, so they never know if they have actually achieved their goal. When it comes to financial goals specifically - they don’t have a solid foundation (aka budget) that actually works - so their financial goals are more like wishes, rather than concrete goals where they can see the steps to take to

So long 2020 and good riddance!  This episode is a rerelease of episode 48 from 2019 but it is so great that we want to share it with you again.  Research shows that resolutions are largely ineffective for making positive, sustainable change. Twenty-five percent of people break resolutions within one week and sixty-five percent break them within weeks. Selecting a word of the year can help us to embrace a larger vision that feels expansive and possible. A single word is easier to remember than a whole list of goals and resolutions. Your “word of the year” anchors your daily life, helps you focus, guides the work you do, choices you make. The benefits of choosing one word: Can feel more expansive than goals or resolutions. Can feel more inspirational vs instructional. Especially great for people who do not do well with structure, deadlines, or too many rules. Allows one to adjust their goals and resolutions as the year goes on – things can happen and change and having a single word can give you the flexi

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the November FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

This is a replay of one of our most popular episodes, episode 23: Holiday Traditions and Gift Giving Ideas that will Not Break the Bank. You can check out the amazing companion holiday shopping and traditions blog post here. 

This time of year, tends to be one of the most EXPENSIVE times of year for a lot of people. It is when there are a ton of festivities happening all within a relatively short period of time and we often can get swept away with the fun, the tradition, the expectations of family or friends and ALSO tempted by all of the sales and amazing marketing that is about to be around every turn.  We want YOU all to be prepared for it. Not only financially, but also from an emotional place, so you don't get swept up in the excitement of it all, only to regret it come January.  Notes: A lot of the really big sales that are going to be promoted in the coming weeks will have advertising that makes you want to "ACT QUICKLY" because the deal will end soon, stock is limited, shipping times may be delayed. All of these reasons will be used to push you to BUY and BUY quickly.  Spending money should actually feel very neutral. The excitement should come when you get to enjoy the thing you have purchased. NOT in the actual tran

"I think a lot of people, when they meet a financial professional, assume that they’re someone who is just naturally good at money, that they have some sort of formal financial training or degree in finance, or that they’ve always made good decisions with their money. And that’s just not true. I became a financial coach because of how financially stressed I used to be and the transformation I experienced from working with a financial coach myself" Jaclyn Wise, Financial Coach at Fiscal Fitness Phoenix   In this episode you will learn... What the major catalyst was for Coach Jaclyn to finally make a change How Jaclyn got her start in financial coaching Why Jaclyn left her teaching career to coach full time Additional tips for when changing careers: Tip #1 - Before you make a big financial decision like buying a house, having a baby, making a big career change - hire a financial coach to help you navigate the day-to-day side of your finances and see the impact on your financial future Tip #2 - Qu

Does it seem like learning to manage your money is just plain impossible? Do you keep trying to become better with your money, but then you find yourself giving up? In this episode, we dive in to the 4 stages of learning with money. We provide key characteristics of each one so you can easily identify where on the journey of growth you are. We also give you specific steps to take to keep you moving along the 4 stages.   In this episode, Kelsa will help you understand and implement: The 4 stages of learning a new skill Characteristics of each stage Steps to continue progressing through the stages Questions to ask yourself that will boost your commitment to progress See the image of the four steps Kelsa mentions in this episode here.   

In this episode Coach Jill walks you through how to assess whether a home project is worth the investment and if you decide to move forward, what are some of your options for deciding how to pay for the project. There are so many options out there - from paying cash to credit to HELOC’s to loans. Let’s talk about what option makes the most sense for YOU when deciding to move forward with a home improvement or renovation project.     Questions answered in this episode: How do you determine whether a home improvement project is “worth it”? How do you decide the best financing option based on the size of the project?  When's the best time to use a HELOC vs. home equity loan? What we recommend for anyone considering home improvement projects this year   Additional tips and strategies: Do your research! Spend time in the researching phase before you move into action. Doing this research and weighing your options will help you to save money in the long run and help you feel confident in your decision.

Most of the time a brand new client finds Fiscal Fitness, they find us by searching for a “financial advisor.” And most people don’t know what a financial coach even is. In this episode, Coach Jaclyn breaks down the differences between financial coaches and advisors, and help you decide which one you need on your money power team today.

It’s one of our favorite times of the month! It is time for the FC Beat. That’s the Financial Coaches Beat, in case you didn’t know, where Jaclyn and Jill are giving you the inside scoop on what’s happening, all things in the Fiscal Fitness world. And of course our favorite part which is tooting the horns of our amazing clients, sharing the great work that they are doing and celebrating their accomplishments. You’ve got to tune in for this one!

Why is it that we want to shout from the rooftops when we hire a personal trainer to help us get in the best shape of our lives, but we want to keep it a secret when we want to hire a financial coach to help us get in the best financial shape of our lives? Coach Jill dives into the thoughts we have about money that are actually holding us back from becoming skilled in this incredibly important area of life.  Have you ever thought “How are they doing that?” when you see friends going on vacation, renovating their house, taking a voluntary sabbatical from work, or driving their new dream car? Usually this thought is followed by another one that involves self-doubt, shame, or embarrassment because we believe we must be “doing it wrong”.  Asking for help to figure out how to “Do it right”, brings about an onslaught of emotions that often prevents us from taking steps to learn a better way. WHY do we feel shame asking for help in this area of life, but would never experience shame asking for help with our fitnes

The simplest description of the Diderot Effect is this: “The introduction of a new possession into a consumer’s existence will often result in a process of spiraling consumption.”    What does this mean? You buy a new car and now you need a new tint job, new rims, a new phone charging cable, new sunshades, etc. That one purchase has resulted in a multitude of purchases that before the initial purchase, were not even on your radar.    The Diderot Effect is a VERY common spending phenomenon that nearly everyone falls victim too. In this episode, Coach Jill gives examples of how the Diderot Effect might be showing up and she also gives you 7 tips to help you reduce its financial impact.    Coach Jill's 7 tips to reduce the Diderot Effect Awareness is key. Imagine how the new item will fit in with the rest of your life. Limit temptations. Look for opportunities to borrow, trade, or rent before you buy. Always budget for MORE than you anticipate needing. Set Limits/Pace yourself.  Make linear purchase

Did you know that the average American household spends over $200/month on their cable bill? For most of us, that makes cable our most expensive utility. Learn how to save money with streaming by cutting the cable cord in this episode.   Notes from episode: Guest expert (and Jaclyn’s husband) John Wise shares different options for cutting the cable cord that can save you more money than you might have thought possible. Cutting the cable cord does not have to mean that you lose access to sports, local TV, or DVR. In fact, John and Jaclyn have access to all of them. One of the most inexpensive ways to cut the cable cord is to install a rooftop or wall antenna, which will enable you to pick up locally broadcast channels. You can completely eliminate your cable bill by doing that. A more popular option is to use a streaming device (like a FireTV Stick, Roku Stick, Apple TV, Google Chromecast) or a Smart TV and install/subscribe different streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, etc.). If you’re

Money is a LIFELONG journey. No matter where you are starting, there will always be something “Next” on the list. When we think about our financial lives, it’s as if we are climbing a mountain. We are always looking up and we can see the next step towards the goal we are working towards, but it’s like the top of the mountain is covered in clouds. Every time we think we must be JUST about to reach the peak, we get through the clouds and discover there is still so much more to go.  There will ALWAYS be more we are striving for and if we aren’t careful this can lead to frustration It is easy to compare ourselves to others who we see as more successful and think - “they are so far ahead, I will never get there.” So to combat this, we need to manufacture some artificial peaks for ourselves. We need to have a way to measure our progress and recognize that while it still feels as though we are climbing a never ending mountain, we actually HAVE made so much progress and that makes it worthwhile to keep on going!