3 Steps to conquer your money problems

3 Steps to conquer your money problems

Posted on by Matthew Laker

“The number of vulnerable households – those putting more than 40 percent of their income to cover debt payments – “is likely to rise,” the bank said, and fall behind on loan payments even with deferrals to some 700,000 households so far. “(https://www.cp24.com/news/bank-of-canada-warns-in-report-of-business-household-debt-from-covid-19-1.4940479)

I want to talk with those who are struggling financially. As I post, this COIVD-19 has spread around the world. 

The crisis can cause us to put our head further down into the sand or stand tall and move through.  

I believe a crisis is a great moment to evaluate your financial house or life spoke?

Crisis reveals the holes in our financial house. 

What do you need to do?

  • Understand the moment.

When I sit down to coach people, the first place we start is with reality. We look in the mirror, and that is no easy journey. We take a moment to evaluate and understand where we are at, to move forward. You need to know where you are at. 

  • Get a plan

The reality is we all have a plan. For some of us, our strategy is spending when I want and hope everything works out.  

Others, you have a plan in your head, a good idea of what comes in and what goes out. You even watch what you spend.  

 For those who have a plan, when was the last time you looked at it?

For those with no plan, where are you going with your financial house

  • Stick with it and ride the journey.

The other day I was listening to a business podcast, and they were talking about how so many people fail. However, the ones that succeed are the ones that pick themselves up after falling and keep going. 

What about you?

Why do you need to do this?

Show your kids a better way – Break the cycle.

Bankruptcy – is a real thing, and you can do better. 

Mast your money instead of it mastering you. 

Find financial security 

You have a choice to start making baby steps in the right direction.

Perhaps you need a good tune-up financially? Then pull into the garage. 

Master your money instead of it mastering you. 

If you want some help with this, let me know? (Free 30 min call)


    Two questions in light of COVID-19 and your money

    Two questions in light of COVID-19 and your money

    Posted on by Matthew Laker

    Two questions we need to ask in light of COVID-19 and personal finances 

    The COVID-19 is one of those watershed moments that shifted our world. Every one of us has been affected by this virus. For some, the level of its punch in our life is different. Financially as of spring 2020, we will not know the full effect for some time yet. 

    However, this moment should cause us to evaluate what is essential in our life. 

    Two questions we need to ask:

    1)What Financially habits do I want to leave behind moving forward in light of COVID-19?

    2)What habits/knowledge do I need to pick up moving forward in light of COVID-19.

    Yes, you can make changes; you can leave a legacy for your family. You have choices at this moment. Perhaps this choice will set a lasting legacy for the road ahead.  

    The choice is yours; what one are you going to make?

    Will you choose to make choices to succeed or to lose?

    What are your next steps?

    Need help? Some times all we need is a coach to guide us along. Drop me a note. 


      3 Questions to establish your financial house

      3 Questions to establish your financial house

      Posted on by Matthew Laker

      3 questions to establish your financial house

      In January 2020, bnnbloomberg.com reported that 50% of people are on the verge of not being able to pay their debts off and only $200 away from not paying monthly bills. 

      COVID-19 should cause us to reevaluate our financial house.  in this COVID-19 moment, some have lost your job; for some, the income or work has slowed down.  For all of us, there will be financial implications in our life.   

      There is no better time to get a plan.

      Three questions you need to ask?

      1)Are you ready to do what is needed?

      Most of us like short term comfort.  Seriously are you are fine with being a slave to debt, being controlled by money, instead of controlling it.  If you are going to get your financial house in order, it is going to take work.  There is no magic pill, but there are choices that can move you in a better direction.

      What is important to you?

      2)Would you like to get ahead?

      If your answer is yes, see question number one again.    The reality is you can get ahead; You can get ahead and get your financial house in order and build a foundation for you and your family.  You can change your families legacy.  

      3)Reality check and plan 

      There is so much help out there to help you establish a strong foundation and establish a legacy.  Get focused.  To walk that journey, you need to look in the mirror, face reality and then create a plan.  

      Yes, things may look crazy, and you may be unsure about where to turn.  However, you can do this. 

      You are not alone in this journey.  If you would like some help to master your money, instead of being mastered by,  let me help.  

      What are your next steps?


        Keeping Date nights in COVID-19 days

        Keeping Date nights in COVID-19 days

        Posted on by Matthew Laker

        It is no secret that relationships are challenged during this crisis with COVID-19.  For many, being stuck at home, trying to work from home is stressful.

        Take a deep breath.  

        As I looked at the calendar, I noticed my wife and I had scheduled a date night. At the time of writing this, that means going out for cheap wing night. 

        But we are stuck in the house.  So I picked up some chicken wings alongside the groceries we needed for life.  Does anyone feel like their kids are eating more during this time?  I sure do. 

        I set up with the kids to eat supper in the basement while watching a movie.  My wife and I ate chicken wings upstairs, and we chatted.  

        It was not the same, but both of us believed we should do something. 

        Relationships are one of the spokes we need to feed and build in our wheel of life.

        How are you feeding and caring and developing relationships, good memories or experiences with those you love now. 

        Six spokes to a flourishing life

        Six spokes to a flourishing life

        Posted on by Matthew Laker

        Six spokes to strengthen to a flourishing life.

        To many of us go through life unexamined. We fail to see the habits we have and ways of thinking we have that have led us to where we are. As one senior lady shared with me over coffee,

        “we are a result of our choices and have to take responsibility for that.“  

        We have a choice to who we are going to listen to.  

        We have a choice about how we are going to respond to our thoughts.

        We have a choice to the habits we choose to form in our life.

        As a follower of Jesus, I also believe because we forget God, and not listen to who he says we are, we stay stuck.  

        As I look at people’s lives, there are about six areas that we need to work on to help, engage, enter and experience a flourishing life.

        These six (maybe seven) areas overlap and are intertwined. 

        They are 

        Relationships – First there is our family(biological and adopted), Second is close friends or community, Third is working relationships, those we encounter in different parts of life. 

        Mental – So much of our life is determined in this area. How we think affects more then we know in our life. 

        Financial – This is the resources and money of our life.  

        Spiritual – This one may be a challenge for some, but I carry a world view that holds this as a component of our life.  

        Career – We need to work and work is good for us. This area looks at our occupation and calling. 

        Personal and Physical – This is about physical health and what gives you energy in life. 

        Sometimes I have thought of each of these areas as a spoke on a bike wheel. If one of those spokes becomes weak the tire begins to fall apart.  

        For most of us, we can not make significant changes in all the areas at once. However, you can make small winnable habits. You want to change your life; it is one habit at a time. 

        Over the next 90 days, what is one spoke you need to focus on and one habit to move you in a healthy direction?