Starting the year with strong financial habits can make all the difference in reaching your money goals.

In this episode, we dive into a proven blueprint for financial success, focusing on key areas like setting yourself up for success, reining in overspending, and getting accountability.

You’ll learn how to recognize and manage spending triggers, avoid mindless purchases, and take intentional steps toward paying off debt and saving more. Plus, we’ll discuss the importance of accountability and how it can significantly increase your chances of financial success.

Whether you're looking to break the cycle of overspending or finally gain control over your budget, this episode will give you the strategies and insights to make it happen.

Hosting Today:
I'm Ashley Patrick, ex detective turned debt-free CEO of my very own business and stay at home mom of three. Not too long ago, my dreams of staying at home with my kids seemed impossible. I thought I'd have to stay miserable in a high stress demanding job, just so I could retire someday.

After gaining the confidence in my own ability to manage my family's finances and a simple step-by-step plan to make it happen, I was able to pay off $45,000 in just 17 months, which then allowed me to finally quit my job, stay at home with my kids, and build a debt-free business.

Now, my mission is to help moms like you conquer debt and free themselves from the mental load of handling their family's finances.

“When you know what is causing you to spend mindlessly, you can change your response, right? You can put in some safeguards, some barriers. That's going to take practice, because it's a habit right now for you to spend mindlessly on whatever trigger comes up. And so that's going to take some practice. But once you start to make those changes, then you're going to be able to stop doing those things that you don't want to do.”
- Ashley Patrick

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Join the Money Success Club here: www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/msc

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/budgetsmadeeasy

From understanding yourself and your spending habits to aligning financial goals as a couple, each tip offers unique insights to help you take control of your finances.

Whether it's automating your savings, budgeting by percentages, or negotiating your rent, there's something for everyone in this episode to help you build a stronger financial foundation.

Hosting Today:

I'm Ashley Patrick, ex detective turned debt-free CEO of my very own business and stay at home mom of three. Not too long ago, my dreams of staying at home with my kids seemed impossible. I thought I'd have to stay miserable in a high stress demanding job, just so I could retire someday.

After gaining the confidence in my own ability to manage my family's finances and a simple step-by-step plan to make it happen, I was able to pay off $45,000 in just 17 months, which then allowed me to finally quit my job, stay at home with my kids, and build a debt-free business.

Now, my mission is to help moms like you conquer debt and free themselves from the mental load of handling their family's finances.

“You have to know yourself. You have to be patient with yourself. You have to understand your personality, how your brain works, and create systems and strategies that are gonna work for you because money is personal, it's emotional, and it's not a one size fits all. And the more you can understand how you process the information and how you react to things, the better off you're gonna be because you can shift your plan, your perspective, your strategy with your finances to fit your specific situation.”
- Ashley Patrick

If you need help paying off your debt, go to www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/debt for your Paying Off Debt Starter Kit. This will help you really get going on your journey to longer-term investing strategies.

And if you enjoyed the podcast today and got some great takeaways, I’d really appreciate it if you followed the Money Mindset Podcast so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Paying Off Debt Starter Kit: www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/debt

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/budgetsmadeeasy

We talk about keeping an eye on your spending habits, setting aside focused time for money tasks, and giving yourself credit for every little win along the way.

Tune in for practical tips and advice to help you stay on track with your finances and reach your goals.

Hosting Today:
Hey, I’m Ashley Patrick, a personal finance expert and founder of Budgets Made Easy. I help busy moms create systems to save money and pay off debt so they can reach their big dreams faster and easier.

I was able to pay off $45,000 in just 17 months including $25,000 in student loans in just 10 months. I’m a Master Financial Coach and have a bachelor's degree in psychology and will help you get to the root of your money problems.

Since my journey started I have been featured on Fox Business, Yahoo! Finance, Food Network, USA TODAY, MSN, CNBC, NerdWallet, and many others.

“So, I want you to check in with your spending. Make sure your money is going where you want it to go. It's hard to reach those financial goals if it's not right, like you need it to go to your goals. So, if it's going to fast food, if it's going to Amazon, and if you're not actually looking at the numbers, you're not going to estimate it in a realistic manner if you're just doing it in your head. So, you need to actually check in with your spending, track your spending, see where your money is going so that you can correct it and send it to where you actually want it to go.”
- Ashley Patrick

Do you need time, space, and accountability to take action on the things you KNOW you should be doing, such as budgeting so you can actually pay off debt, save money, make a meal plan, and all the other things that keep falling off your to-do list? Would you thrive in a supportive community of other busy moms who understand what you're going through and are working to achieve similar financial goals?

If that’s a YES, I invite you to sign up for the Money Success Club at www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/msc

And if you enjoyed the podcast today and got some great takeaways, I’d really appreciate it if you followed the Money Mindset Podcast so you don’t miss out on future episodes.

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Money Success Club Flash Sale: www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/msc

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/budgetsmadeeasy
• Find the video on YouTube at https://youtube.com/live/woLxS0f2r7c

In this episode, we tackle this very issue head-on. Join us as we discuss tips and strategies to break free from the cycle of mindless spending. Discover how asking one simple question can transform your spending habits and bring intentionality into your financial life.

Tune in to learn the secrets of mindful spending and set yourself on a path to financial success.

Hosting Today:

Hey, I’m Ashley Patrick, a personal finance expert and founder of Budgets Made Easy. I help busy moms create systems to save money and pay off debt so they can reach their big dreams faster and easier.

I was able to pay off $45,000 in just 17 months including $25,000 in student loans in just 10 months. I’m a Master Financial Coach and have a bachelor's degree in psychology and will help you get to the root of your money problems.

Since my journey started I have been featured on Fox Business, Yahoo! Finance, Food Network, USA TODAY, MSN, CNBC, NerdWallet, and many others.

“Consistency isn't about getting it a hundred percent right a hundred percent of the time. Okay? That's not gonna happen. That is an unrealistic expectation of yourself. It's about getting it mostly right most of the time. And that's what habits and routines are. So as you start working this process, it will become more of a habit and a routine. But you will have setbacks from time to time and it's not gonna derail you forever. Like it is not gonna set you back. Like you just have to keep going, right? But if you are consistently doing these things that we talked about, going down the rabbit hole and spending money you don't have, yeah, that's gonna keep you stuck until you change things.”
- Ashley Patrick

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to the episode
02:33 - Impulsive spending and its impact on financial goals
07:21 - The power of asking a crucial question before making a purchase
10:06 - Practical Tips to Stay Focused on Your Financial Goals
15:55 - The importance of setting a SMART goal
17:06 - The role of consistency and habits in achieving financial success
18:13 - How to sign up for your own Budget Strategy Session episode

If you'd like to work through your own struggle with your budget 1:1 with me, sign up for a Budget Strategy Session on The Money Mindset Podcast! Sign up at www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/strategy

And if you enjoyed the podcast today and got some great takeaways, I’d really appreciate it if you followed the Money Mindset Podcast so you don’t miss out on future episodes

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Book your Budget Strategy Session here-> www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/strategy

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/budgetsmadeeasy

In today's episode, Ashley will explore the popular trend of budgeting apps and examine whether they can truly solve your budgeting problems. She'll discuss their limitations and compare them to other budgeting methods, such as writing things down with pen and paper or using spreadsheets.

Listen in to discover practical tips and tools that will empower you to take control of your finances and achieve your financial goals.

Hosting Today:
Hey, I’m Ashley Patrick, a personal finance expert and founder of Budgets Made Easy. I help busy moms create systems to save money and pay off debt so they can reach their big dreams faster and easier.

I was able to pay off $45,000 in just 17 months including $25,000 in student loans in just 10 months. I’m a Master Financial Coach and have a bachelor's degree in psychology and will help you get to the root of your money problems.

Since my journey started I have been featured on Fox Business, Yahoo! Finance, Food Network, USA TODAY, MSN, CNBC, NerdWallet, and many others.

“A budget is just a goal for your money. It's a goal for your spending, but that's not enough, right? You still have to stick to it. So an app that just helps you categorize and see where your money has been going isn't good enough to change your future behavior. You have to really sit down and analyze why you were doing these things in the first place, right? And start making changes to change that behavior because we are creatures of habits.”
- Ashley Patrick

Timestamps:
01:18 - Introduction to today's episode
01:54 - Can budgeting apps solve all your budgeting problems?
02:51 - The significance of writing down your expenses and goals
04:03 - Is a budgeting app necessary if you already budget by paycheck?
05:07 - Using a planner and a spreadsheet for your budget
07:36 - The concept of using an app versus writing things down
09:52 - Get your free Budget Starter Kit

For easy step by step directions and worksheets on getting your budget together and done in 30 minutes a month, download my FREE Budget Starter Kit on www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/start

And if you enjoyed the podcast today and got some great takeaways, I’d really appreciate it if you followed the Money Mindset Podcast so you don’t miss out on future episodes

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Budget Starter Kit: www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/start
• Budget Planner: www.budgetsmadeeasy.com/planner
• Budgets Made Easy Facebook Group: Budgets Made Easy™ w/Ashley- Budgeting, Saving Money & Paying Off Debt

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/budgetsmadeeasy