 I had the wonderful opportunity to attend FinCon18 earlier this year. It was held in Orlando, FL. This was, by far, the best conference I have attended for my business. I met so many wonderful people and learned so much on how to grow my business and how to broaden my reach. Day 1: Once I checked into the hotel, freshened up and headed to the registration table. I got my name badge and pins. It was official - I was at FinCon18!!! I was ready to learn. I had 3 goals: 1. Meet as many people I can can. 2. Get ideas to monetize both the It'$ My Money blog and The Money Exchange podcast 3. Learn how to grow my client base. Ok now it is time to grab a bite to eat. Not really knowing anyone there, I went to each lunch alone. I sat down and as I was looking over the menu, then Madame Money walked in. She and I followed each other but had never met in person. We ended up eating lunch together. Soon it was time for the first timers orientation. I said “this will help me understand what to expect, I can take notes (I am a big note-taker) and then I will be a set for the rest of the conference”. No, no, no when I finally found the room the orientation was being held in I opened the door and there was standing room only. It was overwhelming. There were so many first timers in the room. Oh no, I can’t take notes, I can’t hear, I can’t see who is speaking as there were people taller standing in front of me. Then someone said the facilitator wants us to introduce ourselves and that broke the ice for me. I actually got excited as this gave an opportunity for me to share who I was and why I was there and to hear the same from those standing near me. Once I finished the initial introduction I turned to the person on my other side and to the next person and continued the introductions for several people. I began to feel more comfortable. I was in my lane!! Now, I had to rethink goal #1 because there were so many people there that I wished I had done more homework and had a strategy for meeting people and doing more pre-planning for connections. That said, I actually met a lot of people. Many I have stayed in contact with and plan to work with in the future. Later that evening were the Big Idea and Keynote speeches. I made my way to the front and found a seat - I was ready to learn. Minutes later the one and only Jean Chatzky came and sat down right next to me. Yes, she and I chatted and took a picture together. Now I am even more excited. Then the action began, “The Big Idea” came from they dynamic duo Talaat & Tai McNeely of His and Her Money. Their story was great. They took us on a journey and all were engaged the entire time. Then Jean Chatzky spoke, told her story and she introduced her new venture - Her Money. Next up was Rachel Cruze. If you don't know her she is the daughter of Dave Ramsey. Rachel was very good and such a great storyteller. She took us on the journey from when she use to go around with her dad to her going to remote places for speaking engagements, for free, as she was growing her brand.  I was a little tired so I headed back to my room and went through the conference booklet and it was jammed packed with tons of tips to help grow your business. Over the next few days, I attended so many breakout sessions that aligned to the goals I wanted to accomplish. The facilitators were awesome and freely shared information and took pictures. I took so many notes. I was fortunate to have some great impromptu meetings and a really good mastermind in the dining area. The Plutus Awards was also a big hit. The event was set up like the award shows you see on TV. Very well attended. It was great to see the faces behind a lot of the podcasts and blogs that I follow. It was also great to see other colleagues cheered on the award winners. The last day we were favored by “The Big Idea” from Emma Johnson and Mr Money Mustache and PT followed by the Keynote delivered by the one and only Chris Hogan. It was such a great way to end a fabulous conference. I have been talking about FinCon since I left. I was so motivated to do more in my business. I tried to pour all I learned into the It’$ My Money team. I have encouraged others in the financial space to attend FinCon19. I collected so many business cards. I have made so made connections with people I met and I look forward to engaging with even more. Did I mention the swag, I have more swag then I can tell you about. Some of the booths gave me a t-shirt for my husband as well. I also had the wonderful opportunity to be interviewed by Jared of the Podcast Movement. I also spoke to the companies that I wanted to partner with or be an affiliate of. I truly enjoyed my first FinCon experience.  My advice for those considering FinCon19: 1. Do it! You will not regret it. Plan for it now. The dates are September 4th-7th in Washington, DC. 2. Book your hotel room as soon as you get the information. The rooms go fast. 3. Prior to attending the conference, use the FinCon app to engage with attendees, learn more about them and potentially set-up time to meet. 4. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. If you want to bring awareness to your brand, do like I did and wear your brand on your shirt. I know everyone at FinCon18 saw It’$ My Money was in the house. 5. Consider getting the virtual pass as there are so many sessions that you will want to attend and some will happen at the same time and you can’t be at two places at one time. 6. Have business cards with your email address, phone number and picture. This will help people remember you when they get back home and sort through everything they collected.. 7. Network, network, network. Meet new people. It is great to see and be with those that you know but you already know them. Use this opportunity to expand your network. I read somewhere: net worth = network. 8. When you get home, or maybe the next day, go through everything you collected - the business cards, materials and swag and make meaning connections. Again, net worth = network.
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 We are all starting or planning to shop for the holidays. Just thinking about those fantastic Thanksgiving meals with family and fun Christmas gatherings makes me smile inside and out.
It is important to plan for each of the things or categories you will spend money on during this “overspending” season. One way that can help you plan your spending is using the It’$ My Money Budget Envelopes. There are 4 easy steps to use the envelopes: 1. Determine the categories that you need to spend money on. Examples: • Thanksgiving food shopping • Thanksgiving decorating shopping • Black Friday Shopping • Cyber Monday shopping • Christmas shopping (you can even use a different envelope for each family member or one for people from work) 2. Create an envelope for category 3. Set the amount you will spend on each category 4. Get that set amount of cash out the bank and put in its envelope. The key is not to spend anymore on that category than what you have set and put in the envelope. Be sure this amount(s) are also included in your overall budget. Click here to sign up for our newsletter and get a free set of the It'$ My Money budget envelopes. If the budgeting envelopes are not ideal for you, no problem, you can download a free, editable It'$ My Money Budget Sheet that can help you as well. The key is to not blow your overall budget by not planning for the upcoming expenses. Need help staying on tracking with your spending plan? You can work directly with me by clicking here. Enjoy the holidays, Patrina  Some may say it is too early, but this month is a great time to start mapping out 4th quarter spending. This is one of the most expensive quarters of the year, and for many it includes extensive holiday shopping for both dinners and gifts.
Easy Ways to Save for the Holidays The holidays are a special time of year for sharing good cheer, great food and generous gifts with the ones we love. But before you head over to the nearest shopping mall or plan that extravagant holiday party, consider how you could save some cash this holiday season. Here are a few ways to keep your spending in order from now through December: 1. Set a holiday spending budget When it comes to the word “budget” many people often think of complicated spreadsheets and restrictions, but that doesn’t have to be the case. A budget will help you set boundaries on your spending and ensure there no surprises at the end of the year. No matter how big or small your holiday spending budget, make sure it is realistic. Shop around to find the best price for what you are looking for. 2. Plan your shopping-make a list Shopping for the ones you love may lead to overspending. To help avoid going over budget make a shopping list. On your list include the individuals you plan to shop for and a budget for each person. This will also help you narrow down who really needs a gift and who could receive a special phone call or card instead. You can actually get very granular and add the actual gift to leave no room for overspending. 3. Start early Many holiday deals start following Veterans’ Day. This year in the US Veteran’s day will be observed on November 12th. Don’t miss out on savings by waiting until the last minute to do your shopping. Starting early will help you stick to your shopping list and allow you to shop around for the best deal. 4. Unused gift cards Check in your wallet to see if you have either unused gift card or several with small balances. These may be a way you can fund a gift. Example: Small balances on several Starbucks gift cards may be enough to get a gift for a coworker. Remember, making your money stretch during the holidays comes down to preparation. If you set your budget, make a plan and start early you can avoid excessive spending and bring in the New Year stress free when it comes to your money. Lastly, a great gift to help encourage young people to be more financially literate, is my book It’$ My Money... A guided journal to help your finances. Click here to purchase your copy. Need more tips on making your money work for you? Sign up for the It’$ My Money™ Newsletter.  Hi! I’m Patrina Dixon, author of the It’$ My Money™ Journal and co-author of Entrepreneurship: My Story, Your Guide. Many of our young people are spending and borrowing without knowing that interest builds up, or that credit cards aren't free money. It's my mission to change that!
In the last few months I’ve had the opportunity to share the It’$ My Money™ Journal with teens and adults across the country, and recently internationally, introducing them to concepts like budgeting, saving, investments and more. As the It’$ My Money brand continues to grow I am constantly meeting new people online and in person and wanted to take this opportunity to re-introduce myself. So What Does It’$ My Money Really Mean? It’$ My Money is an affirmation that your money, dollars, coins, duckers, bills or whatever you call it, is yours. It is yours and you have made it your mission to handle it wisely. Depending on where you are in your journey with money, maybe you have decided to save, budget, invest, purchase real estate whatever it is you have said - “It’$ My Money” and I am going to start this path of making it “move” in the best possible way for me and my family. Click here to learn more about my books How Can I Serve You? Through my books, interviews, workshops and one on one sessions I empower people of all ages to take care of their finances. I am a Certified Financial Education Instructor, International Speaker and Award-Winning Author. I am also a member of the Black Speakers Network and a 100 Women of Color Honoree for 2018. In addition, I’ve appeared in various print publications, as well as tv and radio broadcasts. I love to share valuable information families can use right away to pursue financial freedom. My Background As an advocate of financial literacy I have a passion for serving my community and use my company, P. Dixon Consulting, LLC to offer money management strategies to people of all ages. In addition, I’ve led Hartford’s Financially Fit community event and enjoyed my role as a Virtual Teacher for Nepris. My goal is to guide my clients toward financial independence by shaping their spending and saving behaviors. Each interaction I have, online or in person, allows me to achieve that goal! I hope this post allowed you to learn a little more about me and I invite you to follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Soundcloud to continue following It’$ My Money journey! If you’re interested in working with me for financial workshops for youth or adults email patrina@itsmymoneyjournal.info.  Earlier this month I had the opportunity to take It’$ My Money international! I received an invitation from St. Jude’s School for Girls in Trinidad and Tobago to share It’$ My Money with 20 young ladies ages 17 and 18. St. Jude’s is a residential program that serves 50 local displaced girls. My goal for this trip was to enrich the lives of the students, allowing them to become financial scholars as they increase their application of financial tools through specific action steps. Over the course of 2 days I taught 4 workshops in which the girls received completion certificates and an autographed copy of my book. Taniqua Hugley, a US Fulbright Researcher, played a major role in making this happen. She and I connected frequently for months going over plans, schedule, and the traits of the girls which helped me ensure the material was relevant and timely for those girls who would attend the sessions. Ultimately the trip was a huge success and the girls were so engaged. When our time together ended they gave me a thank you card and a Trini bag filled with local goods. The director of the program even requested that I come back next year. I’m thrilled to share this experience so keep reading to learn more about my trip!
 Travel & Lodging My intern accompanied me on the trip and this was her first time outside of the U.S. We had a direct flight from JFK airport to Trinidad on JetBlue airlines. Once we arrived in Trinidad we had the opportunity to stay on the UWI campus compliments of Trinity College. Maxi Taxi and H Taxis are common modes of transportation on the island. My intern and I had the most hospitable private transportation to and from airport and to the beach from Mr. (Uncle) Tony. He is a 13 year employee of Trinity College. We also truly enjoyed our hostess Ms. Hugley. This trip gave my intern an opportunity to have hands-on experience with an entrepreneur debuting her business and mission internationally. She helped prepare the materials and presentations for the girls and was the photographer.  Dining & Culture I spent some time on the trip immersing in the Trinidadian culture. In Napa we had the awesome opportunity to sit in a Steel Pan Drum rehearsal with Akua Leith and the National Steel Symphony Orchestra which was very fun since the steel pan originated in Trinidad. We also visited the “Outlook” for a great view of Trinidad and Maracas Beach. The meals in Trinidad were also memorable. We had dinner at Veni Mangi’ on The Ave, Bake and Shark from Richards at Maracas Beach which was my favorite meal, chicken roti, authentic Trinidadian Chinese, doubles and much more. Sorrel and Shandy were popular drinks on the island as well as coconut juice straight out of the coconut. Pepsi and KFC tasted very different than it does in the states. We drank lots of tea and bottled water. I must also mention that I am a huge basketball fan and the NBA Finals were taking place during my trip. Luckily, I was able to watch the 1st half of game 3 of the finals on “The Ave” on a large screen and comfy chairs with my Shandy (a soft drink made from a flower).
Budget & Sponsors: The entire trip came in under budget by TT$262 ($37 US) - YES #practicewhatyoupreach These young ladies would not have the opportunity to gain all the personal finance knowledge through the It’$ My Money workshops had it not been for the generous financial sponsorships from:
We THANK YOU!!! I want to also thank my supportive family, my mom, my husband and my daughter. Y’all I can now add I am an International Speaker. I am still in awe and very humbled by my journey. I truly love that my works is helping many people, now all over the world.   Student loan debt is now the second highest consumer debt category according to Forbes. Right after a lofty mortgage many consumers are paying high interest rates on large student loans. Even students with well paying jobs complain of high student loan payments and not much way around it.
Who created ChangeEd? Nick Sky and Dan Stelmach are brothers who made it their mission to attack student loan debt head on. They created ChangEd to help student loan borrowers manage their loans more effectively. According to their website, ChangEd makes paying off your student loans effortless by rounding up your everyday purchases to the next dollar and setting aside your spare change for principal payments. This simple change can save up to $10,00 in interest over time according to ChangEd creators Nick and Dan. Many millennials find themselves staying at home longer or being forced to live with a roommate in order to make ends meet. The average undergraduate has $23,000 in student loans and the number is even higher for students who pursue masters, doctorates and more advanced degrees. Nick and Dan, the creators of ChangEd understand these statistics all too well. Their own battle with student loan debt led to their research into the topic and ultimately the creation of the app. How does it work? ChangEd connects securely to your bank account. The technology will then determine your spending habits and transfer the change left over from your purchases to your FDIC insured ChangEd account. When the balance on that account equals $100, the app sends a payment to your loan provider automatically. It’s that simple! The app even allows to view your loan payment progress on your ChangEd dashboard. For most people student loan debt is a part of life, but you don’t have to make it complicated. Visit gochanged.com to learn more about how you can use this tool to kickstart your loan payoff journey.  April is Financial Literacy Month and I am happy to share countless resources for you and your family to take control of your financial future. Financial literacy is defined as the possession of the set of skills and knowledge which allows an individual to make informed and effective decisions with all of their financial resources. These money management skills and habits are very important and are generally set by the age of 7, according to a study by Cambridge University.
So what can you do to make sure your child isn’t left behind when it comes to their finances? Teach them early. The earlier a child learns what it takes to save and earn more, the larger advantage they will have over their peers. There are tons of resources available to teachers and parents to teach financial literacy at any age. Some of my personal favorite resources are from sammyrabbit.com. This website has a variety of useful tools for kids of all ages to learn the basics around saving and spending. Use technology to make money fun There are tons of apps available to help your kids learn about money. If the traditional route isn't your thing, try Bankaroo with your child. Bankaroo is a digital piggy bank that allows the child to collect allowance, manage savings and more all in one place. Taking a look at their virtual piggy bank on an Ipad or phone may be much more rewarding for your child. Celebrate their success. Lastly, don't forget to celebrate your child's success. Recognition is a innate need in many of us, so don’t forget to acknowledge your child’s financial wins. Your recognition of their success will help them continue to learn and grow. I hope these tips were useful for you. Teaching your kids early on about money, using technology to make it fun and celebrating their success will make it financial literacy a new habit for your child. To order your Sammy Rabbit bundle set, click here.  Spring is in the air, and it’s the perfect time to not only clean up around the house but to also spruce up your budget! Remember those money goals you set in January? Time to revisit them and make sure your budget reflects where you see yourself financially for the remainder of the year. Don’t know where to start? Here are 3 ways to spring clean your budget:
Lower Your Grocery Bill Food is a major part of the average family budget. Finding ways to cut your grocery bill can make a major difference in managing your finances. Try couponing or switching to store brands to save. You can also watch the sales papers to make sure you’re getting the best price for the products you’re purchasing. Automate Your Saving Saving money is difficult for a lot of people. Whether it’s enticing clearance sales or your daily cup of coffee, sometimes the smallest purchases can throw you off track. In order to make saving easier, try automating the process - Pay Yourself First. You can speak to your company human resources manager or intranet to allocate part of your paycheck to savings. Another way is to try out saving apps like Acorns, which takes the change from your purchases and invests it for you. Find a way to save even if it’s only a small amount, each dollar add ups. Clean Up Your Spending While spring cleaning your home, think about cleaning up your spending as well. It’s the perfect time to cancel any subscriptions to services that you haven’t used. Review your cable and cell phone terms and see if you can get better rates at another provider or by calling your current provider to negotiate the terms. These few changes can help you make the most of your money for spring and the rest of the year.  February is a special time to honor the contributions of African Americans in U.S. History. Our influence can be found in music, dance, tech, pop culture, literature and more. MahoganyBooks is dedicated to meeting the literary needs of readers in search of books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora. I’m happy to share a few books on their site to help you take control of your money. Check out my list below:
-The Wealth Choice: Success Secrets of Black Millionaires By: Dennis Kimbro This best-selling personal finance author sits down with some of the most prominent black millionaires to learn how they achieved such great success and how the everyday person can do the same. The author explores the wealth disparities in black communities and provides advice about climbing the economic ladder despite the odds. -Girl, Get Your Credit Straight!: A Sister’s Guide to Ditching Your Debt, Mending Your Credit, & Building A Strong Financial Future By: Glinda Bridgforth Financial expert Glinda Bridgforth delivers a detailed plan for paying down debt, repairing your credit score, and securing your financial freedom. Beginning with simple, engaging exercises to help you assess your spending habits and get clear about what you owe, "Girl, Get Your Credit Straight "presents a detailed road map for eliminating debt, one step at a time. -Real Money Answers for Every Woman By: Patrice Washington Patrice Washington teaches you how to take responsibility for your financial future. In a handy question and answer format, this book offers engaging and easy to understand advice on topics like managing credit cards, home ownership, student loans, affordable childcare and even negotiating for a higher salary. Each of these books provides a unique perspective on securing your financial future. You can find all the titles listed above by visiting the Mahogany Books website. In honor of Black History Month I’m offering 20% off all purchases in the It’$ My Money Shop! Visit itsmymoneyjournal.info to shop!  "Many of our young people are spending and borrowing without knowing that interest builds up, or that credit cards aren't free money." It's my mission to change that!
Hi! I’m Patrina Dixon, author of the It’$ My Money™ Journal and co-author of Entrepreneurship: My Story, Your Guide. In the last few months I’ve had the opportunity to share the It’$ My Money™ Journal with teens and adults across the country, introducing them to concepts like budgeting, saving, investments and more. As the It’$ My Money brand continues to grow I am constantly meeting new people online and in person and wanted to take this opportunity to re-introduce myself. Through my books, interviews, workshops and one on one sessions I empower people young and old to take care of their finances. I am a Certified Financial Education Instructor and award-winning author. I am also a member of the Black Speakers Network and a 100 Women of Color Honoree for 2018. In addition, I’ve appeared in various print publications, and tv and radio broadcasts. I love to share valuable information families can use right away to pursue financial freedom. As an advocate of financial literacy I have a passion for serving my community and use my company, P. Dixon Consulting, LLC to offer money management strategies to people of all ages. In addition, I’ve led a workshop at the YWCA's Annual Money Conference for Women, Hartford’s Financially Fit community event and enjoyed each of my appearances on FOX61 to share financial tips with their viewers. My goal is to guide my clients toward financial independence by shaping their spending and saving behaviors. Each interaction I have online or in person allows me to achieve that goal! I hope this allowed you to learn a little more about me. I invite you to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to continue following my journey and be among the first to hear about my two new projects. If you’re interested in working with me email patrina@itsmymoneyjournal.info. You can get a copy of either of my published books at It'$ My Money and Entreprenuerhip: My Story your Guide. |
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