Doris Belland

"Women fared substantially worse than men at the start of the pandemic, a fact that gave rise to the phrase she-cession. And women are still having a harder time - financially and emotionally. Come chat about this, and Covids impact on you, in my free Womens Money Group Community Facebook group.

Hey Ladies: Join my FREE Womens Money Group FB Group here! facebook.com/groups/womensmoneygroupcommunity #womenhelpingwomenHey Ladies: Join my FREE Womens Money Group FB Group here! facebook.com/groups/womensmoneygroupcommunity #womenhelpingwomen

One of my Womens Money Group members asked a great question during Office Hours: "Whats the best way to go about renewing my mortgage given the complexity of my circumstances?" I answer (part of) her question in todays blog post. Check out how much money shes saving by using two strategies discussed!

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Anne Frank #shareyourskills"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Anne Frank #shareyourskills

A real estate lawyer called me today with this Q: "Im thinking of investing in real estate and Im interested in Rent to Own in particular. You were recommended to me as the person to talk to. What do I need to know?" Me to lawyer: "Dont do RTO." Well, that was easy. Any more questions?

September 29th, Im hosting a workshop on how to negotiate like a pro. Heres the thing: Negotiating isnt a one size fits all tactic. How you go about it depends on who you are. Women? If you proceed like men do, youll probably fail. It *is* different for women, which makes my blood boil some days, but thats the reality. And its different still - read much harder - for people of colour. This article does a good job of pointing out some of the problems with typical negotia...ting advice. Privilege changes everything.

Dear Students: Dont be afraid to dream. Youll reach higher. Dont be afraid to fail. Its essential for growth. #youvegotthisDear Students: Dont be afraid to dream. Youll reach higher. Dont be afraid to fail. Its essential for growth. #youvegotthis

This email from a gal I coached touched me deeply: "I also think you might challenge what I think about that breakthrough...and thats okay too. Because that is one of your super powers. You are allowed to make me uncomfortable and challenge me because I trust you." Two things about this. First, the most valuable thing I earn from my work is a womans trust. ... Second, one of the most important areas you can work on is yourself. It takes courage to step out of your comfort zone to understand which beliefs and behaviors arent serving you well. I have the deepest respect for any woman who undertakes the path of self-knowledge. It is a richly rewarding one if you give it the time it requires and you have faith in your voice.

119 days. Thats how many days are left in this year. As much as you might want to say, "Thank heavens; the end of 2020 cant come soon enough!" it would be a huge waste of 119 days of your life. Days you could use to make significant progress on your most important goal.... Days that could bring you more joy, peace of mind, sense of accomplishment. Days you could use to slay more debt, grow your income, create a better strategy to deal with the fallout from the pandemic. In my private Womens Money Group Facebook group, I have started a 66-Day Focus to help my members squeeze the most life, achievement, and satisfaction out of the remaining time in 2020. Were identifying our goals, outlining the specific steps we need to take to get the job done, and building in accountability to help keep us all on track. What is the one goal you would like to achieve, or make significant progress on, in the next 66 days? Share it below. Lets make the highest, best use of our most precious resource - time!

Do you experience the same sort of disconnect as V does between your professional self and the way you show up in your personal life? Check out the email V, a new Womens Money Group member, sent me after her first experience with my Office Hours (aka my "Ask Me Anything About Money" sessions): "Thanks so much for your time and for answering all of my questions this evening during Office Hours! Youve created a very welcoming and supportive environment - thank you.... I have some homework to do about my mortgage for sure. But more than that, you made me realize something super important tonight. You see, I make a good living negotiating deals for my clients. Major clients trust me to advise them on BIG ticket purchases. Im talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars to sometimes multi-million dollar deals. They trust me to run the math, give them sound advice, build the right team around them and get them the best deal in the current market. I take a lot of pride in serving them to the best of my ability. All. the. time. Why do I then underestimate my ability to do the same for myself and my family?! My husband wouldnt think twice about it - but here I am second guessing myself and feeling guilty about asserting myself. Its absolutely crazy. Maybe because its my familys money and our lives depend on the decisions so keenly? Isnt that interesting! I think I hear my journal calling... I will keep you posted on developments!" - V This came up as I talked with V about how to deal with the banks during mortgage negotiations. How you show up for the negotiation matters as much as what you say during those discussions. In one exchange, I was able to help V completely reframe how she views her situation and how she prepares for it, something she already does on a regular basis in her professional life. If you build your personal confidence, do your homework, and trust yourself, your results will change. You are more powerful than you may think. #womenhelpingwomen #womensmoneygroup

Ive spent years developing an empowering morning routine that has been a key factor in my success. It took exactly two months to neglect it. The universe sent me a not-so-gentle reminder to smarten up and pay attention. Heres that story and some ideas for you. #goalachievement #itsallaboutyourhabits

A new season of workshops for the Womens Money Group is about to begin!! Im excited to announce the line-up for 2020-2021. Here it is: September 29th Workshop: Negotiate Like a Pro - A Research-Based Approach to Save Money and Ask for More October 27th Workshop: How Interest Works Understanding Simple vs Compound Interest and how they are applied in Mortgages, Lines of Credit, Credit Cards, and Investments... November 24th Workshop: How to Spend Money Using Your Values to Plan for Fixed vs Variable Costs and Come Out of the Holiday Season Financially Healthy Prior to the WMG November workshop, I will run a public workshop on identifying your top values and how to use them as the basis for your personal finance plan. December 15th Workshop: How Financially Successful Women Think About, Make, and Use Money January 26th Workshop: Your Money Roadmap for 2021 Creating a financial plan for the new year to ensure you accomplish your goals. February 23rd Workshop: Investing in Mortgages What You Need to Know, How to Evaluate a Deal, and How to Protect Yourself March 30th Workshop: Home Ownership vs Renting The Math, Considerations, and a Case Study to Determine Which is Best April 27th Workshop: Money Makeover Learn How to Tackle a Complicated Financial Situation; A Case Study May 25th Workshop: The Best Electronic Tools and Apps to Save Money, Save Time, and Keep Your Finances Organized. June 29th Workshop: Next Level Money What to Do with Your Money and Your Time Once Youve Paid Off Debt and Youre Ready to Take Your Life to the Next Level July 20th Workshop: Recap and Review of the Top Ideas in 2020-2021 All workshops will be delivered live online via Zoom. They will also be recorded and made available to all WMG members. You need a membership to participate. The cost works out to less than $1.50/day and you can cancel the monthly membership at any time. Join us if you want to make significant progress with your finances in the coming year! Reach out if you have any questions. For more info about the Womens Money Group, go here: https://yourfinanciallaunchpad.com/womens-money-group

Changing deeply-ingrained financial patterns is hard work. Addressing financial fear or shame is difficult. So is figuring out what you want when when you have no clue. And so is identifying, then getting past, the *issue* when you find yourself stuck in a financial or life rut.... The alternative - the status quo - is worse. The outcome makes all the work totally worth it. I speak from experience - mine and that of hundreds of clients. Once you do the work and make progress, you will never want to go back. I will promise you that! Keep your eyes on the prize and move forward with courage, persistence, and determination. Remember what Jim Rohn said: "Dont wish it were easier; wish you were better". Better is possible with knowledge and practice.

A testament to the power of the Womens Money Group: 1. May - a woman joins the WMG. Her stated goal is to grow her income (she earns well, but wants better options), figure out how to tackle her complex finances (shes not sure where to start), and ensure she has a secure future. 2. June - she participates in my Office Hours and gets some guidance on how to tackle debt. I make a book recommendation to get her going on growing her income. 3. July - she participates in Office ...Hours again, gets more answers and a suggestion on what to focus on for the next month (tracking and identifying key numbers). 4. August (last night) - she participates in Office Hours and the following happens: --> She tells me that in the last two months she has tracked her expenses, identified her retirement number, calculated her savings rate, paid off one credit card in full (approx $15,000) and is on track to pay off the second (approx $30,000) by November, instituted a debt repayment plan to wipe everything out in a few years. --> She got guidance from me on how to go about negotiating her mortgage, coming up for renewal in a few months. --> We identified the best use for her monthly cash flow (which debts to repay and whether or not to consolidate). --> We created a strategy on the best use for the funds she has set aside in an Emergency Fund. In short, in three months, she has accomplished more in her personal finances than she has in the entire year before that. Together, we are stronger. #womensupportingwomen #womensmoneygroup

I cant tell you how often I get "Will you do this for free?", so this article speaks to me. As women, we are often asked to, or feel compelled to, work for free. If you ever wonder whether theres a double standard at play, ask yourself if the same request would be made of a man? My two cents: Work for free to gain experience and/or access to people who can teach you valuable skills. Working for free for "exposure and business building" has never paid off for me in more than... 15 years. The person asking will usually gets far more out it than you ever will, in my experience. Volunteer your time and expertise for causes that line up with your values --> 100%. Work for free? Not unless there is something tangible, measurable, and valuable in it for you. You were not put on this planet to give away your gifts/talents/skills/abilities. They are far too valuable for that. #askforwhatyouareworth

I have just unsubscribed from a blog whose author declared that all financial advice from Boomers should be met with a "OK Boomer" response. She claimed that all Boomers "had it easy" and that they havent got a clue whats going on with younger generations who purportedly have it so much harder. Furthermore, all their financial advice is crap. Two things here. First, I wonder how she (the author) feels when someone publishes a post saying, "All Millennials are lazy" or "All ...women are [fill in a derogatory comment]"? Is it fun to be swept into dismissive, insulting generalizations? Second, I dont for a second believe that any person, or generation for that matter, has a lock on financial wisdom. Im not a Boomer (Im a Gen X), but many Boomers have written helpful, thought-provoking pieces on managing money. Is it all good? Of course not; but we shouldnt expect it to be. Gather up a room full of members from *any* generation and you will quickly find a range of opinions on what matters, what works, and whats relevant. Much of the financial advice the author in question has shared via her blog wouldnt serve many members of my community well, which makes her stance ironic. To dismiss an entire generation and, worse, to suggest that any advice from them be treated to "OK Boomer" crosses a hard line for me. No shame. No blame. No Judgment. Those are the rules I hold for my community. Nuance is a beautiful thing. So is kindness. Disagree, sure; Im 100% OK with that. But dont insult. Perhaps the author should pick up a Brene Brown book on the dangers of shaming people.

Has procrastination ever been a challenge for you? If so, youll love todays post. I share one clients results after nearly a year of working together on serious procrastination issues to help her pay off debt, get back on her feet, and grow her income. Heres her story and the strategy I used to help get her there. Btw, check out her results at the bottom of the post. So impressive!!

Which one should I read first? Im seriously torn. This is like Chirstmas morning! Which would you choose and why?

We need to talk about your income. How do you refer to the money you make? Do you feel greedy about wanting to earn more? Do you think of the money you make as an "extra" to the familys earnings?... Three women said something to me in a recent group coaching session that made a big impact on me. Ladies: Its time we all think seriously about the way we frame, talk about, and treat our income. If youre a man in my community, please read this for the sake of the women you love.

Tony Miller, also known as Mr. Ottawa, invited me to answer six questions on his Real Estate Investment Meet-up. His questions included how to deal with financial stress during Covid-19 and how to budget during these times. Those of you who know me can imagine what I said about budgeting. Thankfully, you dont have to imagine because the meet-up was recorded! Check it out below as I answer questions about:... - How to determine the best use for your money. - Should you renovate your house or not given the economic situation? - How can you deal with financial emergencies caused by Covid-19? - Is now a good time to invest? Give it a listen and share your thoughts.

A gratitude post in honour of four women who have inspired me. Whos on your list? Happy Monday!

This is the fastest way that Ive found (hence why I created it) to find the gaps in your finances/financial system and fix them. You need to *see* them first.

My heartfelt thanks to the Womens Money Group member who sent me this lovely note as part of a longer email: "Thank you (for the zillionth time, however Ill *never* quit saying it), for everything you do. You are changing lives by empowering us with the information, tools, and support to change our lives. I cant think of a higher calling. And Im *so grateful* you answered the call."

Want an easy, cool way to get a birds-eye view of your finances? Whats working, where you need to pay attention, and where the gaps are? Try this. I created this process for myself and have shared it with my clients and Womens Money Group members. They love it. It works. All you need is two pieces of blank paper and some coloured pens.

I saw this fridge magnet in a photo sent to me by one of my tenants. Were working together to replace their fridge. When sent me a pic of the fridge, I spotted this super cool magnet. Heres what it says, "When life shuts a door, open it again. Its just a door. Thats how they work." Love it!

If youve been thinking of joining my Womens Money Group to help you get your finances to the next level, todays the perfect day. Why? Because tonight Im hosting a workshop exclusively for members on the Best and Most Important Ideas of our 2019-2020 season! Starting at 6:45 pm tonight, Im going to cover the very best material I presented to my membership over the last ten months including:... - How to budget effectively - How to improve your financial habits (based on research) - How to protect yourself online I will also answer questions from my members on whether its better to grow an Emergency Fund or pay off debt; and other questions related to the Money Map process I recently taught. Plus, Im going to re-release workshop recordings from the past year. But only to my members. So grab a membership before 6:30 pm Eastern Time today and join us. Heres what I know: Our members make more, and faster, progress with their financial goals than they ever did alone. Thats the power of education, confidence, and an accountability group. Im looking forward to tonight. Ive just popped a message in our private FB group telling my members to grab a glass of wine for tonight, cause were going to be celebrating, reviewing, and having fun. I hope you join in the fun and the achievement!

Yesterday, I shared a post on why Ive ditched Tangerine for banking, including their Mastercard. In a related post, I look at whether its worth paying for a chequing account. Heres my analysis.

When I drew out my money map, it was clear that Tangerine had to go. Heres why. What do you use for your main chequing and savings accounts, and your credit card(s)? And what were your criteria?

Are you feeling shame or embarrassment because of your financial situation? Has the pandemic knocked you down and now youre judging yourself for not being prepared? Heres my message to anyone in this boat: Give yourself permission to let go of the shame, the blame, and the judgment.... No one was prepared for Covid-19 and its impact on the world. You are not your financial situation. You might not even have been able to change the circumstances leading to your current situation if youre dealing with structural challenges (inequality, poverty, living in a country affected by war, lack of access to education, etc). Your net worth is not *your* worth. You deserve every bit of abundance and goodness the world has to offer. Leave the past behind and do what you can today. Reach out to those who can help you, who can support you, who can help you believe a better future is possible. Most of all, speak kindly to yourself. Your inner self needs to be reminded how fabulous she is. Sending love and hugs to anyone who needs it today. Photo by Annie Sprat on Unsplash

I just received an email from a woman who attended my last workshop on organizing your finances. Shes also doing my Master Your Mindset course. She is knocking it out of the park! Seriously, the email is multiple pages of all the action steps shes taken since she took my workshop and listened to the course videos. Its a-mazing what shes getting done after years of not being in control of her money. So cool!! I wanted to share a recent blog post in which I outlined a couple of the tips from my workshop. If nothing else, these can get you one step closer to being in the drivers seat of your finances.

What goals would you have if you had no limiting beliefs or money scripts from your past? Live life on *your* terms. Doris BWhat goals would you have if you had no limiting beliefs or money scripts from your past? Live life on *your* terms. Doris B

Happy Monday morning! A quick question for you as we head into the last half of July: What are you doing to keep yourself moving forward toward your goals? Im just about to start another online course. Its my fourth since January 1st of this year. Each course I take is an investment in me, in my progress toward my 2020 and life goals.... My suggestion: Take a moment today to reclaim 30 minutes of quiet time for yourself and ask, "What do I need to learn and do to help me move forward?" The path to achievement is carved out of ongoing small steps and a daily commitment to growth. Enjoy the summer, take time for you, and keep moving forward. Its an "and" game. :)

Recently, Ive had a number of people join my community who are concerned about debt. If debt is an issue for you, check out my latest blog post. Ive written it to help you kick debt to the curb. Remember though: this hack works well, but you still need to get your mindset on board. Reach out if you have any questions or you need help to get going.

This is a lovely way to start my Monday. I received this email from one of my Womens Money Group gals: "I think your model of group presentations and then peer support/sharing for us to integrate and "master" the skills and information is so effective and empowering! As a teacher, I know its the most effective pedagogical approach. But its a bit unconventional and people often dont understand initially." Ive tried many teaching models over the years. The Learn then Do It... Yourself With Peer Support is the only way Ive found that consistently builds both skills and confidence. The support of others who are in the same boat is crucial. It reminds you that you are not alone. And that, my friends, is the perfect message to start the week. You are not alone.

Last call to get a peek into my financial system - the one I personally use and the one Ive taught to hundreds of people to help them make the most of their hard-earned money, fund their values, and recoup time for more important tasks. I go live tonight at 6:45 pm EDT. If tonight doesnt work, you can always watch the recording, but heres the catch: only people registered for the workshop will have access to the recording. Grab a spot before its too late! The countdown is on.

Want a peek into my finances? Tomorrow night, June 30th, Im going to share the system that I use to run my financial life, complete with my hand-drawn money map (Ill walk you through the steps and, more importantly, the "why"). Ill share the spreadsheet, with categories, that I created to give Mark and me a better overview of our money picture and to help us make smarter decisions with our dollars.... Youll find out what we automate, what we choose to do by hand, and the science-based rationale behind it. Youll discover the tools and accounts that I use to save time and money, what I do with receipts, and how I link the different parts of my system. Ill show you how to set this up in your calendar for easy monthly maintenance so that you a) get it done; and b) maintain it without wasting hours every month. And, youll have access to a Q&A session on July 8th to help you with any follow-up questions about how to implement a version that serves you and your finances. I will also provide a recording of the workshop to everyone who registers. Grab a spot below if you want in. Im going live in less than 48 hours.

It never ceases to amaze me whats possible when women come together to support each other with their goals. I received the following message from one of my Womens Money Group members after our first virtual meet-up (shared with permission): "Such a great group of women! Thank you for having the vision to create this community . I see the value in this as It removes the barriers, admittedly self-imposed, of getting to know people and creating new friendships. In my contin...uing personal development, I am aware of how limiting my beliefs were/are and the role it played in closing myself off/keeping people out. My takeaway from last nights first virtual meetup was reassurance - reassurance to go at my own pace without shame, judgement, or blame and to not get hung up on one question; to continue because a lot of the time the answer to that one question will reveal itself later on. There is also the peripheral reassurance that WMG is so incredibly right for me and is instrumental to my own journey of personal development." Dont tackle your finances and your most important goals alone. Youll achieve more, have more fun, and most importantly, youll realize you are not alone in dealing with your challenges.