Your Money by Design

I don’t have a rags to riches story… and that should reassure you. Because I bet you are not “rags,” either. In debt perhaps, chronically broke perhaps, or simply dishevelled financially, but not truly “rags.” And you may not really want to be “rich” either – you just want to feel financially secure, and have means to create and live your best life. I hope you also care about our planet and other people, and would like to have financial resources to contribute meaningfully to make our shared world a better place. I want you to know that that can happen for you. I’ve made the journey, and I’ve arrived at a very, very good place. I’m an ordinary Canadian who graduated from University (British Columbia) with a truckload of student loan debt, just as Vancouver housing prices went In.Sane. Add to that a general obliviousness about money, growing credit card debt, a propensity for retail therapy and was most definitely what we now call an under-earner with a scarcity mindset, and it all led to one fateful night: One dark, rainy, fateful night at the Shopper’s Drug Mart on Broadway & McDonald. I had returned from a trip to Mexico… or was it England… to mend (yet another) broken heart, and whilst away had forgotten to pay my credit card. Twice. In front of me, and anyone who cared to watch (oh yes, there was a lineup at 10pm) the young lad (what, grade nine?) cut up my card. Cut up my credit card right there and right then. I was mortified. Mor.Ti.FIED! I slunk home to my basement suite which I shared with a roommate, Doug, and lay awake all night wondering how things had come to this. I had been discouraged about my finances for two or three years by that point, but had no clue what to do about it. I had been a scholarship student, I held a responsible (but grossly underpaying) job, and had it together in nearly every aspect of my life. But money defeated me. I knew I didn’t need a financial planner: I could barely pay my rent much less find $500 a month for RRSPs. Neither did I need to declare bankruptcy. There seemed nowhere to turn. Enter Tony Robbins. You know the guy: over-the-top Tony, full of life and a huge grin. Doug had received a series of tapes (yes, tapes) and each Sunday would listen to one. When I heard Tony talking about money, I made a cup of tea and sat down. His first instructions, which I encourage you to do right now yourself, was simply to write out three money goals, and take one action on any of them within 24 hours. I knew immediately what mine were. I never wanted to bounce a cheque or have a missed credit card payment ever again. (Did I mention there were collections calls, too?) I always wanted to know where my money was going. I had only a general sense. I wanted to own my own place. In Vancouver. In the 1990’s. I cannot tell you how utterly impossible that one seemed even back then – I might as well have asked for Elon Musk to send me into space. And for my first step, I purchased Quicken, and started tracking my money. The magic didn’t happen straight away. It did happen though… and I’ll get to that. In the first year or two, things got marginally better, but only just. Indeed I started knowing what was going on with my money. Frustratingly, I still often was in over my head, but at least knowing about it gave me a fighting chance. And as the months went by, things started to smooth out. I rarely was caught short or by surprise any more. And week in, week out, I kept tracking where my money was flowing. I started reading about money. I started skimming financial pages. And best of all, I became inspired by my mom who in her 50’s became a really savvy investor. So I learned to invest, and started a women’s investment club, Twanda! I invested a mere $30 / month but that started a wonderful mindset shift. I wasn’t Nancy-the-chronically-broke. I was Nancy who had savings. Who was growing her money. And then the magic happened. From right out of nowhere, I received a cheque the size of a down payment. Had it arrived three years earlier, it would have been frittered away, no doubt. Instead, it, combined with my WestJet and Starbucks stocks (literally) bought me my dream condo in gastown, Vancouver. A converted warehouse, it’s a sexy little thing with real hardwood, exposed brick, exposed pipe 9” ceilings and floods of sunshine. Over the years, things kept getting better, albeit with new bumps along the way . My mindset continued to shift out of scarcity into abundance. I became comfortable with money. I now own four rental properties. I have earned the fabled six-figures for several years. My retirement is not quite, but nearly, secure. I have lovely holidays with treasured friends. Best of all, I can get behind organisations and initiatives I believe in. I’m no longer chronically stressed about money. On the contrary, while there are still challenges that arise, I have a quiet inner confidence and I look forward to the future. I am living my best life… and continuing to expand what that means to me. As you see, not “rags to riches”. But struggling to keep my head above water to living my best life is pretty damn good. If you want more details on how I did it, and what I’m doing now (the journey doesn’t ever end!), get to know me. I post daily on Instagram, will be posting on YouTube and often field questions on my Facebook page. I’d love to connect with you.