May 10-16

In some parts of the country, life is starting to resemble a little bit of normalcy. Makes me think about how things are different and whether or not some of the changes are actually a bad thing. Have you thought about how much money you are saving on monthly expenses you no longer have to pay for? Being lazy can also help you save (also not a bad thing). 

If you missed my posts this past week on LinkedIn see what I mean below and also comments from folks just like you! 

Connect with me anytime Jessica Medina Linkedin

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - Work-Related Expenses No More! 

How much have you saved this past year by working from home? I work with my clients on the concept of Golden Handcuffs a lot and it used to be hard to imagine what life would be like if their work situation were different...uh, not anymore. All of us probably have a sense of what a different work situation would feel like now!

So what work-related expenses have gone away while we’ve all been exiled to our home offices?

Are you saving on commuting expenses?

Are you saving on workday lunches?

Are you saving on the work wardrobe?

Are you saving on childcare? 

(Ok, maybe that last one just isn’t worth it!)

These are some of the expenses that inevitably change when you make a change in your career. Maybe not all of them, but it’s worth a close examination.

And now we actually have some real life examples to work with.

I can definitely say that the gas savings that went along with a non-existent commute for me and less traffic for my husband amounted to hundreds of dollars a month.

And seeing these types of savings could be just what it takes to inspire you to think of what’s possible if you made a more permanent change in your career -- hey that’s where I can help!

So which “work-related” expenses have you saved the most on over the past year?

Thursday, May 13, 2021 - Golden Handcuffs

How much does it really cost to have a job that is stressful and overwhelming? Golden handcuffs aren’t limited to the big house or fancy car. They can be all the little things you spend money on just because you’re unhappy in your job.

There were a lot of things for me that were just part of the lifestyle of being a 24/7 Biglaw attorney. My coffee budget was unlimited (as was the alcohol). I took little pleasure in my actual work so I spent money on other things to try to get to happy.

Take out ALL. THE. TIME.

A shiny new pair of earrings.

A fancy new gadget that was supposed to help me fix my life but never used because I worked all the time.

And on and on.

Switching to something that is more fulfilling can be one of the best things you do for your budget.

When you’re not trying to add happiness to your life with comfort, convenience, and things...it’s not so hard to imagine life without the fancy lawyer salary.

What are the Golden Handcuffs in your life?

Friday, May 14, 2021 - Laziness Isn’t Always Bad

This is for the lazy lawyer — ok, you’re a lawyer, so by definition, you’re not lazy. You worked your butt off in law school, passed the Bar, did all the things. But maybe you’re a little lazy in other areas — cuz lawyering takes so much of you. Guess what...laziness is a SUPERPOWER.

Think about it.

Laziness seeks out the path of conserving as much time and energy as possible. 

Now sometimes that may look like indecision, but that’s really a different emotion (and deserving of its own post!)

And the intention to conserve time and energy can lead to the most efficient use of resources. 

Make it simple.

Make it easy.

Make it automatic.

When we apply these principles to how we manage our money, beautiful things start to happen.

You make decisions ahead of time and then you “get lazy” and don’t spend energy making them again and again.

Your money does what you tell it to do because you tell it once and then you leave it alone.

The trick is to do the initial work and then engage your inner lazy.

I help my clients set up a system that does the money maintenance work for them. We figure out the tough decisions and then move into the lazy phase. Many don’t even notice when it’s payday anymore!

And that’s a good thing.

So how does laziness make your life better?