Weekly Roundup

Blog Round-Up: Week of October 13, 2014

Blog Roundup: Week of October 13, 2014

I can’t believe we’ve already reached the mid-point of October. We’re flying through Fall. Do you want to hear something scary? We’re less than 70 days away from Christmas! Sometimes I think it sneaks up on us because the stores put the decorations out so early. We roll our eyes and think we have months to figure out our holiday budget. Then we’re suddenly counting down the days.

A Weekly Recap

This week we’ve been taking a look at debt. On Monday, I shared how to stay motivated while you pay off debt. It can be a long, bumpy road to financial freedom and the temptation to turn back will happen. But these six simple tips can help you combat those urges and keep you moving forward.

On Wednesday, I debunked some popular myths that keep people in debt. These myths have become so strong today that many people don’t even realize how much damage they do and how fragile their financial foundation is because of them. Knowledge is power and gives you choices.

Special thanks to Healthy Wealthy Income, Enemy of Debt, Myles Money, FamZoo, Disease Called Debt, and Red Debted Stepchild for mentioning The Heavy Purse these past few weeks. I appreciate your support!

A Few Good Reads

Here are my favorite posts from the past two weeks. Enjoy!

Natalie aka The Finance Girl shared How Much I Save by Buying Generic at Walmart. She may look forward to eventually shopping at Whole Foods but paying down her debt means more right now. It’s an exercise we all need to do, whether we have debt or not. Understanding our priorities helps us willingly make sacrifices on the things that don’t mean as much, so we can take care of the things that do.

Hayley at Disease Called Debt is Debt Free at Last! Congratulations, Hayley! Head on over to congratulate Hayley and be sure to also check out her new e-book, 101 Ways to Earn Money From Home while you are there.

Kalen from Money Mini Blog had a great guest post at Disease Called Debt on How to Effectively Negotiate with Credit Card Companies. He included some great scripts to help you lower your interest rate and reduce your payments, which is perfect for those who aren’t sure what to say.

Lance from Healthy Wealthy Income shouted Oh No! The Stock Market Is Going on Sale. Market volatility scares many investors, even though they know it’s normal. It still doesn’t make it easy. Lance’s post is a good reminder as to why a little volatility can actually benefit your portfolio.

Kim at Eyes on the Dollar asks How Many Years of Retirement Will that Cost? Kim is a reformed mindless spender who now weighs the future value of her choices. Another great lesson and where learning how to make value-based decisions can help you make smart decisions.

Shannon

The Heavy Purse Store is now open! My new downloadable Money Club Workbooks are now on sale. Each workbook provides five targeted lessons to help you raise Financially Confident Kids. Please check them out in The Heavy Purse Store.

October 17, 2014  •  24 Comments  •  Weekly Roundup

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Comments

  1. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    Less than 70 days from Christmas? That is craziness! It's about this time of year that I am happy I've started my Christmas shopping in August :)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      It's crazy how fast this Fall is flying by, although it seems like I say that every year. :)
  2. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    I'm so excited for Christmas! And Halloween! And Thanksgiving! Clearly I love the holiday :). Thanks for the reading recommendations--I'll have to check them out.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      I'm with you, Mrs. Frugalwoods; I love the holidays too!
  3. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    Thank you so much for including my post, Shannon. I will say that one thing you've really helped me focus on by your comments is that in essence it's all about prioritizing (re my football post and this one). And that's exactly what it is. Getting out of student loan debt is a bigger priority to me than have high quality food. I am intentionally choosing to make sacrifices now to clean up my student loan debt in order to build a strong financial foundation and ultimately wealth.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      You're welcome, Natalie! I'm so glad that I've been able to help you and knowing your priorities makes a huge difference. It's easier to say "no" and not feel deprived when you're very clear on what you're working towards. Small sacrifices now are a small price to pay for getting what you truly want.
  4. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    I can't believe we are less than 70 days until Christmas and just a few more until the end of 2014. Crazy!!! I am going away this weekend with my hubby to celebrate our anniversary. I love having an anniversary in the fall because we always seem to have great weather. I hope you guys have an awesome weekend!!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      I hope you had a wonderful anniversary weekend, Shannon!
  5. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    Thanks for mentioning our site Shannon! :)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      You're welcome! Thank you for promoting my post! :)
  6. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    Great reads here! Thanks for including me too! :)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      You're welcome, Kalen!
  7. Friday, October 17th, 2014
    Wow, can't believe we're so close to Christmas - I'd better start getting organised! Thank you so much for mentioning my debt free post and my new book Shannon - really appreciate it! Have a lovely weekend with your family. :)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      You're welcome, Hayley! And congratulations again on being debt free! It's a huge accomplishment. :)
  8. Saturday, October 18th, 2014
    Thanks for mentioning my post this last week. I really enjoyed the 6 steps for staying motivated. They could apply to pretty much anything we want to accomplish in life.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      You're welcome, Lance!
  9. Saturday, October 18th, 2014
    Wow can't even believe that Christmas is that close! It comes and goes so quick. Funny you mention Lance's post, I wrote a "roundup" post for FeeX that mentioned the drop in the stock market. Ironically it seems to have balanced out yesterday.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      Christmas does come and go so quickly. I love the holiday season but it can really be hectic. :) The stock market has definitely been volatile lately and keeping an good perspective isn't always easy but necessary. You never know what tomorrow will bring. :)
  10. Saturday, October 18th, 2014
    Really? Less than 70 days? Christmas is fast approaching. I am not even prepared with the savings for all those Christmas shopping. Time to save up and organize! Thanks Shannon.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      Yup, it's coming fast, Jayson! It's time to buckle down and I'm right there with you. :)
  11. Sunday, October 19th, 2014
    Yep, Christmas is just around the corner. This year it will still be 'low profile' since our baby is just 10 months then, but from next year things will clearly change :D
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, October 20th, 2014
      The first Christmas is still special but yes, once they can actually participate, it becomes a real game changer. :)
Shannon Ryan SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
  • Meet Shannon

    "As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan