overit-withit-1

WITH CHRISTINE HASSLER

Money Money Money!

Working from home has many perks, one of which is from 3-3:30 I do my “house” chores and watch Oprah…yes, my idol (me and a billion others). Anyway, today’s show was about MONEY and her guests included a group of twenty-something women who call themselves “Smart Cookies” and meet weekly to talk about money. These girls aren’t baking cookies, they are holding each other accountable to be smarter with their money and are collectively coming up with ideas to save, spend wisely, and share. It reminded me of an idea I wrote about in Twenty Something, Twenty Everything that I wanted to remind you of!

I am encouraging you to throw a MONEY PARTY with your girlfriends. Listen, money is not a typical conversation among women (except complaining we don’t have enough of it). I doubt at your last Girl’s Night Out the topic of “IRA’s” came up over red wine. I further doubt any of your girlfriends hold you accountable to a budget or really even know how to support you in becoming fiscally fit. Our friends know more about our love lives than our bank accounts. But what if they did? What if you and your girlfriends got enrolled in helping each other get out debt, start saving, and get smarter about money – and while you are at it snack, gab, and connect!

Tips to help you get started:

1. Send out an email to at least THREE girlfriends telling them of this idea, include the link to this blog post if you want to type less.

2. Set a date.

3. If you have my book, review “Financial Security” (Chapter 6, p.165).

4. Pick a topic for your first party. Topics can be as simple as, “how much do we all have in savings?” to more complex like “mutual funds”

5. Write up a confidentiality agreement that you all sign so that you will feel comfortable talking openly about your finances.

6. MAKE IT FUN by serving green food or playing a round of Monopoly.

7. Ask each guest to bring at least one financial tip, piece of advice, or resource to the party.

8. Meet on a regular basis (I suggest bi-monthly) and discuss how you spend, how you budget, your financial goals, 401K’s, IRAs, money market accounts, mutual funds, savings, stock portfolios, and investments.

9. Start a money book club and read a book about money management (I recommend Suze Orman’s The Young, Fabulous, and Broke).

10. Consider inviting a financial planner/advisor at a financial organization or your local bank to speak to the group. Usually advisors will do this for free because you and your friends are potential clients.

11. Collectively come up with creative ideas to save & earn – a bunch of women in a room together is POWERFUL!! Take advantage of it.

For more info on money, take a look at my two Money Focused Newsletters by clicking on the links below.

Okay – start party planning!

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