http://www.financialdating.com/tracking-money-is-like-trying-to-stick-to-a-diet%E2%80%93its-too-restrictive-and-it-wont-ever-work/ Every time I teach money classes or work one-on-one with clients and provide financial help for married female entrepreneurs, I am always amazed at how much resistance comes up around gaining clarity about spending. It’s almost as if America as a whole has a love/hate relationship around controlling their spending and tracking money.

1. Leslie Cunningham, Certified coach, money coach, Financial Dating® expert, columnist, published author, radio talk show personality © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

2. Tracking Money Is Like Trying To Stick To A Diet–It’s Too Restrictive And It Won’t Ever Work! © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

3. Every time I teach money classes or work one-on-one with clients, many of who are married female entrepreneurs, I am always amazed at how much resistance comes up around gaining clarity about spending. It’s almost as if America as a whole has a love/hate relationship around controlling their spending and tracking money. © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

4. Here’s what I’ve noticed: people know that they “should” be tracking their spending. They frequently feel out of control when it comes to how they’re spending money and yet at the same time they stubbornly resist it. And, in fact, a great number of people are stuck in what I call “Financial Denial.” © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

5. Meanwhile we try to force ourselves to track our expenses and get control of our spending, but under the surface we resist it. 1. We are setting ourselves up for failure when we do this. 2. We somehow have to resolve this for ourselves. Otherwise we walk around with the experience that “tracking money and controlling my spending is hard.” 3. When we have this kind of conversation going on inside our heads – we won’t be motivated to take any constructive action. © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

6. Most people think that they need to just change their money behaviors, i.e., track their spending. But it is equally if not more important to look at the belief systems that we have around money. Our actions and behaviors will always be in perfect alignment with our internal perceptions and beliefs. If we believe that tracking our expenses will be a time consuming task, or if we feel like tracking money is equivalent to getting a report card in which we’re always doomed to get an “F” on, then we’re not going to be motivated to stick to a money tracking system. © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

7. I’ve found that it’s essential to discover a money tracking system that matches your unique money personality . The money tracking system that works for a “Numbers lover” is not going to work for the “Money Avoider or Free Spirit money personality”. © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

8. To sum it up, here’s what I’d like you to take away from this: 1. First, get clear on your money story, so you can begin to question your money reality, shift it and take on a new money behavior that results in new actions. 2. Second, find a money tracking approach that works well for your unique money personality. © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561

10. Are you ready to get on the same financial page with your partner in 2011?” If so, I’d like to invite you to attend my Free Teleseminar, “The Secrets To Ending the Stress and Struggle of Not Having Enough Money… So You Get Rid of Debt, Save More and Make More!” Join me on Thursday, January 27 th. Click here to get more info and register now © 2010 Leslie Cunningham All Rights Reserved www.FinancialDating.com Email: [email_address] Phone: 406.586.5561