I don’t know about you, but I feel like I could curl up and go to sleep just thinking about all of that. I know exactly how you all feel I do it to myself all the time. Over-committing is an enormous problem in our society. I am here to share with you how it can be hurting you financially.

If this all sounds so familiar to you, please read the rest of this article carefully. When you over-commit yourself at:

• Work – If you are constantly saying yes to anything that comes across your desk, the important stuff may not get the attention it deserves. It may end up costing you a raise or a promotion because you are not able to give your best to the items that need it. Solution: Learn to say “no” when it is appropriate and delegate when you can. You will be amazed at how much more effective you are.
• Running your own business – I am notorious for wanting to help just about everyone out, sometimes even to my own detriment. If you run your own business and you say yes to any potential client that comes through your door, you could be pulling your hair out trying to please the wrong people. Solution: Through the last five years I have been running my business, I have learned when to listen to my heart and advise potential clients up front when I don’t think we will be a good fit. I then kindly refer them on to other professionals that they may have a better fit with. This way, you open more space for those that are a better fit, you are happier, they are happier. Truly a win-win all around.
• Family – This encompasses anything to do with kids, spouse, parents, grandparents, etc. If you have the time and energy to help coach your child’s sports team, by all means do it. However, if you are already overwhelmed with everything you have on your plate…solution: it is okay to say “no”. I promise, your child will understand…someday. I know you want to be there for them and support them, but sometimes you have to find other ways. Just being at their games means the world to them. It is better for them to have you there and happy, then coaching and stressed out.
• School – This is along the same lines as family. Watch your stress level, if you start to get stressed out trying to fit it all in. Solution: Talk to your kids and teachers to see what you can do to make it all work without you ending up pulling your hair out.

All of this can end up costing you money just by the level of stress you have. If you are at work freaking out about how you are going to get to practice in time to coach or have to keep taking time off of work to help out in the classroom and your boss is getting upset, that can be very bad for you and your family financially.

Take some time to go through all you have committed yourself to and prioritize. Once you start to feel overwhelmed, start notifying the affected parties it is not going work for you.

Trust me, your family and coworkers will thank you for it.

Anyone who knows me personally knows I am person who looks at my body as a temple. I have always love exercise (I know I am a freak), I try as hard as I can to eat right, I pretty much only drink water. So, I eat right and exercise…I should be healthy, right? I found out this week, not so much. I may look healthy to the average person, but to a doctor, they see the signs of stress taking over my body. I know for a fact I am far from alone.

You may be asking what does stress have to do with money? I am here to tell you a whole lot. Here are some examples you may be able to relate too:

Big money, big stress – If you are making good money, that is wonderful. So, stress and money do not go hand in hand for you…or does it? Usually if you are making good money, it comes with some pretty good stress too. In the corporate world, money and stress really go hand in hand. There is a reason the more responsibility you have the more money you make. Then you may get into the situation of not really liking your job, but the money is so good…  Then you feel stuck. If you are in this situation, please remember no amount of money is worth your happiness or your health. If you find yourself miserable, there is a way out, you just have to be willing to look for it.

Little money, big stress – Those on the opposite side of the spectrum also have stress. They may love their job, but financially things are really tight. Sometimes it takes thinking outside the box. What are some other ways you can make a little extra money? What are some expenses you really could live without? Work together as a family to make a plan to make things work.

Everyday stress – There are also those that are right in the middle. They make enough money, but they could be happier and less stressed out. I want to make some points I want everyone to remember.

• The most important things are your health and your family, because without either of those, nothing else really matters.
• Take time for yourself – learn how to meditate, go for walks, exercise. A little me time can go a long way.
• Enjoy the smaller things in life - trust me, my kids have me pulling my hair out on a regular basis. However, it’s those special moments when they have me laughing so hard I am crying that I remember years later. Enjoy the hugs and kisses from loved ones, rather than a quick hug, embrace and breathe in.
• Everything is perfect – There is a lesson to be learned from every experience. Rather than wallowing in the misery, try to find the lesson and learn it. You will find the wounds heal much quicker.

I know times are tough, but that is when you learn to appreciate what really matters. Go on, enjoy life…I dare you!

Tip number three in my series is to: 

Establish a Separate Savings Account for Your Summer  – Rather than trying to scrounge up the money at the last minute, go to your bank and create a savings account just for your summer season.  You can earmark this money for anything summer related.  With online banking now, you can even change the name of the account to “Summer Savings”.  This will take some of the heat off you when many of your expenses have increased.  Take a percentage of your income every pay period and put it into that account.  You have to be consistent about it though.  If you establish the account and don’t put anything in there, it really isn’t going to do you any good, is it?  It doesn’t have to break the bank, start with just 1% of your take home pay.  You will be amazed at how your money grows throughout the year.

 Little steps like this can make an enormous difference and it is really not that hard to do.  Just think of all you will be able to do during the summer knowing you have it covered.

The first and most important thing you need to do is take a good look at your finances.  See where you can plug some holes to make it happen.  Once you do that, put a budget in place.  Recently my husband and I gave ourselves a $1,000 budget to go to San Diego for the weekend.  We are going this weekend for our 10^th wedding anniversary.  I will share with you later how it all goes. 

Here are some tips on how to get great travel deals.

Research Your Vacation Options – If money is a concern to begin with, I don’t want you to stress yourself out more with an expensive vacation.  Here you have a couple of options.  If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, the internet is your best friend.  Surf the web to find the best deals around.  Depending on the economy, you will want to book your vacation way in advance, or the night before you leave.  With the economy in the state it is now, I have heard of a few people booking flights to Europe a few days before and getting screaming deals.  A friend of mine booked a weekend in San Francisco the day they left and were shocked at the enormous discount they were able to get because they were booking it on the spur of the moment. 

If you are more like me, you get a little overwhelmed researching all that information.  I am a big fan of travel agents.  If you find a good travel agent, you can call them with some ideas of where you want to go, when, for how long and give them your budget and you are set!  The best part is this service does not cost you a penny.  Travel agents do this for a living, so, they know the best places for the best prices.  It really is a win, win for everyone.

Over the next couple of weeks I am going to outline ten steps to financial summer survival.  Today is step one:

Take a Vacation – I know that seems counterintuitive, because that takes money, right?  I am aware of the fact that it takes money.  However, I am one of the worst culprits when it comes to not taking a vacation.  I can always come up with some excuse as to why we cannot, usually related to the family budget.  See if you think my logic makes sense, if you take a vacation, you will be refreshed and relaxed…ready to take on the world when you come back.  You will be less likely to get sick or burned out.  So, now you are ready to conquer the universe.  With all that extra energy, you will perform better at work, impress your boss, maybe you will end up getting a promotion, which all leads to more money in the future.  I don’t know about you, but I like that way of thinking.  It is worth spending some money now to rejuvenate…it will pay for itself in the future.

So, take my advice and go on vacation, even if it is a little one.  Something is better than nothing.  Get creative; you don’t have to go to Hawaii to get away.  Check out hidden treasures in your own back yard.  Living in the Sacramento Valley, I have Lake Tahoe or San Francisco within two hours either way.  Not to mention the Napa Valley or any of the other beautiful vacation spots.  Check out your neck of the woods and see what you can find. 

The most important thing is that you relax.  Go!  Have some fun…

If you are miserable when you pay your bills, my guess is, your money is managing you.  You will not have financial freedom as long as that is the case.  I remember when I would pay my bills and I felt like a bird taking a bath.  There was money and paper flying everywhere, not sure where it was going, but it sure was not staying in my bank account.  Since then, I have put in some steps that take that feeling away.  They are:

• Have a specific place you pay the bills
• Make sure you have all the items you will need to take care of everything in one sitting -  If you have to get up to get something, chances are you will find another project to take your attention and the bills will not get paid. 
• Clear the space - You do not want it messy, that just adds to the confusion. 
• Select a day and time each week to pay your bills – If you put it on your calendar, you are more likely to keep the time carved out for that particular task.  If you try to squeeze it in somewhere else, it is much less likely to happen.
• Create a checklist – This way, you make sure you take care of all the things you need to do at one time.  Things like paying bills is obvious.  However, something you might forget to do is transfer money to savings or donate to your favorite charity. 

Hopefully some of these tips can help you create serenity while paying your bills.  I know that sounds like a dream, but you hold the key to making it a reality.

I have been going through a primal shift over the last several months.  This shift really began the day I realized that the SUV I was driving was really a very large anchor pulling me down in the sea of life.  

I knew the moment I walked into that dealership to purchase the SUV it was not right. But, I stifled those warning signs and did it anyway.  I pranced around showing my family and friends, when on the inside I was a scared little girl in the fetal position trying to figure out how in the world I was going to pay for this. 

I stayed up most of that night worrying about how I was going to get the money to pay the $700+ a month payments.  I was sick to my stomach.  Fast forward to August 2008, exactly one year later. 

Every time I looked at that vehicle I felt like a complete fraud.  I knew that people driving down the street did not know I could not afford the SUV, but I did.  I couldn’t do it anymore.  That is when I traded it in for a more practical sedan.  The point I want to make is how I felt.   

• How do you feel when you buy groceries?
• Did you make some good decisions when it comes to your wallet and your waist line?
• How do you feel when you pay the mortgage?
• Are you stressed out?
• Do you wonder where the money is going to come from to pay it?