August 11, 2008

AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS

How many of you have your bills set up on automatic payment?
I understand how the banks and companies benefit - either way they are guaranteed to get paid. I understand technically how you as the customer can also benefit - you save yourself time. However I have noticed a dangerous trend. The customers that are using it are usually using it because they don't like doing their bills, they were missing their payments and/or they just wanted to avoid their finances and this allowed them not to have to think about it. If you have no aspirations to get your finances in order or build wealth then I guess this is a viable plan. But if you are truly striving to get your finances in order, or simply rise to the next financial level, please don't use or stop using this automatic payment option.

In this age of microwave mentality, we often pay attention to what is going to get us to our destination the fastest versus what will allow us to fully arrive. If you don't like dealing with your finances, automatic payments are not going to suddenly take care of your issues around your finances. All the automatic payment system does is allow you to pretend that you have everything under control. A system is a system - how you're using it is coming from the same source. If the process from the beginning is broken then the process in a different system will still be broken. You may as well, take the time now, to look at your system. How much are your bills per month? When are your bills due? When do you earn income? Will there be enough in your account when the bills are due? We have to be involved and conscious to our financial life.

If you have plenty of extra income in relation to your expenses and you feel as if you don't need to worry about it, consider your future. If you know how much you owe, and how much you earn, and are just blindly letting the banks and computers handle your finances, what potential savings/investing opportunities might you be missing out on? What if your phone company has beed double charging you? I can not tell you how many times that I have heard people say, once we look at their statements, that they have no idea who a certain company is that has been taking money out of their account on a monthly basis. We have to be involved and conscious to our financial life.

As in most cases with technology, it does help us tremondously in our every day lives but please don't make the mistake of using them as substitutes for being involved in your own life. There is no substitute. Systems are there to help us but never take yourself out of the equation. If you use the automatic payment set up but you don't have a clue about what is being taken out or when, please start this month to make a list of the companies, the amount owed and when they are taken out. Start there. If your expenses are a lot more than your income and many months you get hit with overdraft fees take off the automatic payments. (No, the overdraft protection isn't really aiding you either.) Don't keep giving the banks more of your money. Turn and face your finances head on!

PLAN OF ACTION:
If you have automatic billing, learn the company, amount and date due for your bills.
Track it monthly. Please share your thrills from last week and any surprises you encountered from looking at your statements this week at emotionalmoney@gmail.com.




SAMARRA AM MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

There is only room for one more (female only) for my 3 hour day trip to Upstate New York this Saturday, August 16th. Big Tent Cultural Center in Whitney Point, NY will have the Women's African Drumming Group, Alode at 4pm for only $7.00 After the performance we'll all get to participate in a Drumming Circle. It will be wonderful fun. You can email me at emotionalmoney@gmail.com or call me at 718-350-6095 for the details.

Additional Services - Organizing, Gathering, Sorting and Filing. I happen to love putting things in order. If you just haven't been able to face it, give me a call. Examples such as:
If you can write your amounts down daily I'll organize it for you and every month you'll have a record of how much you made and how much you spent.
If you have a trunk or a bag filled with papers you just can't face - give me a call. Believe me, what is in there is not what you think.
Fee based on individual circumstances and projects.
Call today for an estimate and some inspiration!
718-350-6095
emotionalmoney@gmail.com
Dedicated to building communities living inspired, fulfilled and free!



EVENTS:
Grassroots Business Network, LLC
Networking Event This Thursday
http://www.gbnllc.com/
Be sure to visit their website. Their events are unique and fun!

Enlightennext
Every Thursday 7pm-10pm at 243 30th Street, 11th Floor
Meditation, vegetarian meal & a world wide conference call
www.enlightennext.org




ANNOUNCEMENT
Share - Sublet (8/15-11/15)

Available 8/15, 1bedroom share in a 2 bedroom apt for 1 month then I will be
leaving town for 2 months and the apt will become a sublet. The rent will be $1250
each of the 3 months. $600 deposit required.
Located in the 140's in Harlem. Top floor, sunny, great view, elevator, laundry
in building. Five minute walk to A,B,C,D and 3 trains. 10 minute ride to mid-town.
Path Mark and New York Sports Club less than a block away.
Cable and heat included. Pay 1/2 Con Ed for 1st month then entire bill the
remaining 2 months.
No smokers or pets please.

Call 646- 232- 7817 or e-mail wiley24@earthlink.net.


________________________________________________
Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at emotionalmoney@gmail.com. Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation. To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2008