Giveaway

Get my Financial Freedom course for FREE

March 5, 2015 by Camilla

What? Yes, you heard right. I’m giving away my Financial Freedom course for FREE. [NOTE: The FREE period is over, however, this course is still extremely affordable and will get you started on your journey towards financial freedom]

A friend of mine challenged me to set a CRAZY goal for March. After thinking about it I decided I want to help at least a 1,000 people start their journey towards financial freedom.

At first I scrambled my head…how in earth do I quickly reach a 1,000 people? People who don’t know who I am or the awesomeness I can provide them if they buy my book and take the course.

I asked for suggestion in an online group I belong to. Tons of people chimed in and had great ideas. Reach out to various professions like teachers, firefighters, EMT, military and so on. Other ideas were to run Facebook and Twitter ads. Do a free webinar and then sell the course. All great ideas that I have on my future to-do list.

Then a bit of panic set in. You see, I’m preparing for my next book that launch April 1st. I’m working on pre-order bonuses and everything else that comes with launching a book. Adding this crazy goal to an already full to-do list made me want to ignore the goal all together.

Then someone suggested I share my course for free. At first I was a bit hesitant. Free doesn’t pay my bills. I wish it did. But then I thought…if my goal is to help a 1,000 people start their journey towards financial freedom in March I can either go hit the pavement to show people my awesomeness or I can quickly reach a 1,000 people by giving my course away for free. The latter allows me to get some sleep in, work on my book launch, connect with people I otherwise wouldn’t have, while achieving my goal of helping at least a 1,000 people.

So there you have it! Since we’re already a week into March I decided to extend my goal to include April too. For the month of March and April you can download my course for free.

After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, click the Purchase button and it takes you to a site called Gumroad that handles all my digital downloads, you will then get to a screen asking for your name and email. Use the email you want your material to go to.

Now, this is where I need YOUR help by sharing this with friends and family so that I can reach my crazy goal!

And, I just realized this is my 100th blog post since I started!! I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate.

Cheers – Camilla

What Would You Do if You Had No Debt?

November 24, 2014 by Camilla

If our financial situation is a mess it’s hard to focus on our personal life. Especially when most of our energy goes to worrying about money.

The majority of people I talk to have the same issue at the end of the month. The feeling there should be more money left in the bank. You ask yourself: Where did all the money go? It wasn’t as if you were wasteful.

Money can be like sand slipping through our hands if we are not careful.

The solution? Track every single dollar and tell the money where to go by creating a budget.

I can almost hear the sigh “A budget? Ugh…” as if just reading the word budget gives you hives.

No worries, I thought budgets were only for businesses and people that didn’t know how to handle money when I got started. Ha! Little did I know people that have a budget are the ones that know how to handle money. I don’t know why budgeting has gotten such a bad rap. It’s just a description for telling money what to do.

It is thanks to a budget I joined financial freedom and now is helping others do the same. It’s not as if getting out of debt is rocket science. Spend less than you make and stop borrowing money. Yet, it is hard! Especially since it seems everyone around you can afford everything and you know you can’t.

Saying “not in my budget right now” was acceptable when you were in college or just starting out but as an adult you feel as if you are supposed to have access to an ATM machine spitting out unlimited amount of money. Others seem to have one of those in their living room. What we forget is that most people live on credit cards and truly can’t afford everything, although they build up the perception they can.

Making the decision to saying NO and getting out of debt can be overwhelming, especially when trying to create a budget. It is extra hard if you have a huge mountain of debt and don’t think it will ever go away unless you win the lottery.

But there is a way. I did it, so have others. I’m not going to say it’s always easy. It requires some sacrifices and using the dreaded word NO. Life on credit cards was carefree and fun until that credit card bill arrived. Life on a budget is not as carefree and fun because you have to make choices but the amazing freedom it gives you is worth it. Instead of dealing with stress and worry you are in control of your life. You are no longer stuck spinning a wheel.

Getting and staying out of debt is a process. A process I would love to help you with so that you can succeed.

Which is why I’m going to give away 10 copies of my just released book How To Get Out Of Debt Living Paycheck to Paycheck: 9 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom.

All I ask you to do is to share this post with your friends on social media. Then come back here and comment. I will pick ten random winners by Monday Dec 1, 2014. Good luck!

This giveaway has ended. But you’re in luck. You can purchase my book on Amazon for less than what you pay for a latte. For a ridiculously low investment you could start your journey towards financial freedom today. My book will guide you through how to set up a budget and a plan in such a simple way you will shake your head why you hadn’t thought of that before. If you don’t have a lot of debt or even no debt, my budget system works in reverse to build up your savings faster. If you’re an iBooks or Nook reader, go here to purchase the book.

Interview with Chris Guillebeau – The Happiness of Pursuit

September 15, 2014 by Camilla

Chris Guilllebeau, author of the New York Best Seller The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living and the book The Art of Non-Conformity just launched his third book called The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life. In 2013 Chris finished a decade long quest of visiting all 193 countries.

This book is not a travel book but an inspiration and guide to help you get off the couch and incorporate a little adventure into your own life. The book includes stories of ordinary people that woke up one day craving more out of life than the same old and ventured out on their own individual quests, many of them not travel related.

During his travels and interviews with hundreds of “questers” Chris discovered a direct link between pursuing a quest and long-term happiness and that fulfilling a quest can highly enrich your life.

This book is a perfect read for anyone wanting to get off the hamster wheel and Chris graciously agreed to an interview. Since Chris has been off the hamster wheel for a while I decided to tweak the standard “How did you leave the hamster wheel” questions to a few more related to “questing.”

Q: Adventures and quests often starts with an idea to do something “just because” and it may be hard to answer the “why.” Did you at some point during the quest visiting all 193 countries find a more defined “why” as to what drove you to do that?

A: That’s a great observation. Many of the people I talked to described their project as “just a crazy idea that wouldn’t go away.” The more they thought about it, the more they realized they would always regret it if they didn’t at least attempt it. This fear of regret and desire to with with urgency can be a powerful force.

In my case, I loved travel and was attracted to the “packaging” of being able to have a specific goal or end-point to it. And of course, I also liked the systematic nature of going country-by-country and seeing the world.

Q: What is your #1 advice or resource for people that don’t know where to start but would like to do add some adventure into their life whether that turns into a quest or just ‘getting themselves out of the comfort zone.”

A: Think about what you’re excited about. Think about what you’re bothered by. It’s okay if it’s something that other people don’t understand or appreciate—that’s actually quite common with quests and adventures. Then, find a way to create some structure about this thing. Robyn Devine in Omaha is a great example: she decided to knit 10,000 hats. Not just “knit a bunch of hats” but “knit 10,000 hats.” It will take her many years to complete this goal, but it’s something she was able to do without traveling or running 100 marathons or whatever.

Q: Even a natural non-conformist needs to draw inspiration from others to continue to push the envelope. Can you share a few activities you do or people you seek out for inspiration?

A: Sure. In my case I’m fortunate to connect with an amazing community of remarkable people from all over the world. These people changed the trajectory of my life and greatly influenced the project. One of the lessons of quests is that your friends and family may not understand what you’re doing. You don’t have to abandon them if that happens, but you do need a support structure of some kind.

I also read a lot. I’m constantly consuming books and articles by people who are smarter than me. I find inspiration through learning about the world and constantly being challenged.

Q: You financed your quest through travel hacking but also through blogging, writing and other projects. Did you ever feel that sharing your travels and quest with the world put negative pressure on you as your blog gained popularity and hence expectations increased? If so, how did you deal with that?

A: I can honestly say that I pursued (and eventually completed) the quest because of my own motivation and compulsion. I started it on my own, without sharing anything publicly. As the career aspect of things picked up, I sometimes struggled with falling behind on various projects. But I don’t think I ever felt pressured to quit, or felt like I was doing it for the wrong reasons.

Q: How would you want your eulogy to be read? And do you feel that you are living your life in a way that fits that?

A: Whoa! No pressure. 🙂

In one way or another, I’d hope that people said something about the fact that I helped others to make brave choices and live unconventional lives of their own design.

As to whether I feel I’m living the way that fits that, yes, I think so. But I also think it’s good to continuously evaluate. Asking yourself questions like these can be very helpful.

Between his books, awesome blog, the World Domination Summit and involvement with various non-profits Chris really walks the talk. He is living his life to the fullest while helping others, just as he wants you to.

I love what Chris is doing and in order to get you off the couch and get inspired I’m giving away two copies of The Happiness of Pursuit.

The rules? I really want as many people as possible to learn about Chris Guillebeau and his new book so I would be so appreciative if you shared this with your friends through social media or other means.

Then go comment below on what kind of quest you could see yourself doing. I will pick two winners on Tuesday September 23, 2014.

*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.

The World Needs Your Hustle poem – Giveaway

September 8, 2014 by Camilla

My friend Kevin, who blogs over at Living Out My Journey wrote a great poem called The World Needs Your Hustle that I wanted to share with you.

The world needs your hustle
they need your dreams, your goals, your aspirations.
They need the gift that you have been given,
which is waiting to be released.

The world needs your hustle
they need your ideas, your faith in the unknown
your hope for a better life.
They need you to be you and to know that your
hustle matters because they matter.

The world needs your hustle
it will not be easy
and there will be days when you want to give up,
but in those moments you must remember
why you are doing this and who it is for, and
let that serve as your inspiration and
strength to keep going.

So keep dreaming, keep sacrificing,
do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Take the next step.
Because the world needs your hustle.

Why does the world need your hustle? Because you were given gifts that other people need. Every single one of you have a story that can help someone else. Every single one of you have a talent that no one else has. Every single one of you is unique.

Don’t let your talents get dusty working at a job you hate. Don’t let your talents get dusty and forgotten about because life got busy. Don’t wait until everything is perfect or wait for some day. Perfect is an illusion. Just start.

Write your business plan on a napkin. Tell your friends about your services. Ignore the haters. They are just jealous. Share your words through a blog or book. Start an Etsy shop. Put your dream up on a vision board. Write down your dream and put on the fridge. Take steps every day towards your dream by hustling.

The world needs to hear your voice. The world needs you to use your talents and knowledge instead of suppressing them. So do me a favor. Take that small step today, not tomorrow, and decide to hustle on living out your journey and use the gift you were given that no one else has.

Go out and tell the world your dream. Tell them you’re going to hustle and go live your dream. Because life is too short to live someone else’s dream.

Kevin joined up with another friend of mine, Rachel who is a great artist. I’m giving away a copy (wrinkles included which adds some extra charm) that you can frame and hang on your wall. All you have to do is to leave a comment below on what you will do today in order to move forward on your dream and then I will pick a winner on Tuesday September 16, 2014.

You can order your wrinkle free copy of The World Needs Your Hustle on Rachels’ Etsy shop RachelBDesigns.

52 Book Challenge – July 2014 plus Giveaway

August 18, 2014 by Camilla

If you haven’t followed along my 52 Book Challenge that started in May you can read about it here and here.

I had big goals for July. It didn’t go as planned. With a 10 day road-trip to National Parks (valid excuse, right?) I only read 4,35 books. However, this time around I’m giving away one of the books I read.

Here are the books I read for the month of July and what I thought of them:

1. Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money
by Rachel Cruze & Dave Ramsey. This book is a must read if you have kids. There are so many great tips and examples of how you can make your kids (including yourself) money smart in a fun way. The book covers age 3 and up and explains what to do for each age group, including how to attend college without taking out student loans. Reading this book is one of the best investment you can do. Plus the book is fun and easy to read.

2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey. This is not the first time I try to read this book. It’s one of the most read and recommended books out there but I have never managed to finish it. I totally understand and believe in the 7 Habits but the chapters in my opinion could have been cut in half without losing content. I’m determined though to finish this book one day just for the sake of it.

3. You Already Know How to Be Great: A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential
by Alan Fine. This is an awesome book for coaches, leaders, work places and anyone that work with teams and groups. Alan Fine realized one day that his traditional “tell the person what to do” coaching method interfered with his athletes ability to perform. One day he got frustrated with one of his athletes, told her not listen to him, just do what she wanted and suddenly she could hit the ball. He had the lightbulb go off and now he teaches a method called G.R.O.W. through a company called Inside-Out to individuals, organizations and companies all over the world.

4. The Fitness Mindset. Total Fitness: Get Fit, Stay Fit for Life!
by Cheree Miller. My blogger friend Cheree turned her life around and now help others do the same. She went from overweight and unhealthy to healthy using the common sense way. This book is not just for those that wants to get into fitness and get healthier. The action steps in this book is applicable to anything in life that you want to change. Super easy read & if you have Kindle Unlimited right now it’s a free book.

5. Day Job to Dream Job: Practical Steps for Turning Your Passion into a Full-Time Gig
by Kory Oberbrunner. I did an entire blog post on this. If you are one of the 86% that dislike your job, scream TGIF and hate Monday’s then this book is for you. Kary Oberbrunner shows how you can turn your passion into a full-time gig.

Now onto the giveaway. I met Rachel Cruze at one of their Legacy Journey events and picked up the book. I don’t have kids but the importance of teaching kids how to handle money is something I truly believe in and I have clients with kids so obviously I wanted to read the book.

When Rachel asked who she could sign the book to I told her my plan was to give it away and then have that person give it away and so on. She thought that was cool.

How can you win Smart Money, Smart Kids signed by Rachel Cruze? Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on why you need this book. Please read the rule because you need to be willing to participate in all the steps.

Rule:
After you are done reading the book you need to write a short paragraph on the blank pages inside the cover on how the book impacted you. Obviously don’t leave any personal information such as address or other.

Then pass the book on to someone you know that is in need of reading the book. Instruct that person to do the same thing, write a short paragraph on the blank pages and then pass the book on.

What is the goal? I want this book to go from person to person and once there is no more space to write then I want the last person reading the book to send the book to Rachel Cruze & Dave Ramsey. Can you imagine the look on their faces reading all the personal notes on how their book impacted so many? I truly want this book to impact as many people as possible without it costing them a dime (and if the last person reading it can’t afford postage I’ll be happy to pay for that).

If you agree to the rule then let’s do this! Be part of something awesome. I will pick a winner on Tuesday August 26, 2014.

*All book links are Amazon affiliate links. Should you purchase through that link I receive a tiny commission. It doesn’t cost you a dime but it helps towards keeping this blog online. I appreciate your support!

Now go comment on why you need this book. Good luck!