Hi #baes -

Thanks for coming back to read!

Its so funny (not really) when I'm supposed to be writing about content I need done like..yesterday, I get side tracked into another brilliant idea & completely focus on that, forgetting all other responsibilities! *slaps forehead* So, here I am. It's back to school season! Shout out to all the parents, sisters, brothers, a l l of you for posting and encouraging the youth on how exciting a new school year is! NY Fashion Week has begun/is ending & I know all my girls are gearing up there #ootd recreations, I’ve already seen a ton that have inspired me! Football is back - I also know this because my father has turned our living room into a man cave and…

Most importantly we are saying goodbye to the summer of 2018 and the sh****t ton of money & *neg* energy we spent in it! - Mine was pretty chill - ya know, werk, school, werk, *mental breakdown* werk (twerk'd that one weekend) but yea that was it!

Kudos to everyone who had a poppin a** summer though!

To whoever did & is currently reading, you're someone I probably lived vicariously with in my head through your IG photos... #noshame

No better time to plan & b u d g e t than now!

& yes, I know - We hear budget & right away its like what the heck can she teach us about money! Of course most of us already have a standard one but surprisingly - I get a lot of questions pertaining to budgeting and how I manage my time & resources. I think taking it a step further can help minimize time you spend, spending & more time on saving!

Also, 

lets not take complete financial advise from someone like me because..
 

Totally kidding (for the most part...) Whether you have your whole life already figured out, know all the ins & outs and all the how-to's or... are just rich *stop reading* ha no, please keep reading! This post is just a way to give even the best of us an idea on how to prioritize not just the norm of things, but also how to stay on top of them, how to budget not only our money but also our time & energy. I wont go too in depth *I am not into finance, at all* just want to share a few tips that help me to help anyone else that currently needs it!

I also want to highlight a very important thing that a lot of people do not realize  -----

M o n e y is not the only thing that holds value. Knowing how to budget your time, who to invest in, who to share memories & engage with on a daily basis is also extremely important. You should also learn how to budget your energy - what deserves to be in your aura? Can you afford to lose sleep over an issue that is not worth it?

Constantly staying in touch with your inner feelings helps make better decisions financially and emotionally.

W e are all of value.

Working as hard as we all do + money = value.

Investing in good people, positive vibes, love & empathy + our time & energy = value.

Budgeting in that extra 'me' time because you worked your ass off all week + a back massage = v a l u e

Getting a little side tracked, but I'll come back to it. What I really wanted to share with you all is how I break down a small portion of my budget. Its not your average budget because I do throw in how I manage the 'inner' side of things as well but -

Everyone has a unique way of doing things! I tend to be a bit old school - I jot down all of my expenses, whats coming up for the week, bad habits I'm working on & a ton more and I make weekly spreadsheets. Aside from the fact that I'm still quote unquote broke due to my need to buy *everything* I'm never short a dollar when I properly budget my weekly schedule.

Its actually kind of simple - discipline is the hard part! 

b r e a k d o w n
For the most part, I think we all get paid biweekly. Again, everyones schedule differs so what works best for me is this:

Each month is typically the same for me. I have certain bills due either the beginning or end of the month. Rent is due the 1st, always & typically so is my phone bill.

*There are a few more personal bills, but you guys get my point.*

For all my commuters - the cringing gut feeling I get every month when I have to spend $132 on a monthly metro card that; for the most part, gets me to work on time 65% of the time ... Yea, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Anyways, because I know the total of all of these & because I know I will be needing $$ every month for them, I budget my money in sections. Every two weeks I just budget half of the total cost of each & save it. I even budget the total cost of my hair and nails. Things I pay cash for, I take out in advance (like rent). Some like to get paid & pay off bills in one pay cycle, which is totally fine to do, but I don't like the feeling of getting paid, paying off all of my bills at once & then eating ice for the next two weeks. (I aint rich yet, I'm gettin there.)

The separation every two weeks just helps me manage my spending better. I don’t have to worry about being short every month because I know well in advance a portion is already saved.

Im so diligent in making sure my money is properly distributed that it even helps with certain bad habits.

I am an avid Uber/Juno rider & I noticed it was becoming a habit that was not being very nice to my pockets. I decided to take control of that and only allow myself enough money in my checking's account for only two (2) rides a week, if needed!

Needs to leave house by 7:30am

*looks at clock* 7:31 am

“Damn, now I have to take an Uber!” - me, every single morning

Literally my own devils advocate, ha!

I am slowly implementing this when it comes to buying lunch at work too!

I can eat Sophie's Cuban Cuisine

every. single. day.

BUT! limiting my spending helps not only my pockets but my health as well.

*green sauce gives me acid reflux.*

Another helpful tool - The Dunkin Donuts (DD) app, which allows me to reload my balance every week! (Starbucks has an app as well, I think!) I typically drink a coffee a day with an occasional spontaneous one after work - so, its simple! My coffee is like $3.69 a day so I manage how much money I re load on my DD app each week. It takes the worry off of not having enough cash or forgetting your cards at home! The app is actually awesome, I get so many perks just for having it!

#seriousoldschoolfact: I not only keep a piggy bank with all of my change (Which has racked me up $100 bucks just from last month) - I even keep a secret e m e r g e n c y stash that I add left over cash to every week. I find at least $5 in my pockets every time I do laundry!

I know that happens to all of us.

& if its anything you take in from this -

get a planner.

 Even if its a mini one! I know some people use their phones - thats fine as well! For someone who knows the gist of tech - I definitely don't know how to use my phone calendar.. but *thumbs up for those that do, as always*

P e r s o n a l l y,

The more organized, the better. You save on time, energy, money & you even save yourself.

Now, of course not everything in life needs to be planned - but Y O U are in complete control of your life, your decisions, yo $$ - be wise about the decisions you do have control over.

A few other #personaltips of mine & some great ways to learn discipline -

1. Use an app! If you like things mobile & don't like the idea of going to the bank, carrying cash etc. There are a ton of useful apps to help you get yourself organized. So useful, I even use a breathing app to organize my self when I am overwhelmed. *I budget in 30 min before bed every night.* Literally, there is an app for just about anything.

2. I know some of you may have that 'flick a the wrist' technique when it comes to swiping that debit card *guilty* -- Let's not even go there cause ya girl knows her credit card numbers by <3. But - Separate accounts. When I know I need discipline on my spending, I just leave my cards at home & my personal accounts are always separated so I am never over spending money I shouldn't be. I think there is a way to even manage your own spending limit!

Putting $$ aside for a savings is vital - we all do it (I hope). We also all have different ways of making bank & making more bank. Whether you invest, own companies, run a successful business or just work hard af - getting comfortable with having a set percentage of how much of your check goes to your savings is important!

I don't want to go too in depth about finance, it can be a touchy subject but the mom in me just wants to remind everyone to manage, manage, manage! We tend to pay so much extra in surcharges, fines, interest rates etc., just by being careless!

Another reminder:

Everyones finances are different. The terms saving & budgeting are so broad - we all have responsibilities to take care of, some more than others. No one person lives the same life as the other - so go at your own pace, budget the way you feel most comfortable with, save your $ but also, don't be afraid to splurge once in a while - 

most of all

remember; 

stay hungry for opportunity. 

Straying from the finance side of it all, lets talk about the more important aspect: your soul.

T I M E.

E N E R G Y.

H E A L T H.

While you are budgeting your finances and basically trying not to have an emotional break down - it does happen to the best of us, we all feel that overwhelming heat come over us the moment success and money is thrown into the equation. Remind yourself that sometimes, there are better things in this life than just m o n e y.

It is okay to quit that dead end job.

It is okay to turn away that toxic friend who just keeps doing more harm than good.

It is okay to want to be alone some days.

It is okay to embrace who you are as a person, no matter how different it may be.

It is okay to feel your soul light up when you hear a song you like & it is definitely okay to believe in y o u r dreams.

It is okay to want to enjoy this world & the people in it. Be kind, always.

We invest so much time into responsibilities that we forget what is right in front of us.

Managing your time, trying to be the best version of yourself that everyone else wants you to be, trying to be the r e a l you, all while trying to live your best life - is not easy. Be kind to yourself. You hold so much value in this world and you probably don’t even know it. We all have a purpose here, we are given twenty four hours in each day to create the life we want to have. Fill it with people who deserve to be in your time slots. Fill it with things you love and are most passionate about, best of all - understand that you have the power to control every aspect of it. Once you know you have that power, nothing can stop you.

I want to leave you all with this:

Work hard & play harder!

Until next time! Stay busy #baes,

Krystle Carrissa