Weekly Roundup

September Blog Round-Up

Blog Round-Up: September Edition | www.TheHeavyPurse.com

We’re closing in on the last few months of 2015. I look back and marvel at what a crazy, busy and fulfilling year it has been. I hope you feel the same way. We have three months remaining in 2015, and depending on your perspective, you either have plenty of time left to achieve your goals or you are starting to panic. Regardless, there is still enough time to feel good about your financial health by year-end. Remember — you don’t need to accomplish everything at once. I know from firsthand experience that even small steps forward have meaning, especially when you make them daily.

I encourage you to take a few minutes and think of one small step or action you can take to improve your financial well-being this weekend. It could be setting up automatic bill pay to avoid late fee charges or increasing your 401k contribution by 1% or making sure your beneficiary forms are up-to-date or creating a meal plan for the week.

Better yet, take 30 minutes and write down every task you need to accomplish before year-end. Yes, it will likely be long and little scary. But you’ve completed the first and most important step: identifying your to-do’s. The next to-do is to prioritize and break each task down into small steps. If you can carve out 10 minutes every day to complete a step, think of all you can accomplish by December 31st. Goals aren’t achieved overnight; they are achieved by taking consistent action.

A Few Good Reads

Here are my favorite posts from September. Enjoy!

Laurie from Fruclassity shared Without a Reason, There’s Always an Excuse. Great post on how our spending on the little things prevent (or at least delay) achievement of the the things that we truly want.

A second-degree burn led Tonya from Budget and the Beach to realize the value of Shedding Your Skin. A great motivational post to help you go from “should” to “am” and shed old fears.

Cat from Budget Blonde outlined 4 Ways to Avoid Being a Workaholic, which is something I have been accused of being myself. Work is important, but there has to be a balance for both your own sake and your family’s well-being.

Michelle from See Debt Run shared her Family Money Rules. Something we all need to have and share with our family. Her list is both humorous and 100% spot on. 🙂

Kim over at Eyes on the Dollar reminded us of The Importance of Finishing Strong. Many people put a lot of emphasis on starting strong, which isn’t wrong, but sometimes people over exert themselves and wind up quitting long before they ever reach the finish line.

Hayley at Disease Called Debt shared 10 Free or Cheap Things To Do in Autumn. This is my favorite time of the year and she has some great suggestions for frugal fun that you can take advantage of this weekend.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Shannon

October 2, 2015  •  10 Comments  •  Weekly Roundup

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  1. Friday, October 2nd, 2015
    You're reading my mind! I'm taking this weekend to "regroup" and get organized so I can free up some mental energy for other things. All I've been doing lately is hanging on to the ledge by my fingernails so I'd like to get some pesky financial and other life things in order. Thanks so much for the link love!!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Sunday, October 4th, 2015
      You're welcome, Tonya! I hope you were able to regroup this weekend and get things in order. We get so busy and it is so easy to let goals and other important things slide. I'm glad you are not going to let that happen to you!
  2. Friday, October 2nd, 2015
    Thanks so much for the shout out Shannon! I can't believe we are getting close to the end of the year already. Time has really flown by. My hubs and I didn't get everything accomplished that we wanted to this year, but we have some pretty lofty goals coming up in the next few months as we've changed direction on some of our goals and plans. Saving up $10,000 for his residency applications was something we are proud to have accomplished this year.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Sunday, October 4th, 2015
      One thing about goals is that they are truly flexible. There is no point of achieving a goal that you are no longer want! You and the hubs should be proud of everything you guys have achieved and I know more great things are coming down the pipeline for the both of you!
  3. Friday, October 2nd, 2015
    Shannon, thank you for sharing some posts by other bloggers. I am actually finished reading the first three and like the second post by Tonya from Budget and the Beach.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Sunday, October 4th, 2015
      You're welcome, Michelle. Tonya's post is great and I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
  4. Saturday, October 3rd, 2015
    Every task before year-end?!?!?! I'm not trying to have a heart attack, Shannon! Haha just kidding it's good advice but definitely overwhelming. Also, I think I need to take Cat's advice. I do work a lot, but with my wife in grad school she doesn't complain about it too much. Now when she's done in a couple years I'll have to rethink things ;)
    • Shannon Ryan
      Sunday, October 4th, 2015
      Uh-oh, I don't want to give you a heart attack, DC! :) It certainly can be overwhelming, especially if you have a lot on your list. I would certainly recommend that those who feel just stressed even thinking about making a to-do list to figure out the goal they absolutely want to achieve by year-end and focus on it.
  5. Sunday, October 4th, 2015
    Definitely "starting to panic"! Is it just me or has this year flown?

    There are a number of things I had hoped to have completed by now and don't. Time for a shift in mindset...
  6. Monday, October 5th, 2015
    Less than 3 months left! Oh my! I think I need to review all my goals I wrote in my New Year's resolutions. It feels like I gotta keep up with some and there are still more tasks unaccomplished. Thanks Shannon for reminding me.
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