Given the state of the world in light of the global pandemic, many people are worried about debt, so this month I wanted to focus on debt reduction. I work with a lot of people to pay off debt, stop racking up new debt, and start saving for the future. So if you find yourself asking, “is financial coaching right for me?”, know that you’re not alone. That’s one of the biggest questions I get from potential clients, so this month we are going to address what financial coaching is and isn’t, and who is it right or wrong for.
Financial Coaching Is:
1. For people who want to regain their financial freedom. Are you controlling your money, or is your money controlling you? If you feel like your finances have been dictating your life, it’s time to put you back in the driver seat, and take control of making your money work for you, not against you.
2. For people willing to put the time and effort in to get what they want. Financial coaching requires attention and focus, and we must be willing to start practicing what we preach in terms of spending, saving, and budgeting.
3. About creating a plan and budget to reshape your financial future. Debt reduction requires planning ahead in order to be proactive instead of reactive. Awareness is key to success and knowing the balances and interest rates helps us create a good plan. Creating a plan and budget can help to keep you on target and on track, in order to successfully achieve your financial goals and objectives. The plan must be fluid and change with each month.
4. About consistently reducing debt. Consistency is the key to reducing your debt over time. You must implement a constant, reliable approach to debt reduction if you want to be successful in the long run.
5. About increasing savings. Having an emergency fund for the times when life throws us curve balls helps eliminate stress and allows us to stick to the budget. Creating “sinking funds” for irregular expenses helps take the roller coaster out of money.
6. For people who are willing to make manageable changes. Change is the only constant in this world, but oftentimes we fight it tooth and nail. However, these small changes and practices to your regular routine can make for powerful change to your financial future.
Financial Coaching Is Not:
1. A get out of jail free card. If you are looking for a quick fix or a get rich quick scheme, this is simply not the path for you. Coaching is only effective if we are to learn from the mistakes of our past, in order to stop the cycle of repeating them.
2. About bankruptcy. In my Initial Discovery Sessions, many of my potential clients ask if they’re going to have to declare bankruptcy, but until we meet and do a deep dive you won’t know if that’s the right solution for you. Let’s set you up with some healthy financial practices and goals so that bankruptcy is the last choice and only used if absolutely necessary. You need to know the pros and cons of this choice.
3. A quick fix. Unfortunately, I am not The Debt Fairy. I have no magic wand or pixie dust to miraculously erase your debt. Financial transformation requires patience and dedication in order to be effective.
4. For people who don’t want to change. If you’re looking to keep doing exactly what you’ve always done, then financial coaching is not for you. But if you’re open-minded and willing to make the necessary changes to re-shape your financial future, the right outlook is everything.
5. For people who run away from accountability. In order for financial coaching to work for you, you must take a long hard look at your attitude toward money. We all make mistakes in life, but in order to turn things around and make lasting change, accountability for your actions is crucial.
6. For people who are stuck in a victim mindset. There is no white knight on his noble steed coming to rescue you from your financial woes. If you want to create the path to financial freedom, victim mentality needs to be a thing of the past. No more finger-pointing or playing the blame game. You may have gotten yourself into this, but you can get yourself out of it with the necessary tweaks.
7. For people who barely earn enough to survive. If your debt to income ratio is severely out of whack, then financial coaching may not be the right option for you. Sometimes the first step is to increase your income, then we can better address your debt reduction.
I hope this answers some of your questions and gives you a better idea of the in’s and out’s of financial coaching and debt reduction. If you’re looking for private coaching, contact me today or request your introductory Discovery Session. Find out more here.
