Copyright © 2022 Limitless Factor Pte Ltd

All rights reserved.

Published by Alex Maxwell.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded, scanned, or otherwise, except as permitted under
Canadian copyright law, without the prior written permission of the author.

Notes to the Reader:

While the author and publisher of this book have made reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of
the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no liability with respect to losses or damages
caused, or alleged to be caused, by any reliance on any information contained herein and disclaim any and all
warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy or reliability of said information.
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness
of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties. The advice and strategies contained herein may
not be suitable for every situation. It is the complete responsibility of the reader to ensure they are adhering to all
local, regional and national laws.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter
covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering
professional services. If legal, accounting, medical, psychological, or any other expert assistance is required, the
services of a competent professional should be sought.

The information contained in this book is provided ‘as is’ without warranty of any kind. The entire risk as to the
results and the performance of the information is assumed by the user, and in no event shall the author.com be
liable for any consequential, incidental or direct damages suffered in the course of using the information in this
book.

The words contained in this text which are believed to be trademarked, service marked, or to otherwise hold
proprietary rights have been designated as such by the use of initial capitalization. Inclusion, exclusion, or
definition of a word or term is not intended to affect, or to express judgment upon the validity of legal status of
any proprietary right which may be claimed for a specific word or term.

The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further
information does not mean that the author or publisher endorses the information the organization or website may
provide or the recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that the websites listed in this
work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

Important note:
The healing methods explained in this book (if any) are not a substitute for any medication or surgical procedure.
You are strongly advised to seek help from a medical doctor for all your problems.

Individual results may vary.

© wealthdnacode.com
Day Zero .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Day One .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Day Two .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Day Three ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Day Four ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16

Day Five ......................................................................................................................................................................... 18

Day Six ........................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Day Seven .................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Day Eight ...................................................................................................................................................................... 25

DayNine ........................................................................................................................................................................ 28

Day Ten ......................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Day Eleven................................................................................................................................................................... 32

Day Twelve .................................................................................................................................................................. 34

Day Thirteen................................................................................................................................................................ 37

Day Fourteen .............................................................................................................................................................. 39

Day Fifteen ................................................................................................................................................................... 41

Day Sixteen ................................................................................................................................................................. 43

Day Seventeen ........................................................................................................................................................... 45

Day Eighteen............................................................................................................................................................... 47

Day Nineteen .............................................................................................................................................................. 49

Day Twenty ................................................................................................................................................................... 51

Day Twenty-One ........................................................................................................................................................ 53

Day Twenty-Two ........................................................................................................................................................ 55

Day Twenty-Three .................................................................................................................................................... 58

Day Twenty-Four ...................................................................................................................................................... 60

Day Twenty-Five ....................................................................................................................................................... 63

Day Twenty-Six.......................................................................................................................................................... 65

Day Twentry-Seven.................................................................................................................................................. 67

Day Twenty-Eight...................................................................................................................................................... 70

Day Twenty-Nine....................................................................................................................................................... 73

Day Thirty ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75

DAY

1
DAY ZERO

There is no better time to decide to be organized and in the know about your

finances at the beginning of the year.

As you plan your new year resolutions, it is important that you consider becoming

disciplined about expenses and savings. As you approach a new year, resolve to

do things differently regarding your finances and set yourself up to reap great

benefits.

And I have the best solution for you - To create a Wealth Plan.

By creating a 30-day plan to deal with issues regarding your finances, you will

find yourself saving more, reducing impulse buying and having a better

understanding of where you are at financially and what you need to do to go to

the next level. And it doesn't have to be implemented at the beginning of the year;

it can be implemented any time you want!

As you start this wealth plan, see it as a way of getting you out of the financial

rut you’ve been in for years. If you can follow this plan strictly, these next 30

days may be the start of a much better life as you become a better financial

steward.

2
I would like to suggest that you start on a Sunday. You can set aside weekends

to deal with long-range objectives. It will surprise you just how well your financial

math will balance by the end of the month. You will have less financial stress and

your bank account will be healthier than it has been in a long time. Let’s get

started.

3
DAY

4
Day One: Convince Yourself That You Need To Change

Any successful personal financial plan must have YOU on board.

If you are half way in, the plan will likely fail.

So, before you consider anything else about your finances, you must sell the idea

to you and buy it. Convince yourself that understanding your finances is

important and that it will transform your life. To do this, the first thing you need

to do is examine your existing attitude towards money. Fill in this commitment

table:

Commitment Yes No

1. I am ready to take up the responsibility of

my finances.

2. I have the ability to change the way I

approach expenditure and savings.

3. I know and appreciate the benefits of

taking charge of my financial situation.

4. I am convinced that creating this wealth

plan will help me understand my finances.

5. Promise to self: I will take each step in this

plan to improve my financial well-being.

5
In addition to filling in the commitment table above, ask yourself

the following questions:

1. How much do I know about the difference between what I want

and what I need?

2. Am I ready to prefer spending on what I need rather than what I want?

3. How many times do I discuss money matters with my family?

4. Does the rest of my family have the same objectives in financial

well-being as I have? If not, what can I do about it?

5. How has advertising affected my spending in the past and

how can I reduce its effects on my finances?

6. Do I understand the importance of savings?

If yes, how strong are my convictions on savings?

7. Am I saving for the future: My own and that of my family?

8. How have I been tracking my expenses and where have I been failing?

9. How will I be tracking my expenditure going forward?

10. How flexible and realistic is my budget? And why is it important that a budget

be realistic and flexible?

11. How timely do I pay my bills?

12. What books and other resources can I commit myself to read as a way of

improving my personal financial education?

13. Which areas in personal finance do I need to improve? Is it credit, personal

debt, budgeting etc.?

6
14. How do I usually plan for periodic expenses like holidays, weddings,

fundraisers etc.? How can I improve this?

15. What steps do I need to take towards teaching my children why it is important

to budget and save?

7
DAY

8
Day Two: Identify Your Areas Of Weakness

You are now preparing to tackle your finances. This re-organization will require

you to develop new and better money habits. It is important that you set goals

that are realistic, that take advantage of the areas you are strongest at. The table

below will help you identify the areas you are weak and what you could do to

improve them.

Challenge/Weakness Yes/No Solution

1. Procrastination over balancing Automated investments

checkbook, filing records and bank transfers

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

9
7.

8.

9.

10.

Add more challenges and weaknesses you have, and find the appropriate solution

for each.

10
DAY

11
Day Three: Weigh In On All Your Income And Expenses

For The Previous Year

It is important to understand what you owe and what you were owed.

Create a list of all that you owe and categorize them. Create the list to show you

your financial situation for this year (i.e. the past 12 months). This big picture is

preferable to a month to month view to show you how your monthly financial

decisions have contributed to where you are at presently.

You will clearly see the impact some irregular and seasonal expenses like gifts

and property taxes have on your financial well-being. Take a look at how much

you made the whole year, how much you spent and what debts are yet to be

cleared.

Here is an example of such a list:

Total
Repayment Interest Amount
Payment Frequency Of Payment For The
Since Rate ($)
Year ($)

1. Student Monthly January 5% 200 2400

loan

2. Mortgage Monthly March 16% 500 5000

3. Sofa Monthly for 18 July 9% 100 600

months

4. Electricity Monthly January 20 240

12
5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Answer the following questions in this quiz on financial well-being:

Without Fail Occasionally Not at all

Question
(10%) (5%) (0%)

Do I pay my rent and

1.
mortgage on time?

Do I pay my utility bills on

2.
time?

Do I reserve at least 2
3. months of my net income as
an emergency fund?

Do I save a percentage, say

4.
10%, of my income?

13
 Do I set and keep the
5.
financial goals I set?

Do I plan for large expenses

6.
ahead of time?

7. Do I follow my budget?

Do I compare prices in a
8. number of shops before
purchase?

Do I regularly examine
9. statements from my
checking account?

Do I evaluate my credit
10.
report on a regular basis?

Rate yourself. Each question you answered with ‘without fail’ gives you 10%.

Each question you answered with ‘occasionally’ gives you 5%. Each question you

answered with ‘not at all’ gives you 0%.

A score of 40% and below is an indicator that you need to take better control of

your money. A score of between 45% and 65% shows you have made great

strides in your financial stewardship. All the same, you still have areas you need

to improve in.

14
A score of 70% and above shows you have the ability to manage most issues

relating to your personal finances. This wealth plan will help you refine these

skills even more.

15
DAY

16
Day Four: What Is Your Money Tune?

By now, you have established your financial weaknesses and have outlined your

expenses and income.

The next thing to do is answer this question: What do you intend to do with the

money you will earn?

Whatever answer you provide to this question is the financial tune you will be

singing to all year long. It is, therefore, important that you answer this question

seriously and honestly. Take a look at some of the end goals you can set for your

money:

✓ I want to clear my student loan debt.

✓ I want to invest in the shares of XYZ Company.

✓ I want to create an emergency fund for me and my family so that I don’t keep

finding myself in a cash bind.

✓ I want to save to buy a car, go for a holiday, etc.

✓ I want to stop being over reliant on my spouse for money.

✓ I want to enroll in a class to improve my skills for better career opportunities.

✓ I want to start a business.

17
DAY

18
Day Five: Organize Your Financial Paperwork

Financial paperwork can come up to a handful and it can really kill the motivation

if it is too excessive.

To ensure you stay enthusiastic, it is important that you organize your paperwork

as part of the process of your wealth planner. All the same, dealing with your

paperwork is not just a matter of finding every receipt and check and throwing it

in the dustbin. You must ensure you don’t throw away some paperwork you might

need later. So, what should you throw away and what should you hang on to?

Take a look at the table below:

Paperwork Type What To Do

1. Record to use the information during

Grocery receipts
budgeting, and then destroy them.

2. Other nondeductible Record to use the information during

expenses budgeting, and then destroy them.

3. Keep for 3 years. Keep indefinitely all those

Canceled checks
related to your business and tax expenses.

4. Check against W-2 and toss if it’s a match.

Paycheck stubs
Otherwise, request a revised one.

Home buying, selling,

5. Keep as long as you retain ownership of your
improvement
home.
documents

6. Utility bills Destroy after recording.

7. Major purchase
Keep them for the lifetime of the item.
receipts

19
8. Tax return documents 7 years.

9. Destroy after reconciling with monthly

Credit card receipts
statement.

10. Monthly credit card Destroy annually.

statements

20
DAY

21
Day Six: Make An Inventory

For the purposes of insurance, it is important that you make an inventory of everything
you own, including your home.

Make a list of all your institutions together with their passwords, account numbers etc.,
laminate the document and put it in a fireproof vault or other secure place. It is important
that your loved ones (a few of them) be aware of where you’ve kept this information.
They might be needed to access this information in the event of a tragedy etc.

22
DAY

23
Day Seven: Create A Spending Plan

At this point, it is important that you track how much you spend, breaking it down

by category.

Some of the categories to include are food, clothes, housing, healthcare,

transportation, insurance, personal care, services, and entertainment.

Take a look at how other people across the country are using their money and

see how they contrast with yours. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps

data you can use. If you find your expenses way out of sync with the averages

collected by the BLS, consider revising how you spend. See the BLS numbers and

determine where your spending is not realistic and adjust accordingly. Create a

new plan that will allow you to save more and spend less.

24
DAY

25
Day Eight: Understand Your Debt

Go to the Annual Credit Card Report Website

(www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp) and take a closer look at your

debt.

Credit card debt is never good because of the high interest it often carries. It also

increases fast and has no tax deductions.

Here are a few things you can do:

• If you find that your credit cards have a balance, set up a plan to reduce the

balance gradually till it reaches zero.

• Check if your credit report might contain errors.

• Store the credit report safely to use as a reference point later.

• Use tools such as Credit Sesame or Credit Karma to monitor your credit

scores. Looking through your credit report can help you identify major errors and

seek corrections. It can also help you know whether you might be an identity

theft victim. Check it; you might be surprised what you find out.

• Decide to be paying your bills in full every month without fail. Don’t be too

concerned with student loan and mortgage debt. These two are considered good

debts because they generally attract low-interest rates. They are also usually tax

deductible and can help a great deal towards wealth building for you in future.

There is no one who cannot be free from debt if they put the necessary effort

towards this freedom.

26
Analyze your debts and come up with a plan to help you clear the all existing

financial commitments.

Here is a test to help you through this process:

Question Yes No

Do you find yourself using more and more money to pay off debts
as time goes by?

Are you approaching your credit limits?

Is your current savings cushion non-existent or too little?

Do you find yourself late to make your bill payments on a regular

basis?
Do you find yourself using some money that you had initially
allocated something else to pay your bills?
Are you increasingly using credit cards to make your purchases,
even for things you used to only buy with cash?
If you were fired from your job today, would it throw you into a
financial turmoil?

Are you uncertain of the money you owe?

Have collectors made any threats of suing you for unpaid dues?

Any question you answer ‘yes’ to in this quiz should be a warning sign. Perhaps

it is time that you made that particular debt a priority.

27
DAY

28
Day Nine: Create A Savings Plan

Now that you looked at your debts, let's take a look next at your savings.

Identify areas in your monthly budget where you can make some cuts. For

instance, you could decide to reduce the number of times you eat out by creating

in advance a meal plan for the whole month.

Consider changing your bank account if your bank charges you a monthly fee.

CapitalOne360 is a good example of a financial institution that does not charge

any monthly fees for a savings account. It is online-only and has no requirement

for a minimum balance. Imagine the difference this can make if you were

changing your account from Chase to CapitalOne360. Chase charges a $5 fee

every month for savings of less than $300. For a person who is barely making

ends meet, this fee can easily accumulate to unmanageable levels.

Overall, an online bank may be a better fit if you are just getting started with a

savings plan. Online banks have lower overhead costs. They, therefore, usually

offer better interest rates for your savings. It is also common for online savings

institutions to offer their customers the ability to create a number of savings

accounts based on a customer’s goals.

Go to Nerd Wallet and explore the possibilities further. At Nerd Wallet, you can

compare the different savings accounts that different banks are offering. This

makes it easy for you to identify the bank that would yield the best results for

your savings objectives.

29
DAY

30
Day Ten: Talk To Your Spouse About Finances

It is important at this point that your partner comes on board with what you are

seeking to achieve in re-organizing your finances. So plan for a date night, only

this time the discussion on the table will be money.

According to a recent study, you will be increasing the chances of divorce by a

whopping 45% if you feel that your spouse is wasting money. To avoid this

probability, sit down with him or her and go through the numbers you have come

up with. Together, agree how much you are willing to save towards certain goals.

If you are not yet married, create a contract and sign it. Make your savings plan

official and hold yourself accountable.

31
DAY

32
Day Eleven: Choose A Financial Officer To Oversee The Family Finances

Make sure all family members understand the direction the family is taking in all

things pertaining to money.

In addition, appoint one person who will be responsible for performing daily

financial tasks for the whole family. This way, it will be easy to keep up with every

money issue. Allow whoever you’ve chosen the space and time to effectively carry

out their assigned duties. To ease the burden of the family’s financial officer,

consider using online bill payment systems. You could also talk to your creditors

about the possibility of setting up automatic payments of your bills.

Create a spot in your home where all issues regarding money are dealt with. Use

this spot to organize all financial paperwork. Add a filing cabinet so that the space

does not make the house look cluttered. A paperless filing system is more

preferable. However, you have to make sure you regularly back-up your

computer.

In addition, invest in a security program that can prevent hackers and other

criminals from gaining access to sensitive information from your computer. It is

never a bad idea to have a safety deposit box where you can safely store your

valuable documents. Talk to your credit union or local bank about this option.

33
DAY

34
Day Twelve: Bookmark These Websites On Money Matters

A significant part of this wealth planner is to change your financial habits.

There is no better way to do this than to have a few go-to websites where you

can learn something new about personal finances. In addition to getting a

general knowledge about finances, these sites can help you keep up with the

financial world, and help you understand what these changes mean to your

personal financial plans.

Finding the right websites to bookmark can itself be a challenge. Here are a few

great ones you definitely should be visiting on a regular basis:

WiseBread
This one is a great place to start learning the fundamental principles
in personal finance. The Wise Bread community will help you live
better by giving you valuable tips on frugal living as well as personal
finance.

‘Your Money’ section in The New York Times

Peruse this section on a daily basis and accrue some great
information on investing, retirement funds and even student loans.

35
Kiplinger
This site will give you the accurate business forecasts in addition to
tips on personal finance. You might also find its videos, quizzes,
blogs, and special reports quite enlightening.

Investopedia
This site will give you the definitions of some of the financial jargon
you come across these financial websites.

Banking Sense
The unique presentation of financial information makes this website
stand out. It also gives you advice and tips without using highly
technical financial terminology. Some of the areas that Banking
Sense covers include taxes, credit cards, small business finance,
insurance, personal finances, etc.

NPR’s Marketplace
This show is quite intruiguing. Somehow, the makers of the new show
are able to illustrate how a big financial event, like China’s stock
market crash, affects you. The presentation is also in such a way that
makes you want to follow.

36
DAY

37
Day Thirteen: Spend Nothing

As you begin a new money lifestyle, it is a great idea that you spend a full day

without spending any money.

• Avoid ordering in or eating out on this day.

• Resist the temptation of running to Walgreens.

• Do everything in-house.

At the end of the day, see how much you saved and how much of that you could

still save in the days to come if you kept the spending at the lowest possible

levels.

38
DAY

39
Day Fourteen: Reduce How Much You Spend On Fixed, Regular Expenses

Fixed recurrent expenses are usually the best ones to reduce without lowering

the quality of your lifestyle.

The best place to start with these reductions is your monthly cell phone bill. It is

possible to save as much as $150 a month by making a few changes to your

calling habits. Contact your cell phone provider and find out what discounts are

available for personal plans. You could also consider a mobile virtual network

operator. It is possible that their pricing is way lower than your cell phone

provider.

40
DAY

41
Day Fifteen: Calculate Your Net Worth

It might scare you a little bit, but getting to know how much you are worth is an

important part of a successful wealth planner. By understanding where you stand

at the present, it is easier to start figuring out where you want to be in, say, one

year, five years or even the next decade.

To determine your worth, you add your assets together and subtract all your

debts:

• Your assets include bank accounts, your home and retirement and investment

funds.

• Your debts include student loans, credit card balances, car loan and mortgage

balance.

Whatever you get when you subtract the debts from the assets is what you are

worth.

The figure you get here will help you determine how you want to move forward.

It will give you some ideas on the changes you need to make to change your

financial situation.

CNN Money’s net worth calculator

(http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/networth/networth.html) is a good online

tool to give you the numbers you need.

42
DAY

43
Day Sixteen: Free Credit Card Reports

Freezing your credit report can help you deal with identity thieves. Identity theft

has become a common phenomenon in the world today. That is why it makes

perfect sense why you should consider a freeze to your credit report. A freeze

can also help you stop new creditors from accessing your reports. This process

usually takes a few minutes. However, there are some states where this might

take up to a few days.

Keep in mind that you might be required to pay a small fee to place the freeze.

Some of the online sites where you can do a freeze include:

• Equifax.

• Experian.

• TransUnion.

44
DAY

45
Day Seventeen: Cancel Subscriptions That You Can Do Without

You know those subscriptions you’ve been thinking about whether or not to

cancel them? It’s time to do away with them. Don’t forget to also cancel some

memberships that you can do without.

Take a look at your credit card statements. Which of the subscriptions and

memberships are taking money from your pocket with unnecessary charges? A

subscription to Hulu Plus might be redundant if you are also subscribed to Netflix

or vice versa.

Go through the canceling process. Don’t be discouraged by the process, however

complex.

Sometimes canceling a subscription can be as easy as logging into your account

and choosing a cancellation option provided. Some companies make it a little

harder to unsubscribe. Be ready to call the company and withdraw your

membership if that is what you need to do to opt out. A gym membership might

require you to visit the gym office in person to make the cancellation.

Go and get it done.

46
DAY

47
Day Eighteen: Update Your Tax Deductions

Most people take a while to update their tax deductions.

Take another look at the W4 form and see if you need to claim yourself as a tax

deduction. Claiming yourself as a deduction can put you at an advantage as fewer

taxes get pulled from your paychecks. It can also earn you interest if you’ve been

doing well with regular savings.

All the same, it is still possible to find that you owe the IRS some taxes at the end

of the financial year. Make sure you have some money that you can pay off these

taxes.

Most people choose not to claim themselves as deductions. This option might be

the right fit for you if you are yet to discipline yourself to save a certain amount

of money on a regular basis.

As life happens, remember to keep updating your tax deductions.

48
DAY

49
Day Nineteen: Go Cash-Only

For expenditures on food, clothing and entertainment, keep away from using your

credit card. Using cash to buy these day-to-day stuff has been found to reduce

most people’s spending.

In fact, an MIT study established that using cash to meet these daily obligations

can cut one’s spending by half. So leave your cards at home and see how different

your purchases will look at the end of the day.

At this point, it might also help you to determine how much you are willing to

spend on each of the things your money is going into.

Create a 30-day spending limit plan.

Go to your local bank and make a withdrawal based on the spending limit you

have created for the next one month. When you get home, take a number of

envelopes and put the money for each item and activity and name the envelopes

clearly. So as you make your purchases the whole month, you will be pulling out

the appropriate envelope instead of using your credit card. That does not mean

that you be carrying envelopes full of money everywhere you go. It means you

will be taking with you the envelope that aligns with the task you are about to

undertake.

50
DAY

51
Day Twenty: Automate Finances

Financial situations can drive us to act fast without clearly looking at our present

circumstances.

You might spend money you had allocated for something else when it dawns on

you that there is a financial crisis waiting to happen if you don’t deal with a

situation that has just popped up. Yet, some financial decisions require us to

pause and do nothing, giving ourselves the time to consider everything before

we make a decision.

Better still, consider automating all your regular payments to avoid unnecessary

fines because you forgot to pay on time, etc. Make sure your insurance, utilities,

car payments and mortgage are set up as recurring payments using your bank’s

bill payment system.

In addition to saving you the money you would have had to pay in fines and late

fees, consistent and timely payments contribute a great deal to improving your

credit score.

52
DAY

53
Day Twenty-One: Look For Free Stuff

Think creatively about the possibility of replacing those expenses with existing

free things that can serve you just as comfortably, or close:

• Use your frequent-flier miles to shop.

• Spend your credit card points before their expiration date. Instead of paying

for gym membership during the summer, consider doing runs, hiking and biking.

• You could also join your local community center for free access to exercise

equipment and free classes.

54
DAY

55
Day Twenty-Two: Boost Your Savings

It is one thing to have a savings plan and an entirely different thing to follow

through with it.

You may find yourself struggling to stay disciplined when it comes to saving the

amount of money you have committed to every month. Avoiding this failure to

save is one of the easiest ways to boost what you have in your savings account.

Talk to your local bank about automating your savings plan. Set up your account

for automatic deductions from your paycheck to your savings account. That way,

saving will be a guaranteed event every month.

Resist the temptation of stopping these automatic withdrawals into your savings

account, at least until you have kept away up to a year’s worth of day-to-day

expenses.

Another way to boost your income is to do simple tasks for people around your

community for payment. The tasks don’t have to be complex or complicated.

For instance, you could:

• Help a neighbor with walking his dog or cutting her grass.

• Shovel snow.

• Teach a subject to your neighbor’s kids.

• Do a sales-pitch to several people you intend to land as clients and see what

happens, and so on...

56
While some will turn you down, a number will be interested in your services.

These simple tasks might take you 30 minutes or less and go a long way in

boosting your savings.

You can also look for ways to get money through your hobbies:

• If you are a photographer, find out the events the people around you are

preparing for and see if you can provide your services at a fee.

• That untapped painting, metal work or knitting talent might be serious money

just waiting for you to make a move.

• Do a garage sale and let go of those items that you no longer use.

• You could also use some online advertising platforms to sell things at your

home that are still in good condition, but that you don’t need or want anymore.

When you receive some unexpected cash, don’t just spend it. Consider adding it

to your savings account.

57
DAY

58
Day Twenty-Three: Review Your Energy Consumption

How much do you pay your electricity supply company each month?

How can you reduce this amount?

Do you have some appliances that suck too much power and raise your electricity

bills?

It is time to tackle them head-on. Consider replacing your electric devices with

those with lower energy consumption. You can also change your lighting system

to a greener, more energy efficient one.

59
DAY

60
Day Twenty-Four: Secure A Future Free Of Financial Strain

Are you prepared for retirement? What can you do now to prepare a better future

for you and your loved ones even after your working days are over?

Here are a few tips to help:

• Check if the company you work for has a ‘matching funds’ program. This is a

great way to be part of the retirement plan available at your workplace. In case

your company does not have such a plan, go ahead and create an Independent

Retirement Account (IRA).

• Talk to a professional about future financial planning. Express your desires

for the future to your trusted financial adviser and planner. Talk to them about

how much money you should be keeping to guarantee a future free of financial

strain. Ask them to help you come up with a strategy that can secure your

financial future.

• Keep up with the retirement plan you’ve enrolled in. Most people take a lot of

time researching the options available to them before committing to a particular

retirement plan. Yet, for most of them, it all stops there; they do not make any

effort to manage those accounts. It is important to rebalance your allocation of

assets based on the present conditions in the market. You can maximize your

returns and minimize your risk by re-balancing your portfolio on a yearly basis.

Remember to save more as your earnings increase.

Lastly, whatever you do, don’t cash out prematurely. Early cash-outs will subject

your 401(k) money to a 10% penalty in addition to a tax payment. If you do your

61
math, you will see that your tax bill could go up to about 37% of the retirement

money you withdraw.

62
DAY

63
Day Twenty-Five: Negotiate, Negotiate, And Negotiate

Master a new culture of always negotiating regardless of what product or service

you are buying.

From buying a new TV to paying your credit card fees, ask for a discount.

Push for a price adjustment to your advantage even when you are buying

insurance or paying your cell phone bills.

The great thing about negotiating is that the worst thing a seller can tell you is

‘no’. To increase your chances of getting a discount:

• Ask.

• Be nice and personal.

• Explain why you should get a discount, e.g. that you’ve been a loyal customer

for a long time, etc.

• Persist.

64
DAY

65
Day Twenty-Six: Budget

While saving 50% or more of your income can be a challenge, it is important that

you try your best to save the most you can every month.

A more workable plan for most people would be to allocate 80% of your earnings

to fixed expenses. The other 20% can be divided between saving for your

retirement and savings.

If you are serious about attaining financial freedom in the future, then keep your

hands off the 20%.

66
DAY

67
Day Twenty-Seven: Perform Financial Checkups

While being the person responsible for your family’s finances may sometimes

seem like a daunting task, it can also be very fulfilling.

For most people whose duty is to take account of the finances in the household,

it is common to feel responsible for the well-being of every member of the family.

To maintain a peaceful state of mind, therefore, it is important to prepare yourself

for any eventuality.

• Health Insurance Plan Checkup: Take time to find out from your health

insurance company the services they cover. Also ask them about the limits of the

health insurance cover like prescription drugs and mental health care. Consider

using an external/private doctor if the cost of using a doctor in the network is

too high. Medicaid can also be a good option if you are not covered by any health

insurance.

• Auto Insurance Plan Checkup: Auto insurance plan only pays for injuries and

damages that have been explicitly covered by the policy. In the US, the majority

of states demand that a vehicle owner purchase a policy of liability insurance.

Liability insurance covers property damage and harm to the body. Take time to

read your insurance policy. Understand what the plan covers and what it does

not. For a list of all the things not covered by your policy, check the exclusions'

section.

• Life Insurance: Do not be limited by the life insurance coverage that your

employer has made available. If after a proper analysis of the life insurance you

need places your employer’s option as inadequate, shop around for a more

68
comprehensive one. You could consider term insurance. This type of insurance

is the most affordable among all life insurance policy plans.

• Disability Insurance: Does your employer offer group disability insurance? If

not, seek a personal policy that can take care of you in the event you became

disabled. According to available statistics, it is more likely that you will become

disabled than it is that you will die. So, while it might seem like more important

to have a life insurance policy, disability insurance might be more worthwhile.

69
DAY

70
Day Twenty-Eight: Revise Your Resume

When was the last time your resume was updated?

Take 15 to 30 minutes to make changes to your resume, to reflect where you are

at presently.

Since your last update, your address and phone numbers may have changed. You

definitely now also have more experience. Your resume needs to highlight this.

Remember to also add some other skills you may have obtained since your last

resume revision. The job history section will probably take you the most time.

Review the past few months or one year. What changes have happened at your

workplace or with your career? Are you in a new job or in a new position? What

are the duties and responsibilities of your new position?

While you review your resume, don’t forget to update the references section.

From your last revision, your references may have changed or their contact

information may have also changed. You can also contact your references to

confirm that the information as presented in your resume is accurate and up to

date. If you feel that you should replace any of the referees, go ahead and do so.

When choosing a referee, go for one who would be best suited to talk about the

experience you’ve gained, your work ethic and even your talents.

Take a closer look at your copy and make changes that would help you stand out

a little more. More often than not, people find themselves able to make significant

changes to their resume copies after a long time of inactivity. You may surprise

71
yourself with all the improvements you may make to your resume as you re-visit

it another time.

With an up-to-date resume, it is time to take advantage of new job opportunities.

Start applying for jobs. If you can, don’t shy away from part time jobs if they

come your way. Some great job opportunities start small only to become bigger

career opportunities later.

72
DAY

73
Day Twenty-Nine: Appreciate The Progress You Have Made

Look back and see the changes you have made to your financial situation and

approach to money.

Congratulate yourself for taking the challenge. Bask in the glory of making

improvements to the way you manage your finances.

What you will also find is that the benefits of aligning your finances will affect

other areas of your life, leaving you a better person overall. The more you make

progress, the more you can celebrate the process. Create a list of benefits you

will start to enjoy if you follow through this wealth planner.

74
DAY

75
Day Thirty: Update Your Will And Other Information

Go through all your accounts to ensure the information you have provided

regarding your beneficiaries is correct and up to date.

Also, make changes to your will to reflect changes that may have taken place in

your life or changes to your assets. Talk to your lawyer about the changes you

intend to make. Remember, having a will is not just for those with great wealth.

A will helps you avoid unnecessary wrangles amongst your children after you are

gone. When the distribution of your assets is clearly stated, the need for the state

law to determine how the assets will be divided will not arise.

Remember to store your will in a fireproof safety deposit box or filing cabinet.

76