How Dayna Reached Her Financial Goals Without Making More Money

Money Files

Today I’m introducing you to my client Dayna.  When Dayna and I started working together she was hesitant to get started because she was “busy” and had a lot of expenses to take care of. But what was also true is that she was making more money than she’d ever made before and still constantly stressed about her finances. 

Prior to working with me, Dayna didn’t know what dates her bills were due and she avoided her mailbox for fear of owing someone else.  I helped Dayna create a spending plan so she could see exactly how much she was bringing in each month, identify her bills dates, and start to decrease the level of stress she felt from trying to manage all of her expenses between paychecks. 

Within a month of working together in my 1:1 partnership, Dayna and I were able to establish a routine that allowed her to start seeing how she could not only pay her bills on time but also start saving for things that would typically catch her off guard like landscaping, birthdays, and travel needs for her daughter.

Listen to this episode to learn… 

  • Why it’s possible for Dayna to check her mailbox without heart palpitations and fear 
  • How soon Dayna saw results from our partnership and when she made her investment back 
  • The accomplishment she’s most proud of when it comes to her finances
  • When Dayna realized that making more money wasn’t the thing she needed to do in order to reach her financial goals 
  • How working with me for almost a year has supported Dayna in taking her financial goals beyond just desiring a budget to looking for additional opportunities to invest and hitting her next goal $5,000 in her emergency fund

 It may be true that making more money would help you save a little bit more but what’s also true is that you’re making more money than you ever had but you still find yourself stuck and unable to build momentum. If you think you need to make more money to reach your financial goals you’ll want to tune into Dayna’s story.

Listen to Dayna’s Money Files Episode

The Transcript

Keina:

[00:00:00] Hello everyone. My name is Keina Newell. I’m a financial coach and I work with professional women and solopreneurs to create new possibilities with their money. If you are tuning in right now, you are joining me for money files. So welcome. Thank you for tuning in for another episode of money files today, I’m talking to my client, Dayna, who reached out to me in December of 2019, and then she waited to start working with me until March of 2020, which some of you listening might be in the waiting room.

[00:00:30] So Dayna will tell you what she was doing while she was waiting and how she’s learned to be both disciplined and committed. You know, just comes naturally now. So I’m excited for you to tune into this episode. Hi, thank you for joining me for another episode of money files today. I’m joined with my client Dayna.

[00:00:49] We’ve been working together for about almost a year now. So I’m going to allow her to go ahead and introduce herself. Hi, Dayna, how are you today? I’m good. Thank you for joining me. You want to let everybody know who you are? Give a little bit of background. Yeah. Okay. I am Dayna. I am one of Tina’s clients. I started working, I think March, April of 2020.

Dayna:

[00:01:15] I originally reached out, I believe at the end of 2019, December of 2019, I was introduced to Tina and her. Well, it’s over now program via a Facebook group. And she did, I guess like just five day money challenge. And through that challenge, Learned a lot and wanted to see what it would be like to work with her for the one month intensive.

[00:01:42] And at the time I was hesitant. And so I postponed, starting to work with her, but when I was ready, you know, I started working with Tina. We did do one month intensive with. It was good. And then after that, I worked with her for three more months to just, for me, it was more about, you know, kind of the accountability and getting in the rhythm of everything that I was learning and kind of how to make it a routine, how to make it a habit.

Keina:

[00:02:14] And now we work on a monthly basis now and kind of now that we’ve got. This in place, how to take it to the next level. Great. We’re going to tell your whole story, something that you said to me or not just said just now was like you reached out in December and then we started working together in March.

[00:02:37] Tell me what was happening from December to March as you’re like mulling over. I met this girl Keena on a Facebook group. I don’t know her. Yeah, well that too, at the time, typically that first quarter I get very busy with my daughter. And so I knew that I had a lot of expenses coming up and so. At that time, I was thinking, what, how do I invest in this program and still pay all these expenses now, after working with Keena, I know that it is possible.

Dayna:

[00:03:16] And I always say that one of the things that you said during that first call was like, most of my clients, you know, I wouldn’t say, make back their money within the first, I guess, 60 days. But you realize your money, your investment, probably within the first 60 days. And you know, that comment kind of got the side eye from me, but working with Tina and I think within the first 60, between 60 and 90 days, I was like, I was able to stay.

[00:03:53] The exact amount that I paid for this program. And so that kind of, that was when it all kind of clicked to me how, you know, I would be able to, you know, invest in myself, but still be able to, you know, pay my bills.

Keina:

[00:04:18] And I know for a lot of clients, it’s scary. And I also like to think about it. It’s like the gift that keeps on giving, because I know for myself even investing in coaching is like, you’re investing in your mind. And you’re thinking in addition to like, yes, you have a budget, but I think the way that having coached you these last couple of months, just the way that you are thinking about things now that you weren’t thinking about.

Dayna:

[00:04:44] When we first started working. Right. My mindset was completely different, especially when I’m surrounded my finances. And so from, from that perspective, at that time, you know, the way I was thinking, it just wasn’t, it didn’t seem, it didn’t seem feasible to you know, be able to invest in the program at the time.

[00:05:07] So that was my main hesitation. At that time, I kind of do wish I might’ve started a little bit earlier or started in January. Or just, just the earlier knowing what I know now, you know, hindsight is 2020, but bottom line is I did start. And as I’ve told you before, you know, this program has provided me so much more than.

[00:05:37] What I, the, the money that I put out and I don’t normally say that because. You know, I, I think that, you know, when, when people say, you know, an investment, you know, what I received was worth so much more, you know, because money is a very real, tangible thing

[00:05:56] possible that you don’t, but it has, because it totally shifted my mindset regarding my finances and what is capable or what I am capable of. What would you say is your biggest mindset shifts? That I am a good steward over my finances like that. I am good with money. And that is, that is the whole statement.

Keina:

[00:06:21] I am good with money. I love that part. It’s a whole statement. You don’t have to qualify it or anything. One of the other things, as you were talking about, you didn’t think that this was feasible and something that I’ve candidly said. I don’t think I’ve said it on money files or I don’t even know if I’ve said it in my stories on Instagram, but I love that the people that are coming to me start talking about feasibility for what they’re spending their money on.

[00:06:46] When, when I think about like, what other things have you invested in that. Didn’t actually have a return on investment, but now we’re having a conversation about feasibility. And this is the very thing that literally shifts everything for you. In how you think about money, how you manage money. I would even say like your ability to create more money because you start to see, oh, here’s the.

[00:07:12] Here are some of the gaps that, you know, in, in terms of like what I earn and what I desire to be putting out, or like in my 401k, but really being able to dream and like see a bigger picture. So if you’re listening and you’re thinking these ability I get the logical practical thought of that. But as Dayna has just kind of spoken to.

[00:07:32] I don’t think that you can place a value on this. And yes, Dayna will tell you like money as a tangible thing,

[00:07:42] but like how, how much are the results worth for you to be able to get the thing that you desire? Which a client today was talking about? After our first meeting, she was like, I can look at my bank account without the heart palpitations that mine is. I can check the mail without the heart. Yeah. It’s a running joke in my family.

Dayna:

[00:08:03] You know, if they send something, you know, they need to call me and let me know this that’s the mailbox. And mainly I don’t check the mail box because it’s always, it was always typically somebody asking me for something that I don’t have, but now that’s not the case anymore. You know it’s the, you know, it’s, you know, the things that I receive in the mail are expected typically it’s, you know It’s something that doesn’t show a balance.

[00:08:30] And so that is something now that I can, I can do, I can go to the mailbox for me. It was going to the mailbox, not necessarily checking my account for going to the mailbox, because normally, like I said, it was somebody asked him for something that I can, what has been the thing that you’re most proud of in terms of your results?

[00:08:49] Like something that you never even maybe thought was possible for you. Being able to pay all my bills on time and full. You know, when we first started you know, you had asked me what my due dates for my bills were, and I did not know because my whole thinking was, well, what’s the purpose of knowing, because if I don’t have it, when they ask for it, then I can’t give it to them.

[00:09:11] So they’ll get it when they get it. But now I know the. Yeah, they get paid on time and full because I was queen of paint on something, because if I didn’t have the full amount, then I can’t give you what I don’t have. But now that the system that has been set up in place, like all the bills get paid on time and full, and there’s always money there to do that.

[00:09:37] And, you know, the. Mind boggling thing for me, it’s still mind boggling is that. I haven’t made any more money than I was making back in April, but somehow I have been able to not only pay all my bills on time, but I have been able to create an emergency fund. I have been able to identify the things that are important to me and be able to create savings for those.

[00:10:09] And so right about now you know, Christmas has, you know, we just went through Christmas. So my savings account is a little bit lower than it has been, but right about now I have, you know, probably. Over $3,000 in savings. You know, if something, and you know, that’s inclusive of my emergency fund, I, you know, I’ve been saving, you know, I want to take my daughter on a trip this summer.

[00:10:35] Cause. We’ll want us citizens to visit again. And you know, we, we my daughter is also in a travel sport and although our travel has been limited this year, we still are traveling and I have money set aside for that. And so that to me has been the most mind boggling thing ever. I didn’t have to, you know, I had in prior to.

[00:11:02] You know, I was saving. So when the good sales came, I had money set aside already to catch those great sales or, you know, whatever. You know, the black Friday sales to purchase Christmas gifts instead of having to, you know, okay, well, which pay check is gonna go towards Christmas gifts and what am I not going to pay in order to, to, you know, buy Christmas gifts or something of that nature.

[00:11:30] And none of that has happened at all this year. We just went to a competition and I was able to pay for the hotel and the rental car with, with, you know, the money was already there. And so to me that has. The most mind boggling. I keep on saying mind, I’m convinced is like all this time, you know, I was like, I need to make more money.

[00:11:59] I need to make more money. And every time I made more money, it just somehow, you know change what I thought it was going to change and come to realize I kind of had to shift my mindset. It was more of an internal thing than an external. I love that. And I know the, how the, how is because you’re a good steward of your finances and that’s a complete statement, but one of the things I want to get your take on is like, how did you get there?

Keina:

[00:12:31] Right. Cause if I’m listening, I’m like, that sounds great. But what, what has been some of the, how some of the things that you’ve learned or the resources that you’ve leaned on along the way that has have gotten you those results? Okay. It’s kind of a two-fold park. So part one was, you know, we put some systems in place, you know, the money day before the concept of the money date, the concept of giving every dollar, a name, some of the pre-work that and an ongoing work, but some of the pre-work that, you know, you had me do was, you know, first of all, kind of thinking about what’s important.

[00:13:13] And what and how I want it to be intentional with my money, you know? So kind of, you know, obviously you have your bills, right. But then what else, what, what are you, what do you want to accomplish? What do you hope to accomplish kind of categorizing that and understanding what, you know, what was important to me?

Dayna:

[00:13:34] Also some of the things like I was paying about a hundred dollars a month in this subscription, You know, between Netflix and Amazon and Hulu and, and six flags and, you know, and I signed up for these things and I’m like, yeah, I have the money in the account, but not really kind of like those small things that kind of like leak money identifying those and making space, making room for those tracking those, you know, I have a star.

[00:14:06] It’s still a problem. We’ll talk more. I have to tell you some other stories about that. But yeah, I have a Starbucks problem and so, you know, kind of making that, not necessarily taking that away, but understanding it and making room for it and you know, my spending plan. And so some of it was, you know, a little bit of self-reflection, but you know, you know had me.

[00:14:31] And, and you know, kind of think on or go a little bit deeper regarding my, my feelings and my thoughts regarding the money. And so understanding that I think was important part of the success. And then also, you know, the systems that we put in place. One thing that I, you know, understanding where your money is going.

[00:14:54] And giving everything a dollar, giving every dollar, a name or a. I think was very important and the money date, because it kind of, it, it just, for me, the money date gives me just it’s like a check-in, you know, with me and I guess my financial therapist, you know, checking, where are you at? Are you on track?

[00:15:16] Are we off track? Like where are we going? You know having those conversations between BMI. Bank account. It was quality time too. It’s like your, your money wants a relationship with you. And if you think about like, what do you desire in the best of your relationships? You want somebody to communicate with you, but when it comes to our.

[00:15:43] I mean it like some bank accounts are in these abusive relationships and like, no man, no wonder why,

[00:15:53] but yeah, just it’s taken that time to like, actually see where are things going? Right. And so it was kind of like once the systems are in place, you know, they kind of it’s, it’s kind of the maintenance of that. But, but getting to that point and you know, the continuing maintenance and. Reluctant about my ability to continue to, to maintain the system that we put in place, but I am consistent and disciplined when it comes to my finances.

[00:16:24] So, you know, it hasn’t really been an issue. You know, continuing to maintain this system that is, has been put in place and the system isn’t this system is very flexible. So I don’t want to give the idea that, you know, you put everything and you have to stick to this your, the system or your spending plan is, is flexible.

[00:16:47] And it can paint, however you feel is necessary or, you know, to fit your lifestyle or wherever you are at that period of. You know right now I had to, I decided that, you know me, you know, we’ll probably talk about this a little later, but you know, I want to start investing my money in, in, you know, for the long term.

[00:17:12] And so I adjusted my spending plan to make room for that, you know, the it’s it’s the first of the year, all your open enrollment may have changed your. Where you are, tax-wise may obtain, you know, how much you pay for your medical or whatever. And so I had to look at now what my new take home balances and, you know, adjust the spending plan to reflect any of those things.

Keina:

[00:17:41] And so, you know that, so the spending plan or the system it’s not rigid and you can change it and update it to. Whatever you want for your lifestyle. I love it. So I’m going to tell you that my eyes lit up because I actually, I did something fun, which was to go back to the form that you filled out. When we first had our consultation.

[00:18:08] One of the things you said on that form was like that you doubted your ability to remain disciplined and consistent. Literally no less than like probably a minute ago. You go, I’m consistent. And it was so matter of fact, and I was like because I, it goes back to that conversation earlier when we were talking about like the mindset shifts and just like, who are you embodying and how is the person you’re becoming continually showing up.

[00:18:38] So I just love that for you. So I hope that you take a moment to celebrate. You said that, and you also said the other thing and I’m excited for you. So one of the other things that you said in that form, and I want to see what your take is on it now, w it asks you, like, what’s your biggest challenge or frustration, and you said staying within my budget.

[00:19:00] So one, is that still your biggest challenge? And if so, why or if not, why not? Well, now I would say that. What a budget is or how I define budget is different. So I think that’s the biggest thing. And so being able to stay with within the amount of money that I make, yes, yes, I have. I have no choice because you know, like I said, money is a finite tangible thing, but I guess, so now the question is, am I able to.

Dayna:

[00:19:41] Still pay my bills and do what I’m into what I want to do. Not using, not robbing Peter to pay Paul, being able to basically not use my mortgage to finance it. And the answer is yes.

[00:19:58] And so I I’ve, you know, but definitely how I view a budget is. And my ability to like I said, make room for the things that I want for the things that are important to me and to align my spending plan with those things. I am more than capable of. I love it. I definitely love it. So as we look to this year what are some of the financial goals you have for yourself?

[00:20:32] As I mentioned before beginning to invest my money and being able to find ways to have my money work for me to generate more money. You know, so those, I guess, would now fall into what are those long-term goals, but even short term, I’m still continuing to invest in myself. Whether it be through education.

[00:20:57] And, and, and those types of ways, those are some of my I guess, personal goals, but really now to kind of shift to, okay, now I know I can do this, so how to take it to the next level, you know, there’s. My daughter is 14 years old. So there’s going to be some major things that are going to happen way quicker than I am ready for and such, and you know, and so how to prepare for those who’s going to within the, probably the next three years going to be driving.

[00:21:29] So she’s going to need. Because you can’t use mine. She’s going to be going off to college and me remembering what it’s like being a college student you know, being away at college is more than, you know, just being able to pay for room and board and tuition, you still going to need money. And so, you know, help preparing her help preparing us for that, you know, transition.

Keina:

[00:21:52] So those are some of the, I guess, midterm. Not, not necessarily long term, but not necessarily short term. So some of the box midterm goals that I want to I’m focused on. I love it. And if you had to talk to your December, 2019 self or someone that’s on the fence about investing in a financial coach, what would you say?

Dayna:

[00:22:16] I know I’ve been there, but it’s worth it. And so. It’s kind of like sometimes, you know, I, I can, I can share my story, but unfortunately until they’re ready, they’re not going to be ready. And so even at that 2019 Dayna, which has been exactly a year, I don’t know if I was ready to make those painters. And so I would still have to stay there.

[00:22:51] It will be one of the best investments that can ever make, but you have to do it when you’re ready. I know that when I started working with you, I was ready. The, the tank that has happened and what, like, it seems like a, such a short period of time. And as I keep on saying it was mind boggling. Cause I don’t know how it happened.

[00:23:17] Like what happened? You know, I did the work, but just, you know, It seems like it was like a complete, complete 360. Like I’m not saying finances are not a where you are, if you, but it’s more, it’s just a diff it’s different. It’s very, very different. And what I’m thinking about what I’m thinking about is so much bigger than what it was before, you know, before I was thinking about you know, how to get the bills paid.

[00:23:49] How to get, you know, my balance has caught up now is how to plan for the future. I love it, but how would I know I was ready?

[00:24:02] I don’t know, to be honest with you, you just do, you just do when, when you’re just so tired of, of whatever cycle you’re in and you know that you need the cane and you know that you need. I don’t think I would have been able to do it without speaking help. Somebody who was objective non-judgemental and kind of just, you know gave you easy encouragement when you needed it and also help you.

[00:24:36] What you helped me do is recognize the progress and celebrate. I think that is very important is, is celebrating the win, no matter how big, how small, just celebrating those, you know, how far you have come every step, you know, when you took five steps forward, that’s great, you know, celebrating all the milestones.

[00:25:01] And so when you know that you can’t do it by yourself, because even with the five day. Program that he did on Facebook, it did, you know, you, you covered a lot of the main points, you know money dates giving everything a name, you know, making sure you know, all your dollars have a job, but working with you, one on one was, you know, I don’t think that it would have come together without seeking the help outside of.

[00:25:36] ’cause sometimes you do. And as I tell my daughter, it’s okay to need help. It is perfectly fine. Everybody does, at some point in their life, not asking for help is the problem. So when you are ready to ask for help and there’s nothing wrong with needing some help, some guidance, some support. I love that.

Keina:

[00:25:58] All of it. I love you. Is there anything that I didn’t ask you that I should. I think we got it all. You know, where I was today? I mean, yes, a year ago from now kind of we’ve, we’ve talked about the process. But I think the biggest change of all was definitely the change in mindset. You know, whatever you think you are, if you think you can, you will, if you think you can’t, you won’t.

[00:26:28] And so that shift in your mindset and what. I don’t want the listeners to think, you know, it’s this little high in the sky we will, but the journaling, the reflection and trying to understand why you, you know, think the way you do or even recognizing limiting balloons. You know, a lot of times we’re so used to telling ourselves, oh, I’m not good with money or, oh, I’m a procrastinator.

Dayna:

[00:26:55] Or, oh, as soon as my money comes in my hand, it’s out the door. Just even recognizing when you you’re telling yourself that, you know, because it becomes so second nature that you don’t even recognize that you know, that you’ve already lost before you’ve begun to self it’s like self fulfilling prophecy.

Keina:

[00:27:15] Yes. Versus. I tell people all the time, you can be good at managing your money and still be learning how to pay off your debt and learning to save. Because if you go in with that mentality, you’re going to be looking for the ways that you’re good with money. And, you know, in the beginning it might be who I paid that bill on time.

[00:27:34] I don’t have an overdraft fee. I sat down and had a money date. And so like, those are accomplishments and those little milestones they add up to, Ooh, look, I have a thousand dollars saved. Oh wow. I have 3000. All of my bills are paid. And so you get to stack the things that make you good with money, because I think that.

[00:27:56] For some of us, when I say to someone like, what would it mean for you to be good with money? I think that immediately your brain goes to like, well, I would have to have like six months of an emergency fund. I don’t know. I’d have to like be set to retire. Right. And so your head is in this other space versus like thinking about no.

[00:28:12] How could you be good with money today? Maybe you even just say, like, I’m not going to actually go to Starbucks and you know, I don’t have a problem go to Starbucks. I don’t care, but maybe that’s. I’m going to use that $3 for something else, because that’s what I’m choosing. And it’s all about, it’s all about the agency and the choice, and that makes you like, that makes you good with money.

Dayna:

[00:28:34] Yeah. And that definite, you know, like you had explained, you know, Dayna last year. What makes you good with money? I need to have six months in, you know, an emergency fund, you know, $500,000 and investments, this and that and the other. What makes me good with money? I’m able to pay my bills every month.

[00:28:57] There are no more overdrafts. These, I don’t have to worry about if there’s money for, in the account for the bills. There is, I am working towards there. I have an emergency saving and I am working towards continuing to build that I am working towards, you know, investment. And I’m putting my money into investments that makes me good with money.

Keina:

[00:29:23] And I would agree because then in another year from now you have a whole nother set of accomplishments and you got it. You got it. You just keep on going. Cause I hope if you’re listening that you just hear about, you hear Dayna, just talking about the progress and this has happened in really less than a year.

[00:29:42] As we did start working together last March and just the complete change that she’s had, which now frees her brain up to think about, okay, what now? What is the next level for me to be good with money or that I desire to be B I don’t know. That’s not coming out. Right. But basically going back to the fact that.

[00:30:04] It’s a personal journey. And that’s what I want. All of my clients to have is something that feels personal to them. Like you talked about your spending plan being flexible, right? Whether you want to go to Starbucks or you’re like, I just need a target font. I don’t, you know, whatever that is. But it being in alignment with who you are and pushing you towards the goals that you’ve set for yourself and the goals that feel like they’re in alignment with the things that you value, not what like they Ramsey Susan Orman is telling you to do cause the other things they come, but if you stay in the same situation you are right now, you’re not going to make the progress that you could be.

Dayna:

[00:30:43] And, you know, there was a process, you know, through the past couple of months, you know, I’ve learned about myself and, you know, something that worked for me and some things that don’t, and what work may work for me may not necessarily work for the next person. You know, so it is a work in progress. But another thing that I, you know, also, you know, when you’re, when you believe that you’re not good with money, There’s a level of, I guess, shame and embarrassment that kind of comes along with that and letting that go and allowing yourself grace you know, th th that has probably been another thing is letting the.

[00:31:27] You know, I am 45 years young. And so, you know, in my mind, I’m supposed to be, you know, again, six months say $500,000 and investments and that, you know, that’s me. That’s not where I’m at right now. And that’s. And being, you know, showing myself grace, being okay with where I am being proud of my progress and, you know, just letting the same and embarrassment go.

Keina:

[00:31:58] And I think that’s probably another reason why people may be hesitant to ask for help or. Is because that, that, that same, that, or they may feel because they may not be where they’re supposed to be or where somebody has said they’re supposed to. Well, thank you, Dayna. I am really excited for whoever has made it to this very moment and listened to all the way to the end of this episode.

[00:32:24] And I know that a lot of people are going to be encouraged by the story that you shared. And if you are listening and you are ready, whether it’s how Dayna described you being ready, or you just know internally, like I’m ready to. Shift where I’ve been financially and I want to create something else for my life.

[00:32:43] I want that personal journey and I want a different mindset about the way that I manage finances. I would invite you to book a call with me and we can talk about what’s possible for you and help you create something different in your life as well. So thank you for today. I just love it, that you made it to the end of this episode of money files.

[00:33:01] I hope some part of today’s story resonated with you and showed you the power of coaching today. I’m inviting you to take the first step and book a one-to-one call with me. We’ll discuss what you’re hoping to achieve with your money, where you need support and how I can help you reach your financial goals faster than you ever could alone.

[00:33:21] Go to www.wealthovernow.com and book. Once again, my name is Keena and thank you again for joining me. Also stay tuned for the next episode.

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