2024 brought amazing opportunities with life, travel, and saving.
Total spend = $80,000
We saved 25% of our income and the question is: was it worth it?

YES, because we were able to do some very cool things. We love traveling and we were able to go overseas multiple times, living in an RV "full time", and invested $20,000 into our future/retirement.

Action steps for you: track and know your income AND expenses!

Be sure to check out the ILMA Academy to start living your Ideal Life years sooner: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilma

Here's how you create your Ideal Life and reach Financial Freedom! ►► Give yourself a 10% raise (or more) without working more hours in the next 30 days. Free Workshop → https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/raise

Don't forget to subscribe to ILMA for weekly content to get you to start living your Ideal Life!!

I'm a big fan of teaching your kids about how money REALLY works. That's why I don't like giving them an allowance. I'm in favor of giving them a Commission...and there is a BIG difference.

In this video, I walk through the differences between an allowance and a commission, and show you how going the commission route is teaching them how money and the real world works. Versus how giving kids an allowance teaches them to treat you like an ATM.

Learn more about how to manage your money well in the Ideal Life & Money Academy: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilma

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

ID Theft and fraud are everywhere! If this has happened to you, then you know it is NOT fun. If this hasn't happened to you, great, and let's do things to make sure it doesn't happen in the future.  

It's nearly impossible to not have your information out there online. There are so many attempts to get you caught up in fraud: phone calls, emails, texts, links, computer access, stolen wallet or cards, etc.  

Keep in mind: if it feels dodgy, then it usually is.  

Tips: 
#1 - Use less plastic (Mike even encourages you to get rid of your credit cards) 
#2 - Reduce the number of cards you have 
#3 - Pay attention to your transactions 
#4 - Don't click on links from sources you do not trust (or that you aren't expecting) 
#5 - Keep it simple! 
#6 - Don't give the multi-factor authentication (MFA) codes to others 
#7 - Check your credit report annually 
#8 - Consider ID Theft protection  

Share this information with others, especially parents or older generation.

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

This is a question that no one is asking!  

What are you willing to give up? AND what are you not willing to give up?  

Remember all things are temporary with the things you are willing to give up. AND there are limits to what that may be to you. Maybe you are health focused and don't want to eat boxed, processed foods to save a few dollars.  

This is your life and only you can answer these questions!

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

The goal is to become debt free! At what cost? 
It depends!  

Retirement accounts may not be what you want to sell. You will have to pay taxes and penalities.  

Non-retirement investments are open to selling. Maybe downsizing is in the future, sell items and you can replace them in the new town, state, or even country that you move to!

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilma

The New Year (or really anytime of year) you get to choose to make changes!  

What will keep you on track to stick to your goals? Are you ready to make the commitment? What is your clear path?  

If you don't have one or looking for another path, then join Ideal Life & Academy and start living your Ideal Life this year.

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

Recommended Spending Percentages:
S.T.U.F. stands for Shelter, Transportation, Utilities, Food

Shelter - rent or mortgage = less than 25% of your take home pay
Transportation - 10% to 15% including maintenance, insurance, gas, tickets
Utilities - 5% or less
Food - 5% to 15%

Remember, these are based on average income numbers.

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

Can giving really be dangerous?
We believe it can lead to becoming dangerous through this 5 Step Process:
1) Appreciation
2) Anticipation
3) Expectation
4) Entitlement
5) Dependency

Be sure to check out the ILMA Budget/Debt Elimination Course: https://www.sentinelcoaching.com/ilmabudget

People influence us one way or another. It's important to have BOTH kinds of people in our lives - spenders who help us enjoy life, and savers who help us from making poor impulse decisions.

In this video, I encourage you to take a look at who you are spending time with. Are you isolated to your own thoughts, opinions, and ideas? If so, you are missing out. Gather people around you who care about you, love you, and want what's best for you. It will help you not just socially, but financially too!

People who are successful with money don't happen to fall into good money management, they work at it, implement good habits, and THINK about money differently.

In this video, I share how $100 changed my life, but it wasn't the physical dollars that changed my life, it was the THINKING around that $100. If you want to get better at money management, you need to think differently.

I used (and still do use) this practice to help me keep an abundance mentality around money instead of a scarcity mentality and it's made a HUGE difference.