{Week 14 Update} 52 Week Money Challenge

Published on April 4, 2014January 22, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

It’s Friday already and time for your 52 Week Money Challenge reminder. For those of you, like me, who began on January 3, 2014, we are 14 weeks in for this year! Today, I crossed off $25.00 from the SMC bingo style money sheet , which puts me at a grand total of an extra $344.00 saved thus far. The closer we get to August 1, 2014, my goal date to have a zero balance on my credit card, the more excited I get. In some ways, the feeling I get every time I see the balance drop is becoming stronger than the high I get from shopping. I am planning for big things to happen THIS MONTH by paying my set payment of $300.00 per month + the 52 Week Challenge each Friday + the possibility of a somewhat risky financial move, which I will talk about in Monday’s post. Stay tuned to see how I plan to slash my credit card balance from $1345.00 (current balance) to less than $500.00 by the end of the month by taking of gamble with my finances. If you want big rewards, sometimes you have to take big risks!

{Business Cents} Don’t Give A Damn If They Like You

Published on April 2, 2014June 21, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason4 Comments

“ The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude. ”

— Arnold Glasow

They Like Me, They Really Like Me

Some of the best career advice I ever received came from a magazine. In an archived issue of Cosmopolitan, Mika Brzezinski, Cosmo columnist and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, suggested that women concerned about being liked at work, “should not give a damn if they like you”. Work as Brzezinski adds, “is not a popularity contest. It is however a respect contest”. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a performance review that I started to understand what she meant by her advice. People can like you for the person that you are and the work that you do but that doesn’t always translate into promotions, benefits, or raises. Sitting there in that office, I was fighting an internal battle and my career was losing BIG TIME! My fear of not being liked was keeping me from confidently asking pertinent questions regarding career progression and compensation. Would they still like me if I challenged the status quo? To this day, I still get embarrassed knowing I was so worried about being liked at such an important career crossroad. I decided to write this, because I know I am not alone and that is evident in my research of women, business, and money. I hope someone can learn from my experience.

Of course I want to be liked , everyone does, but not at the expense of losing sight of my financial and career goals. If you are a good person and you do exceptional work, then you shouldn’t have to worry about not being liked. Oprah once told me (dreaming BIG…let me try that sentence again). I attended the commencement ceremony of my alma mater, Spelman College, where Oprah was the speaker. She told the women to, “let excellence be your brand”. Others will respect you for being focus driven and being the best you can be, and hey, what’s not to like about that?

What’s More Important in the Workplace?

Being Liked or Respected?

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{hello camera} April Photo Challenge from SheMakesCents.com

Published on April 1, 2014May 1, 2014 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Photo Credit: Raw of Beauty {dot}com

This is a lesson that I learned the hard way in my early twenties. I was so busy working to meet a certain status and lifestyle that I was too busy working to enjoy it; thus missing out on that limbo period where crazy “in my twenties” stories are made. Since then I have learned that time is one of the most valuable “things” to have. Time is a currency that no one can really buy more of. When I get to the end of my life, I want to know that I have actually LIVED instead of simply existing.

Let’s Connect!

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{Week 13} 52 Week Money Challenge Bingo Style

Published on March 28, 2014April 4, 2014 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Someone recently asked me “what was the point of doing a money challenge, it’s not like you are saving a substantial amount?” My reply was simple, “every little bit helps me get one step closer to my goals”. I am very serious about having a zero balance on my credit card by August 1, 2014 and using funds saved from this challenge helps me pay off my balance faster. Today, I crossed number 17 off my bingo style money challenge sheet which gives me a grand total of $319.00 additional dollars added to help pay off the balance on my cards. A while ago, I decided that instead of payment the minimum + the 52 Week Challenge weekly payment I would decide on a set payment to make every two weeks and add the money from the challenge on top of that. This has allowed me to chop off interest payments as well.

How Are You Doing On the Challenge?

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{Business Cents} Preview to Like A Girl Series

Published on March 26, 2014 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Last week I posed the question to my female readers, are we [women] losing the corporate game because we are playing “like a girl”? This very question inspired our new Like a Girl series. What does it mean to do something “like a girl”, anyway? As I child, my parents reinforced the notion that I could do anything a boy could do; however, society emphasizes the phrase “like a girl” to describe someone as weak, soft, and less than. Over the next few weeks, we will tackle topics of women, business, and money while rejecting the crippling actions and societal impositions of this “like a girl” behavior. Together, we will redefine what it means to do something LIKE A GIRL…. better yet, LIKE A WOMAN!

When joining us for this discussion, do not forget to use hashtags #shemakescents and #LikeAGirl

Let’s Connect!

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{Simplify Sunday} Getting Rid of Stuff

Published on March 23, 2014March 23, 2014 by Danielle YB Vason2 Comments

I am one of those people who gets excited about buying new cleaning products and cute storage containers every time the season changes. I get a game plan going and I get to work in hopes of creating a refreshed space that is “magazine ready”. I get so hyped shopping for cleaning supplies and new knickknacks, that I bite off more than can be finished in one weekend. This folks, is mistake number one since most projects like this take longer than two days. This year, I am taking another approach to spring cleaning. Since the start of the year, I have made conscious decisions to simplify my life… including finances, schedule, and home. I have realized that with two dogs and two humans in one space, the magazine ready look that I was once able to keep up might take a little more creativity than before. Before styling my home, I must first simplify.

Getting Rid of Stuff

Boy oh boy is it easy to accumulate things. Being stuck in the house during the ice storm in January gave me the opportunity to take stock of my stuff and I could not believe just how full my space was. Instead of first going out and spending money on storage solutions, I decided to get rid of 100 things like I did two years ago. This has led me to adopt a one thing in/one thing out policy so I can truthfully assess my inventory of accumulated belongings to decide if I need or even still want certain items. If I decide to keep something, I am challenging myself to use it! The nice dishes and linen napkins… USE IT! The beautiful LBD that the Mr. got me for Christmas… WEAR IT! That gourmet cooking mix that is sitting in the pantry…EAT IT! Not only is my plan to get rid of stuff going to help me in my attempt to keep a neat and organize home, but it will encourage me to make ordinary experiences even more fabulous because I am using the good china, wearing the Herve dress, and eating the gourmet food without even spending a dime. On this Simplicity Sunday, I will be taking a laundry bin worth of clothes to the local consignment store. I will try to make a little money from them, but whatever they don’t take will then go to the Goodwill or a shelter. Either way. they will not come back into my house!

What “Stuff” Do You Need to Get Rid of?

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{Business Cents} Is Thinking Like A Woman Not Enough to Become A Boss?

Published on March 20, 2014March 20, 2014 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

I like the quote “Act like a Lady, Think like a Boss”, but after admittedly over thinking it, it might not be as empowering as I once believed. Perhaps, the shift in my thought process came after the quote was expanded to say, “look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, & work like a boss”. First off, I’m not a girl, rather a grown woman climbing the corporate ladder and this quote, in my opinion, perpetuates two very poignant paradigms that have been instilled in our culture. The first, that thinking like a man yields better professional results and the second; thinking like a woman is inferior. Is thinking like a woman not enough to become a boss? Is this part of the reason gender and pay inequality is still very present in the workplace? Better yet, are we losing the “corporate game” because we are playing “like a girl”?

Join SMC next Wednesday as we begin our “Like a Girl” series as I take on topics of Women, Business, & Money explored through studies, career experts, and personal experiences. My goal is to redefine the standard of measurement while shedding light on some awesome women who are kicking ass and taking names in their careers!

Your Thoughts…?

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