finance Archives - Don't Stop Now:

Money is one of many topics at the Sacramento Speakers and Entrepreneurs Network. This monthly meetup is where I’ve met some very interesting women and had a chance to practice public speaking.

Speaking to groups of women is one of the ways I intend to promote Don’t Stop Now. Many people say they would rather die than speak in front of a crowd. Not me. I’m looking forward to having my fifteen minutes of fame. The reason? I know our book will help a lot of women (and men, too).

In addition to speaking, I’m also planning to create a podcast. This “radio show” will be aimed at women age 50+ who have no intention of stopping their lives. In anticipation of needing guests, I’m now on the lookout for women who have something interesting, unique, and motivational to share—women like Sally Domingo Laughlin.

I met Sally at the meetup. She’s a wealth-empowerment expert and international speaker. She’s also the founder of Women Wealth Mastery and the author of Finding Your Treasure: A Woman’s Guide to Money and Getting Ahead in a Man’s Financial World. It’s a 123-page book packed with 50 life-changing principles.

Sally holds licenses as a financial advisor in life insurance, annuities, and long-term care, and she’s helped many people with retirement planning. She says it is her unique life experience as a widow and single mom that gives her the deeper understanding of the challenges that women face.

Any woman who wants some clarity around her financial health can benefit from Sally’s book and blog post.

As a preview, here are the first 10 principles:

Money has always been a man’s world.
If you aren’t looking out for your financial future, who will?
Subconscious fear of money often leads us to spend it or give it away.
In time, every investment will double in value.
Be the wealthy, eccentric relative you always wanted to have.
Raise your credit score!
Fear and anxiety keep us from taking the necessary bold, decisive steps.
“Too many people spend money they earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.” Will Rogers.
Taxes can be the biggest roadblock to accessing your assets as you age.
All roads lead home—some are just faster!

To learn more about the principles, pick up a copy of Sally’s little gem and reap the wisdom she shares. You can buy the book or find out more about Sally’s work at http://www.womenwealthmastery.com.

Jan Fishler, MA, is currently co-authoring a new book, Don’t Stop Now, Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (DontStopNow.us). She is also the author of Searching for Jane, Finding Myself (An Adoption Memoir), and has written several articles about alternative health and PTSD. You can learn more about Jan at www.JanFishler.net.

Phishing scams abound during the holiday season.

‘Tis the season to spend masses of money online, and Cyber Monday marks the start of the shopping frenzy. Although most of us like to think we’re savvy enough to avoid phishing scams, that’s not necessarily the case. A recent article in the online Credit Union Times states, “Forty percent of U.S. consumers fall victim to online phishing attacks, despite 91 percent being aware of the existence of spoofed websites or emails of trusted brands, according to a new report.”

Hackers do not go on vacation over the holiday season. In fact, that’s when they do some of their most extensive work. It’s therefore critical that you become more vigilant than ever at this time of year if you plan to hold on to your identity and hard-earned cash. Being aware of possible phishing scams will pay off!

Here are a few tips to help ensure your safety:

Confine your shopping to websites that you know and trust. If an item you want is available on the Nordstrom site, don’t buy it from a place with a name like GetCheapStuffHere.com in an attempt to save a few bucks.
Don’t click on the links in emails or pop-up coupons. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it’s probably bogus. Instead, go directly to the merchant’s website to see if the offer is there.
Social media is a great place for scammers to wreak havoc. “Fabulous” holiday deals will be offered on places like Facebook and Twitter, and they might look like they’re coming from a friend—a friend who’s been hacked, that is.
Use credit cards or PayPal when making online purchases—not your debit card. In the wrong hands, your debit card makes it super simple for someone to empty your checking account.
Don’t shop over public Wi-Fi. Everyone using it has the password, making it easy for the bad guys to intercept your personal information.
Be wary of QR codes. Scan the wrong one from your smart phone and you might end up at a malware site. Scammers are printing their own QR stickers and slapping them on top of legitimate code, and they’re not taking you to nice places.
Keep your security software updated. While you’re at it, install an anti-malware program and an ad blocker.
Tap into the technology of a digital wallet. It’s a great way to keep your credit card information private.
Check your bank statements on a regular basis. If you see any transactions you didn’t make, notify your financial institution immediately.