Introducing the Entrepreneurs Series:

This is my first official 10TW podcast entry!

It’s been a goal to do podcast interviews since we’ve launched this site. The first series we’ve designed for our readers is directed toward entrepreneurs and business owners. What’s more inspiring to entrepreneurs than to hear from those that have been very successful.

So, in this Entrepreneurs Series (ES), we will interview some of the most innovative and dynamic Christian business men and women. There will be a brief introduction to their business concepts. Then you can launch the podcast link and hear from them directly. At the bottom of this post will be a link to their site and a way for you to contact them. You can get access to their upcoming events and offerings from their site. Now, let’s get started with our first entrepreneurs!

Symptoms of No Grocery Coupon Shopping System:

I have had quite an education on budgeting and been very successful. But, there is one area that continues to cause me trouble. That is the flexible area of my budget regarding grocery purchases. Here are the symptoms. Do you recognize any of these in your life?

1. No plan when you enter the grocery store.
2. No patience for using coupons.
3. No clue when store sales are happening.
4. No organized system for reviewing house grocery inventory.
5. No idea of the calendars or cycles of supermarket sales.
6. No process for coupon collection and use.

My family’s monthly grocery spending has been very erratic. I was not being a good financial steward of the portion of my income dedicated to groceries. I needed information and training on how to do a significantly better job.

Strategies for Successful Coupon Shopping from Consumer Gurus:

I had the opportunity to interview Phillip Turner and Robert Walsh, founders of Consumer Gurus as a result of an entrepreneurship class given by my church. They have recently launched a new business whose primary goal is to provide “practical, methodical grocery shopping strategies for every type of budget”. They’ve taken a simple idea and created a system around basic tenets. Consumer Gurus holds in-person seminars, online webinars, and one-to-one sessions showing their clients how to:

1. Find and use discount coupons effectively.
2. Exploit store coupon policies.
3. Determine sale cycles and what foods are on sale when.
4. Recognize great deals.
5. Stock pile commonly used items, and much, much more.

Listen to the podcast and get connected with Pastor Phillip Turner and Robert Walsh and profit from their 40+ years of experience in making those grocery dollars holler!

Interview with Consumer Gurus:

Listen here and please leave a comment on what you think about the grocery coupon management strategies from the Gurus. You may have some tips of your own you’d like to share.

Interview Link: Consumer-Gurus-Interview

Upcoming Events: Seminars, Webinars and Events

Interview Music Credit: Neo Jazz Instrumental – MrJasDee

Some say it’s a terrible time to be a job seeker.  Those that are gamefully employed are fearful of possible layoffs. The unhappily employed refuse to make a career transition, opting to playing it “safe” and not rock the boat.

Take the Leap - Career Transitions

Well, with the right attitude and strategy, you may be able to make the leap to the next great job opportunity. Nicole Irene Gay of PolishMeProfessional.com (PMP) provides powerful strategies for putting you at the helm of your career transition.

She has just launched the site which offers a myriad of services which help you improve your chances of having a resume read, landing the interview and getting the job!

Ultimately, it’s possible to improve your income level and obtain the means to get ahead of bills and eliminate debt.

Interview with Nicole of PolishMeProfessional.com:

In a recent interview with 10 Talent Wealth, Nicole provides some insight into her PMP offerings as well as specific advice for those looking to uplevel their current career or to create a bridge to the next opportunity.

Here’s the Q&A:

Shawn:  

Hey, Nicole, thanks so much for agreeing to this interview and sharing your perspectives on making job hunters more successful! So, tell me, What inspired you to create the PMP website?

Nicole On Inspiration:

I had been working in career services for a number of years and had always had sort of a knack for resume writing in particular.  One day, a colleague of mine referred his friend to me to look over her resume.  When I finished correcting it and cleaning it up, it looked like a brand new document.  

At that moment, I thought to myself “Man, I really polished this up!” and voila! That is how I came up with the name Polish Me Professional.  I designed the logo a few days later and launched the site a week after that. 

I added additional services as the need arose and before I knew it, we went from resumes to interviews and career assessments!  When we added the job board and the blog, the hits to our site went from maybe 40 a day to over 200!

Shawn:

That’s fantastic! It seems you’ve hit a hot topic and an area where your skills can help professionals go where they haven’t dared to go before.

I’ve always been curious about the times I’ve failed to get a call back, or reasons why my resume did not get me a return call or an interview. Tell us Nicole,  What are the top three things people do wrong in resume creation, and interviewing?

Nicole on Resume Writing and Interview Errors:

When it comes to resume writing people tend to:

1) Undersell their skills and experience;

2) Use the wrong format for to represent their experience; and

3) Forget to proofread their document.

To the first point, people generally assume that if they have held a mundane job or a position that they feel is either boring or self-explanatory, there is no need to polish it up on their resume.  This is an example of underselling yourself.  A resume gives employers a chance to see how well you write and how well you can articulate yourself.

So, it is really important that people don’t forget to include important or vivid details in their job descriptions. Saying you are a teacher is one thing; but, saying that you’ve taught over 40,000 students is another and is much more attractive to employers.

Secondly, many job seekers use the basic chronological format for their resume.  This can prove to be a disservice to them because chronological resumes emphasize longevity and some job-seekers don’t have that background.  In this case, a functional or skill based resume would prove to be a better choice because it focuses the readers’ attention on their skill and talent, not their longevity.

Lastly, typos abound in resumes!  Many people rely on their built-in spell check to do the work for them.  However, some words may be spelled correctly but may be the wrong word for that sentence (think: “manger” vs. “manager”).  Reading aloud will help the job-seeker catch more errors in grammar and spelling than just allowing the spell-check feature to do it.

Shawn:

So then, it’s vitally important to provide your job history in the right format for the position to which you are applying. Got it!

Now you have the perfect formatting for the occasion with no errors. You land the job interview. Tell us the worst interviewing faux pas.

Nicole on Interviewing Faux Pas:

In terms of interviewing, the top three mistakes people make are:

1) Not researching the company;

2) Not preparing questions to ask during the interview; and,

3) Failing to follow up with a thank you card/note.

The key thing to remember about interviews is that they are all about showing INTEREST.  You want to show interest before you go (by researching the company and understanding its mission and goals), while you are there (taking notes) and afterwards (sending a thank you note to each interviewer within 24 hours).

Shawn:

Your point about the “Thank You” note is spot on. I have gotten great feedback during my career when I have used a hand-written thank you note on beautiful stationery. It’s a memorable personal touch.

Also, when I conduct interviews the level of interest and preparedness distinguishes one candidate from another. It’s a key component of a successful interview and could very well be the differentiating factor between you and another similarly qualified individual.

Let’s dive into the making of a resume that POPs. You’ve coined the term Professional Online Presence on your site.  If I want to stand head and shoulders above the resume writing crowd, What’s the first step to take in constructing a resume that POPs? How does one resume stand out over another?

Nicole on POP and Making Your Resume Stand Out:

The first step to creating a resume that POPs is to review the job description or position to which you are applying.  Knowing that will help you tailor your resume to that job more effectively. Again, avoiding the top three mistakes we discussed before will be instrumental in making your resume stand out from the pack.

Shawn:

That’s a great point. You can’t use a cut-and-paste approach to resume creation. It does take some thought to dig into the company and perhaps the interviewers to help hone in on the resume/cover letter combination that will make a difference in your success rate.

What I know about you, Nicole, is that you enjoy helping people. What’s the most exciting or fulfilling thing you’ve done to help people in this area?

Nicole on Why She’s So Motivated To Help You in Your Career Transition:

Every resume or cover letter or career assessment that I’ve done has been exciting for me because my personal goal is to never have “cookie cutter” services.  What I mean is this: each person should have a unique look and feel to their professional documents.

To this end, the fact that we don’t use templates, we don’t use stock phrases in job descriptions and we make a great effort to personalize the service given to each person, makes every assignment fulfilling!

Shawn:

Finally, as we wrap up this post, Nicole, could you summarize by telling the 10TW readers What service(s) or product(s) do you offer to help people in making career transitions?

Nicole Wraps Up on PMP Services and Offerings:

We offer a full range of services to help career changers!  The cover letter we can provide can help job seekers explain the transition they are making from one field to the next.  Additionally, we can help people craft a resume that highlights their transferable skills so employers can see how they would fit into their company.

We also support career changers by giving them customized interview practice so that they can gain competency in answering anticipated questions.  Along with these services, we offer a free to search, free to apply Job Board that can link job seekers to thousands of jobs nationwide!

Coupled with our personal service and individual consultation, Polish Me Professional helps people feel confident about their professional presentation and materials.

Shawn:

Well this has been an awesome interview! 10TW Readers please feel free to leave a comment below about your good and bad resume writing and interview experiences. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

You can contact Nicole Gay as listed below.

Thanks so much, Nicole, for coming up with such an innovative and timely service. We wish you the best!

CLICK HERE for Nicole's Resume Creation Services

Email: Info@PolishMeProfessional.com

Toll-Free Phone: (888) – 974 – 8328  ext. 0

According to Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere, there were over 35 million blogs tracked in the blogosphere with the number roughly doubling every 6 months. With that astounding rate of growth, newbies and experienced bloggers alike would question their own blog’s ability to survive and thrive with such fierce competition.

The competition is between similar blogs, rather than between unlike blogs. But, the shear number of blogs is staggering. I wanted to learn some of the reasons why a blog’s popularity never gets off the ground, or perhaps views and interaction take off, only to later dwindle.

What Are the Possible Reasons for Blogs Ending Up in the Blog Cemetery?

Some factors that contribute to the early death of a blog rest entirely on the blogger:

• Not knowing enough about the intended audience;
• Not knowing the target audience’s needs;
• Not effectively connecting with the blog’s intended audience; or,
• Experiencing diminishing blogger passion to write consistently and provide attractive content.

JKS Youth Economic Summit

So, what steps should a blogger take to establish and build a readership and a loyal audience? What can a blogger do to avoid no or low traffic, especially if their desire is to use their blog to establish a business? Well, I had the opportunity to explore this topic at a wonderful event this weekend, when I was invited to address the attendees of the JKS Summit.

Cudos to the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, sponsors of the Annual Juanita Kidd Stout Youth Economic Summit! The Ladies in red and white had over 100 kids from the surrounding Philadelphia area to attend. The focus of the event is entrepreneurship and financial literacy, two of my favorite topics. The student participants included 5th through 12th grade. The kids are hard-working, high-potential, and inspired. They certainly inspired me with their enthusiasm, attentiveness, and great questions.

I had the opportunity to present to aspiring bloggers ranging in age from 13 to 18. Some of the students had a head start already with blogs of their own. They were interested in the following:

What We Covered:

• Ways to increase their subscribers;
• Methods of reviving stagnant or dying blogs;
• Rejuvenating and maintaining motivation to continue posting;
• Target audience analysis;
• Finding service and product solutions for their target audience;
• Methodologies for monetization; and
• Making entrepreneurial connections.

I promised to make the “Blogging 101: Build Your Audience, Build Your Business Slides” available on my blog. Just click the title to download them.

8 Pathways to Build the Audience of Your Dreams: 

So, let me summarize the keys points on building a blog audience using the following graphic.

1. Know the Why – Sustainability: There must be a compelling reason to keep blogging. Perhaps it’s love of the blog subject, or desire to help your subscribers. The glowing embers of your blogging passion must to stoked through interaction with other bloggers, participating in topic  related forums. A desire to write must be cultivated as well.
2. Do the Research: Solve your audience’s problems in an entertaining way. Use Google’s Keyword search tools to learn more about what your target market is searching for.
3. Target & Understand Your Audience: Hang out where your blog’s potential audience hangs out. Seek them out in the social media sites like Twitter, FaceBook. Review the problems they write about on competitor blogs. Begin to think as they do. Anticipate their problems and present solutions.
4. Initiate the Law of Reciprocity: Always find reasons to Give 1st! This principle has been deeply ingrained in the blogosphere; be constantly on the look out for opportunities to serve your target audience as well as other bloggers. Use free downloads/eBooks. Leave valuable comments on blogs in your category. Try guest posting on a variety of like blogs. You can use their site’s popularity to link back to yours via Comment Luv plugin.
5. Build Your Audience: Over time, you’ll see your subscriber numbers increase. Be sure your email subscriber box is in a prominent location where potential viewers can easily see it. Use services like Mail Chimp (a free email list management software) or AWeber (paid email list service) to connect using email. Listen for their feedback in comments. Reply to comments promptly.
6. Be Consistent: Establish a posting schedule you can stick with and develop your audience’s expectation for receiving your targeted content.
7. Education: Seek Out training, keep your skills fresh. Take an online course.
8. Monetize: When you’ve built some credibility with your audience, monetize your blog by launching your products and services. They’ll buy because you’ve taken the time to build trust.

Blog Links from Those That Continue to Contribute to Me Daily

When you download the presentation slides you’ll see some bonus content with excellent blogger resources. I’ll mention a few in the post. You can check out more on the download.

You’ll find that there are bloggers with varying levels of success in popularity and monetization. Chose the ones that resonate with you and follow their blogs. You never know when free eBooks, impactful training courses, and services will be offered. Be observant.

These are the ones that continue to positively influence me. Check out their blogs. I’m betting you’ll find useful content on their sites.

• Darren Rowse at ProBlogger.net
• Brian Clark and Sonia Simone at CopyBlogger.com
• Chris Garrett at ChrisG.com
• Kiesha Easley at WeBlogBetter.com (my 10TW site designer)
• Ali Luke at Aliventures.com
• Pat Flynn at SmartPassiveIncome.com
• Jon Morrow at GuestBlogging.com

Books You Must Have in Your Library

I’ve always been an avid reader. As much as I love the feel of a hard or soft copy book, I’ve been really enjoying my new Amazon Kindle Fire which I got from my family for my birthday earlier this year. I recommended some book resources during the presentation. I’ve added a few. Feel free to check them out.

For Inspiration:

Classic Comparative Side-by-Side Bible: NIV | KJV | NASB | Amplified: The World’s Bestselling Bible Paired with Three Classic Versions

The Richest Kids In America: How They Earn It, How They Spend It, How You Can Too

The Strangest Secret

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)

Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out

Blogging Help

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income

WordPress For Dummies

Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros

Public Speaking Resource

When your blog popularity soars as a result of implementing these tips, you’ll probably be in demand as a speaker. It always pays to hone your public speaking skills. Who knows? Radio and TV opportunities may arise. I highly recommend joining a local Toastmasters Club. Attending and doing speeches in the “Competent Communicator” program will provide you a learning environment and forum for practice.  You can look up which clubs meet near you, or find out how to start your own Toastmasters club.

One of the all-time best book resources for public speaking is Dale Carnegie’s book on the subject.

How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking

Well, that wraps up this post. I pray you found it valuable!

Please Leave a Comment

I encourage you to leave a comment. If you’re one of the JKS attendees, please let us know what you think about the Summitt and the Blogging 101 presentation in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Women's Hands Lifted Praising God

What Happens When Women Testify?

Original Poem by Shawn:

Power is unleashed by the Spirit of the Lord,

Emotions are unshackled;

Tears Fall;

Chests rise and fall with heaves and sobs of release;

Hands up in the air, waving and praising!

Hearts Encouraged and Lifted Up!

Great power is unleashed when we magnify the Lord! To magnify means to make large. We make Him large in the minds of people by talking about Him to others of His exploits on our behalf. Testifying to others of what Jesus has done for us pleases Him.

I had the opportunity this evening to listen to Theresa Dozier-Daniel, author, speaker and psychologist, giving a seminar titled being the “CEO of Your Life”. She spoke about how we are who we are and where we are because of our thinking. Daniels suggests that to move from our current position to the next phase God has for us, we need to shift our current paradigms. By changing our thinking about ourselves and seeing our surroundings in the light of God’s Word, we can literally transform our lives.

The women testified at the end of the program in answer to the audience participation question “What visions do you have that the Lord has shown you about your purpose and passions?” In sum, each woman who testified told of how the Lord molds the good and the bad experiences into a power packed message for His glory.

He shapes and directs us along the pathway that He has designed especially for us as individuals made for His honor. We can use our hurts, our bad experiences as a platform to help others. The encouragement was contagious as each woman shared and testified of the Lord’s care for them!

As the women elaborated on their journeys the Lord’s fame grew and grew. Is there anything too hard for our God? (Genesis 18:14) No, not at all. We just have to trust Him and allow Him to lead us.

I’m excited about the journey along the path God has designed for me!

When my son, our first born, had just been delivered from within me after more than nine months of gestation, I was ecstatic. All 9 pounds and 2 ounces of him had been liberated via caesarian section two weeks after my due date.

For each month that passed, there was something new to observe in his growth and development. As the milestones of first tooth, first step, potty training, kindergarten, middle school, and high school graduation flew by, our expectations for him continued to rise.

Each challenge he faced and overcame led him to grow in understanding about himself and how things worked in his surroundings. As the challenges expanded in size and level of difficulty, he grew in his ability to handle those challenges.

Maturing Money Handlers Requires Growth Through Challenging Situations

It’s just the same with us as maturing money handlers. We improve in our ability to handle the finances the Lord has given us to steward, as we overcome challenges and develop excellent skills. (Check out my earlier post “7 Money Secrets from the Parable of the Talents – A Steward’s Day of Reckoning” for more on financial stewardship.)

Each challenge we encounter is an opportunity for us to grow and develop in areas that need shoring up. Perhaps we need help in buying our first home, or managing a household budget, or being an apartment building landlord. You can obtain help in those areas as you seek out sound instruction. Growth requires mentoring, education and experience. The need for growth cannot be ignored. The biblical writer Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes this growth process.

¹⁸And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. [AMP]

In effect, when we become excellent financial stewards at the level of our current assignment, we eventually receive a promotion. We earn the ability to handle greater and more difficult assignments. At each grade, our character, personal integrity, and money handling skill levels are developed and tested for endurance and effective performance. According to Merriam Webster.com, endurance means “the ability to withstand hardship”, or adversity through “sustained, prolonged stressful effort or activity.” When endurance and perseverance are fully developed, promotion can occur. (James 1:4)

The Money Handling Pyramid

Where Is Your Monthly Money Handling Skill?

So, where are you on the Money Handling Pyramid? Based upon your current monthly income and realm of responsibility, how much (order of magnitude) per month are you handling? Is it millions of dollars per month, hundreds of thousands, hundreds? Each level requires varying skills sets. If you have been managing thousands per month, what would happen if you suddenly had to manage tens of millions of dollars with little or no preparation? Would you know what it takes? If not, then it follows that without help and guidance, you may manage yourself back down to where you’re used to dealing. That would be a shame!

Resulting from each trying state of affairs, hopefully comes an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of financial systems and processes, if we chose to be observers and students of them. The Word of God is an effective instruction manual for understanding, containing, avoiding or even eliminating those difficult situations.

When you have developed the ability to manage the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, it’s just that much easier to make those dollars holler. Maturity in handling finances is progressive. It’s not going to be handed to you. You must learn how to hold onto your finances and know how make them work for you.

Some Recommendations on Improving Your Money Handling Skills

There are many ways to develop your money handling skills:

1. Read your bible for helpful financial advice, like “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7 concerning managing credit well, or Proverbs 20:4 which says “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing,” encouraging us to always pursue excellence in handling money or money-making propositions.
2. Take a class on effective money management, saving for retirement, investing in real estate, or budget creation. Your local community college would be a great resource at a great price.
3. Read books by successful money handlers like Dave Ramsey, Warren Buffett, and Robert Kyosaki.
   Dave Ramsey: The Total Money Makeover; Financial Peace Revisited.
   Warren Buffet: The Warren Buffet Way, 2nd ed.; The Winning Investment Habits of Warren Buffet and George Soros.
   Robert Kiyosaki: Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not; Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom.
4. 10TW Articles for Resources: Some helpful blog posts here on 10 Talent Wealth are…
   What to Do When Your Debt Looks Like Goliath the Giant
   10 Power Steps to Creating a Personal Budget – Part 1
   7 Money Secrets from the Parable of the Talents – The Rewards of Excellent Stewardship

Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or some of your recommendations on financial management resources.

Baby Money Image Credit

Although some folks enjoy handling their finances on the back of napkins, or in a little spiral notebook, there are better, more automated ways to manage your personal finances. I enjoy having tools and methods that are readily available and at my finger tips. More importantly, I don’t want to always have to enter every transaction, then categorize it, and summarize it to see the impact vs. my spending plan. There’s also nothing like a smart phone app version as well for discreet check-ins during the day.

When I first started looking into personal budgeting software, I had some very basic needs. I wanted automatic updates. My Excel spreadsheet and paper solutions were wearing on my nerves. All my accounts needed to be accessible from one platform. I also did not want to pay a lot of money. “Free” sounded even better.

You’ll want to develop a spending plan, or budget for yourself before you begin using the software. I currently use Mint.com. It meets my needs. I am still evaluating more tools for my personal finance fit.

Check out the following free personal money management software. Some features are common, like:

Common Personal Budget Software Features

• Access to all the accounts you add in one place
• Personal Money Management Dashboard
• Graphs & Charts
• Net Worth Analysis

Now for some personal recommendations. Try these sites out and let me know what you think.

Mint.com

Mint and Turbo Tax have teamed up to help you compress tax time preparation. I really like to be able to access all my account info from my iPhone. It remembers my categorization for expenses. This part can be a little tedious because it mixes up the transaction assignments sometimes. The software will send you alerts about how to save money by avoiding ATM fees and using credit cards with cash back features. It also reminds you when bills are coming due. I’m still going to dive into the other software to see more feature differentiation.

Mint.com Features:

• all accounts in one place,
• auto-categorization of transactions,
• bill alerts, graphics,
• use for budgeting,
• net worth analysis,
• mobile application
• secure (Verisign and Truste)

Yodlee.com

Yodlee is not only a means for managing personal finances, but the company has software developer capability for businesses and financial institutions. Yodlee also has a tax center powered by H&R block. These are fee-based services, but, the personal money management service is free.

Yodlee Money Center Features:

• spending analysis,
• cash flow analysis,
• net worth analysis,
• overdraft and late payment alerts, and fraud alerts,
• auto-categorization of transactions, projected balances basis future spending

OneBudget.com (Beta)

What I like about OneBudget is that you can access your bill account websites from this site. Payments are automatically updated. You’re more likely not to miss bills with this feature.

One Budget Personal Finance Software

OneBudget Features

• personal finance management dashboard,
• accounts all in one place,
• expense tracking and analysis,
•  bill status alerts,
• track net worth,
• “envelope” budgeting,
•  bill and utility pay

PersonalCapital.com

Personal Capital Finance Management Software

With Personal Capital, not only can you track bank, credit card, and loan accounts, you can monitor stock option values as well. You can track accounts offline too.

Personal Capital Features

• all accounts in one place,
• mobile Apps,
• financial dashboard,
• military-grade security,
• investment advice,
• personal savings and investment strategy
• investment management

GNU Cash

Gnu Cash Finance Management Software

GNU Cash has the accounting software spin. This is a great feature for a small business. I like the check-book style register for viewing transactions.

GNU Cash Features

• personal and small business financial accounting software,
• track bank accounts, stocks, income and expenses,
• transaction scheduling,
• reports, and
• graphs

Please leave a comment and let me know which ones you’ve tried and how you liked them. Let me know about any bugs you encounter as well.

Saving Happens When Expenses are Less Than Income

My maternal grand-mom was a stickler for saving money. She lived close by, so we visited often. Her house was the family hub. She’d cook Sunday dinner. As we all gathered around her dining room table, or anywhere there was a free spot, she would often ask each one of us grand-kids two things: (1) were we saving, and (2) how much had we saved.

As we grew older, subsequently went to college, started working and having families of our own, we more fully realized the wisdom in Granny’s advice. The need to save became much more pressing since it was linked to our ability to build financial wealth. Granny’s question underscored the importance of living within our means, paying cash as much as possible for desired items, and being prepared for the unexpected.

Saving is an important life lesson. Learned early and done consistently, even a small amount saved can reap huge benefits over a life time. Compound interest can be a formidable opponent, or one of our greatest financial allies. Unfortunately, things often get in the way of consistent saving.

American Saving Stats

The percent of disposable income Americans save declined from about 11% in the 1970’s to about 1% in 2009. (See the chart by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.) Four interesting facts emerge from this graph:

• The U.S. personal saving rate seems to be cyclical. There is an increasing savings trend during times of U.S. recession, where it otherwise decreases;
• American savings trends are on the rise since 2010 as confidence in the economy declines; and the
• U.S. personal saving percentage of 7.5% of disposable income in 2010 marks a rebound back toward the high of 11% in the 1970s.
• Current second quarter 2011 saving rates range from 5.0% to 5.5%, possibly indicating an increasing confidence in the economy.

The years just prior to the Recession of 2008 took a heavy toll on the savings rate, with 2008 being among the lowest for decades prior. Since about 2009, the savings rate has been on the rise. Pundit John Maudlin is still questioning whether we’re headed for Recession 2011. However, full blown U.S. economic recession in 2011-2012 may lead to even tighter purse strings and continuing savings rates increases.

CNN Money’s Katy Byron puts an interesting twist on savings activities post-Recession in her article “Was the Recession a Good Thing”. Byron says tough financial times are motivating folks to be more conscious of spending and to protect their savings.

Does this sound like you? Have you been squirreling money away since the news of financial crisis? Are you avoiding spending on bigger ticket items until more consistently positive financial news arrives? Or, do you tend to not pay much attention to your spending and have no spending plan? Although the more recent stats indicate U.S. saving is on the rise, there are barriers which keep some individuals from achieving their saving goals.

Some Obstacles to Consistent Saving

There are many reasons people avoid saving money. Do any of these strike a chord with you?

• Out-of-control spending & frivolous consumption
• Household expenses exceed income levels
• Unplanned medical expenses
• Sudden job loss
• Having no spending plan, or
• Lack of motivation to save

But, we can’t use these circumstances as excuses. Having the discipline to create an achievable spending plan and developing a saving habit can be the tools you use to get beyond unfortunate situations and traverse those obstacles to saving.

Aside from the statistics, saving money is a mind set and a habit. It only occurs when you figure out ways to spend less than you earn. Creating a budget is a great start to becoming a saver.

5 Reasons to Save Money

A lack of knowledge on how to control our spending and having insufficient motivation to save, lead to paycheck-to-paycheck (P2P) living. A great way to break the P2P failure cycle is to internalize the “Why”. In other words, you need to determine for yourself why it’s important to save money. Daily thinking about your personal reasons for controlling spending and building a great savings account creates the motivation you will need to reach your savings goals.

Proverbs 22:7 is an encouragement and instruction on getting in position to rule. Imagine yourself being a lender!

Proverbs 22:7

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Now, some questions for you:

• Do you know why it’s important for you to save?
• What could you achieve as a result of adopting the saving habit?
• How would you feel knowing you had a healthy retirement fund and 6 to 8 months of living expenses tucked away and earning top interest?

So, let’s discuss 5 Reasons why we need to save:

1. Rainy day emergency fund
2. Accomplish a savings goal
3. To have seed to sow
4. Create financial wealth
5. Security

When you begin to turn your financial situation around, and as you gain success, you reach your savings goals. But, one caution: it’s easy to rest our trust in that accumulation. But, Matthew 6:24 warns:

Matthew 6:24 No one serves two Masters

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). [AMP]

This scripture encourages us to continue to keep God as our source of strength, not an accumulation of money. Now, let’s talk through some specific methods we can use to save money.

Saving Methods

1. Track expenses and know their quantity and timing vs. income
2. Create a spending plan called a budget
3. Consistently spend less than you earn.
4. Set savings goals
5. Accomplish those goals
6. Create new savings goals

We’ve discussed statistics about saving, obstacles to saving, and methods for saving. Now to the nitty-gritty: the Saving Tools you need to be the lender and not the borrower are as follows:

Try out these Saving Tools

Tool#1: Download my FREE 10 Step Guide to Creating a Budget. This little booklet is packed full of tips for creating a budget.  

Tool#2: Capitalize on a Change Jar.

Start a Change Jar

A change jar is an amazingly subtle saving tool. All the family members can participate. Find an empty container and put all coins aside. If you find coins dropped under the sofa cushions, put them in the change jars. When the jars are full, take them to be counted. The fragments of dollars accumulate quickly.

Watch those high coin-counting fees, like on the CoinStar machines at the grocery store. You may be able to get your bank or credit union to count your coins. Check ahead to obtain procedures and fees. There’s always the “DIY-method”. Your bank teller typically has coin wrappers. You can wrap them yourself and avoid any counting fees.

Tool#3: You Can Beat Dead-Beat Savings Rates

You can earn more interest at online banks than traditional banks, such as SmartyPig, CNB Bank Direct, Ally Bank, and Clear Sky Savings Bank. You will need to compare the interest rates, minimum balance requirements, and any bank account requirements like a maximum number of transactions. A little comparison shopping will do the trick. Smarty Pig is my personal favorite.

Many of the online banks also offer automatic withdrawals. SmartyPig, for example, will allow the saver to set up multiple savings goals with automatic withdrawals on the day(s) of the month desired. These withdrawals must be tied to a regular bank with, for example, a checking account . Emails are sent when withdrawals are made or savings goals are reached. A goal can be closed and  the cash sent back to your regular bank or placed on a gift card to prominent merchants.

Tools#4: Put It on AutoSave

Regular banks have savings programs as well. Just check with your account representative for details. The savings transfers can be automated. Funds accumulate and can be tracked via online review, ATM or at the teller counter.

Tools#5: Greater Returns, But Larger Minimums and Longer Terms

As your financial wealth increases, you will certainly want to get greater and greater yields, or returns on your money. Consult your financial adviser for recommendations on your personal finances. Banks which give larger returns will often require large minimum initial deposits.

There are varying degrees on liquidity. Certificates of Deposit payout at varying rates depending on how long the may remains on deposit.

Savings Bonds require waiting on maturity dates which are much longer. Check out the link for some details.

Finally, I invite you to share your thoughts and ideas about savings. Please leave a comment to share your experience.

Well, you can defeat Goliath-sized debt! The answer is in the real story of David and Goliath. Your victory is in changing your thinking. In this post, we’ll challenge your thinking by expounding on:

4 Ways David Reacted Differently Which You Can Apply to Your Thinking About Your Personal Finances

• Difference#1: David Heard Differently
• Difference#2: David Believed Differently
• Difference#3: David Spoke Differently
• Difference#4: David Expected Different Results

In I Samuel, Chapter 17, the story unfolds. Let me paraphrase the epic event.

The Story of David and Goliath

The Philistines were an enemy to Israel. Both armies were lined up on opposite sides of a valley. It was common in those days to fight combat by champion. A single man is chosen to represent the many. This is a convenient solution. It avoids unnecessary bloodshed and loss.

Selecting their top man was easy for the Philistine army. They placed their confidence in a giant of a man who was almost ten feet tall. Goliath of Gath was the Philistine’s choice of champion. He had huge weapons and what looked to be impenetrable armor. And Goliath shouted to the ranks of Israel to select their own champion.

Goliath Shouts Insults

The stakes were high. The army of the defeated fighter would be slaves to the winner! Each morning and evening, for forty days, the Philistine Champion came out to taunt the King of Israel, Saul, and his army, saying “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” The men of Israel were absolutely terrified.

Young David is Angered By Goliath’s Mocking the God of Israel

But, on the fortieth day, young David arrived on the battle scene. His father had asked him to bring food for his elder brothers who had followed Saul into battle. David had been away tending his father’s sheep. The Israeli army had been hearing Goliath’s taunts for days on end. The sound struck terror in their hearts. But, when David heard Goliath’s words he was incensed. He says in I Samuel 17:26,

26And David said to the men standing by him, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

David describes Goliath’s words as a “reproach”, meaning to discredit or disgrace, not just Israel, but, Israel’s God! He already has a vision of defeating the enemy and getting a wonderful reward. David gladly becomes Israel’s champion.

David Expects the Lord to Deliver Israel

David speaks with great conviction about God’s ability to deliver Israel. He uses his words to create victory. David knows God’s delivering power on a personal level. The Lord had already shown Himself strong on David’s behalf. He used his strong faith in God to speak forth the words needed to activate God’s power to defeat his enemies.

45Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.

46This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head. And I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

God Delivers Israel Through David

David, a mere youth, defeats Goliath. God used the most unlikely person to achieve His purpose so that there was never any doubt who achieved the win. David used Goliath’s own sword to defeat him. He decapitated the Philistine champion. The words David prophesied over the situation he faced came to pass. David’s private victories gave him the confidence to take God at His word one more time, giving him a very public victory.

50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck down the Philistine and slew him. But no sword was in David’s hand.

51So he ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their mighty champion was dead, they fled.

Not only did God give Israel victory, He did it in a big way. God brought victory in a seemingly impossible situation. He badly wants to do the same for you.

4 Ways David Reacted Differently Which You Can Apply to Your Thinking About Your Personal Finances

What I love about this story are its contemporary parallels. There are 4 Ways David reacted differently to the Goliath-sized situation. When you approach your financial circumstances with this kind of different thinking, things are bound to change for you.

Difference#1: David Heard Differently

For forty days, Goliath taunted the Israeli army. Even King Saul cowered at the words of defiance from the huge Philistine. When David first heard those same words faith, not fear, was produced in his heart. David heard the defiance of his God and took offense. He was not in the least concerned about Goliath’s size. David knew the Lord would fight for him in battle.

Your perspective determines your success or failure. Looking at your situation with doubt in your heart effectively shuts down the power of God to deliver you. Are you speaking doubt into your negative financial circumstances?

Difference#2: David Believed Differently

The Philistines placed all their faith in the giant Goliath. David placed his faith in the mighty God of Israel. You, when facing your Goliath, must depend on the strength of the Lord. If you feel you don’t have sufficient wisdom to handle your situation, God will supply the knowledge you need if you will ask Him.

You control how you interpret your surroundings. If you view your negative situation overcoming you, overpowering you, knocking you down and out, it will. Satan wants you to see only the Goliath-sized problem, not your Lord & Savior.

We must magnify God in our own minds. To magnify means to enlarge so as to increase visibility and understanding. If the size of your problem such as your debt, your utility bill, your foreclosure notice, your bad spending habits remains large in your own mind, God’s ability to be a gigantic deliverer in your life is limited. See God as more powerful, and mightier and greater than any kind of situation.

Difference#3: David Spoke Differently

David drew confidence from past victories. He had defeated a bear and a lion while out shepherding his father’s sheep. Each private battle expanded his courage. So, in the heat of battle, the maturing process he had undergone became evident to others. He spoke forth his confidence in God while under pressure. That’s the true test of maturity.

Difference#4: David Expected Different Results

David used Goliath’s own weapon against him. What’s was Goliath’s primary weapon? His mouth! He created so much fear in the ranks of Israel, that they were defeated before the battle ever began. Goliath’s words created fear. But, David’s belief in God created different words, faith words.

Dismantling the power of your Goliath is at the head. Your head, or your thinking controls your actions. As long as you are listening to the taunts of negative self-talk and defeated people, you grow weak. If you absorb the words of the naysayers, instead of deflecting their negative commentary, you grow weak in your thinking.

Change what you are saying to yourself and aloud. If negativity and doubt has escorted you to your current location, where do you think speaking God’s word in the atmosphere will take you? To victory! God’s word absolutely never returns void. It accomplishes what He sends it to do. The angels listen to the person speaking God’s word confidently and triumphantly. Keep your angels employed by constantly speaking God’s word over your circumstance A-L-O-U-D!

Go grab your Goliath by the neck. Using Goliath’s sword on him means you say God’s word to it. Many, many more swords are located in God’s word. Choose your weapon against your Goliath. Use it skillfully to eradicate your enemy debt. Memorizing it means it’s readily available to defeat your enemy!

Try these swords out! Hit the links and see the full scripture in biblegateway.com.

Mark 11:23-24 – Say unto this mountain, Be thou removed!

I John 5:14-15 – Whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions.

Isa 54:17 – No weapon formed against you will prosper.

2 Tim 1:7 – God has not given us the spirit of fear but of wisdom power and a sound mind.

Psalm 34:3 – O magnify the lord with me, let us exalted his name together.

Your Action Plan:

1. Write out your top two debts that you want to eliminate. Be specific. Include dollars and bank names. For example, you may write “Citibank VISA $3,000”, or “Residential Mortgage with Citizens Bank $$200,000”.
2. Find two scriptures that you can memorize concerning eliminating your debts.
3. Read and say those scriptures aloud. Prophesy their defeat as David spoke of Goliath’s downfall.
4. Repeat this process until all doubt is removed from your mind.
5. Thank the Lord for being so large in your life. He’s greater than any debt in your life.

If you have other suggestions, please share them in the comments section.

Photo by Upside of Inertia

Give and It Shall Be Given to You!

Luke 6:38 says in the Amplified Bible, “Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.”

This verse describes a spiritual law which, when applied according to God’s purpose and will, yields consistent, multiplied results.

The Giving & Receiving Circle

The verse describes a complete circle of giving and receiving. We usually like to be on the receiving end of things. This law states that you start the receiving process by your giving.

Measures, Measures, Measures

You also control the measure coming back to you, basis the measure you use. If you use a teaspoon, a teaspoon will be used to measure blessing back to you. If you use a dump truck-sized measure, you get multiplied dump trucks back to you.

How to Get Kiesha’s Blessing eBook

In her latest eBook called Be a Blessing: 77 Ways to Bless Others, Kiesha Easley describes that blessing cycle. She details simple, practical ways for you to be a blessing to others. Be the one to start a tsunami of blessing coming your way by giving of yourself, whenever, and wherever you can.

Book Description:

“This book will teach developing as well as ministering Christians the importance of making a more conscious effort to bless and help others. The purpose of this book is to help Christians deepen their understanding of the word “blessing” – what it means to be “blessed” and what it means to “be a blessing” to others.”

Get an eBook version of Be a Blessing – 77 Ways to Bless Others. (This is an affiliate link.)

I know you’ll enjoy this eBook!

Don’t forget to tweet it and add it to your Facebook page from Kiesha’s Highly Favored site.

Be a blessing to someone today!

Red Zone or Green Zone: Where Do You Want to Be?

1. Find Your Motivation
2. Identify Your Financial Goals
3. Analyze Your Spending
4. Categorize Your Spending, and
5. Review Your Income Sources

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Now, let’s get started with Power Step#6.

Power Step#6: Tabulate and Summarize Income vs. Expenses

Create a side-by-side view of income figures next to expenses

1. Identify repetitive patterns. They are usually linked to consistent behavior, like going to the mall each payday, perhaps eating out everyday because you don’t feel like cooking.
2. Find the “why”? Think of the root cause reasons why you overspend in this area. Correct and monitor the behaviors which lead to consistent overspending, and eliminate or at least minimize them.
3. Reduce and eliminate. Determine a strategy for reducing or eliminating some expenses. You could start using grocery coupons to reduce spending in this area. You could avoid grocery shopping when you’re hungry. You could minimize mall trips to specific time frames.
4. Avoid tempting situations. Be aware of your spending “triggers”. Avoid situations where temptation generally prevails.
5. Seek great advice.  Get a certified financial planner (a highly recommended one) to review your financial situation and apply her recommendations.

You’ll notice that successfully creating your budget is only half the opportunity. The other half is consistently using your budget to guide your daily spending.