Broke-Ass Financial Coaching: How to Make More and Work Less

While being young, broke and beautiful is all well and good, some people’s finances are more jacked than others.  That’s why we’ve invited Betsy Crouch (aka Coach $izzle) to come onboard and dole out some much needed advice.  She is a professional financial coach after all.  If you’ve got a question you’d like answered please email her at coachsizzle@brokeassstuart.com.  Maybe your question will be the next one answered.

'œHow can I work less, but make more money if my budget is already at a minimum?'  – Nicole

WARNING:  If you want to make more so you can buy stuff you don’t need stop reading here and watch the Story of Stuff.  Guess what?  Our culture is obsessed with money and buying stuff we don’t need.  Why else would the storage industry have surpassed the auto industry in revenue several years ago?  We have so much stuff that we buy little houses to store our extra shit in?!

If you want to make more money so you can have more time for your family, your community, serving, healing, loving, living, learning, and giving, I’m with you, along with millions of others.

Why do we want to work less?

Many people are working an incredibly high number of hours. In his book, Bowling Alone, Prof. Robert Putnam shares that since the 1950s we have spent significantly less time with friends and family and significantly more time working.  We have a fractured sense of community, and we have fewer people who we call close friends.  We are on an unsustainable path.  Thankfully he created an interactive community called Better Together, to celebrate ways Americans are connecting.

Others want to work less because they don’t like their jobs.  In my last post I recommended What Color is your Parachute, which is a great book to help you find a better fitting and higher paying job.

Some of you may love your job but aren’t able to do all of the things you love with the time you have left over.  So here’s four ideas to help you earn more and work less:

'¢    Consider becoming a 'œFree Agent.' I don’t work full time and in order to sustain that I simplified my expenses.  I have time to do what I want and I tradeoff making more with spending more time on other things I am passionate about: family, friends, and service.  I am a free agent.  Could you be a soloist, temp, contractor, entrepreneur, or salesperson?  Are you open to that?  Are you open to the idea that you could create your ideal income and work experience and NOT have to work for someone else?  If so, Free Agent Nation, by Daniel Pink is a fantastic resource.  Look, I know I recommend a lot of books, but at least with this one there is a quick 150 word synopsis at the end of each chapter.  That way you can read it in the bookstore or get it from the library!
'¢    Look at other people who have figured out how to work less and have more time and incorporate some of their principals.  Tim Ferris, author of The 4-hour workweek, is a great example.  Although I don’t subscribe to everything he promotes, the book and blog have some fantastic productivity tips and ideas to work less and earn more.  His blog highlights 'œexperiments in lifestyle design.'  Topics range from 'œEmail Detox' to 'œOutsourcing life.' See for yourself, and use what feels right for you.
'¢    Here are 20 jobs that let you work less and earn more, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Then get really geeky and check out the US Dept of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, for all kinds of info on job markets and industry outlooks, to see which industries are growing now.
'¢    Stand up and speak out for Equal Pay for Equal Work!
Many people are not receiving equal pay for equal work.  In 2006 Women’s Median Annual Earnings were $32,515 compared to Men’s $42,261. What can you do?  Stand up and speak out!  Participate in Equal Pay Day, April 20, 2010.  This date is symbolic of how far into 2010 women need to work to make as much as men in 2009.  This sucks!  Come to Dolores Park 4/20 where there will great examples of equal sharing.

What do you think?  Please post your comments below or email your questions to coachsizzle@brokeassstuart.com, and your question may get answered next week!