Greetings! I want to start this newsletter with some MMC news. We have done some upgrades to our website, newsletters and have added some new features to our blog and ways you can keep up with financial tips and news. We encourage you to check out the changes, and we'd love your feedback! 

If you missed "The Money Mindset Makeover" Workshop in January-February, we will be bringing it back again this fall. In the meantime, please check out our extended program offerings based on this popular workshop starting in June with "Summer Spending Controls." 

In this month's newsletter, we are focusing on financial stress and literacy.  I continually talk about the power of knowledge and encourage you to take a pulse on your current spending plans as we start to navigate out of the year of Covid. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but being prepared for the path that lies ahead starts with knowing where things are now.

Before spending that stimulus, that tax return, or anticipating that child tax credit, we really encourage you to take an assessment of your current debts, and what deferments you have that will be terminating, and when.

As the saying goes, " If the plan doesn't work, change the plan but never the goal." Many plans have changed, but before jumping to put out the immediate fires, make a solid plan of action to reach those goals you had set out for yourself before the detour of 2020.  In some cases, you could be putting a bandaid on septic wounds and not really getting at the root of the infection.  Laying it all out to really examine the bigger picture and make a solid plan will really help make sound money solutions now.

Quick tips: 

• If you haven't already started a money journal, do so. Get all those money worries out of your head on paper so you can clear brain space for executing the answers and not focusing on the worry.  
• Our mindset matters; change the narrative from "I'll never's" to "When I do's."  
• Stay organized and departmentalize. Keep folders one for each money issue as in credit cards, medical, student loans, utilities.  Take on one issue at a time and pace yourself.  Set a timer if you have to keep the mental boundaries clear.  
• Set up a calendar with due dates, so you have a clear visual of when you need to address any one issue or follow up on.  Again, save the brain for solving the problems, not all the remembering of dates. 
• Sleep! Sleep allows the brain to process and organize, get plenty so your brain can clean up and organize those mental file cabinets.

When in doubt, call us "...because it's never JUST about the money."

Elbow bumps,
Leslie Boden 
Director

Women are more financially

stressed than ever.

Here’s how to overcome it.

By Michelle Fox

"Financial anxiety for women is growing. While studies have shown that women typically suffer from more money stress than men, the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation. In fact, 79% of women report feeling weighed down by money and stress, up from 67% last fall, according to Fidelity Investments’ new Financial Sentiment Survey.

Of those who reported financial worries, 72% were concerned about not having enough retirement savings to live comfortably and 71% were stressed about the ability to save for goals outside of retirement. Balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, the ability to managing day-to-day expenses and job security also weighed heavily on their minds.

Yet taking control of your finances is only one way to deal with the stress. You should also look inward. “The two biggest barriers to tackling your finances, as a woman, are shame and fear,” said financial therapist and coach Carrie Rattle, CEO and founder of New York-based Behavioral Cents, which provides financial coaching and therapy."-Excerpt from Article 

WHAT TO READ

April's Must-Read Books For Women

"What's keeping you from real financial success? You're a smart woman. So why do you find financial matters just a little intimidating?

Don't worry—we've all been there! We work hard for our money. We're supporting families or sharing the financial obligations of our households. However, we're usually paid less than men and we typically live longer, making our money management needs unique. And that's why it's time for YOU to master the essentials of money: managing it, saving it, investing it, and building a secure financial future for yourself." from inside flap of book.

Clever Girl Finance grow your money book teaches readers the irreplaceable value of investing for long-term financial gain, and the difference between making money and building wealth. 

Written for any woman who’s ever sought out an accessible introduction to the world of investing, this book is especially suited to women interested in learning how investing works and taking guided action towards their financial success. 

Clever Girl Finance encourages women to talk about money and financial wellness and shows them how to navigate their own murky financial waters and come out afloat on the other side. Monitor your expenses, build a budget, and stick with it, make the most of a modest salary and still have money to spare, keep your credit in check and clean up credit card chaos, start and succeed at your side hustle, build a nest egg and invest in your future, transform your money mindset and be accountable for your financial well-being. 

"An essential guide to financial well-being for women of all ages. Bola's book expertly demystifies handling your money, getting out of debt and creating a sound financial future for yourself."

—Farnoosh Torabi, financial expert and host of the So Money podcast

The Five Key Components of

Financial Literacy

 Bungalow

"Does the idea of making a major financial decision or even checking your bank account stress you out? You're not alone. According to a 2016 report from the Federal Reserve, over half of Americans—across all income levels—are worried about their finances. 

Some financial challenges might be out of your control, but financial planning can equip you to handle whatever comes your way. Being empowered to make good financial choices is called financial literacy, and it's something that every adult needs. What is Financial Literacy?"

-Excerpt from the article.

"She was powerful, not because she wasn't scared but because she went on so strongly despite the fear."

                          Harper Lee