The Money Pro Tour has been rolling all around the United States hitting up 25 States in 25 Weeks teaching about making smarter money decisions… in the right order! 

Recently, @thefinancefrenchie and I were able to attend an awesome day of celebrating @spongebob turning 20 years old at the @mallofamerica in Bloomington, Minnesota.

You know that everywhere I go, I’m always thinking about Personal Finances! That’s why I thought it would be both valuable and funny to share the TOP 5 MONEY TIPS from the Bikini Bottom crew!

From one Spongebob fan to another, I hope you enjoy reading this! 

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
If you love what you do then it won’t “feel” like a job! Spongebob loves going to work at The Krusty Krab restaurant. He takes pride in his job and looks forward to each day. We can all learn a thing or two from this example. Putting your heart, soul and energy into your professional development allows you to reap the rewards of living a life with fulfillment. Way to go Spongebob! 

PATRICK STAR
Friendship is priceless. This silly starfish is Spongebob’s best buddy and always good for a laugh. He is proof that you can’t buy a good laugh with a great friend. Sometimes, the most valuable things in life are truly priceless. Who do you have in your life that you love sharing a good laugh with? Spend more time with them. That time is very valuable. 

SQUIDWARD TENTACLES
Having a musical instrument (or any hobby) to dive into with passion and adoration can make your life feel full. Squidward is infamous for being a grumpy and negative person. One thing in his life, however, that brings him great joy is being able to spend time playing his clarinet. There are tons of episodes that display Squidward enjoying playing music, and it’s easy to see that it plays a big role in his life. Many of us have hobbies or passions that we wish we could spend more time doing. This is time and money well spent. 

SANDY CHEEKS
When you have real estate in a good area, it can be very prosperous for both your quality of life, your passions, and your professional development. Just imagine that kind of rental income Sandy could get for that underwater house of hers! She is able to spend her time in her passion of science and studying underwater life, all while staying safe with an underwater home. Location, Location, Location! Without that piece of real estate, Sandy would never have been able to hang out in Bikini Bottom and be friends with the crew! 

MR. KRABS
What a character. Mr. Krabs is known for his greed and selfishness, and that he is willing to do just about anything for a dollar. While money is super important and deserves our attention and focus, it cannot be the ONLY thing in our lives. The entrepreneurial spirit is powerful, but you can’t allow it’s negatives to consume you. Eugene Krabs is a great cautionary example to not allow the chase for a dollar to lead us into poor decision making. 

What do you think about this list?  

Did you find these helpful?

Which one did you like most?

Any other characters I should have included?
PLANKTON? MRS. PUFF? MERMAIDMAN & BARNACLE BOY?
Seriously! Let me know in the comments below!

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Sometimes, the road that you choose to drive down can lead you to meet some incredible people. For me, this proved to be true when I was driving through small towns in Connecticut towards Delaware, and I met Darin.

I went into a small electronics boutique hoping to get a replacement power cord for my laptop and support a local small business at the same time! Darin was working behind the counter, finishing up with a customer when I walked in.

We chatted together for a few minutes and quickly determined that he didn’t have my power cord in stock and that I’d be better off at a Best Buy. We eventually got to talking about the #MoneyProTour I was on.

An Open Conversation About Job-Loss & Divorce

Darin was open and honest with me as we sat down and talked about Personal Finances and Money Decisions. “Good thing I saved when I did because people don’t save enough money – that’s for sure,” he said. “When I ended up losing my job and getting divorced, all in the same year, it was my retirement savings, investment accounts and 529 plans that I had set up for my kids that were there to save me. I needed to tap into those accounts. I hated to do it. But I’m glad I had them in the first place. If I didn’t have them, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Darin told me that he and his ex-wife never “talked” about money together when they were younger. Things were going well. He made a great salary, and his kids had a stay-at-home mom that was there for them during their early years. Everything was going fine. It wasn’t until Darin lost his job that tensions built up and climaxed with splitting up with his now ex-wife.

“She really put me into a tough position,” Darin said. They had gotten accustomed to a certain lifestyle and disagreed about how to sacrifice and adjust during tough times. His ex-wife went so far as to empty out their Joint Bank Accounts, close Credit Cards that had Darin as a co-owner, and leave him with “less than $1 in the bank.” It was only thanks to the fact that Darin was a diligent saver throughout his 20’s and 30’s that he had built up a solid balance in his retirement account at work. He also had saved into his own investment brokerage account as well as 529 plans for his kids. While of course he didn’t want to tap into them, Darin needed to use these funds during a difficult time in order to ensure his bills were getting paid and food was in the fridge.

Learning and Moving On

In an ideal world, would it have been great to have his own Emergency Fund savings account in his own name separate from his wife? Darin says “Yes.” He made it clear that even after these challenging times, he still believes in marriage and love “and all that other stuff” he says with a chuckle, “…but having some money set aside in just your own name is a smart idea nonetheless.” I agree completely.

Darin has been working in electronics for the past 2 plus years since his divorce and job loss, and he is now a manager and earning a solid income. He’s rebuilding his financial life and focuses a bunch of his time and energy on spending time with his kids and being there for them.

Americans all over the country must learn from this conversation. While it is not fun to think about, the truth is that preparing for things like losing a job must be done ahead of time. We’ve gotta be real about it.

Having conversations with your partner (yes those tough and not-fun conversations) can be “preventative medicine” for a happy marriage. Being on the same page with your partner about how you’ll react financially if things go wrong in your life is super important. It’s not just about what your goals and dreams are for the future if everything goes well. It’s also important to have a conversation about how you’ll handle tough situations as well, such as aging parents, children’s health, education expenses, and more.

Start by hearing what Darin had to say.

Watch the full video below – and SUBSCRIBE to “The Money Pro Method” YouTube Channel if you haven’t already!

Dimitry Neyshtadt ChFC has helped Americans optimize their Personal Finances since 2006 and is currently traveling 25 States in 25 Weeks across the USA. Follow along at @90DayMoneyPro for more.

The post Connecticut State #1: Reflections From The #MoneyProTour – Part 2 of 2 appeared first on Dimitry Neyshtadt.

The Northeast United States, in many ways, is a bubble. There are very highly educated communities, progressive liberals, tons of colleges and hospitals that attract students and doctors, and much more. The bubble I grew up in included high-quality public schools, safe neighborhoods, and opportunities available to me.

As I embarked on this tour, I expected a “culture shock” of sorts to occur – as I headed out of my comfort zone that I’ve gotten used to. Connecticut, however, was still New England, but I was able to get my eyes opened nonetheless.

My main stop in Connecticut was at Mohegan Sun Casino & Hotel. I reached this location in less than a couple of hours. This casino, in addition to Foxwoods Casino, are two very popular casinos that attract tens of millions of visitors annually, who gamble hundreds of millions of dollars. Massachusetts, as of the time of this post, had yet to open any casinos due to the state laws, so many Mass residents traveled down to CT for the chance to hit a jackpot.

On the floor of the casino, one of the people who caught my attention the most was a waitress on the casino floor. She saw that I was chatting with a few visitors to the casino, and she came by and chatted with me a bit.

What was so special about what she said? Well, as a full-time waitress of more than 10 years, she told me “I save everyday. Everyday I put money away faithfully.” When I asked her where she learned that from, she replied, “I struggled so bad for so long, I just said to myself ‘I’m not going to deal with this anymore.’ Whether it’s $10 or $20 or $30, I set money aside everyday.”

This is so important. Setting aside money from your earned income is critical! This is known as your “Gross Savings Rate” which means the Percentage Put Into Assets divided by Gross Income Earned.

“And I work 6 days a week, not 5 days. I’m not afraid to work, and I’m not afraid to save.” What a powerful sentiment. She even told me “I’ve saved $20,000 in 4 years.”s

You could feel a sense of pride from her. She was smiling. She was glowing. She was in control of her cash flow, paying all of her bills, and planning ahead for the future that she wanted to create.

How many of you reading this article can say that you are as diligent of a saver as this waitress on the floor of a casino?

Comment below – what do you think about a Waitress saving $20,000 in just a few years? Do you save diligently from each paycheck? Do you think anyone can save? Tell me below!

Follow along @90DayMoneyPro and subscribe to My YouTube Channel for more content about my travels around the USA discussing and teaching about Personal Finance and Smart Money Decisions… In The Right Order!

The post Connecticut State #1: Reflections From The #MoneyProTour – Part 1 appeared first on Dimitry Neyshtadt.

In Kansas City, Lee and her husband, Chris, are the definition of the couple that is working hard together to “do it all.” While her husband is an Accountant full-time at a firm in Downtown Kansas City, Lee balances her passion for healing and wellness with spending time raising her 2 children, now age 5 and 3.

In her childhood, Lee was always passionate about dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading. She knew that she wanted her career to incorporate these passions, so when Pilates gained popularity a while back, it felt like a great fit. Lee was introduced to Pilates to her 12 years ago, and she worked in a studio teaching Pilates Classes. She looks back on that time very fondly but says “I knew deep down that I wanted to be my own boss.”

She and Chris “loved to be DINKS” for a little while – Double Income & No Kids. They enjoyed living in the city and travelling frequently. That phase didn’t last too long.

Things started to change once the family had her first child. “It was important for me to be home with my child,” Lee told me. “But honestly, I didn’t know what it was like not to work.” We laughed at this together because she and I have both spent lots of time and energy building our professional skills and careers. I’m sure many of you reading this can relate!

“I’ve never been around anyone who doesn’t own a business,” she shared with me. Her father owned a nightclub in the 1970’s and later owned a restaurant as Lee went through adolescence. She shared that as she got older, she learned that her mother didn’t always like the business-side, and that was one of the reasons why the business ended up getting sold as her father got older.

Like many of us reading this article, the way our parents dealt with financial decisions played a role in how we think about money in our own lives. “With my husband, we’re both very open and giving,” Lee explained. “It’s life! You have to talk about it!” She shared more about how she and her husband agreed from the beginning of their relationship that communication was very important. They both wanted to be on the same page with each other’s goals and visions for the future. They’re not perfect by any means. “You’ll laugh, but it wasn’t until about two weeks ago that my husband and I finally merged calendars on our phones!”

While technology can surely make things easier, it doesn’t replace what should be there from the beginning. Talking with your partner one-on-one about important topics – like professional development, personal finances, and money – is so critical for a relationship to function optimally over the long term.

She and Chris communicated and planned together. How could Lee combine her burning desire to work hard AND help others with health and wellness AND be there for her young kids? She shared with me that she could describe her true passion as “helping people heal from the inside-out” and with that clarity she was able to move forward.

Lee set out to start her own business. With a small Personal Loan from her parents-in-law (“They wanted to get in on it!” she says,) Lee was able to start up her Health Coaching business with more confidence, backing, and support. Many folks dream of starting a business, and the planning that goes into that transition has many layers, moving parts, and obstacles to overcome.

Currently, Lee helps provide health and wellness products to clients through an online store. A self-described “ingredient freak,” Lee loves the fact that she’s in a position to proudly represent products that she and her family personally use. She has strict requirements, and not just any-old-health product passes her guidelines.

Plexus Worldwide (http://www.plexusworldwide.com/leelpetitjean) allows her to provide high value products in services in alignment with her passion, purpose, and mission, while also allowing for flexibility of schedule to be with her children and husband spending quality time together. “I’ve been a health-nut at heart for 35 years! Having 2 little boys makes me strive for a healthy lifestyle that is natural and not forced. Weather it’s Pilates, gut health, or local food – you will get my whole heart and passion!”

The business-side started slowly. A few hundred dollars per month turned into over $1,000 per month, and the sales have continued to grow. Ultimately, Lee has proven that getting started, planning ahead, staying organized, and prioritizing optimally allows for her work-life balance to fit her goals.

She and her husband continue to be on the same-page. They plan and consider next steps ahead of them in their careers, raising their children, and continuing to make smart financial decisions together for the well-being of their family, both for their todays & their tomorrows.

You can learn more about Lee by following her on Instagram @KChealthnut and finding her on Facebook and LinkedIn – Lee Petitjean. Her website is http://www.plexusworldwide.com/leelpetitjean

For more information from Dimitry Neyshtadt ChFC and the #MoneyProTour just follow this link www.linktr.ee/90DayMoneyPro as he and @TheFinanceFrenchie travel 25 States in 25 Weeks discussing Personal Finances, Smart Financial Decision Making, and Sharing Case Studies from All Over The Country. The Link includes his social media pages and YouTube Channel. Thanks for reading!

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So if you’re feeling like a Superhero because of some innate cockiness that’s more-“fake it til I make it” than anything else, you would benefit from coming to grips with reality.

Here are some examples:
#1 “I’m a great investor! I’ve been getting double digit returns for like, 5 or 6 years in a row. I do my research and stay educated on the stock market. I know what I’m doing.”

Where’s the problem?
See if you haven’t been Investing before 2009, like many of y’all young millennial peeps reading this, then you’ve never experienced a bear market. You’ve never dealt with great investments still losing value quarter after quarter after quarter. Never having been tested like this means that you’re Superhero attitude may cost you big if you don’t think thru how you’ll handle market corrections. For more read up on BehaviorRisk

Here’s another example.
#2 “I’m a healthy person- I eat right, exercise, and don’t smoke or drink like crazy, so I’ll always be good and healthy and able to work and make bank!”

Where’s the problem?
See, life can throw health curveballs at you out of the blue despite anything you do correctly. Accidents happen. Illnesses happen. I recently learned that the amazing Bruce Lee passed away at age 32 because of a brain aneurysm. Freak unexpected stuff happens. Feeling like Superman may keep you from signing up for the insurances that you really must have in place in order to live with Financial Freedom and Confidence. Be prepared for things that could happen and be catastrophic, and transfer the risk accordingly to an insurance company for as low of a premium cost as possible.

What does it mean to be a Money Pro and optimize your personal finances? Well, it’s a combination of being a little bit Superman and a whole lotta Clark Kent. Examining how your finances would stack up to different potential life events, like market crashes and sickness/injury as described above.

For more content make sure to follow @90daymoneypro on Instagram and subscribe to My YouTube Channel for more info on how to be a MONEY PRO!

The post A Reality Check for Superman and Wonder Woman appeared first on Dimitry Neyshtadt.

Crazy to think that when my father was just a few years older than I am now, he had to pack up everything including his wife, two kids, parents, and join his sister and her family in leaving behind everything he ever knew – in order to come to the United States as refugees.

He was an engineer in Belarus, and he completed his university and schooling to build his career in the “old country.”

It was 1989. The Soviet Union was crumbling. The United States represented opportunity, freedom, potential, and a better life for the kids. It was only upon arriving in the US did my parents realize that their degrees from University did not “transfer” to high-paying jobs in America.

I witnessed the sacrifice firsthand as I grew up as a young child in Lynn, Massachusetts, about 15 minutes north of Boston. We lived in Lynn for 4 years when we first moved from Belarus to the United States. I didn’t fully comprehend the sacrifice until I was well into my early 20’s.

My father would have loved to become an engineer in this country. But we needed money NOW. He was adamant against learning new skills at first. He had to do what he could in order to provide for our family. Working multiple jobs, including pizza-delivery, fixing cars, and driving a taxi, he worked and worked and worked while my mother, a physician back in Belarus, had to re-do her medical residency from scratch to become a Doctor in the US.

4 years later, my mother was a Primary Care Physician at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Greater Boston (this is where Amy Poehler was born! haha) and has had her practice up and running serving thousands of patients over 25 years.

My father has been a taxi driver for almost 30 years, and he was even able to purchase a taxi medallion in the late 1990’s, only to have Uber and Lyft come in and cause a huge reduction in value for Medallions. Still to this day in 2019, he is driving his taxi cab 5+ days a week. He works hard, works long hours, and has sacrificed tremendously to put his family in a position to succeed.

Now let’s talk about “Paying It Forward.” Helping others because you CAN. Because you have the SKILLS. Because you have the ABILITY. But even more than just that.

I felt an even stronger force. I felt a fire burning inside to uplift and positively impact those around me to show gratitude for the blessed upbringing I experienced.

This duty.
This responsibility.
This blessed obligation.
To pay it forward.

That’s what Generational Wealth means to me. That’s what a Legacy means to me.

Thanks for everything Pop. I’ll continue do my best to multiply the positive impact to millions… all because you gave me the chance to do so.

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