money - Frankly, My Dear . . .

That One Time I Crafted a New Envelope System

May 11, 2018 | 1 comment

Ohhhmagosh. This thing happened. I got this email, and I swear to you, the sweet tea poured and the heavens sang. Wanna know what it was? The Happy Planner is looking for new Squad Members. #trustory!

And I’m over here like Donkey in Shrek, screaming “Pick me! Pick me!” And as I’m trying to wrap my head around the application, I decide music is the way to soothe the soul (or at least drown out the pleading taps coming from my own fingertips as I type out why I’m a good selection for the Squad) so I say, “Hey, Echo. Play music.” And, #truestory again, she/it says, “Here’s a song you might like.” And I hear “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” You know what I’m gonna say to that, right? *Insert Southern-Belle-Bohemian-Hurricane nod of approval here!*

Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Crafted a New Envelope System

So I’m trying to impress them with my amazing creations and my. mind. goes. blank. I have written blogs and shared Instagram photos, tweets, and endless Facebook posts about my ~~love~~ ~~need~~ addiction for Happy Planners since my first recipe for Hobbes, my #NOLA-inspired Creole Meatloaf, and even using the blank calendar pages to storyboard my novel-in-progress. (Which, btw, is coming along quite nicely in the rewrite stage. thankyouforasking.) But right now, oh-the-pressure of coming up with that one ahh-mazing idea and submitting it in time to be considered but I have so many other things to do like clean house and make dinner and do the work and the coffee and the budget and the cat love and writers conference prep pack and and and . . .

Ah. Mental click and the light comes on.

Stop. Breathe. Focus. Use what you already have.

Well, I think it’s quite evident I already have enough to create some great pages.

Frankly, My Dear . . . : Happy Planner #SquadGoals: Getting Started

I parked myself at my big-enough-to-work table and spread out all the Happy love I could muster. Oh, and this is just for the daily planner. This doesn’t include my essential oils planner, my recipe planner, my novel planner, or my writing conference planners. Yes, plural. I have a writers conference planner from 2017 and a writers conference planner for 2018.

All of which you can scope out by searching for them here on the blog and my other social media sites. [Shameless self promo, what can ya do?]

Wait. What was that? Prepping for the annual writers conference? Why, yes. What kind of planning does that take? Oh, I’m so glad you asked. You got your story writing. You got your schedule. You got your journal. You got your packing list, to do list, coffee appointment list, travel itinerary list. Ohsomanythings. And then of course there’s the money, honey.

So it’s a good thing I created an envelope system to keep my funds organized, yah?

Frankly, My Dear . . .: My Happy Planner- A New Envelope System

With some blank cards, washi tape, paper clips and HP stickers all tucked into a Happy Planner organizer tote, This Girl is ready to go places.

But wait! There’s more! I can track it all with my budget pages, too. Remember this awesome Budget Inspiration Dashboard? I love the ability to keep stickee notes on it, and move it to the current month. It keeps me focused, on track, and aware of my spending.

Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Happy Planner Budget Dashboard

That little turtle sticker is there to remind me that “slow and steady wins the race.” I don’t need to pay off everything all at once, or buy everything the first moment I see it. I just need to know I can do all things, with God, with a budget, and with a plan.

Who knew a Happy Planner addiction could keep me so fiscally responsible?

I have plenty of other Happy Planner creations in the works, and I’ll be sharing them with you more regularly. For now, I wish you many pages and tons of stickers.

With an open planner and lots of plans,
Happy Planning.
~Molly Jo

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

Frankly, My Dear . . . : Be Your Own Scarlett

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Five Things Friday: Managing Credit

Aug 11, 2017 | 2 comments

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68

Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday

Money’s a touchy subject, right? As in,

DON’T TOUCH MY MONEY!

You work hard for it, only to have five cents left three seconds after you get paid.

Now, I know I’ve given y’all a few tips for saving a little here and there, but it’s been a while since I’ve taken you down my road to credit recovery. What is it about soul-baring posts that brings us closer together? Is is the security of knowing we’re not alone? That others are in the same boat? Yes. At least, for me.

It happened when I heard another ad on the radio. You know the ones I’m talking about. Refinance your house. Get this low-interest credit card. Let us consolidate your loans. The one that really got my attention was for a payday loan. I was seriously considering it until I did the math. I don’t mean the three-figure interest rate. I mean, how many people like me were listening to that ad at that moment?

Is there anyone out there?

Let me again remind you: I am not a finance professional. I hold no advisory license, and the information in this post is only what has worked for me, and what I would share with a close friend over a cup of coffee. My treat, of course.

So when the wolves are howling and you’re sleeping in quicksand, here are few things I’ve learned that have helped oooch things out of the red.

Accept the reality. Believe it or not, this was the really hard one for me. I wanted to think I wasn’t a statistic, that my situation was so unique that as soon as everyone heard, surely Robin Hood would come to my rescue and my bankbook would be saved without ransom. Yeah. That didn’t happen. I had to really hunker down and take note of my own deficits and at times, lack of budgeting skills. Then I learned, and re-learned, what I can and can’t do and came up with a viable plan.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Be Your Own Hero
Stay accountable. I don’t mean that as a play on words, but there it is anyway. There are several ways to conquer this. For me, each step working together weaves a stronger fabric that has helped me recover my finances. First, I write things out. In the current climate of instant digital access, it’s so easy for me to glance at my iPhone and think, “Budget’s done!” but let’s be real. That ain’t nothin’ but a scapegoat and an excuse. Once I started really using my Happy Planner Budget, I saw not only where my money should go, but also where it was going. Can someone say, “Ouch!”? It wasn’t pretty, not always. But a good dose of reality helps me stay on track. I also stayed accountable by sharing the dirty details of my situation with my family, and with the creditors. Which brings me to the next item.
Communicate. I know y’all have heard me harp on this like angels in a concert, but honestly. Be honest! If you can’t pay it, say it! When I get to the point of stop pretending everything’s okay, people heard me. I mean, I had a woman pray over my finances with me. And she was a collections agent! Who even does that?! I’m a huge proponent of saying it like it is. This is two-fold: 1. My financial story doesn’t change from month to month when they ask why I still can’t pay the full amount. 2. They’re more willing to work with you when you explain your circumstances.
Evaluate. Now, I know a lot of credit recovery education suggests different ways of paying this bill first, or roll the savings into that one. I’m not gonna tell you how to pay off your bills. It’s personal! I understand the value of paying the smallest bill first and getting it out of the way. But I also see knocking out the high interest. I had to sit down and really go through the papers (and phone calls) to figure out the best option for me. You can, too! Yes, you really can! It takes a little brain power, a little solitude. But you can conquer your budget!
Accept the reality. Yeah, I know. I already said this. Well, think of this as your muffaletta sandwich, okay? The bread is the same but you have a top and a bottom. The other tips are the ohmygosh filling. This slice of bread is the foundation. It may get a little soggy, but it’s still holding the food together, right? So here’s the important thing to remember. Are you listening? This one took me forever to realize, but here it is:
You’re not perfect. Your budget doesn’t have to be. Your credit doesn’t have to be.
I’ve had to watch as my credit tanked, but I’ve also enjoyed seeing it climb back up. It’s a long road and sometimes the roller coaster is out of my control. But I’m still riding it, and it ain’t over yet.

Whatever your credit situation, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That radio ad and television spot for a quick fix? Don’t do it. It’s not aimed at you. You’re smarter than that. It may be a long, difficult road, and it may never lead to a mansion and fancy cars. But trust me, it’s worth it. There’s a personal satisfaction of putting effort into doing what you can do. And if it doesn’t turn out the way you hope, at least you tried. I’m proud of you for that!

Frankly, My Dear . . . : Be Your Own Hero

You can be your own hero. You can find a way. It may not be the way you want, and it may not be easy. But at least it’s yours.

What are some ways you work toward better credit?

TWEET THIS: Budget problems? Here are a few tips to oooch out of the red. @RealMojo68 #credit #fivethingsfriday

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

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Five Things Friday: Pocket Changes

Jul 7, 2017 | 6 comments

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68

Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday

You know, we’re halfway through the year and I still haven’t reached all my goals. That private jet? In someone else’s name. Book deal? Workin’ on it. Owning a writers’ cafe? Yah. That’s on the back burner for a while longer. [See what I did there? Cafe? Burner? Sigh . . . ]

So, I’m sitting here thinking, egads! [True story. I actually said “Egads!” out loud. To no one except the fur family. Some days I’m glad they can’t talk English.] But back to it. I’m sitting here thinking, egads! I’ve been so busy I forgot to write Friday’s blog post.

And then I thought to myself, “Self! It’s a Five Things Friday post. You’d best come up with something good!” And my self answered, “Oh, Girl. Don’t bother us. We’re working on the budget.” Okay, it wasn’t all as Sybil-esque as all that, but, yes. Yes I did have a conversation with myself about the budget and paydays and where to find extra cash.

In fact, as I was writing this month’s budget, a nagging thought distracted me until I wrote it out:

Five Things Friday: Pocket Change – Money Comes From Unexpected Sources

That photo above is just a little snippet of my Happy Planner budget sheets. Y’all know my affinity for Happy Planning, yes? Well, maybe that will be next week’s FTF post. Today, we’re about saving pennies. And more.

But it got me thinking. I know I’m not the only who could use a few extra greenbacks. Or a means to accomplish that which must be, well, accomplished. Am I right? Oh, come on folks, I ain’t making this up!

So, in keeping with my striving for a better credit rating and a little fun money [or just a better bag of cat food now and then], here are five easy changes you can make to help save a little dough.

The Penny Jar. It sounds old fashioned, and even I was skeptical about its profitability at first. But when I cashed out my pennies at the end of six months, I was pleasantly surprised to find enough for a trip to the grocery store and gas station. Now, I’m not saying I bought enough for the month with a cross-country drive, but it did get me through the week and with a little sumthin-sumthin to enjoy Friday night. Which, coincidentally, is now my new penny jar.
Southern Roasted Pecan Gelato. Frankly, My Dear . . . Did someone say, “Yummm.”?
Talk. Chat. Discuss. However you want to word it, word it. Communicate. Got bills you can’t pay? Let the payee know ahead of time. Most times, companies are willing to work with you if you ask. Now, you can’t be all i-just-bought-a-car-and-quit-my-job-but-i’m-keeping-it on them. I mean, you do have to maintain some responsibility. But take it from me. You know. You’ve read about it here. When you’re in a bind, explain it. Late fees get waived, due dates get pushed. It’s worth a little time to save a little money.
Sort it all out. Take inventory of what you have, materially, and ask yourself if you really need it. Start small: Take one shelf, one drawer, or one cabinet, and sort it into three piles: Keep. Throw Away. Sell. If it’s in good condition but you don’t need it, consider putting it on LetGo or a local Facebook Yard Sale group. Ebay’s a great source, too. There’s tons of them out there. And if after a decent amount of weeks go by and no one’s bought, donate. Sure, it may not put money in your pocket, but your house will be less cluttered. Clean house, clear mind. Isn’t that a thing?
Explore your talents. Now, I know you’re good at stuff. And some stuff, you’re really good at. And I know it doesn’t always seem like it, but trust me on this: You have something to offer others. So get creative! Whether it’s a service or goods, take time to develop it. Freelance. It doesn’t take much for word to get out if you’re good at what you do. Babysitting, baking, tree trimming, yard care, dog walking. Are you good as socializing? Love to connect with people? Try something like DoTerra or Jamberry nail wraps. You not only get great discounts for yourself on products you love and use, but if you turn it into a business, you’ll get a nice little income, too!
Frankly, My Dear . . . Jam With Mojo
Give it up. There are just some things y’all don’t need. When the decision is between milk or bread, it’s time to stop the Netflix. Now, treating yourself is a must, so get that Redbox DVD once in a while. Splurge for that Starbucks every three weeks. But when you start cutting corners and realize how easy it is to roll that savings into paying off another bill and that snowball keeps rolling downhill . . . pretty soon you’re king of your mountain and those are wildflowers springing up to make things beautiful.

Hyacinth for the Soul.

BONUS TIP: Pay attention to your spending. Don’t just write it in your checkbook or look at your smart phone now and then. Make a budget journal. Keep your receipts. Figure out where and how things can change. Grab a small drink instead of large, especially when the refills are free.

BONUS BONUS TIP: On the morning of each payday, whatever money you have left in your bank account that’s unallocated, transfer it to your savings or emergency fund.

BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP: Barter. You can’t afford everything you need and want. Neither can everyone else in your world. But you may be able to work out a trade. You can wash a car in exchange for yard cleaning. Tired of your DVDs? Trade them with a friend for some new but free entertainment. Money is a means, not an end. When you remove money from the equation, you may find a different solution.

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP: Don’t be afraid to ask when you need help. It’s okay to admit you can’t handle everything on your own all the time. No one can. If we could, we wouldn’t need each other, would be?

BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP (So really this should be a Five Things PLUS Five Things Friday): Take it all to the Great Provider. I find that when I earnestly ask God to bless my budget, I’m more aware of my frivolous spending habits, and more attentive to being a good steward of what He has blessed me with.

Frankly, My Dear . . . Happy Planner Budget Dashboard

Remember, the little things really do add up.

TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: Five Things Friday: Pocket Changes. @RealMojo68 #penny #saving

TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . Five Things Friday: Pocket Changes. Ways to count pennies without feeling broke. @RealMojo68

With a blingy wallet and a small sweet tea,
~Molly Jo

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

Save

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Crowdfunding Your Way to Success

Jul 7, 2016 | 6 comments

After my peeps joined my campaign to bring Raven to Bedford Manor [Translation: When my family and friends supported my fundraiser to buy a new laptop], I was approached by several friends and associates who asked for advice on crowdfunding.

Now, before I get into all that, I need to let y’all in on a not-so-secret. I’ve been pursuing knowledge this year like never before. I’ve attended conferences, used Google like a best friend, and sought information from anyone willing to share it.

And I’ve learned that I’ve already learned a lot. It’s time to use my knowledge. It’s time to grow.

I’m a writer, right? So what’s This Girl to do with some of this wisdom, but, well, write it out? I know, bet ya didn’t see that one coming, did ya? [*insert snarky comment here*]

In a mutually beneficial effort to not only get my Social Media Ninja name out there, and to help others, I published a new Kindle booklet: Crowdfunding Your Way to Success.

I did this because my most recent crowdfunding campaign, Molly Needs A Mac, was so successful and I want to help others exceed their goals and needs. It’s also my second completed project on my new Mac (the first was setting up and producing last week’s Firsts In Fiction Podcast). See? I told y’all I’d continue to strive to be worthy of your investment.

So if you’re thinking of crowdfunding your next creative endeavor, you’ll find some helpful tips in my new Kindle booklet. Just click on the photo for the link.

Crowdfunding Your Way to Success by Molly Jo Realy

As always,
With a huge jar of pennies and quite a bit of sweet tea,
~Molly Jo

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

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Overcoming Bad Credit: Communication is Key.

Oct 18, 2015 | 6 comments

At the beginning of the month, I posted about my experience with bad credit. I expected mixed results but the response was overwhelmingly favorable, and many of you thanked me for my transparency.

Truth be told, I didn’t share everything. Let’s face it: finances are a really private matter. I mean, it’s not like any of us are going to put our bank books on public display, right?

Open Wallet

And why would you? Your life dynamics are just as personal as your wallet. Are you hearing me?

Every situation is different.

So why do the credit companies treat us all the same?

The reasons for my bad credit aren’t the same as yours or your mailman’s brother’s cousin’s dog’s groomer. That’s okay. Neither are the solutions.

Let’s recap, shall we?

I am not a credit expert. I am not, have never been, and have no plans to be: A professional debt collector, credit counselor, financial adviser, or life coach.
I have experienced unemployment, car accidents, medical bills, single parenting, and poverty.
I did not crawl into a corner and stay there. Okay. Yes. I did crawl in. It was ugly. But I didn’t ~ repeat, I did not ~ stay there.

I am slowly and surely finding my way out of my debt and bad credit situation, and as vulnerable as that makes me feel, I’m here to share [parts of] my story with you.

Today’s theme is Communicate.

Use your words, people!

That’s it. Use your words, people! But here’s the thing: Are you putting emphasis on the right word? If I say, “Use your words, people!” what do you hear? Me telling you just to talk. But if I say, “Use your words, people!” it changes, doesn’t it? Now it’s about you and your words. About expressing your situation.

This gem of advice was given to me a few years ago but it wasn’t until this year that I realized the power behind it. And it happened by mistake. Or grand design. I’m not sure which.

One particular evening I was ignoring the many Caller Unknown phone calls. In a moment of silence, I reached to make a call of my own, but as things happen, I picked up a call just as it came in. You know the feeling. Do you hang up? Stay quiet so they hang up? What? What? WHAT??

Being the conscientious authentic tired person that I was, I took the call. It was one of my credit card companies. I know. I’m late. Again. Still. My favorite part (not!) is when they ask, “What is the reason for the delinquency?” I really want to rant. Rave. Rebel. Instead, on this call, I politely said, “You know, you asked me that last month and the answer hasn’t changed. I simply don’t make enough money any more.”

So you know what they did? They laughed. They turned me over to a debt collector. They offered to work with me on an income-based payment plan.

Tired Girl say what??

That WAS easy!

We took a few minutes to review some information. How much do I make? How big is my family? And then, those magic words: We can work with you.

I was so excited, I answered the next call. And the next. Soon, I had arrangements made for several bills. You know what? The phone stopped ringing as much. The nasty-grams slowed down. And the bills are getting paid.

No, it’s not easy. And it’s not simple. I have to make sure I’m on top of my budget and there are times when I can’t make even the minimal payment so I get to swallow my pride, pick up the phone, and ask for more help. But I do it, because it’s worth it.

I don’t want to default or file bankruptcy. I want to pay my own debts. And when I own up to my financial mess, when I let others know the what’s and why’s and how’s of my situation, they’re more willing to work with me.

These posts started the day after I took another call to try to reduce a bill. In my mind, I had created a monster of debt, and I was ashamed and certain that I should just do a George Bailey and jump off the nearest bridge. Instead, I talked to the woman on the other end of the phone.

In the end, I was in tears.

I explained my situation, again. But this was a new company. This debt was transferred to a new collections department. How humiliating.

Except it wasn’t. Because she spoke to me like I was human, an individual. Not like a number or statistic or deadbeat. She valued me.

We all have value.

And then she said something I’ll not forget.

“You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. But I’ve been in your situation. I have. And I’m going to tell you, hang in there. Okay? It gets better. It does. I promise you. It gets better.”

And that’s why I cried. Because I allowed myself the vulnerability of showing my human-ness to a stranger, and she gave it back to me.

There was no condemnation, no threats, no hardlining. Just a person, talking to a person, working things out.

So I’m here to tell you

It gets better. It does. I promise you. It gets better.

Here’s a few simple tips to help you recover your finances:

Answer the phone.
Talk to people.
Be honest about your situation, what you can (and can’t) afford.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Try. Try again.
If the person isn’t willing to work with you, talk to a supervisor. It won’t always help, but most of the time, it will.
Follow up. If you make a promise to pay, pay. If you say you’ll call back, call back. They like it when you’re truthful.

What else can I tell you? You have value. I believe in you. And you know what?