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Today marks our 100th post on Family Money Plan, that went by quick! For today’s interview we will be getting to know Jaymee from Smart Woman. She’s just recently started sharing her Net Worth which is always an interesting. Make sure to check out her site after the interview.

 

 

Let’s Begin!

 

 

Let’s talk a little bit about who you are and where you are coming from. Tell me about your money journey? What got you started in learning about personal finance?

 

My name is Jaymee. I’m a full-time Registered Nurse living and working in Calgary, Alberta. I graduated two years ago from university. That moment marked a huge transition in my life – where I wrapped up 16 years as a formal student and began working full-time for money. I finished university with $40,000 in student loan debt and sextupled my income when I started my career – it was a huge shock and I was scared because I realized that I could either make the best of my new financial situation… or really mess it up. The difference was how much financial education I was willing to do in between.

 

Two years ago, a friend told me about Mint when I confided in him that I wanted to take control of my money, then I found the Mint blog and from there found this whole new world of personal finance bloggers! That’s where it all began! Now, I read new blog posts and articles about personal finance on a daily basis… I just can’t get enough of it. And the results I’m seeing in my financial situation keeps me addicted 🙂

 

What would you say the biggest money obstacle has been for you to overcome?

Jaymee From Smart Woman

Have you ever heard that saying “bad advice is cheap?” It was that for me. When I started learning more about money and sharing what I was learning, people around me were quick to tell me their opinions (why I should buy a house right away, why financing a brand new car is a good reward for finishing school, why I didn’t have to worry about retirement because my job has a good pension, etc.) I think people are more inclined to tell you their “expertise” when you’re a younger person – they’ve lived it and they know what it’s like. I also worked with a financial advisor and because he’s a professional, in the beginning, I listened to EVERYTHING he said and did what he told me to do.

 

So the biggest obstacle for me (and still is!) is filtering through the clutter and hype about money. It’s true when they say personal finance is personal. There isn’t one strategy out there that will fit everyone. Now, I hear out what people say and evaluate whether it fits in with my goals and values or if it’s just another “good-to-know” thing.

 

How has overcoming that obstacle changed you?

 

I feel confident in my knowledge of personal finance matters, in my own financial plan, in my goals and in my ‘financial personality’.

 

My knowledge increases the more I learn about the different money strategies and new knowledge there are floating around. I can decided which strategies fit in with my own financial plan and which strategies don’t. And I stand solid behind my ‘plan to become rich’ without falling for every new hype or trend there is.

 

 

Are there any obstacles you are still working on?

 

Besides what I mentioned above, it would be learning to NOT work for money. Right now, my biggest income source is working my job – I’d like to move away from that to more passive avenues.

 

Smart Woman (Lucid Theme)

 

There’s a moment in the Godfather 3 when Michael Corleone is trying to get out of the “Family Business”, and he says: “Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in.” What is one bad money habit you just can’t seem to shake?

 

Spending too much on lifestyle! As a millennial, my social life revolves around dinners out, travelling, entertainment and parties around town (plus all the clothes, make-up, hair and nails stuff that go along with that). I have yet to figure out a happy medium between having fun, enjoying my 20’s and trying out new things and using my money to set my future self up for wealth at the same time.

 

I’m sure with all the money I spent on lifestyle so far, I might have been able to pay off my student loans by now… but that’s an entirely new discussion.

 

If you were to start your money journey all over what would you do differently?

 

This is an easy one! Not borrow as much student loans as I did! I would’ve only borrowed how much I needed and either returned or saved the extra money I received.

 

 

What is your proudest money accomplishment?

 

My positive net-worth despite my student loan debt 🙂

 

 

Who is your money hero?

 

Michelle from Making Sense of Cents

And Sam from Financial Samurai

Because they seem to have mastered the “passive income” game and living the lifestyle I dream about (and aiming for)

 

 

What was your worst money mistake?

 

A few years ago, I was looking for the fastest way to make money and I found what is called a “gifting group/cloud”. It’s basically a group of women who each has a spot on a pyramid formation where the 8 women along the bottom each “gifts” $5,000 to the woman on top of the pyramid (she gets $40,000 total). The pyramid then splits into two new pyramids with one new woman on top of each pyramid which leaves the baseline empty (the order of the women stay the same, they all just “move up” a tier). The group has to work together to find 8 new people to put on the baseline – the premise is everyone will be “gifted” the $40,000 as long as there’s new women with their money joining the group.

 

If you still don’t understand from my poor explanation above, just know that it’s a bad news and one would be wise to run from it!

 

I thought it was a great thing back then and dumped almost $10,000 of my money into it. What’s worse was that I tried to make my girlfriends get into it also – some who did and some I lost as friends to this. Three years later, we have yet to get our money back and I no longer want to get involved (or any of my friends to get involved either).

 

Lesson: There’s no such thing as a get-rich-quick scheme.

 

What was your first money lesson?

 

No one will care about your money more than you will.

And personal finance is personal.

 

 

What money habits do you see in yourself (or others if you are perfect) that make you cringe?

 

Lifestyle inflation!! If there’s one thing that can ruin your finances for your future self (and family), it would be this. Don’t buy liabilities and “stuff” on credit card just to make yourself ‘look good’ or ‘seem more successful’.

 

Would you classify yourself as a Spender or a Saver?

 

Saver… 110% (sometimes to my detriment *womp womp womp*)

 

What’s the one personal finance book that had the biggest impact in your life?

 

Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach – hence the blog name, Smart Woman 🙂

Behind the Screen Interview with Smart Woman

Ok now for some non-money questions. Let’s give our readers a glimpse of what makes you who you really are. 

 

Give me a list of your top 5 foods?

– coffee (can I list this under food?)

– chicken teriyaki & rice

– pinakbet (vegetables and meat in shrimp sauce)

– chocolate

– spam and eggs with rice

 

 

What is your favorite drink (alcohol or non-alcohol)?

– Besides coffee, it would be my protein shakes 🙂

 

 

What kind of daily traditions or habits do you have?

I always have a personal development book in my bag and my Feedly feed is full of new personal finance posts – I read something everyday. I also check my finances on the daily (via Mint) and I try to hit the gym at least 3 times every week.

 

Oh and when I travel anywhere new, my first stop is at Starbucks for their “You Are Here” mugs!

 

 

Which group do you fall into:

 

Apple of Samsung? Apple – everything in my house is Apple-related

 

Coke or Pepsi? Both – I can’t really taste the difference… (*gasp I know*)

 

Coffee or Tea? You already know xD coffee all the way!

 

Night owl or morning bird? Definitely night owl… I am generally non-functional until after 10am

 

 

 

I’m a huge music fan, what’s one (or more) of your favorite albums?

 

I am big on EDM (electronic dance music) and my favourites are the Chainsmokers, Galantis, Hardwell, Dash Berlin and Tiesto.

 

 

What’s the one movie you could watch over and over again and never get tired of it?

 

Rush Hour

(And if I can add TV shows to this, it would be Friends, which I’m binge-watching right now actually!)

 

What book are you reading right now?

 

Retire Young, Retire Rich by Robert Kiyosaki (because that’s what I want to do)

 

 

Finish this sentence with the first thing that comes to mind

 

I would rather live at the gym, than go fishing.

(After a night shift at work, this is the best I can come up with *facepalm*)

 

 

Do you have a favorite quote?

 

She believed she could, so she did… *instant tears*

 

 

Where can people find you online if they want to get ahold of you? (Think social media accounts)

 

Find me on my blog www.smartwomanblog.com

I’m also on Twitter , Pinterest and Facebook – so please say hello!

 

Wasn’t that an awesome interview. If you get a chance to read the Smart Woman Finish Rich, (or Smart Couples or Automatic Millionaire) they are great at laying out a framework to help you get started down your road to wealth.

Now head on over to Jaymee’s site and say “Hello” or if you have a question for her ask it in the comments below.

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