Bootcamp For Your Mind

Ask Amy: How can I make more money

Tell me how I can make more money to have more cash

Amy, I need some cash!  Can you tell me how can I make more money?

Sincerely,

No Dough in Reno

No problem, No Dough.  Here are some sure fire steps to financial well-being that I drill into all my life coaching clients who are looking to have a little more to show for themselves when it comes to their bank balance.  These are same questions that I challenge them to answer in their sessions, but for today, it’s your turn on the hot seat!

Step #1:  First, check in with your thinking.    Do you actually need more money or just want more money?  Will more money actually make you happier?  Are you willing to do what it takes to get more money?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, move on to Step #2

Step #2:  Assess your current budget.  Where are you spending frivolously that you can cut back or cut out: Starbucks, fancy lunches, smoking, drinking?  Any of these sound like familiar vices?

Step #3: Assess your basic expenses.   What are you paying for Insurance, DWP, Cable, Phone, etc? Are there cheaper plans you can get that will save you money?  Can you keep your thermostat a little higher in the summer and lower in the winter?  Remember, 20 bucks here and 50 bucks there add up fast!

Step #4: Assess your living situation.    Can you rent out a room or guest house for some extra income?  Can you downgrade a little if your place too big for you? (Think about it…you’d be surprised how little we need to be happy – most of us only use a few rooms in the house!)

Step #5: Fix your Credit Card situation!   Can you transfer balances to lower interest cards? Can you pay anything off entirely?   Can you consolidate and pay less monthly?  And most important…can you stop using the credit cards altogether?

Step #6: Make More Money!   That’s easy for me to say, right?  If you work for yourself, can you raise your prices?  Can you add services that would appeal to a different or wider audience?  Can you add another business on the side?   Have you exploited the web as a way to bring in more revenue?

What if you don’t work for yourself?  If you have a job and it doesn’t pay enough – what can you do to get a promotion?  Do you need to add some new skill sets into your arsenal?  Or do you need to change careers entirely? Have you made it clear to your boss that a promotion is your end-goal? Have you brainstormed a list of everything you’d like to try?  Are you ready to act on it?

There you have it -- some hard questions to ask yourself about money.  But in the answers, you’ll find a ton of new ways to save and earn more!

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Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!

Ask Amy: Can you help me get my business on track?

I started a small business because I loved the idea of working for myself.  Now, I'm in debt, not growing and am losing the passion that got me in there in the first place!

Sincerely,

Bummed in business

Do Not Throw In The Towel!  Instead of giving up, it’s time to regroup.  The time has come to stop stressing and start looking both by getting feedback and performing a self-evaluation to determine what is working, what is not working and figure out how to move forward.

It can be very frustrating when you start a new business because you don’t have all the answers, don’t know what to do or how to create a plan.  Mentorship is an excellent call for you right now: whether it comes in the form of a business consultant, a coach, or even a friend.  What is crucial is that you get advice from someone who has been through this experience before (or something like it) and has had great success.  Don’t look for answers from those who have never done it.  If you are going to hire outside help, make sure they have experience in your field, have and assisted their clients in being successful.  Otherwise, you will get advice from peeps that don’t know what they are talking about. 

The other thing that is important is your state of mind.  You cannot look at decisions you have made or things you have done to this point as “failures”.  There is great value in these “mistakes” because they are exactly what is going to educate you in the future. 

All successful people have made mistakes or failed.  I don’t know anyone successful who has not had their share of failures.  Entrepreneurs take risks, and part of risk taking is there that there is, well, risk! Sometimes things don’t always turn out the way you expect or want.  What you must do when that happens is to figure out what didn’t work and do something different.

Whether it’s starting a new company with the new learning in mind or restructuring the existing one…your mind has to be in the right place.  Dumping yourself into the “failure” hole won’t get you anything other than depressed.  Get out of the problem and into the solution.  Establish what choices you need to make now and what new ways of thinking do you need to adopt.

And remember, don’t be afraid to seek out help!  Nobody has all the answers, but there ARE people out there who have the answers you need to turn your business around and make it a success.

Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!

Ask Amy: How do I spice up my sex life?

I don't think my husband is all that attracted to me anymore.  How can I spice up our love life? -   Getting bored in Bethesda

It's time to get nasty girl!   To create some serious spice in your love life, I recommend releasing your inner-Vixen.  Remember, this is no time to be shy! The effort you're making is going to score BIG points with him and really spark his imagination.  Invite your man out on a date.  Plan everything in advance and make it a surprise. 

Here's the plan:  make a trip together to a sassy sex shop.  Just send him an email or leave him a note that he needs to be ready to leave at a certain time.  Let him drive, and direct him along the way.  Really play up the mystery and adventure.  Tell him you aren't wearing any panties – men love fantasy and you'll be making him crazy.  When he discovers your destination, he'll really be worked up into a frenzy.  Tell him to pick out whatever he wants ( in your price range of course), then direct him to a hotel/motel room you've booked - and maybe have even decked out in advance with candles, champagne (whatever you like to drink) and some appetizers.  If this makes you both laugh and get a little silly, all the better!  Just go with it!  It's all part of the fun of exploring so don't worry about being uncomfortable. 

There are plenty of fun variations on this theme. You can take him to dinner and pass him a note that says you are not wearing undies, so that mid-way through dinner, he is going crazy.  Drink some wine and then take him back to your place or a hotel or somewhere you can have some fun. And don't forget your toy!  Remember, FUN and SURPRISE are the keys.  When you let loose, the spice will follow.  Enjoy your evening.

Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!

Ask Amy: I need to lose weight and I can't get it going. What should I do?

Dear Amy –

I am about 30 pounds overweight, and I just can't seem to get back on track health-wise.  I know I need a push in the right direction, but can seem to stay the course. Help me!!!

Feeling gross in Grosse Pointe

It’s all about accountability baby!  Let me ask you this: where is your team? How many people did you tell you wanted to lose 30 lbs?  What plan-of-attack have you picked out?  What eating plan will you follow?  What’s your exercise plan going to be?  When are you going to get started?

Are you saying “enough with the questions already?”  Too bad my dear, because here are some more!

Who will help hold you accountable to the plan?  Do you have a work out buddy?  Do you have a trainer?  Have you considered sending me 500 dollars every time you miss a work out?

Look, the thing that struck me most about your letter is when you said you “can’t seem to get back on track.”   You can get on track as soon as you say “I’m on track.”  There is no magic pill for getting there, JUST…START…NOW!

Write down all these questions and start answering them.  And remember, you don’t have to be alone on this journey.  Get your team together and do it!

Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!

Ask Amy: How can I get out of debt?

Dear Amy,

I'm WAY deep in debt.  I want to turn it around but don't know where to start.  Can you help me?

Sincerely,

Marla (Making Minimum Payments)

Marla -

Often times the first step towards getting out of debt is challenging because the problem seems unconquerable and overwhelming.   What we need to do is break things down a bit so you can start tackling these issues.  Let’s write out a few steps to get you started.  Your job is to tackle each step, one at a time.  Don’t even look at step 2 until you have completed step 1.  Once you have completed Step 1 – congratulate yourself – this is an achievement and will feel a lot better than the verbal beatings you have undoubtedly been giving yourself. 

Step  1: Create an expense/debt sheet.  We need a clear picture of your situation.  Just a list of expenses and debts you currently have.  (If your debt is personal and business, then you will create two expense sheets.)  This is not complicated.  A word document or excel spreadsheet is really all that’s required.  All that needs to happen is you need to: 1) create a list of monthly expenses – including everything from rent/mortgage to food, 2) list any debt you have-  including credit cards, loans, lines of credit, etc.  The amount total amount you list in Step 1 is the balance you owe.

Step 2: Determine Income – how much do you make per month?  We need a clear idea of how much you are short every month.

Step 3 – Get into Solution Mode – here we must discuss all the possible solutions to your problem:  bankruptcy, debt consolidation, second job, new job.  You will need to explore these options and determine which makes the most sense for you.

This is the best way to start.  If you need assistance going through these steps, consider hiring a coach or working with someone you trust like a family member or friend. 

Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!

Ask Amy: Am I stuck in this cube forever?

Every week, Amy Applebaum reaches into her mailbag and answers your questions about life, love, work, success...anything that requires a kick in the butt to get you on the right track!

Dear Amy

Lately I'm just stagnating at work.  I'm unhappy and seeing all these other people get promotions that I feel like I deserve.  But yet, I never do anything about it!  Am I doomed to sit in this cube for the rest of my life?

Sincerely

Melissa, Los Angeles

Dear Melissa,

Yes…you are doomed if you continue focusing on the problem.  So, what do you do?  First, determine what you want?  Is it a particular position at your current gig?  Or, do you really want to be doing something different?  If you truly wanted the promotion then jump, immediately into solution mode. 

That means, it's time to figure out why you are not getting the promotions.  Now to handle that kind of feedback – you are going to need to put your "thick" skin on.  Adopt the belief that there is not such thing as failure only feedback. 

This way, rather than seeing a lack of promotion as a failure, it is an opportunity for you to get the feedback you need to now get the promotion.  Sometimes we are so afraid of NOT getting what we set out to that we don't even try. 

I can promise you one thing for sure. If you don't try, there is no way you will get the promotion or anything else that you want for that matter.  So, ease up on yourself.  It's not the end of the world if you don't get the promotion and there are other opportunities. 

Right now, focus on how you are actually creating the problem and start creating the solution.

Got a question you'd like to ask Amy? Submit yours here!