In this podcast, Olga Cordiero, a Certified Management Accountant and Founder of the Empowerment Coaching Academy, will discuss the misconceptions (or mythconceptions) many of us have surrounding money. Olga specifically discusses the questions of how to assess whether your Financial Advisor has your best interests at heart, and whether your home is really a good investment.

Olga has offered you a free consultation as a listener - please follow the link above, and mention that you heard about her on BeABondGirl.com!

And yes…I was going to put some fancy schmancy pictures (and at least a photograph of Olga) on this post…but for some reason WordPress isn’t letting me upload one. But I am DETERMINED to get this posted today!

 

 Interview with Olga Cordiero, Empowerment Coaching Academy: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hello! I know, it’s been quite some time since I did a regular podcast. Amazingly, this is my 35th podcast, but that includes the hynotherapy podcasts, interviews, vodcasts, etc. So I am calling this “Podcast 11″ since it’s the 11th one where it’s me, just me…

The picture at left is Special Agent V and her sexy James. They live in Switzerland, as you will hear, and are planning a round-the-world trip! Special Agent V asked for tips on looking Bond Girlish (not schlumpy) when living for nine months out of one suitcase. If you’re curious, she found BeABondGirl.com this way:

“I was home sick in bed for 4 days and I am a fan of James Bond (I have the whole collection on DVD ). Since I was already in bed with my laptop surfing endlessly, I was wondering what exactly the Bond Girl names were and to know if they had a character story beyond what you see in the films. I started my search and found you online. And then loaded up a podcast… and yeah, got hooked. Better than knowing a Bond Girl is to be one yourself ;-)”

Secret Agent V and I had a long-running email tail about how, and what, to pack for her trip, which I go into in abbreviated fashion on this podcast. I also had an email from - Mr. Bond himself! Yes, I did… though it might not be what you think!

Next, here is the information from “Mr. Bond” on his venture into podcasting - it is Episode 33 on the Nursing Show blog, and if you click here, it will take you to it.  Mr. Bond is interviewed on being an E.R. Nurse after being an EMT/Paramedic for over a decade (his interview is actually at the 12:30 mark). What a great podcast! It’s amazing, there are podcasts for everything…with great resources, articles and links.  This is a super one! Go Bond… Paul Bond!

Finally, this BABG podcast deals with how we Bond Girls make our money. Using Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Kiyosaki as a template, we discuss the differences between being an employee, self-employed, a business, and an investor, and how being a “real” business (versus being self-employed, which is just being an employee, with yourself as your boss, janitor, marketer, bill collector, and chief bottle washer!) can ultimately lead you to the cashflow upon which to retire.

As part of discussing cashflow and business, I talk quite a bit about network marketing and my experiences with many such companies, including my current one, SendOutCards.com. Because I really believe in networking marketing as a way to control your destiny money-wise, I am offering anyone who writes to me a copy of Beach Money by Jordan Adler. If you’d like a copy, listen to the podcast and let me send you one!

Please let me know if you would like more on wealth-building or any other topics. I will likely talk a bit more about finances, wealth creation, and the like in the next few podcasts, but my subjects are really guided by what you’d like to hear. So speak up - don’t be shy!

As I noted in the podcast, unfortunately I have lost my previous call-in line. Yes, it happens to the best of us. The New Number for Listener Feedback is 206-350-1867.  You can now reach me both on doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com (which comes to my Blackberry), or sandy [at] BeABondGirl [dot] com, my new direct email address.  Finally, you can always Comment below. I hope you enjoy this episode, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Click the red button below to listen:

 

 011 Listener Feedback and a Chat about Cashflow: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The amazing and wonderful Collabo-writer Sallie Goetsch-rhymes-with-sketch  at Author-izer.com sent me a link that definitely belongs here:  50 Things You Should Know How To Do from Marc and Angel Hack Life.

This website is wa-a-ay too addictive. I’d definitely suggest adding it to your RSS Feedreader (if you don’t have one or don’t know how to do this, email me and I’ll ’splain — it’s super easy and you will LOVE it once you get it set up). Archives include:

25 Daily Suggestions to Guide you toward the Good Life;

10 Handy Numbers for your Mobile Phone (particularly notice the FREE 411 through Google);

33 Inspirational Videos from YouTube (including the “Last Lecture,” laughter yoga, the original Hoosiers motivational speech, the Braveheart “Freedom” speech, and wow, wow, wow, SO MUCH MORE!…check this one out about an autistic guy singing the National Anthem at Disability Awareness Day in Fenway Park in Boston if you want that throat swelling/eyes tearing up moment…);

20 Things the Millionaire Next Door does NOT do (fantastic list. I cover this in my book, based on the actual book “The Millionaire Next Door” - but read this and BE HONEST - what stops you from being a millionaire? My biggest issue is #9 - impulse buying - as Erin Doland and I discussed in our podcast, this is the “Shiny! Shiny!” problem. I actually do NOT do this at the mall - it’s always at things like silent auctions for charities. I figure it’s for a good cause . . . but hello, it’s not good for my pocketbook! I just did this yesterday at one of my favorite charities in the world, Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment…just shoot me.)

Check out this site! It’s great!  Thanks again, Sallie!

As you’ve probably surmised, today is a day for me to post a bunch of stuff I have been holding onto. Here is another link, to The Story of Stuff, with Annie Leonard.  It’s 20 minutes long, but I think it’s a very good reminder… especially if you’re feeling a little down and want to cure that with “Retail Therapy”!

 I was particularly interested in some of the quotes about “planned obsolescence.” I also had to ruefully smile when Annie points out that, after 9/11, the President could have asked us to grieve, to be compassionate, to come together… instead, what he told us to do was Shop. (True!)

I’m not particularly political, but I do have a strong feeling that we’re getting to that Al-Gore-Nobel-Peace-Prize “point of no return” when it comes to our resources.  This should lead to a change in priorities… and to having a good, long look at our lifestyle. One of the things that Annie points out is that the two biggest leisure activities in the U.S. are watching TV, and shopping.  And if you’re watching TV, you’re getting exposed to commercials, which are basically telling you that “You Suck” (her words, not mine) and that you need to buy their products, to “Not Suck.”  So you go to work, or maybe work two jobs, to buy the Stuff that the advertisements say will make you Not Suck, and then you’re so exhausted when you get home, all you can do is watch TV… when tells you that You Suck (dot dot dot)

I was also very interested that the whole “planned obsolescence”/concentration on Consumerism thing started in the 1950s — which was the “peak” of our Happiness Graph as a society (it’s fallen since that time).  Gee, maybe because instead of using stuff until we’re done with it, having extra time to spend with our families, etc. we are being bombarded with advertising that says We Suck, news that says The World Sucks, and feeling that the only way for it all to be fixed is — surprise! — to buy more!

Have a look — I think it would be great to watch this with the kids, too, and be ready for some hard questions from THEM, about how YOUR household fits into this mix.

…Yeah ok fine, one more word on the Recession “thang.”  The glass is always 1/2 full or 1/2 empty — right?

Why not accentuate the GOOD THINGS that are going to come out of this?  Because your mind will be more on keeping track of your $ outflow, you can train your baby Bond daughters and sons the true value of things — and that your love (and their worth) is NOT tied up in you buying them yet ANOTHER pair of whatever-they-wants. You can “nest” with your James and make a couple cocktails, and chat, maybe even have fun preparing a meal together, instead of complaining about how you “can’t go out” because you don’t have enough $.

 Accent what works! 

Let me give you a little potential thing you could do on your next Date Night with your James, instead of going for a full-bore dinner that’s going to set him back a couple bills. Get all dolled up, the 2 of you. Then, go to the most expensive restaurant in town that has a bar. Not one with a packed 3-deep bar — a super nice place, quiet, lush, Bond Grrrrrl.

When you sit down, if the bar wraps around, try to get a seat on the side — so that you can watch the dining room and what’s going on. Just get the best seat you can. (If you can’t get a good one straight off, then wait, and move to it.) If you are not a drinker, have the bartender order you up whatever it is that you would like — a Sprite or 7-Up maybe? — but have it put in a champagne glass. Put a $20 tip immediately on the bartender mat, and tell your bartender that’s for him or her for taking care of you. This is especially worthwhile if you are not drinking cocktails — which I suggest you might want to consider, since they are very expensive, and you don’t need that to have fun, anyway!  But this way, the bartender knows that your 2-3 7-Ups are still going to be leading to a nice tip.

Then have some fun! Spin a story with your James. Flirt with him. Make sure your smile reaches your eyes! Just lavish your attention on your James. And pay attention to what’s going on out there with the folks that are having dinner. Make up little stories. It can be a blast. Since you will be there after you have had a nice meal at home, you won’t be hungry, you won’t be tempted to eat bread, and you will NOT be pulling bills off the bankroll to escape!

Have fun like this when you can. Be sure to compensate the Staff “as if” you had had a few pricey cocktails — they won’t care what you’re drinking as long as they get their $.

And another note — if right before you sit down at the bar you go to the Ladies and put on some lipstick, you’re going to drink slower. Because we all know how nasty that “lipstick ring” looks on the edge of the glass — so you will be “sipping” to keep the lipstick to a minimum.  This can slow you down, if you “usually” would be drinking cocktails instead of a soda or some bubbly water.  Give it a try!

Man.  I am soooo far behind on my blog, it’s making my head hurt. I could blame it on trying to get the podcasts out; coaching; the weather. Instead, I just think that a lot of things ganged up on me at once!  So!  I’m going to post a passel of blog postings, to get ideas out of my inbox (where I store them)… and away we go!!

Bernanke signals more rate cuts in testimony
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said during testimony to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday that the central bank would consider more interest-rate cuts. “He didn’t say the word recession, but if you read between the lines, all this talk about further downside risk is dealing with the risk we may already be in one,” said Scott Anderson, a senior economist at Wells Fargo. Bernanke said the slowing economy posed a greater threat than rising inflation.  ClipSyndicate/Bloomberg (2/27), Bloomberg (2/27), Washington Post, The (2/28), Wall Street Journal, The (2/28)

I heard this covered on KCBS right after Bernanke spoke.  The drive-time team was stating that he used wording that sounded “cautious” but in Fed-speak basically means The Economy Is BA-AAAAD.  Then they interviewed a number of economists, and what their “take” was about this.

One of the economists stated that the “first thing to go” would be “Brand buying” — and that folks would then “just feel poorer.”  That when folks aren’t able to “buy their Brands,” they feel deprived.”

Well, let’s start right here, Bond Grrrrrrls.  We know, right, that Bond Grrls are not “Brand Flashers”?  That’s the thing here.  Bond Grrls live amazing lives, and look great, NOT because they have Chanel on their glasses or Armani on their jeans… but because they are confident, chic, fabulous women all by themselves!

With the economy heading South per all the experts, it’s the time to take a look at your life.  If you have my book, you know that involves going through your ENTIRE house, office, etc. — and taking stock.  What do you have that you shouldn’t?  Can you sell it?  Can you put on a yard sale, or just start doing little bits of sale on eBay? If you itemize your deductions, how about getting some charitable deductions or giving away some of your possessions for a charity you love to auction off in a “silent auction”? 

The best part about this all (paradoxically) is that EVERYONE is going to be tightening their belts.  We keep hearing it/hearing it/hearing it — and so you can intelligently say that you are “paying attention to what the Fed is saying” (sounds good, huh?) and NOT go Mall-bopping or shoeshopping.  Open up all your bills.  Take stock.  Then use all this as an EXCUSE not to go and spend.  Because so many people are in trouble now, you need to help light the way. Be an example. Get your bills paid down. Stop spending needlessly. Heck, start brown baggin’ it! And once you’re out of your hole, and once you realize that your worth is in your awesome SELF, not in the umpteenth BrandBling purse you buy, you’re going to be sooooooooooooooooooo much better for it!