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A new survey commissioned by Capital One Direct Banking examines the relationship that Americans have with money – from savings habits to the lengths some would go to for an extra dollar.

According to the survey:

* 35% of Americans would give up holidays to receive twice their yearly salary

* 25% would work EVERY DAY of the year if it meant doubling their salary

* 15% admit to having secretly taken money from a joint savings account, without their spouse or partner’s knowledge

* 22% said that if they accidentally received twice their normal paycheck due to a mistake, they would keep the money – and not tell their employer

Fortunately, you really don’t have to go to such extremes just to pad your bank account.

Here are 5 easy ways to save more money in 2010 and beyond:

1. Automate your savings
Most people know that it’s a great idea to have money automatically transferred from their paycheck into their savings account each month. But unfortunately, not everyone does it. In fact, about 1 out of 4 people polled in the survey had failed to take this basic step, which makes saving more money each money easy and hassle-free.

2. Comparison shop online
If you’re going to sock away your hard-earned dollars, you really want your money to work as hard as you do. So leverage the power of the Internet and find the highest rates you can for your savings accounts. The new InterestPlus Online Savings account offered from Capital One is great because it pays you an above-average interest rate (1.45% APY), plus you can get a 10% bonus each quarter. So it’s basically like turbo-charging your savings, because you’re getting paid twice to save. For more info, go to http://www.CapitalOne.com/directbanking.

3. Start small if you must
Too many people make the mistake of not saving money because they say “I don’t have a lot of money to put away.” Well, the truth of the matter is that every little bit helps. Even if you can’t afford $200 a month or $500 a month, you might be able to afford $25 or $50. Just get started. Whatever you can save, do it! Over time, even small amounts of money really add up. For more helpful tips about building your savings, go to http://www.AmericaSaves.org.

4. Use the 24-hour rule
Controlling your spending is critical to saving money in this tough economy. I’m not a fan of telling people to deprive themselves – because financial diets don’t work – just like food diets, they’re too hard to stay on for very long periods of time. But when you find yourself out shopping, or at a mall, and you want to spend money on a whim, instead of spending your cash – or whipping out a credit card – give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period. Try to just walk away from the item. If you’re still dying to have it a day later, you can go back and buy it. But a lot of times, you can really rein in your spending and save money just by avoiding impulse purchases.

5. Evaluate “wants” vs. “needs”
Sales are great. But sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that “discounts” and “deals” are all smart purchases. That’s not always the case. What good is it to get a $100 item for “50% off” if you really didn’t need the item in the first place …. or if you really didn’t have the 50 bucks to spend to begin with? To avoid this pitfall, think about whether what you want to buy – even if it’s on sale – is really a “need,” or if it’s just a “want.”

Join Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach at the SURE Women Conference hosted by  SURE Women Ministries on June 12th, 2010.  The event will take place at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA..  Lynnette will deliver a keynote address and financial workshop.

This conference will unite women from all over the city and region to experience a time of transformation, fellowship, and worship.  The conference will seek to empower and inspire women to achieve success in every dimension of their lives.

For more information, visit the SURE Women Ministries website.

I have been reading Lynnette Khalfani’s Zero Debt for College Grads: From Student Loans to Financial Freedom.

I highly recommend you look into her book, either by buying it or checking it out from your library.

Ms. Khalfani writes this about the Federal Student Loan Repayment Plan: “Under the Federal Student Loan Repayment Plan, the government allows any federal agency to repay your FFEL, direct, Perkins, or HEAL loans in order to attract or retain highly qualified workers in the federal government. Interestingly, each agency sets its own definition of highly qualified.”

Read the rest of this article on the Scholarshipman blog.

“A Five Star book, ‘Zero Debt’ by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is a book delivering powerful action plans to conquer debt.  Eliminate that heavy anchor around your neck.  Start living!  Resolve your debt.  Embrace the powers of your legal rights.  Find top answers for building your financial freedom.  An powerful book that’s 100% useful.”

“Mark LaMoure,  Boise, ID”

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach and Sanyika Calloway Boyce give tips on how to manage your holiday spending.

Watch Video

Join Lynnette at the 2010 Annual Conference on Financial Education hosted by The Institute for Financial Literacy on October 7th.  The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Boston.  Lynnette will be the keynote speaker for this event.  For more details visit: The Institute for Financial Literacy website.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox and co-author Susan Beacham were recipients of the 2009 EIFLE Award for their Millionaire Kids Club Series.  The 4 book series won in the category of  money management book of the year by The Institute for Financial Literacy.

Do you have a major writing project that needs to get done, but you lack the time to do it, or you need professional writing assistance to complete the task? Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is an award-winning financial journalist and a New York Times bestselling author who can provide the editorial support you need. While you or your company focuses on what you do best, Lynnette will write, develop or edit that book, manual or other editorial project waiting to be finished. Her services include:

• Ghost Writing (for non-fiction books and articles)
• Editing or Updating Financial Content
  • Articles
  • Booklets
  • Brochures
  • Newsletters
  • Web Content

Seminars and Workshops

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, isn’t your typical financial expert. She is someone who has lived through the process of going from debt ($100,000 in credit card bills) to turning her financial life around. Since then she has conducted personal finance workshops and seminars, and given keynote addresses for numerous corporate clients, academic institutions, non-profit agencies and other groups the country.

Lynnette has also appeared on such TV programs as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil and The Today Show sharing her success story and teaching millions about proper money management.

Lynnette’s most common presentations and workshops are as follows:

Budgeting, Credit and Debt Topics:

• The ABCs of Budgeting, Credit and Debt
• How to Have Zero Debt
• Eliminate Student Loan Debt
• Perfect Credit in 7 Easy Steps

Financial Workshops for Women, Couples and Entrepreneurs:

• Smart Money Moves for Women
• Couples and Cash: Getting on the Same Page Financially
• Savvy Financing Strategies for Entrepreneurs
• Money Myths and Little Lies That Hinder Financial Success
• For Love or Money: How couples Can Live Happier, Richer Lives

Real Estate Focused Seminars:

• Your First Home: The Smart Way to Get It and Keep It
• Real Estate Riches
• Avoiding Foreclosure: The Seven Commandments of Successful Homeownership

Investing, Financial Planning and Wealth-Building Programs:

• Money Management 101: Taking Care of the Financial Basics
• Secrets to Paying for College Without Going Broke
• Investing Success
• Make Your First Million
• Wealth-Building Techniques for Financial Security
• Create the Retirement of Your Dreams

Spokesperson Services

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach^® has been hired as a spokesperson by a host of brands, from non-profit agencies and financial firms to lifestyle companies and retailers.

Lynnette’s spokesperson duties have included:

• Making public appearances
• Giving unlimited media interviews
• Endorsing consumer-friendly products and services
• Hosting corporate events
• Promoting product launches
• Conducting financial education workshops
• Writing and blogging about client offerings
• Representing organizations/brands at trade shows and conferences
• Serving as featured talent in corporate videos and public service announcements

If you want to enhance your brand, improve your reputation, or bolster sales, Lynnette has all the qualities you need, as well as the intangibles that make her a hit with consumers and media alike:

Experienced ● Trusted ● Credible/Authentic ● Knowledgeable ● Media Savvy ● Personable

Customized spokesperson packages, including advertising options, can also be created based on your needs.

Personal Finance Content

Do you need personal finance articles, videos, or content for your website, newsletters, brochures or other communications? We create and develop financial content for distribution online, in every printed format available, and for broadcast.

Content can be customized and/or branded for any of the following and more:

• Articles
• Blogs
• Booklets
• Books
• Brochures
• E-books
• E-bulletins
• FAQs
• Newsletters
• Podcasts
• Videos

Our most popular content includes our personal finance books, as well as our vast library of 250-plus articles, which can be adapted and used in a variety of ways. Articles cover these categories:

• Budgeting
• Credit and Debt
• Family Finances
• Homeownership and Real Estate
• Insurance
• Investing
• Saving Money
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Student Loans
• Taxes

WHY BUY BOOKS? 12 BIG BENEFITS

Providing books to customers, employees and others is a great way to spread financial literacy. But books offer an even bigger payoff. In addition to promoting financial literacy, you can use books to promote your business and image in a dozen creative ways!

1. CUSTOMER APPRECIATION – Send a book to your clients, thanking them for their business.
2. REFERRALS – Provide copies of a book to people and organizations that can refer business to you.
3. CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT – Mail books to your prospect list to stay in touch.
4. NEW BUSINESS REWARDS – Offer a free book to anyone who opens a new account, makes a purchase, uses your services, or completes a transaction with you during a specific time.
5. TRADE SHOW/EVENT MARKETING – Distribute a book to participants at trade and industry events.
6. SALES FOLLOW-UP – Use a book as a “thank you” for a sales appointment.
7. INCENTIVES – Give a book as an incentive for completing a survey/questionnaire.
8. BONUS MAIL – Include a book in a mailing with invoices, correspondences, or monthly, quarterly or annual statements.
9. PREMIUM OFFERINGS – Package a book with a product or service, as a “value added.”
10. PROMOTIONAL GIVEAWAYS – Deliver a copy of a book to the hands of the first “x” number of people to enter a promotion, come to your office/store, or do a certain amount of business with you.
11. CORPORATE GIFTS – Surprise your customers or employees with books during holidays or special events, and create feelings of loyalty.
12. SUPPORT CHARITIES – Supply books imprinted with your company name, logo or contact information to non-profit agencies and attendees at charitable events.

Books

Contact us today to learn more about Lynnette’s 10 books, including six money-management books for adults, and her four-book personal finance series for kids.

Personal Finance Books for Adults

• Perfect Credit: 7 Steps to a Great Credit Rating

• Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom (updated, second edition)

• Zero Debt for College Grads: From Student Loans to Financial Freedom

• Your First Home: The Smart Way to Get It and Keep It

• The Money Coach’s Guide to Your First Million

• Investing Success: How to Conquer 30 Costly Mistakes & Multiply Your Wealth
  

Personal Finance Books for Children (ages 5 to 12)

• The Millionaire Kids Club Book 1: Garage Sale Riches

• The Millionaire Kids Club Book 2: Putting the ‘Do’ in Donate

• The Millionaire Kids Club Book 3: Home Sweet Home

• The Millionaire Kids Club Book 4: Penny Power