Wish, Dream, Plan, Do

11/01/2026

Do you have a sinking fund?

If not, you might be surprised by how much money you're actually spending on bills that don't come around every month.

A sinking fund is simply money you set aside each month to cover expenses you know are coming, but don't necessarily pay monthly.

Think about it. We all have those bills that show up quarterly, semiannually, or annually. And while paying $140 for an annual Amazon membership might not break the bank, a $4,000 auto insurance bill is another story!

Here's how I handle it.

I know my auto insurance bill is $4,000 every February. Instead of scrambling to come up with that money when it's due, I set aside $334 every month into a dedicated savings account.

When February rolls around, the money is already there. No stress. No credit card debt. No scrambling.

(And here's something else to consider: Paying annually instead of monthly can often save you money! Amazon Prime and auto insurance are two examples where annual or paid-in-full options may offer savings.)

But once you start listing all your irregular expenses, you might be shocked at how much you actually need to save each month.

Here's what's included in my sinking fund:

- Auto insurance
- AAA
- Auto registration
- Sam's Club
- Walmart+
- Tree trimming
- Flight instructor license renewal
- Oil changes
- Propane
- Bug spraying
- Life insurance
- Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, etc.

Yes, Christmas!

The holiday that somehow manages to surprise people financially every single year, despite showing up on December 25 like clockwork.

We know it's coming. We know we're going to spend money. So why not plan for it?

When I add up all my irregular expenses, I set aside almost $1,000 every month into a high-yield savings account.

That might sound like a lot, but here's the thing: These aren't surprise expenses. They're predictable expenses that just don't happen monthly.

And I'd much rather save a little every month than get hit with thousands of dollars in bills all at once.

Do you save regularly for irregular expenses, or do you wing it and hope for the best?

If you've never created a sinking fund and would like help, let's schedule a session to learn how you can bless yourself, not stress yourself

10/17/2026

I'm looking at every expense in my budget right now, trying to find ways to save some money.

But there's one item I absolutely refuse to cut: life insurance.
Because it's not for me. It's for him.

And here's something that might surprise you...

I pay $295 a YEAR for $500,000 in life insurance coverage.

That's less than $25 a month to help protect the financial future of someone I love.

I know everyone's situation is different, and rates depend on things like age, health, and coverage. But life insurance may be a lot more affordable than you think.

As a financial coach, I'm all about cutting unnecessary expenses, paying off debt, and finding ways to save. But saving money should never come at the expense of protecting the people who depend on you.

Please don't leave your family having to crowdfund your funeral or struggle to pay the bills while they're grieving.

If you don't have life insurance, make it a priority. And if you don't know where to start, message me! I'll be happy to connect you with someone who can help.

10/17/2026

What could an extra $800 do for your finances?

One of the creative ways I encourage my clients to bring in extra money is by donating plasma!

Many plasma donation centers offer new donor promotions where you can earn up to $800 in your first month! And if you're married and both eligible to donate, that's potentially $1,600 in extra income!

Imagine what that money could do for your financial goals!

✅ Catch up on overdue bills

✅ Build your first $1,000 emergency fund

✅ Pay down credit card debt

✅ Get a little breathing room in your monthly budget

So tell me: If you had an extra $800 in your pocket this month, what would YOU do with it?

10/14/2026

This was the theme of tonight's FPU class - don't buy dumb stuff
It's a pretty simple idea that's really hard to live by 😆

10/13/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19ZGZd8syM/

Get life insurance so your family doesnt have to GoFundMe your funeral

Funeral and burial costs have jumped about 77% over the last 20 years.

A traditional burial can easily cost $10,000 to $15,000 once you add everything up, and in some parts of the country it tops $20,000.

The median funeral with a viewing and burial runs about $8,300.

That's before the cemetery plot, the vault, the headstone, death certificates, flowers, and transportation, which is how the bill climbs so fast.

Rising funeral home expenses, higher fuel costs for hearses, and tariffs on imported caskets have all pushed prices up.

And families are paying for it with GoFundMe campaigns, high-interest credit cards, and loans from friends.

So it's no surprise cremation has taken over.

About 63% of Americans were projected to be cremated in 2025, compared to about 32% buried.

For a lot of families that isn't a personal or religious choice anymore, it's the only option that fits the budget.

Even a basic cremation with no service and no urn typically costs more than $2,500.

Most people don't know they have rights here.

Under the FTC's Funeral Rule, a funeral home has to give you prices over the phone if you ask.

They have to hand you an itemized price list, and you can pick only the services you want instead of buying a package.

And if you buy a casket online or from another seller, the funeral home has to accept it without charging you an extra fee.

The worst time to learn any of this is the week someone you love dies.

Write down what you want, tell your family, and decide now how it gets paid for, whether that's a dedicated savings account, a small final expense policy, or money set aside in your estate plan.

If you prepay a funeral home, get the contract in writing and ask what happens to your money if the business closes or you move.

Your family will have enough to deal with without trying to compare casket prices through tears.

09/25/2026

After losing my dad very unexpectedly, I started putting together a list of information I wish we had quick, easy access to immediately after his passing.

I have offered to email it in the past, but life has given me a reminder of why this packet and its information is so important.

This is a sampling. The full packet is about 15 pages.
It is not perfect.
I'm sure there is a lot more that could and should be added.

Send me your email address if you'd like me to send the full packet to you. Then after that, tell someone you love them

09/14/2026

It's Monday. I got my caffeine and handy-dandy notebook and I'm ready to crush this week
What big goals do you have for the week?

09/07/2026

The first few weeks of Financial Peace University she looked sick to her stomach. You could see how overwhelmed she was with their financial situation. Tonight was lesson 7 and you can see how excited she is with their progress and the direction their finances and marriage has taken.
Before she was hiding Amazon purchases, now they communicate.
Before they were stressed, now they're looking forward to the future.
This is why I do this. Nothing better than giving people hope

08/31/2026

Tonight's Financial Peace University class was my favorite lesson!
Insurance
Every member has at least one "oh, s**t" moment during this lesson
🏡 Whether that's learning if you don't have renter's insurance, your stuff isn't covered by your landlord's homeowner's insurance
🏡 or that every year you need to ensure your homeowner's policy reflects the increased value of your home
🚗 or the importance of spending more than 15 minutes on picking your car insurance policy
☠️ or just how affordable term life insurance is and why EVERYONE needs it
🩺 or learning the difference between an HSA and FSA

Insurance isn't the sexiest thing to talk about. But having the confidence and peace in knowing no matter what the future holds, you've got a plan in place is extremely sexy

08/23/2026

With school starting up I thought I'd share again.
(Also, look how cute my little guy is!)