Danielle YB Vason – Page 8

{Week 3 Progress Report} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on January 15, 2016May 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

It’s Friday and week 3 for me for the 52 Week BINGO Challenge. This week I am crossing off $50 and my first bonus box for $100.00 for a combined savings of $150.00 for week 3 and a grand total of $225.00. Every day I receive emails with inspiring stories of people, their financial goals, and their progress of making smarter money moves. It makes me so happy to get check-ins on Fridays, especially from people who have joined the challenge. I hope is it shows readers of shemakescents that you are not on this financial journey alone.

If you would like a personalized check in, please leave your twitter handle below or tweet me at @shemakescents.

How Much Have You Saved So Far? Please Share Below.

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{Week 2 Progress Report} 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge

Published on January 8, 2016May 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason15 Comments

It’s the start of the year and people are still very focused with their resolutions. For some, the 52 Week BINGO Money Challenge is another goal on their resolution list. For me, it has to be a lifestyle. For the past few years, I have accepted the challenge to save for a specific amount to help with paying down my credit card, saving for the holidays, or even saving to help out with my wedding to the Mr; however, once I accomplished the goal, I fell off. I was doing well with a zero balance and then I started to swipe my credit card for wedding expenses so now I am back to the beginning of Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step 2. That’s why they call it a challenge because it is challenging.

This year, I am back at the goal of wiping out my $3,886.78 credit card balance completely by or before May 1, 2016. My plan is to pay a set amount every two weeks plus the savings from BINGO money challenge, every Friday. Once the credit card balance is non-existent, I can start snowballing my student loans so I can shorten the length of the term dramatically and reduce the amount of interest I would have to pay back. Today, I marking off number 40 on my Bingo Money Sheet (leave a comment below for your FREE copy of the 2016 BINGO style sheet).

What Are You Using Your BINGO Savings For?

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{Super Charge Your 2016 Savings} 52 Week Money Challenge Like You Have Never Done Before!

Published on January 1, 2016May 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason22 Comments

Financial Affirmation: “I am aligned with the energy of wealth and abundance”.

Photo Credit- Colin Anderson (Getty Images)

It’s the first Friday of 2016 which means it is time for the Bingo Style version of the 52 Week Money Challenge. For the past few years, I have used the bingo format to help pay off my credit card debt, save for the holidays, and save for a little extra for a wedding. This year, I plan on using the extra money from this version of the challenge to get my credit card balance back to zero (another story for another day) and start snowballing my student loans.

Here Is How It Works!

I’m sure you have seen the original challenge floating around the internet where you make a weekly deposit that reflects the number of weeks of the year. For example, on week one you deposit $1.00 and on week 52 you deposit $52.00 and so on. However, doing it this way will have you shelling out the big bucks during the holidays when people’s money is the most limited. One year, I even attempted to do the original challenge in reverse by saving more money at the beginning of the year and less the closer we get to the holiday season. The only problem with doing it that way was that I was shelling out a lot of money right after the holidays when… for most people, money is still a little tight. I thought to myself…”Danielle, how can you find a way to honor the challenge in a way that will not hurt you financially”? Then I came up with the idea to create a “bingo” style format. At the end of the year, I would still end up with the same amount of $1378.00 and if I am having a tough financial week, I can pick a lower amount to save. The good thing about the bingo challenge is that you are able to start at any time and if you get off track, it’s easy to see where you need to make it up to get back on track. 52 Week Challenge

What Makes 2016 Different?

The power of choosing how much you want to save is what has always made the Bingo Style different from the original 52 Week Challenge. This year, though, we have upped the ante and included optional bonus+ boxes for those who are able and willing to push themselves further on this challenge. It will take more sacrifice, but it will help you gain more strength and momentum toward your financial goals since you will be saving a minimum of $1928.00 versus $1378.00.

Check Ins

You know goals are more likely to materialize when we share them with others. That being said, check ins will take place on Fridays at noon where I will share my progress on the challenge and its effect on my overall financial goals and I encourage you to do the same. I love hearing your stories of how you are doing in the challenge and the financial milestones you have accomplished by making saving a habit of your daily life. Sometimes doing it with a friend or even a blogger friend like me, keeps you better motivated since you aren’t in it alone. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, shoot me a line below or email me for the latest Bingo Style Money Challenge, free to shemakescents readers!

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{World of the Year} What ONE Word Reflects Your Vision for 2016?

Published on December 31, 2015February 2, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason5 Comments

2016 WORD OF THE YEAR- BRAVERY - from http://shemakescents.com At the top of the year, many people are thinking about their future and making resolutions for 2016. Since some people have a hard time keeping up with resolutions, selecting a word for oneself could be a more realistic goal for some of my busier readers. Back in 2013, I started asking my readers on the She Makes Cents Facebook page to share one word to reflect your personal goals/resolution/vision for the year ahead and the response I got was inspiring, thoughtful, and honest. For me, the year 2013 was my year of BALANCE, 2014 was my year of FOCUS, and 2015 was my year of PASSION. This year I have selected BRAVERY as my word.

If you could choose one word to reflect your personal goals/resolution/vision for 2016, what word would you choose? Please share below.

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SMC Book Club: Leave Your Mark

Published on December 29, 2015September 7, 2017 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Feed your mind or it will starve… – Danielle YB Vason

Back in college my roommate/future doctor, Safiya, diagnosed me with what we now refer to as “Shiny Penny Syndrome”. Shiny Penny Syndrome is when you are focused on one thing and something else steals your attention. It’s exactly what happens when I see pretty shiny things or when dogs see squirrels. Well, let just say that the shemakescents January book selection was my latest shiny penny. I was walking through my favorite book store on the hunt for a Christmas gift when I saw the cutest book cover. Mint green, coffee cup, and red lipstick stains immediately caught my eye! Then I realized the author was Aliza Licht aka @DKNYPRGirl, solidifying the book “Leave Your Mark” as the first shemakescents book selection of the year.

Leave Your Mark This Year

Drawing invaluable lessons from her experience, Licht shares advice and inspiration with a particular emphasis on communicating and building your personal brand. Join #teamSMC as we dive into this sassy, relatable, and knowledgeable guide to the contemporary working world, where personal and professional lines are blurred and the most important thing you can have is a strong sense of self.

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Mint Interviews Danielle Y. Boler of She Makes Cents

Published on July 30, 2014June 29, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason5 Comments

Back in March, I was contacted by an Editorial Assistant for Mint asking if I would be interested in doing an interview. I interview people all the time, but rarely am I on the other side of questions. Excited and a little nervous, I agreed. Yesterday, they contacted me to let me know that the interview was published.

Danielle Boler hopes to start a conversation about how women can make smarter financial decisions and live a fabulous life on her blog She Makes Cents. When it comes to how women view money compared to men, Danielle says she believes women are more cautious – which can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, saving more creates a good cushion for emergencies and other unforeseen events, but it can also prevent big financial gain. “Some believe it’s because women are not confident in making big financial decisions. I’m inclined to disagree,” she says. “When armed with the proper tools to make sound financial choices, women prove to be confident, powerful and commanding in their financial choices.” In the end, diversifying your financial portfolio (no matter what your gender) is important on every income level to make your money work for you, she says.

We recently checked out with the sassy blogger to learn more about her site and get her take on personal finance. Here’s what she had to say:

Click here to read the full interview and find out financial freedom is important!

{Woman To Watch} Abi Ferrin

Published on November 25, 2013August 13, 2016 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Meet Abi Ferrin!

Fashion Cents She Makes Cents Abi Ferrin is a fashion designer, humanitarian, a woman who uses her “cents” to ignite awareness in global issues and define what that success means to her… oh and did I mention that she is our November Woman to Watch (#w2w). She defines success as “a moving target”, explains Ferrin in an email interview with She Makes Cents. ABI FERRIN, the company, is the versatile and sophisticated fashion brand that offers easy-to-care-for fabrics providing a chic solution for women of all ages and body types; remember the 5- Way Nikki Dress? Each of her Made in the U.S.A. garments feature hand-crafted adornments made by women rescued from the sex trade and other forms of abusive employment in Nepal and Cambodia. Ferrin adds, “My idea of what [success] is always moves ahead, so I can never seem to quite feel like I am there yet. Ten years ago the company I have created today would be a huge success in my mind, but now that I am here I have so much more I want to do! I think being successful is an ongoing project, measured by reaching certain benchmarks along the way. If you can see that you are impacting people’s lives in a positive way as a result of your daily existence and making a difference in this world, then you are successful”. Yes, there are plenty of successful women to watch in business, but it is Ferrin’s impact on others that I find compelling.

About the Freedom Project

The Freedom Project is the branch of Ferrin’s business that focuses on giving back by incorporating vendor businesses that are created for and by marginalized people. For example, all of the buttons and most accessories are from Sak Saum in Cambodia, which rescues, restores and rehabilitates trafficked people. These people then become a part of the Sak Saum business once they are healthy, and as a vendor she gets to be a part of supporting their ongoing success and empowerment through their own efforts and responsibility! Ferrin explains, “Freedom is the most important thing to me. I knew I wanted my fashion company to have substance that went past making people look good. I wanted to empower women to step up their daily style and feel good about themselves, while still living their lives”. Congrats Abi Ferrin for being our November Woman to Watch.

For more information about The Freedom Project, please visit www.abiferrin.com or www.saksaum.com.

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{Business Cents} Every Woman Should Have a Professional Mentor

Published on February 14, 2013April 23, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason4 Comments

I know that everyone can benefit from a mentor-mentee relationship; however, I believe it’s even more imperative that every woman has a professional mentor…and a good one at that! While I know it is easy to assign that “role” to a public figure like Oprah, it is likely more beneficial to you and your career if you find someone who is actually willing to spend time with you. It was about four years ago when I realized for myself how important this type of mentorship can be. As I was transitioning careers, I decided to form a “dream team” of coincidentally women mentors. My theory was that alone, each of them had an ability or network that the other did not, but together they formed a diverse and complete dream team.

Things to Consider When Finding Your Mentor

Does your mentor have the time to spend with you? This, in my opinion, is the most important. I had a great dream team of movers and shakers, but it was also so very hard for some of them to squeeze me into their schedules. Although the intentions are good, you aren’t gaining anything from this relationship if you aren’t even spending time with them.
Is this someone who will hold you accountable? For you to truly succeed, you need to have someone who is so concerned about your goals and career path, that they aren’t afraid to be bluntly honest, call you on your “stuff” and maybe even kick your butt, if needed.
Are you learning tools that will help you get to where you want to be? The lessons may not always be explicit or intentional, but you have to be able to decipher how you can use what you are learning to thrive without compromising your character or integrity.
Are they respected in their field/company/community? I learned the importance of this when I was conducting a cattle call of interviews on a panel with other choreographers in Atlanta. A number of the young dancers assumed that their relationships with their mentors would help give them the extra edge. So dancer after dancer took the “opportunity” to name drop not truly understanding the reputation of their mentors in the industry. The lesson I learned: Just because your mentor is known, doesn’t mean that they are respected.