Michael Strahan Was Right!

From The Desk of Rich Hayden - Financial Coach

207 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

703.773.8409 - o 703.832.6467 - f

rahaydenjr@yahoo.com www.richgetsitdone.com

Become 100% Debt Free (including your HOME) in as little as 8 years!

MICHAEL STRAHAN WAS RIGHT!

Friday Night Lights

From the Desk of Rich Hayden - Financial Coach
207 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
703.773.8409 - o 703.832.6467 - f
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com www.richgetsitdone.com
Become 100% Debt Free (including your HOUSE!) in as little as 8 Years!

I gotta tell ya, I like this show. Now, I'm not a huge fan of network TV. Just ask my wife. But, I've got to say that anyone who grew up in the Midwest, south, or anywhere that football was "it" has got to love this show. I think I can say that with a bit of authority because I grew up in Nebraska (The Good Life!). Unless you've lived under a rock from a sports perspective, you're probably aware that we Nebraskans have a fondness for a little bit of smash-mouth football!



So, what is it about this show that makes it a hit? There's drama, there's action, there's tragedy - and there's STRUGGLE. Really, that's the thing that people rally around. At one time or another, this show makes every character an underdog. Americans LOVE the underdog! They love for the little guy, or the guy who gets unfairly put down, or the guy who can't catch a break, or the guy who loses it all - we LOVE for that person to STRUGGLE - and then overcome through some type of "movietone" justice system that lets the protagonist have their day. That's what small town football is all about....or any sport, for that matter.



Just ask Larry Bird. I mean, really, who even knew where French Lick, Indiana was before bird was 1979 other than college recruiters. Other than the Iran Hostage crisis of that same year, 1979 was the year that the small college Indiana State University Sycamores went to the Finals of the NCAA tourney and lost to Michigan State University (with one Earvin "Magic" Johnson). Many people don't remember that Bird first went to "the big school" @ the other Indiana University....the one in Bloomington w/ a certain Coach Knight...for one year before he got homesick and headed home. At that moment, Larry Bird - of all people - became "the little guy." He took odd jobs, worked for his hometown street department, before finally finding his way back to ISU and his ultimate success. We LOVE THAT STUFF because it's real, it tells us that WE CAN "BE SOMETHING" bigger than what we are if we just stick with that dream.



Silly, I know, for a guy who writes a blog about finances to be talking about this. But, isn't that really what it comes down to, too? Don't those dreams that everyone latches on to of their favorite sports figure, their favorite actor/actress, their favorite musician - doesn't a big component of our adoration amount to money? Let's take that a step further and say - doesn't that really translate to the belief that the money (a.k.a. FINANCIAL FREEDOM) we visualize can provide us with OPTIONS and OPPORTUNITY that we might not otherwise have?



Stick with me here. Money in-and-of-itself is worthless. What it is, though, is POTENTIAL power waiting to be unleashed. Just like the misconception of "knowledge is power" - there's a misconception that money is power, too. Not true, both money and knowledge are only POTENTIAL power waiting to be marshaled properly and intentionally.



Before you tell me I'm off my rocker - let's have a look-see @ how your money's workin' for ya. For most people, it's not that good. I mean, after-all, we're the country with a negative savings rate. We're the country with $920Billion in credit card debt...and climbing. We're the country...well, you get the point. See, the thing is...and this is the kicker...YOU'VE GOT MONEY...you really do...but, it's not working PROPERLY for you.

To change that, first, you've got to BELIEVE that you can be the LITTLE GUY who rises up from seemingly nothing and has choices. Then, you've got to have a DESIRE to take a little time to understand (be coachable) HOW it works to have the FREEDOM that it can bring. Without the belief and desire - you'll stay the little guy. Ask Larry Bird. Ask Magic Johnson. Ask Bill Gates. Heck, ask my old boss, Doug Lebda about starting LendingTree.com. They'll all tell you, "I believed that I could do it, and I had a desire to win." Guess what, they all did.


You are NO DIFFERENT that these people. You're really not. Are you ready to start winning? Are you ready to have a look @ your personal picture and change it? Are you ready to BELIEVE that it can be different? Do you have the desire to make it different? I know these things are all in my cross-hairs. What about you?


If the answer is yes, call me or email me today so we can get started. In January alone, I provided 5 different clients with an average savings of $427/mo, a reduction of their "in debt" timeline to 3.4 years for non-mortgage debt, and an average mortgage payoff in just under 10 years. Think about that for a minute . . . would that change your world a little bit? If so, then give me a call.


My very best to you!


Your friend,



Rich Hayden

Financial Coach
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
703.773.8409 - p



P.S.: Have a friend who could be helped bythis info? Why not forward this e-mail tothem? That's what friends are for!



P.P.S: Starting to plan for college? Ask me howI can help.



P.P.P.S.: Ask me about the Debt Melt-Down(TM)Plan and how you could become 100% debt free..INCLUDING YOUR MORTGAGE..within 9-11 years!



P.P.P.P.S.: If this email has reached you at anundesirable email address, please respond with"Update my email to: joesmith@xyz.com" and Iwill update your email accordingly.



P.P.P.P.P.S.: Want to receive a copy of my most recent newsletter in PDF format, respond with "NEWSLETTER"in the subject line and I will forward it to you.

State of YOUR Financial Union

From the Desk of Rich Hayden - Financial Coach

207 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

703.773.8409 - o 703.832.6467 - f

rahaydenjr@yahoo.com www.richgetsitdone.com

Become 100% Debt Free (including your HOUSE!) in as little as 8 Years!

Tonight, President George W. Bush will give his 8th (and final) State of the Union address to the nation @ 9:00pm eastern. It's sure to be rife with political commentary that both sides of the political spectrum will latch on to and try to make there own. One thing I know is that now, more than any time in history (save for the Great Depression of the 1930's), the leaders of our nation are actually aware of the trouble that many Americans are in @ home.


It doesn't take a Princeton Ph.D. economist to figure out that things aren't too rosey for the middle-class of the U.S.A. So, there are a lot of big ideas floating around the halls of the US Capitol, The Treasury Department, The Federal Reserve Bank and The White House these days. Some of them are great, some of them are silly. We'll have to see what ultimately shakes out. But, you can be sure, there will be soundbites flying.


Let's have a quick look at some of the proposals on the table right now that WILL help the average American:


Proposal 1: Tax Rebate Check
How it will help: History has shown that these rebate checks don't actually spur economic activity. However, they do provide a bridge for many people that can pay some bills, bolster savings, or simply give them some cash. So, while not a viable "economics" tool, Rebate Checks do provide an emotional lift to the tax paying electorate.


Proposal 2: Reduced Taxes for Business to Invest in Equipment
How it will help: History has shown that these types of stimuli DO work. When business can purchase equipment/"tools" for their growth and efficiency and do so more economically, they can a) buy more; b) employ more people to use the "stuff" they buy; c) the people who make the "stuff" that's bought have greater job security because other companies buy their "stuff." Pretty simple, right.


Proposal 3: Lifting the loan limits on what FannieMae, FreddieMac and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) can do.
How this will help: This is, perhaps, where the rubber will meet the road more effectively than anywhere else in the plan as it relates to MOST American families. I do not mean to imply that enhanced unemployment/food stamp benefits will not be meaningful. Rather, this measure, if enacted, will do more to help stabilize home values throughout the nation - and stabilize the value of the single largest asset that 98% of the population will ever own. By increasing the amount of money that Fannie/Freddie/FHA can lend, an "easing" of the credit markets occurs. All financial markets MUST have a credit component which allows for the free flow of capital (money) between parties to occur. The banking/credit/free-market model is less about "the man" getting a piece of the pie as it is about the ability to utilize funds to buy something when you don't have sufficient funds to do so yourself. No where through history has a population been independently wealthy so that it's citizenry can/could pull out a bag of cash to buy a house, car, wagon, donkey, cart, hut or any other major purchase of the day. Perhaps ancient Babylon fit the bill. But, not in modern times. So for all of my railing against banks, credit institutions, credit cards, car loan companies, etc., we need them to keep things moving. Of course, it is my mission to help you win the financial game by uncovering the rules that they play by so you can use them to your advantage.


So, how is the State of YOUR Financial Union? That is to say - how are you doing with your money? Do you have control over it? Does it work for you? Do you know how interest works in your favor, against you? Do you know how to effectively "cancel" most of the interest you're paying? What's your answer?


Yes - great! You're in the top 0.5% of the population - rich or poor - who know!


No - it's not your fault! Here's the deal - no one told you the rules. But, I'm here to uncover the rules of the credit/banking/interest game for you so that YOU CAN TAKE CONTROL of your financial future.

Why am I so stuck on this? I'll be 40 in 5 weeks. I've got kids. Social Security's not going to be there for me, for them, maybe even for my parents - at least not in a meaningful way. I know that I can help people put a game-plan in place so that they can eliminate the fear of the future that other generations have left in their wake. The tools of wealth are not as complicated as you think.

Give me a call @ 703.773.8409 to get started building your financial independence. Or, for a copy of my FREE REPORT: "How To Literally Melt Down Your Debt, And Discover What the Banks and Big Credit Card Companies DON'T Want You To Know" - call 1-888-267-0280 x 8600 and I'll get it out to you in the mail.

Your Friend,

Rich Hayden

Financial Coach

rahaydenjr@yahoo.com

703.773.8409 - p

P.S.: Have a friend who could be helped by this info? Why not forward this on to them? That's what friends are fore!

P.P.S.: Starting to plan for college? Ask me how I can help.

P.P.P.S.: Ask me about the Debt Melt Down (TM) Plan and how you could become 100% debt free...including your mortgage...within 8-10 years!

P.P.P.P.S.: If this has reached you at an undesirable address, please respond with "Update My Email To: rahaydenjr@yahoo.com and I will update your email accordingly.

P.P.P.P.P.S.: Want to receive a copy of my most recent newsletter in PDF format? Respond with "NEWSLETTER" in the subject line and I will forward it to you today!

Analysis Paralysis

From The Desk of:
Rich Hayden
Financial Coach
Alexandria, Virginia
703.773.8409 (p) rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
Yahoo Video: http://tiny.cc/yv *Updated Jan. 17, 2008
Website: www.richgetsitdone.com
*I can help you become 100% DEBT FREE in as little as 8-10 years...
...INCLUDING YOUR MORTGAGE! Call 1.888.267.0280 ext. 8600 for your FREE REPORT

I DON'T GET IT: I have to admit that I am constantly amazed at the way that people go through decision making processes related to something in their life that is causing pain and disruption. Since I've dedicated myself to helping people understand the correct use and rapid elimination of debt instruments like mortgages, credit cards, car loans and personal loans - I see this trait nearly every day from people in regard to their money...or lack of it.


Let me give you a concrete example. I have a client with whom I have been working for nearly 6 months in reviewing his family's financial anatomy. I've come up with SPECIFIC PLANS that address all of his expressed concerns about the direction of his financial life. I've addressed ways that we can improve his monthly cashflow by more than $1,000/month. I've addressed ways that we can assure his children have fully funded college educations within the next 24 months. I've addressed ways that he and his wife can have a fully funded retirement within 12 years. Finally, I've addressed how his home can be completely paid off within 13 years. Basically, I've laid out for him exactly HOW SIMPLE it will be for him to become financially independent with no change to his lifestyle. Sounds good, huh?


He's a super-smart guy. Brilliant in his chosen field. Able to recognize right from wrong and able to identify opportunity when it presents itself. So why has it taken us 6 months to get to this point and still not having taken action on this plan? That's a great question. He's an "analysis guy" who likes to review numbers. But, he's also gotten himself into what I call a "thought rut". That's a place you come to when all you can do is "think" about something because the issue at hand is a big hairy monster. What's a big hairy monster for him @ this point is that he's caught CONTINUALLY analyzing WHY he's in the spot he's in rather than HOW to improve the situation.


ANALYSIS PARALYSIS: 13 years ago, when I was a consultant for American Management Systems, Inc. (AMS) - we called this "Analysis Paralysis". It's a term I'm sure you're all familiar with. People become paralyzed and find themselves unable to make common sense decisions because the EMOTIONAL OWNERSHIP OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE tied to a that which should be a NON-EMOTIONAL decision gets in the way. So, rather than take clearly defined choices toward a better path, 90% of people continue down the path they've been on crippled by fear of something different that may cause a slight change in outlook.


Taking this back, again, to people's individual finances: Have a look @ my video blog entitled "Keep Doing What You're Doing and You Will Keep Getting What You Are Getting" from October of 2007 (http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1345601. In it I talk about how we were all taught about finances....for the most part by our parents. If that is the only foundation we have to work from for knowledge, then we will get the same results that our parents earned. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not devaluing that which we learned from our parents. What I am suggesting is pretty simple. To learn success in any endeavor, you must model the systems, people and things that have shown the type of success that you want to achieve...and let go of your preconceived notions about HOW to do it. After all, if you already KNOW how to do it -WHY haven't you? This is akin to Einstein's definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting different results. If you've got the money game figured out so well by doing what you're doing again and again...then why are you still reading this blog? I don't mean to be rude, but, I think we both know the answer. You're seeking answers.


EMBARRASSED INTO INACTION: In the last 6 days, I've had 13 client appointments where we've talked about debt. All 13 sought my counsel for varying reasons and through varying mediums. 10 out of 13, after we started uncovering their goals and how we were going to "get there" shared with me that they had not sought help sooner because they were so embarrassed that they were in the situation that they were in that they just couldn't talk to anyone they knew about it because they felt like they had failed. And, rather than make changes to "right the ship", they continued down the path they were on, going deeper and deeper because of the perception they had about what "other people" might think if they sought help. They felt as though they were the only one's to have made financial mis-steps. They look around and see what other people HAVE and what they're DOING. My response is consistent WHENEVER I hear this - GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK...NO ONE TOLD YOU HOW THIS STUFF REALLY WORKS...GET BACK UP OFF THE GROUND, DUST YOURSELF OFF AND LET'S DIG IN A BIT. In my experience, trying to measure yourself against others will only in the rarest of cases leave you in a good spot. Most of the time, it puts you deeper in the whole. The other thing is that you have NO IDEA what other people's finances are. Chances are pretty good they're about the same as yours. The only way to REALLY eliminate debt is to:


1. UNCOVER IT COMPLETELY TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH DEBT THERE IS.
2. HAVE AN APPETITE (A BURNING DESIRE) TO ELIMINATE IT
3. ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.
4. TAKE ACTION
5. NOTICE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT.
6. DO MORE OF THE THINGS THAT WORK AND LESS OF THE THINGS THAT DON'T.


Simple, isn't it? Sorry to sound so simplistic. But, all of life's challenges really come down to this. Don't you already know that? My guess is that you do. You're smart enough to still be reading to this point - which tells me that you're motivated to learn, motivated to change, motivated to be in charge of your financial fate rather than a victim of it. When my client's told me that they were embarrassed - I asked them if they went "looking" for the financial situation they were in? ALL OF THEM RESPONDED WITH AN EMPHATIC "NO!" You've heard it 1,000,000 times - people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan.


Which brings us to YOU. What are you doing? Are you planning for financial success? Do you have a coach? No great athlete became great without a coach. No great business person became great without a mentor. If you're ready to win, I'm ready to be your coach on your road to financial freedom.


Give me a call @ 703.773.8409 to get started building your financial independence. Or, for a copy of my FREE REPORT: "How To Literally Melt Down Your Debt, And Discover What the Banks and Big Credit Card Companies DON'T Want You To Know" - call 1-888-267-0280 x 8600 and I'll get it out to you in the mail.

Your Friend,

Rich Hayden
Financial Coach
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
703.773.8409 - p

P.S.: Have a friend who could be helped by this info? Why not forward this on to them? That's what friends are fore!

P.P.S.: Starting to plan for college? Ask me how I can help.

P.P.P.S.: Ask me about the Debt Melt Down (TM) Plan and how you could become 100% debt free...including your mortgage...within 9-11 years!

P.P.P.P.S.: If this has reached you at an undesirable address, please respond with "Update My Email To: rahaydenjr@yahoo.com and I will update your email accordingly.

P.P.P.P.P.S.: Want to receive a copy of my most recent newsletter in PDF format? Respond with "NEWSLETTER" in the subject line and I will forward it to you today!

Milk: $4.19/gal.; Gas: $3.05/gal.; Social Security: $1692/mo., Peace of Mind: PRICELESS

Before I get rolling, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. This is the time that so many of us resolve to do better in so many areas of our lives. Sometimes it works and we actually make some changes that stick. A friend shared the following link with me this morning that I thought was appropriate to pass along in that spirit of change. Keep things simple. The 4 minutes it will take you to watch is 4 minutes well spent.


http://www.tonyrobbins.com/12TENETS/index.html?=136092

Now - on to the BLOG!

Yep, the I'm abusing the MasterCard "Priceless" pitch.


Well, kind of. The idea here is pretty simple. Life is costing more and more these days. If you have a financial plan in place that handles the fluctuations in cost - no sweat. If you don't have a plan - I'd be concerned, really concerned if I were you...CALL ME @ 703.773.8409 NOW!


Americans have some pretty heavy "fiscal lifting" to do over the next 2-4 years as we address our current financial position...personally, corporately and as a citizenry. At the "personal" level, Americans are carrying $920 BILLION in non-mortgage debt. Astonishing, isn't it? As it turns out, food and energy cost a lot of money! Problem is, the government doesn't include food and energy in their inflation numbers. So, when employers are looking at wages, they see inflation as flat....while everything costs more there's more month at the end of the money for most people. Heck, you don't even need and MBA to figure that out.


Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not a doom and gloom kind of guy. I never have been. I'm an optimist to a fault. I believe that 2008 is going to be a great year for a lot of different reasons.


But, the plain truth is this. Most people don't have a good plan in place to deal with the financial reality of the day. Income levels have stayed (basically) the same for almost all client's I've worked with in the past 5 years. That's right, the same.


But, everything's gotten more expensive. So, most folks have resorted to credit cards to "bridge the gap" between what they spend and what they make. Pretty much, the lifting relates to the 2 lead items I note in the title:


1. Milk: $4.19/gallon - jeez Louise! I went to the grocery store last week to pick up some milk and it was $4.19/gallon...at BLOOM! That's like saying a T-Shirt is $30 @ WalMart in my book. Okay, the same gallon of milk @ Costco (if you have a membership) is $3.06/gal. But, for those of you not familiar with Bloom, it's a "dressed up" Food Lion grocery store here in Virginia and down the Eastern Seaboard into the South. That same gallon of milk was $1.99/gal. in 2006. So, if you don't have a Costco membership, you're looking at a 110% increase over 2 years. Did you get a 110% raise over the last 2 years?

2. Gas: $3.05/gal (as of this week). That's up $0.71/gal from 12 months ago. That's a 30.3% increase over 12 months. Did you get a 30% raise this year?


3. Social Security: $1692/month - I'm going to work until I'm dead! I got my annual Social Security Administration (SSA) update in the mail yesterday...January 2nd. Keep in mind, the update was prepared on November 29, 2007! So, it took the SSA more than a MONTH to get that out - that's another topic. My point here is that, if I retired @ 62 (long ago believed to be the retirement age), I would have $1692/mo. in benefits coming my way. That would be great if I lived in - say - a tent, ran my car on leaves that I foraged and had my own cow I could milk because I couldn't afford the Costco membership to buy milk @ $3.06/gal. If I elect to work until I'm 70, I'll be able to pull in a whopping $2982/month. Now, I know these numbers will change as I put more and more into the system. But, c'mon - whether it's $20K/yr or $35K/yr, that's not enough to live on - let alone retire.


The point . . . . . get a plan, have some peace of mind in your financial life. Don't think you've got it all figured out if you're not even "started". The bottom line is this - it's a new year - get your house in order. Interest rates are lower than they've been in 2 years right now. It's true that "fools rush in" and even more true that "he who hesitates is lost."

Give me a call @ 703.773.8409 to get started. Or, for a copy of my FREE REPORT: "How To Literally Melt Down Your Debt, And Discover What the Banks and Big Credit Card Companies DON'T Want You To Know" - call 1-888-267-0280 x 8601 and I'll get it out to you in the mail.

Your Friend,


Rich Hayden
Financial Coach
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
703.773.8409 - p


P.S.: Have a friend who could be helped by this info? Why not forward this on to them? That's what friends are fore!


P.P.S.: Starting to plan for college? Ask me how I can help.


P.P.P.S.: Ask me about the Debt Melt Down (TM) Plan and how you could become 100% debt free...including your mortgage...within 9-11 years!


P.P.P.P.S.: If this has reached you at an undesirable address, please respond with "Update My Email To: rahaydenjr@yahoo.com and I will update your email accordingly.

P.P.P.P.P.S.: Want to receive a copy of my most recent newsletter in PDF format? Respond with "NEWSLETTER" in the subject line and I will forward it to you today!

Start 2008 On The Right Footting!

Wishing You and Your's a Happy New Year!

Rich Hayden
703.773.8409 - p
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
www.richgetsitdone.com

Get Out Of The Way!

Today (12.26.2007) marks the launch of my blog. This blog, in conjunction with my video blogs (which will also be posted here), my quarterly paper newsletter (email me @ rahaydenjr@yahoo.com to get on my list) and other communications are resources for you to use freely as you put your financial house in order and create the freedom you dream of.

YES, IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE FINANCIALLY FREE. BUT, YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY TO DO IT!

So, here it is, the day after Christmas! Hopefully, you had a good one . . . if you celebrate Christmas, that is. If you don't, I hope that the Holiday you do celebrate @ your house has been (or will be) great. At my house it's Christmas and yesterday was great.

After risking life-and-limb to get the lights on the roof (picture the Griswold's) a couple of weeks ago, putting the Reindeer food out on the lawn on the 24th, the cookies & milk out @ night, looking up @ the night sky for Rudolph's nose and listening intently through the night for any hint of footsteps on the roof getting ready to come down the ACTUAL chimney (yes, some houses still have an actual chimney) . . . our 2 kids woke up bustin' out of their heads to get downstairs and see what Santa brought them. We got it all on video. It was hilarious to see my daughter roll around on the ground all giddy after she opened one of her presents. Santa was good to the kids. But, he was also "measured" in his giving (there's a lesson there whether you're a parent or not).

The greatest thing about Christmas - to me - is the TRUE belief in possibility that kids project. Think about it, ANYTHING is possible in a kids mind as it relates to what they might get, what they can ask for, what Santa might do, what their parents might do - ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Bottom line is, kids don't get in their own way the way we do. Heck, they don't even have all of the negative filters in place that tell them "no" to the questions in their heads the way we "smart" grown ups do. They just ask. If you don't have a 4-6 year old, ask someone who does. Kids are the greatest salespeople in the world because they don't take "NO" for an answer - they just keep asking, maybe in a different way, until they get the answer they're looking for - or they REALLY get turned down.

Can you remember how great it was to be a kid? Kids teach us that the way you achieve something is that you ask an expert to help you. If it's toys - they ask Santa to help (he's the expert). For almost everything else - they ask their parents (they're the perceived experts). That works for most of the "stuff" in their life - for a while ... more on this in minute.

Back to Christmas....after a full day of Christmas fun and extended family and "new stuff" today (12.26.2007) is when the first a couple of "hangover's" at the end-of-the-year takes hold. Actual hangovers, spending hangovers, "my job stinks" hangovers, relationship hangovers (for some), my bonus stinks hangovers, etc., etc., etc. Truth is (like with most hangovers) it comes to pass that "today" is a day of new hope, new commitment, fresh inspiration and the idea of a "fresh start" is in focus. For adults, the idea of the fresh start tends to fall into three categories ... all of which we'll "really start working on" after 1/1/08. They are:

1. Lose Weight/Get Fit
2. Do a Better Job with My Money
3. Live a More "Full" Life (including better relationships with significant other(s), spouse, partner, family, kids, etc.)

Fast-forward 10-days to January 11th . . . . . . . . . . we're right back into the morass of drudgery. DOH! What's up with that, Homer & Marge?!?! Don't get me wrong, I do it too. We're all guilty of it.

BACK TO THE KIDS . . .

See, kids "get it" because they don't have to break a bad habit to make a new one. They just do it. Us "smart" grown-ups will fail on the 3 things above 88% of the time because we focus more on understanding our "issues" than on ditching 'em to find someone/something to model and move on. Kids got it down.

Let me be clear - it's important to know W H Y you're in a situation you're in. But, not so important that knowing gets in the way of you fixing it.

Now get this, I talk to a lot of people every week about what's going on with them financially. I love my job and digging in deep to do that. Finances are where the conversation starts. The truth is, their finances impact EVERY PART OF THEIR LIVES. Some folks "get it" when I offer a solution. We do our work together, implement some pretty simple and painless changes and they move on to a happier phase of their life after that.

Surprisingly enough, other folks just can't stay out of their own way. They're not willing to get out of their own way and have the "possibility" of that better financial picture take hold and positively impact every other area of their life. Remember how I said most people looked to their parents for ALL of their success clues? The sad thing is, this applies to finances, too. Last time I checked, most people's parents weren't "great" with money. What do you think most of us learned as a result? We learned to be average.

Think about what this means - average today in America means (you're geographic area may be different...so, don't wig out on me if you live in the DC Metro area ):

*You've got more than $10,000 in credit card debt (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*If you have a car payment, it's more than $475/mo (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*IF you save, you save/invest, you save LESS THAN 1% of your income (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*If you have investments, they total of less than $18,000 - including retirement (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*Your mortgage payment is $1687 (excluding taxes/insurance) (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*Your mortgage loan is $230,000.00 (Source: U.S. Federal Reserve)
*Your total household income is less than $75,000 (Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor)

Think I'm exaggerating - look around, ask around, talk to the people you know. Not everyone who reads this will meet these averages. Certainly, they can and should be adjusted for where you live. But, this data is out there.

Trust me when I tell you, I see this every day. If this is you and you want this to change, start with you. Get out of your own way. It's likely not your fault if you're "in the hole" a little bit. For most of us, we didn't get a rule-book on how to work with money in a way that HELPS us.

The only real question to ask yourself is this - "Do I mean what I say when I say I'm going to get control of my finances?"

If the answer is yes, call me or email me today so we can get started. In December alone, I have provided 7 different clients with an average savings of $573/mo, a reduction of their "in debt" timeline to 3.6 years for non-mortgage debt, and an average mortgage payoff in just under 10 years. Think about that for a minute . . . then give me a call.

My very best to you and yours this Holiday Season!

Your friend,

Rich Hayden
Financial Coach
rahaydenjr@yahoo.com
703.773.8409 - p


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