Jill Russo Foster

Tips for Successful Personal Finances

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Add Up Your Numbers to See Where You Stand

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Now comes the day to add up your numbers to see where you stand. Use my budget tracker to make it easier.  Which side is bigger? Is there more money coming in than going out? Or is it the other way around? That is all I am asking you to figure out here.

You need to determine what the next step is for you. If you are like most people, you will need to get your expenses down or generate more income. Don’t panic! In the coming months, I will discuss raising your income and reducing your debt. You may want to pick up my book to read the “Reduce or Eliminate Expenses” chapter in Thrive in Five (where these micro-tips come from).

For the rest of this month, I will talk about ways to save more. Again, these are suggestions that you can chose to do… or not. Only implement ways that seem right to you now. Then go back at a later date and try others.

Share this post for the Financial Literacy Month Contest. Learn more at www.JillRussoFoster.com/financial-literacy-month-2013

Variable Expenses: Knowing Where You Stand

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This is Day 5 of our month long Financial Literacy Month project. You can continue using my budget or spending plan worksheet for this.

Now for those variable expenses – groceries, eating out, entertainment, gifts, travel etc. I find this the hardest category to come up with a number. The easiest way is to check your bank and credit card statements for the costs to come up with a number. Try looking at three to six months and taking an average to see what you “normally” spend on these kinds of expenses.

Don’t forget to include the things that are paid for in cash – tips, babysitting, coffee, newspapers, lottery (you get the idea).

Share this post for the Financial Literacy Month Contest. Learn more at www.JillRussoFoster.com/financial-literacy-month-2013

Fixed Expenses: Knowing Where You Stand

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This is Day 3 of our month long Financial Literacy Month project. You can continue using my budget or spending plan worksheet for this.

Now, let’s look at your fixed expenses – mortgage or rent, insurance premiums (home, auto, health, disability, long term etc), utilities (if possible, take an average of the last year), and any other fixed recurring payments that apply to your situation

Share this post for the Financial Literacy Month Contest. Learn more at www.JillRussoFoster.com/financial-literacy-month-2013

 

Income: Knowing Where You Stand

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To take charge of your finances you have to know where you stand. I know that some people will want to shut the book at this point, but don’t. It’s not going to be that hard for you to do this. This is not a one day project, so don’t panic. You have a week to do this for yourself. No one is going to look at this, but you will need this as a starting point. Take the time to do this.

Start with my budget or spending plan worksheet. If you’ve already prepared your taxes, you will have this information readily available. For your income, look at your W-2 forms and divide by 12. This will give you a monthly figure. If you have 1099’s then you can do the same. Or take your pay stub and multiply by the number of pay periods in the year. Remember to add any other income – pensions, rental income, investments etc to get a clear picture.

Share this post for the Financial Literacy Month Contest. Learn more at www.JillRussoFoster.com/financial-literacy-month-2013

 

Financial Literacy Month starts Monday!

flm-200In honor of that, I’ll be posting an entire chapter from my book, Thrive in Five, in 1 post a day.

My micro-tips will ask you to think outside the box and push your saving even higher. For starters, you’ll have a week to record your monthly expenses. Then I am going to suggest things to you that you might not want to do. Other things might intrigue you, try them.

Each effort you make will save you money.

Watch for my first post on April 1st. 🙂

The Money Talk – 3 Easy Tips: How to teach your kids about money

A Talk for Parents
(Children Ages 7 -17 can attend)

Using these tips, you can help your kids…

  • Cope with product advertising
  • Understand that credit cards aren’t magic money.
  • Develop strong short-term budgeting skills
  • Use their imagination for long-term financial planning

September 27, 7:30-8:30pm
$30 per adult (children under 18 free)
Location: Jazzercise Fitness Center of Stamford,
633 Hope St, Stamford, CT (back entrance/2nd floor)

The book Cash, Credit and Your Finances: The Teen Years
is FREE for the first 10 registrants.

With this book, you can help your children learn about credit, loans, and savings before they leave home. Today’s world is not a cash world, it’s a credit world. A credit world is a much more complicated world to live in. If your children don’t learn early, they could be headed for financial difficulties.

Books by Jill Russo Foster available for purchase after talk.

Sponsored by InterPlay Health

For Reservations: Email info@interplayhealth.com or call 203-845-8856

Both talks by Jill Russo Foster, an award winning author and personal finance expert.  Her books – Thrive In Five: Take Charge of Your Finances in 5 Minutes a Day and Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years – can help you take control of your finances.
Visit JillRussoFoster.com
or email jill@jillrussofoster.com

Take Control of Your Finances: A Talk for College Students

This event has been postponed.
Location: Jazzercise Fitness Center of Stamford,
633 Hope St, Stamford, CT (back entrance/2nd floor)

Take control now before your debts get out of hand. This is the talk you can’t afford to miss.

Learn…

  • Why employers prefer credit reports over job references.
  • Why the only thing worse than having bad credit is not having any.
  • Simple steps for establishing credit the right way
  • How to avoid credit traps
  • Smart ways to manage your money

Books by Jill Russo Foster available for purchase after talk.

Sponsored by InterPlay Health

For Reservations: Email info@interplayhealth.com or call 203-845-8856

Both talks by Jill Russo Foster, an award winning author and personal finance expert.  Her books – Thrive In Five: Take Charge of Your Finances in 5 Minutes a Day and Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years – can help you take control of your finances.
Visit JillRussoFoster.com
or email jill@jillrussofoster.com

Come to my workshop at Pymander Books June 5

It’s time to get your questions answered.

  • Have you ever wanted to improve and take charge of your personal finances?
  • Do you clarification on a specific financial problem?
  • Is there something that you have been thinking about doing and you need to know  more before proceeding?
  • Does the thought of tackling your finances seem overwhelming?

Come to my workshop at Pymander Books in Norwalk on Sunday, June 5 from 2 to 4 pm.  I will be discussing my new book Thrive In Five: Take Charge of Your Finances in 5 Minutes a Day and answering your personal financial questions. Topics will include:

  • Banking with the right bank for you
  • What  your credit report tells creditors
  • Tips to save money
  • … and more!

Now is the time to get your questions ready for me.

Space is limited: call today 203-854-5596 to make your reservation to attend.  Pymander Books is located at 37 Wall Street in Norwalk and there is a $10 charge to attend.  You will come away with all of your questions answered and a plan to get started.  Books will be available for purchase and can be signed.

Live on The Leslie Marshall Show at 7:20pm

I will be on The Leslie Marshall Show at 7:20pm tonight! To listen, go to www.LeslieMarshallShow.com

I’m a big fan of Leslie Marshall She’s been on radio and TV as a host, a guest, a political pundit and even as an actress! Leslie Marshall is multi-talented and kind enough to give me the opportunity to be on nationally syndicated radio Please join us by tuning in!