Bye Bye Credit Cards

So this happened!! After years of accumulating credit card debt spread out over not one but THREE credit cards, my family is finally credit card debt free! I don't talk much about the financial benefits of being a Coach because my central focus is on helping people, but this is too monumental not to share. As a couple, my husband and I have NEVER been debt free. I am a stay at home mom, we have 3 children and live in one of the most expensive areas of the country...odds are completely against us for having financial freedom. As a matter of fact, when I signed up as a Beachbody Coach it was only for the discount on my Shakeology that I had to put on a credit card because we didn't even have money in the bank to cover it. Now, for the first time that very same credit card that was so close to being maxed out is now paid off entirely.

Beachbody is not just a business about selling. I work for a company that is HUGE on personal development. How can you help others reach their potential if you aren't even aware of your own? Beachbody wants you to succeed and enhance your quality of life. This company and my Team is a huge contributor to the realization of my own dreams and aspirations that were completely numb before I began this journey as a Beachbody Coach. Of course, at first any type of goal with a business like this is to make money, but there is so much more meaning behind that goal than any dream board could ever convey. I am just so thankful for taking the chance to imagine what my life could be like when I bought my Challenge Pack on December 27, 2013. I had no idea that I would grow (and shrink!!) in one year as much as I did. 

Now, I am by no means a financial adviser. I just wanted to share a few things that helped my family in becoming credit card debt free from my Beachbody income in just 15 months. 

First: Excel spreadsheets galore! Focus mainly on where your money is going and cut out the things that you don't need. This means, take it back to your poor college days and make a list. And I mean, really break it down.  Have a list of your utilities, house payment, car payment, insurance, etc. and how much goes out and how much comes in every month. Are you in the red? I was too, it's okay...now think about it. Do you really need that Starbucks every morning? Let me answer this for you: NO. Do you really need HBO that you only watch when NOTHING else is on TV and you're bored? Again...: NO. See what I'm doing here? Trust me, go a month without Starbucks. You will be exponentially richer and soon realize just how disgusting their coffee really is. #teamfolgers

Spreadsheets are also good for tracking, we track everything that we buy as far as food to see which foods are most cost effective for the meals we make. We used to buy grapes every few days for the kids, then after seeing how much it cost every month as opposed to a banana or apples they could be having as a fruit choice instead- we realized grapes are just too darn expensive and should be a "once in a while" food, not twice a week at $7 a bag purchase. 

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Back to that personal development and discovering my happiness within, another way that we got out of debt was by me stopping my impulse buys to fulfill something inside of me that made me happy when I spent money. Did I need that frame from Home Goods that I had absolutely no shelf space for? Nope! Do you need that new comforter for your 4 year olds bedroom? No, because if your kid is anything like mine then the only time ANYONE goes into his room is at night when I read to him and he sleeps from 8:30pm-7:00am and that is it. He could care less if he has the throw blanket from the couch or the hand me down Mickey Mouse comforter from big brother. Dig deep and find out why you are spending hundreds of dollars at Target and TJ Maxx every week. If you are bored, take a walk, read a book...but you are not remodeling your house every Friday- quit spending so much money on materialistic things that you won't regret buying after you get home. 

And last but certainly not least in my heart is tithing. I've started tithing more at church and I truly feel that God gives it back to me in abundance when I do. God already owns everything (Psalm 24:1, 1 Corinthians 10:26). Moreover, God gives to us in abundance! (James 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:17, 18, Ephesians 1:3-8, 20) I am a firm believer in tithing being that subtle connection between my faith and the flow of God’s blessings in my life. Amazing things can happen when people begin to tithe and I encourage you to gather your courage, plunge in and trust that God will provide. 

This image is perfect for this subject because one of my Coaches has always referred to us as "fitness farmers" and this scripture couldn't be more true for that analogy. 

Hopefully my story and tips can inspire you to achieve financial freedom, if you'd like to talk more about the Beachbody Coaching opportunity I'd love to chat! If you have any questions about anything I covered (or missed), please don't hesitate to reach out and I will help you in any way that I can!