Author: Jodee Brydges

This year is just clipping by! It is hard to believe that it is August, over halfway through the year, and on the fast track to the holiday season. Before we know it, retailers will once again be decking the halls. But, before we start stringing lights, let’s focus on the here and now and take the time to do a mid-year financial review.

Mid-year is the perfect time to reevaluate annual financial goals, review recurring monthly service expenses, and research and update plans to lower the overall monthly expenses associated with these services. Here are a few steps and tips on reducing the cost of monthly service contracts that can add up to significant savings on a monthly basis.

First of all, gather all of the statements that you pay a recurring monthly fee to and stack each in a folder. The folder should include the following monthly bills:

•     Cellular Phone
•     Cable / Internet / Phone
•     Mortgage
•     Insurance (Home / Auto)

Next, schedule the time to call one provider each day for a week. For example, one day phone your cell phone company, the next day call your cable /Internet/phone company, etc. Each call will take approximately 20 minutes to discuss and compare the existing plan, to a new and improved plan, and make the appropriate changes with a representative. Scheduling one call per day will allow you to focus on one plan at a time and will help avoid phone tree call burnout.

Here are the details to discuss with each servicer:

Cell phone service: Cell phone providers have been forced to reduce monthly fees to keep up with the competitive marketplace. When you call your cell phone provider ask the representative to first review your usage for the last six months. If you are burning through your minutes or wireless data allowance, you may be incurring steep overage charges. Find a new plan that will eliminate the costly overage fees and provides enough data coverage to meet your average usage.

On the flip side, if you are not using your full allowance of minutes and/or data, find a lower cost plan that will meet your average usage. Calling your cell phone provider and reviewing current options available will typically result in a new plan with a lower monthly cost and better coverage. Saving $20 a month on a new plan adds up to $240 per year. Well worth a 20-minute call.

Cable/Internet/telephone provider: Similar to cell phone providers, cable, Internet, and phone companies have also had to lower their monthly charges to subscribers to remain competitive. If you do not already have a bundle package, take the time to call your provider and research a bundle package. A bundle package provides discounts that can significantly reduce your monthly bill. While discussing current plans with the representative, be sure to review your cable package and determine if you truly need all of the channels that you are paying for. If you are not a big TV buff and rarely sit down to watch a show, it may be time to pursue a more cost-effective package that provides basic cable or an on-demand service like HULU. Eliminating movie channels, sports channels and every other trendy channel can greatly reduce a monthly bill.

And, finally, evaluate whether or not you really need a landline. Many individuals use their cell phones as their primary contact number and are able to eliminate the cost associated with a landline.

Mortgage: The Fed recently lowered interest rates and with that news, it is the perfect time to review your current mortgage and determine if a better rate is available. Take the time to talk with a mortgage professional, review your current mortgage and explore current options.

One half-percentage lower in interest can translate to substantial monthly savings. It is also an excellent opportunity to consolidate a first and equity line of credit, potentially remove mortgage insurance, or take cash out for home improvements. There are mortgage programs available to help meet each individual’s financial goals. For a complimentary mortgage review, please contact me directly (jbrydges@rpm-mtg.comor 925-552-3863).

Insurance: Be sure to review your home and auto insurance policies too. Having both policies with one insurance provider, or increasing your deductible, can also provide significant discounts that equate to lower monthly / annually payments.

This month take the time to get your finances sizzling with savings! Service Providers will rarely call you to offer a lower monthly fee (even if a better plan is available). Be proactive and take control of your financial future.  There is no better way to be cool this summer than to be financially fit!

Humbled and honored to be included in such an amazing list of authors! My book, Digging Out, is an Award-Winning Finalist in the Business: Personal Finance / Investing category of the 2019 International Book Awards! Thank you American Book Fest! Congratulations to all winners and finalists!

Order Digging Out by clicking on the purchase link!

Beyond excited to share the review below from Readers’ Favorite!

Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite

Digging Out: A Practical Guide to Getting out of Debt and Paving a Path to a Secure Financial Future by Jodee Brydges is timely and addresses a concern that millions of people are dealing with — the question of financial freedom. It is no longer a secret that more than 50% of people working hard are steeped in debt and the situation doesn’t get any better with many people with debts working very long hours and handling multiple jobs. From student loans to credit loans, people of all ages and walks of life are plunged into debt. In this book, financial coach and keynote speaker Jodee Brydges offers wisdom garnered through many years of working with people who are broke and offers practical advice on how to break the vicious cycle of working hard only to pay debts.

This book offers actionable steps to develop a system that will help readers easily understand and quickly handle their loans. Readers will learn to successfully manage their finances, learning to cut down expenses and to budget wisely. The book also offers tips on setting and accomplishing financial goals geared towards acquiring financial freedom. One of the things that caught my attention is the author’s take on the missing link between working hard to pay off loans and not being able to do so — it is reworking spending habits and the mindset that makes readers prisoners of debt. Jodee Brydges offers the kind of awareness that readers need to understand their financial habits and this book provides actionable steps towards financial freedom. The style is simple and conversational, with a no-nonsense tone that compels readers to act on their quest for financial freedom. A highly recommended book on financial advice!

It’s hard to believe that another school year is coming to an end. College acceptance letters have arrived in the mail and graduating students are buzzing with excitement about closing a grade school chapter and embarking on their college adventures. Graduating seniors will fill the summer months with hanging out with friends, summer jobs to earn money, shopping for dorm accessories, school supplies and packing it all up to head to a University or College.

For parents, graduation is bittersweet and filled with emotions, great pride, and a glimpse to the future of what the next generation will become. But it is also a time when parents make huge sacrifices to invest in their child’s education. And for many students and parents, taking on debt is the only way to pay for a college education.

According to the website Student Loan Hero, “among the class of 2018, 69% of college students took out student loans and 14% of their parents took out Parent PLUS loans.” These statistics do not include the home equity lines of credit that many parents have also obtained on their homes to finance the tuition. The reality is that college is an expensive investment! Americans currently owe over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt and regardless of where a child goes to college, the vast majority will graduate with student loan debt.

Students are transitioning from living at home and having a large portion of their expenses paid by mom and dad, to living in a dorm on a set budget. As students move away to college life, everyday expenses like meals, clothing, lattes, and entertainment all have to be done on a budget. Parents will have to determine a monthly amount to send and students will need to create and manage a monthly budget to make the funds last and avoid getting sucked in by credit card companies to take on debt.

The lull between graduation and the start of the next school year provides the perfect opportunity to sit down with your high school graduate and teach the life skill that will be needed throughout college and beyond…. financial literacy.

Start by sitting down with your son or daughter and have a discussion about the importance of building a budget and learning to live within that budget. Set an amount that you are willing to give your child each month to cover monthly expenses, give them the amount while they are still home, and explain that the amount given needs to cover all expenses for an entire month.

Next, have your son or daughter monitor their spending habits with the funds for 30 days. The easiest way to do this is to deposit the amount into your child’s account and have them use a debit card to pay for all purchases. Try to avoid giving your child a credit card to track spending as this may develop negative spending habits since they are not limited to a specific amount.

At the end of 30 days, take the time to review all expenses and break the expenses into categories such as these:

• Breakfast/Coffee
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Entertainment
• Gas
• Clothing
• Sports/Fitness
• Haircuts

Review the spending activity with your child and determine if the budgeted amount covered all expenses. If the spending was under budget, carry the funds to the following month or transfer the amount to savings. If the spending was over budget, make the necessary cutbacks to stay within budget. For example, if entertainment is over budget, cut back that expense. Review each category on the list and adjust where necessary.

Additionally, make adjustments to the categories prior to the start of the school year. If your child will receive a meal card each month, replace breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the expense of the meal card and add a category for dining out. Set a limit to the number of times the child can dine out. Or, gas may be replaced with a bus pass while in college. Modify where necessary.

Reviewing spending habits now will allow each of you to make adjustments to stay within the budget. It will also help your child avoid getting into credit card debt should they run low on funds. Credit card companies are notorious for luring in college students by offering free t-shirts, credit cards with school logos, or miscellaneous sign-up gifts. Innocently filling out an application for a credit card can end up being one of the costliest mistakes a college student can make.

Teaching your child money management skills now will provide them with the financial literacy needed both during and after college and will establish smart spending habits to avoid getting into credit card debt.

“I wish I had this book when I was younger. This should be a gift to all graduates, start them off with a good understanding of the importance of getting a handle on their finances.”