Education Corner
 Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only—not financial advice. We’re not responsible for any financial decisions you make based on this content. Please talk to a financial advisor for advice tailored to your situation. You work hard for your money—so let’s talk about how to hang on to more of it. These simple tips can help you keep more cash in your pocket and make smarter money moves. 1. Check Your Tax Withholding If you get a big tax refund every year, you might be giving the government too much out of each paycheck. Updating your W-4 form could help you take home more money now—so you can save, invest, or cover bills throughout the year. 2. Don’t Miss Out on Tax Credits Tax credits can shrink your tax bill—some even give you money back. Look into ones like the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and credits for saving for retirement, education, or making energy upgrades at home. They can add up fast. 3. Cut the Waste Got subscriptions you don’t use? Paying high interest or random fees? It’s easy to let that stuff slip by. Take a few minutes to review where your money’s going and cut what you don’t need. Even small changes can free up cash. 4. Use Tax-Friendly Accounts Putting money into things like a 401(k), IRA, or HSA can give you tax perks—like lowering your taxable income or growing your money tax-free. It’s a smart way to save for the future and ease your tax bill today. 5. Save for Emergencies Start with a $1,000 emergency fund, then build up to cover 3–6 months of basic expenses. Having a cushion means you won’t have to rely on credit cards or dip into your retirement money when life gets messy. 6. Think Twice Before Taking Money Out Early Pulling money from retirement or health savings accounts before you’re supposed to usually means taxes and penalties. If you need cash in a pinch, try other options first so you’re not hit with extra costs. I hope that you find these quick tips helpful, we encourage you to leave a comment below. What would you like us to talk about next?
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 And so around this time of the year begins the first round of layoffs for corporate workers. I have unfortunately experienced this on numerous occasions. One year being laid off twice from two separate places of employment. Change is inevitable and companies will do what’s best for the company vs your household, every time. It’s important to prepare for change. I grew up in an era where they’d say “If you stay ready, you won’t have to get ready”. As an adult I finally understood what that meant. Below are 3 things I did before going down with the ship or hoping in the life boat during the corporate layoff season. Store a Nest Egg: There’s no magic trick! I simply put aside additional money; that would hold me for 6 months (at least) until I found another job or contract. I took what it takes for me to live regularly each month multiplied it by six and that became my new SAVINGS GOAL! Multiple Streams: We would all love to work just one job and think that the one job should do the trick. But with inflation it’s not likely. I also had a side gig or another job; just in case I needed something else to fall back on. Stay in Touch: Although I had landed a perfect job or two; I continued to stay in touch with previous co-workers, job recruiters, and etc. Just in case I needed a referral or a lead on jobs. Keeping communication and good standing professional relationships with individuals could potentially be exactly what you need to help in a job search. Systems & Process: When I go into buildings on the wall I notice an emergency exit plan, when I get on planes they share the emergency exit plan. The lesson is to create systems and processes for the emergency exit plan for being laid off. Having a plan in place is important. Keeping my resume up to date, getting online recommendations while still employed, having a check list of documents and information needed prior to being laid off, think chess, not checkers! In a nutshell, I saved my coins, created a plan B (and maybe a plan C), kept consistent, effective communication and created an emergency exit plan! I’m not saying this made things easier; I still had a panic attack or two. But once that subsided, it was nice to know I had a plan in place and was prepared. Of course at the end of the day do what works best for you. Just remember small changes make a BIG difference!  4 Ways to Earn Extra Cash During the Holiday
 3 Ways to Prepare for a Recession…
We’ve heard the word buzzing around! “A recession is coming; a recession is coming “or some would say that we’re already in one. We wanted to give you some practical tips on things you can do to prepare for this recession. Having a financial plan on how to handle things (even unexpected life events) makes life a little easier. Having a financial plan helps so that you are less likely to make irrational decisions that may be based or guided by emotional responses. Like Benjamin Franklin stated: “If you fail to plan you plan to fail”. Below are a few ways to help you guide your emotions and manage your money! 1.Perform awareness or mind care techniques. This can also help you make better choices with your money. Personally, I’ve dealt with anxiety, so I know that taking the time to do a few breathing exercises, take a walk, or give myself a few minutes of quiet time helps me calm down and regain focus on my spending behavior and money goals. Emotions such as fear can drive people to mismanage their money. This is commonly seen when people are navigating the stock market; when the market is down you notice more people may tend to sell their stocks (usually driven by fear). On a day-to-day basis this could also been seen when a bad storm is being highlighted on the local news station and radio, or when the holidays are approaching. Long lines, bare shelves, huge bills, and empty wallets. Both scenarios drive emotions (fear, doubt, anxiety, etc.) and can affect the way you choose to spend money (Spending Behavior). 2.Develop a Plan for your Money or Test drive the plan that you have. Building a solid financial plan is extremely important; of course, your plan may need to change over time. Planning lets you know where you are currently and gives you a strategy on how to reach your end goal. You can determine how much you need to save to reach your general goals if things shift (life happens). You also need to factor in… what if you get laid off of your job? How will you pay your general expenses? Focusing on preparing for emergencies, security and growth potential is something you should consider when developing a plan for your money. Remember, a real plan will help you prepare for unexpected expenses, protect what you have and highlight growth possibilities to reach your long-term goals. 3.Focus on Spending Less & Earning More. When you’re trying to save or pay bills, figuring out ways you can spend less is the best choice to find money that’s been hiding in your wallet. We’ve had numerous clients who we’ve found money for just by going through some of their spending habits (finding hundreds of dollars). Don’t get caught off guard; plan for the unexpected. We’re here to help you manage your money with individualized plans tailored specifically for you. Book a money goal coaching session with us today! Book A Session Here!  Keep in mind LP Consulting & Management are not affiliated with the companies mentioned below.   Holiday Shopping On A Budget
It’s the holiday season, some of us are done shopping and some of us aren’t finished at all. I want to help you shop on a budget, while still offering great gifts without having your pockets crying at the end of the month. People were asking me how I save money during the holiay….so my gift to you will be the 6 Ideas to Holiday Shop on A Budget. Grab your pen and paper write it down, try it, and let us know…. did it work, what was your experience? Do you have other ideas? We want to know! 6 Ideas to Holiday Shop on A Budget:
 As we know it, 2020 brought a lot of change in the way things are done. Which has affected everything to how businesses are run, how you apply and interview for jobs to workforce environments. Keeping you aware of the changes as you prepare to enter into the workforce or re enter into the Job hunt is one of our goals.
 We’ll it’s a new year and that brings about a Newness that is definitely needed after the 2020 we experienced. Two things that 2020 taught is to:
Family & Finances…. So we wanted to talk about a few ways you and your family could build healthier financial saving habits this year!
Remember these are things that are all temporary but will definitely help you save and prepare you and your family financially for the unexpected. We aren’t claiming or guaranteeing that you’ll be rich, stress free or debt free after doing these things. But we are simply saying that doing these things could potentially help you towards reaching your financial goals! Save Money with Our Sponsors below: goldmineandcoco.com 10% coupon code: BOSS313  Has Your Pay Check mastered the Art of The Great Disappearing Act?
Do you like to many others, get paid on Friday only to wonder how did your check disappear by Monday? Where has my money gone? In the Month of November, we're challenging you, many others, and even ourselves to track your expenses. Let's find out where your money is going and what we need to do to get some of it back! There are of course a ton of ways to track your expenses. You can do it the good ole fashion way by getting pen and paper and writing down how much your spend and what you spend it on. For example: $20 on Gas, or $40 on Take Out (food). Or you could use your phone if you want to go paperless. Most phones have "Notepads" or Memo Pads for you to use to jot down notes. This is a great way to utilize the many apps pre installed on our phones. Or you could look into different apps and companies that offer often Free Expense Tracking Software. Check out these companies below: ExpensePoint TripActions TravelBank Ramp Rydoo Certify Expense Webexpenses Sage Intacct Chrome River Expense Divvy Check out these and let us know which one works best for you! Also at the end of 30 days let us know what did you spend most of your money on? What does the Bulk of your paycheck go towards? |
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