The Sunday Money Date (organize your money in ten minutes a week!)
What if I told you it was possible to feel completely in control of your money in as little as ten minutes a week?! Well, it IS and in this blog, I’m going to teach you my secret to starting each week from a position of strength and confidence around your money.
What’s the secret?
It’s called a Money Date.
What is a Money Date?
A Money Date is an hour or so set aside each week to sit down and spend some quality time with your money. This is the time to review where you are and where you want to go. During your Money Date, you’re going to give yourself a high five for the goals you’re meeting and sit back and reconsider your strategies and tactics for those goals taking a bit longer than you would like.
When done correctly, it’s a game-changer for meeting your financial goals and creating your version of financial wellness.
Why Have a Money Date?
Think of it as maintenance. Just like your car needs periodic oil changes and maintenance checks to make sure everything is running smoothly, you need to review your money systems and make sure nothing is leaking, so to speak.
When you set aside time each week as a non-negotiable “meeting” with yourself, you are prioritizing taking care of the you of today and the you of ten or twenty years from now.
My Money Date is my weekly check-in with everything having to do with my financial life and is a fundamental piece of my overall financial wellness.
During my Money Date, I make sure I’m on track to meet my big savings goals. I also have a look at my checking account and what bills are getting deducted that week so that I know exactly how much I have to spend for Everything Else (groceries, eating out, etc.) and make sure that my credit card has been paid.
My Money Date keeps me organized, not only around my money but in my life - and takes all of TEN MINUTES!
What Happens During Your Money Date?
In order to make sure I don’t miss anything, I have a checklist. Here’s a brief rundown of everything I do when reviewing my Money Date Checklist:
I review all my savings accounts and make sure I’m hitting my goals
I look at Personal Capital, which is my current favorite money app. Personal Capital lets me see ALL of my money so that I can keep track of my Net Worth. I check my net worth, my credit card balance, and my investment account balances.
If you want me to do a video on Personal Capital leave me a comment or send me a DM on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn!
Then I look at my checking account balance and that’s when I pull up my Bill Calendar on my phone or on my computer.
I quickly add up the bills coming out that week and subtract that total against my checking account balance to make sure there are not going to be any hiccups in my cash for the week!
The best part is this whole thing, my whole money date process takes me about 10 whole minutes. That’s it.
In those ten minutes, I’ve looked at my three savings accounts, my investment accounts, and my credit card balances. I’ve looked at what’s coming in, what’s going out, and noted any special expenses for this particular week or month.
Once I’ve done all that, I feel organized and have set my week up to be as productive as possible because at least worrying about money is off the list!
How To Hold a Money Date Night (or Day)
When it comes to my Money Date, there are a few things I DON’T DO.
I watch what I say to myself while I’m going through my Money Date checklist. I’m a big believer that the words you use matter. Especially the words you say to yourself!
For Example, notice I call this my “Money Date”, NOT my “Budget Date”. I don’t like to call it a “Budget Date” because “budget” is a word that is triggering for some. The word budget conjures up feelings of shame for a lot of adults.
They hear the word budget and think of all the times they feel like they made mistakes with money. Or, perhaps they hear the word budget and it means deprivation and all the things they want but they can’t have. Either way, the word has a ton of negative connotations so I try not to use it.
Speaking of mistakes, a Money Date is NOT a time to beat yourself up about mistakes you’ve made in the past. That stuff is just “life tuition”, and tuition, while expensive, also teaches us lessons. So, take the lesson and leave the shame and any self-defeating language that isn’t serving your big picture goals.
For Money Dates with your partner - Keep it classy. Money is one of the top five reasons couples split up. Don’t let that be you. Your Money Date is not a time for the shame game or the blame game. It’s a time to figure out how you’re going to build the future you want together.
How to Get Started this Weekend
My Sunday Money Date is a big, big part of my overall Financial Wellness. Those ten minutes I spend each week going through everything about my money and my financial life set my week up to be organized, calm, peaceful, and productive.
If you would like my Money Date Checklist you can get it HERE. Please consider it my gift to you 😊 😊 😊
Bonus tip - I use Personal Capital, too, so I can see my net worth. I don’t use it to track expenses and such, just to see how my big picture is going. You can check it out here: personalcapital.com
And finally - DM me on Instagram and let me know what worked and what didn’t. Getting good feedback helps me make my content even better for YOU! TYIA!
Other Blogs You Might Like!
5 Ways an Online Bill Calendar Saves My Life!
Will Closing a Credit Card Hurt My Credit?
**I am not a licensed financial advisor. I am a money expert and I offer education, tips, tricks and my opinions around money. You should consult a professional who understands your needs in order to make the best decisions for you! Additionally, some links in this blog may be affiliate link, which means if you click the link and buy the product I may earn a small commission - at NO COST to You! TYIA :-)
