The Post Holiday Blues- Going Into Debt All In The Name Of Love

Women Obtaining Wealth
Women Obtaining Wealth Internet Talk Show

The holiday season is always a bittersweet time for me. As a Financial Literacy Coach, I often get an overwhelming amount of new clients towards the end of January beginning of February in panic mode. The stories all start out like this, "I spent way too much money this year.” How did a holiday season that is suppose to celebrate love, family, and friendship turn into a time when people feel OBLIGATED to buy things they cannot afford?
I am so thankful that my parents taught me that giving love, time, and gifts is a year-round sentiment. They also never made me feel obligated to buy them gifts during any particular holiday season.
Each year I watch children scream and demand various toys for their parents to buy and each year there is a "hot" toy that every child must have. The sad thing about it is, their parents rush stores sometimes pushing and raving to buy these items that they know they cannot really afford. So what do they do? They pull out credit cards, skip a bill, and borrow to get this toy that will be set aside the next time something new and improve comes along.
I recently returned from visiting my family for Thanksgiving. Now this holiday seems to be celebrated in a fashion that I can agree with. When I returned I went through my pre-recorded news programs that were recorded while I was away. Sadly a news reporter described how a man that had no prior criminal record attempted to rob an armor truck outside the mall in my area. His behavior led to shots being fired, people being hurt, and being thrown in jail. His wife refused to be interviewed and I sat there in horror. My family and I visit this mall often. It terrifies me to think that this man felt that having money during this holiday season was worth this vicious act. How did you SPEND the holidays? Do you have the blues?

By:
Dina Harbour
Financial Literacy Coach

Controlling the Environment In Which You Dream

Women Obtaining Wealth
Women Obtaining Wealth Internet Talk Show



In listening to an interview on one of my many mentors, I heard him talking about the importance of controlling one’s environment. I found this fascinating because I felt such a strong desire to move away from my immediate family and start over in another state where I barely knew anyone.

While he was speaking I realized that I used my move to control my surroundings. I felt that the people and things that I was encountering on a daily basis were toxic. My job was draining my creativity because more and more I had to conform to management standards of operation and procedures. Even when I tried to introduce more effective procedures (what I was hired to do) they were reluctant to implement the changes. It was like fighting with your parents. Who do you think is going to win?

Other visual and personal things were going on as well. So I decided that a change in scenery and career was what I had to do. Leaving a “good” job and the security of close family and friends are not easy but sometimes very necessary for growth to occur.

In bringing in this New Year, I hope you take a moment to examine your environment. Look around you. Are you watching too much negative television, chatting too much with friends about negative issues, hating your job? Try making changes to your life that will lead you in the direction of your heart and your purpose. The journey is truly rewarding.

By: Dina Harbour, ExtraoDINAire
Financial Literacy Coach

A Place To Call Home -Why Single Mothers Should Own A Home

Written by: Dina Harbour

Women Obtaining Wealth
Women Obtaining Wealth Internet Talk Show


I can’t put my finger on it exactly but it is something special about going home. A home can represent a lot of things but for me, home is my security blanket. It is the place that I grew up, ran up and down the street, learned how to dance, skate, and ride my first bike.

My parents bought out home shortly after I was born. My Mom still lives there to this day and it makes me smile. Buying a home is something I always wanted to do. It just made sense to me. It took me 31 years before I could buy a home. Why did it take me so long to purchase a home when I wanted one so badly?

Well, no one taught me how to buy a home. I was employed and made a decent salary but I didn’t know all the rules and/or requirements. When I did find out what was required I hadn’t saved up enough money for the down payment. Plus I was carrying to much debt.

Later in my discovery I learned that ALL wealthy people own real estate. Most Millionaires make their money from buying, renting and/or selling this asset. It took me 31 years to own my first piece of property and it was the best investment I could have made back in the year of 2000.

Since then however, I’ve experienced and learned so many valuable lessons about owning real estate. Because of my knowledge, I became a Real Estate Agent and Investor. Also, in sadness I’ve watched good people loose their homes while the housing market took a crazy dive.

Regardless of these unfortunate situations people are still using real estate as one of their most popular vehicles to building wealth. They have the REAL information needed to make real estate much more than a home, but also a pertinent asset. Just because the economy is not in the best shape doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t own real estate. People still need a place to call home more so now than ever before. Do you have one to call your own?

When You Finally Get It, Will It Be To Late?

Written by: Dina Harbour

Women Obtaining Wealth,
W.O.W. on Blog Talk Radio (Every Sunday @ 6P EST)

I sent a text message to a good friend of mine that lives in California. We met in 2000 at DeVry Institute. She graduated and I didn’t. But we stayed friends through the years and I value our friendship. I was at her graduation and was truly happy for her. At the time, I was already working in the “information systems” industry and she wasn’t.

Soon after graduating, she became a Mom and we talked about her financial future. She has been married to her husband for about 13-14 years now and they have done “ok” financially but not enough to purchase a home. I’d purchase my first home in 2000, so I was explaining to her the process and things she should do to make homeownership a reality for her and her family.

Fast-forward eight years later, she is making more money than before. However, she is still living in an apartment and now going crazy with a busy 5 year-old son. She is still married and dealing with a new car note payment that her husband insisted on. He raised the issue that he had never owned a brand new car. So each tax year, they owe in taxes because they make to much money without having enough tax write-offs or deductions.

Without saying, “I told you so” I simply expressed concern and gave her some suggestions. I explained to her that like it or not, tax wise the government reward those who do things that they agree with for example owning property, a business, and/or having a family. Otherwise you pay a lot of taxes.
Is it to late for my friend to turn things around? No, not really but she has a lot of work to do. Most important, she has to make better decisions now to have the things she wants in the future.

Now decide to have an excellent day!

How To Check Back-In, When Your Mind Has Checked-Out

Written by: Dina Harbour
Women Obtaining Wealth,W.O.W. on Blog Talk Radio (Every Sunday @ 6P EST)

I can remember back when I was living in California how my mind would just temporarily checkout. I would be driving my long commute from Long Beach back to Los Angeles and I would not remember driving to my exit. Scary-huh? It’s true I was driving (safely) but my mind was somewhere else. Miraculously, I would snap to it just before my exit and would literally “thank God” that he was watching over me.
Has that ever happen to you? Can you remember a time when you were so burdened with life’s daily task, demands, and/or responsibilities that you just mentally checked-out? I knew in my heart that I had to make some changes in my life, but I keep putting them off. It wasn’t until I lost two brothers, two months a part that I knew I could not continue to live life as I did before. So at the end of that same year, I sold my home and by January of the next year I had moved to a new state, a brand new home, and started life totally “checked-in.”
It’s not easy to make changes, especially drastic ones like I did. I lost the comfort of a “good job”, and distance away from the only place I’d ever known as home. I even lost communication with a lot of my associates and friends, but my gains were so much more valuable than all my losses combined. Fear usually tells us a different story, don’t believe him. Make sure you’re mind is checked-in today and that you’re living a momentous life.

Have a purposeful day!

The Blame Game

Sponsored by: Women Obtaining Wealth- Dina Harbour
Women Obtainin Wealth &
W.O.W. Talk Show (Every Sunday @ 6P EST)

It amazes me the large number of women that choose to continue the journey of the “Blame Game”. I understand that many of us didn’t have the things we wanted growing up. I myself went through a car fetish in my twenties because my mother refused to buy me a car in high school. But as I grew into my womanhood/adulthood I had to take control of my decisions and try to educate myself about things I didn’t understand from my past.

With Women Obtaining Wealth we talk with our members and help them get through various obstacles that might be hindering them from pursuing their passion. I’ve noticed however, that people are comfortable repeating and living the “blame game.” I think what happens is that as long as it’s someone else’s fault for their misfortunes, they don’t have to do anything to heal themselves and move forward.

I’m not saying that outside circumstances don’t affect our lives. But what I am saying is that once something affects us, what do we do? I myself try to find away around it and this has served me well.

If you’re living the “blame game”, stop and redirect your thought process. Write down the cause of your blame and release it so that you can move beyond the anger, pain, and/or disappointment.


Now step up your game and be a winner!

Why Women, Especially African-Americans Need “Financial Education”

Written by: Dina Harbour
Women Obtaining Wealth,
W.O.W. on Blog Talk Radio (Every Sunday @ 6P EST)

Did you know?

• Half of African-American women say they are just getting by or struggling. Forty-one percent have household incomes of less than $30,000, compared with 33 percent of all women.

• Two out of three African-American women are solely responsible for their family's financial planning. African- American women are more likely to be solely responsible for their household finances in part because they are less likely to be married (54 percent of all women were married compared with 28 percent of African-American women).

• Only 41 percent of African-American women own their homes compared with 66 percent of all women. Most would like to own their own homes, but often don't know where to start.

• Forty-five percent of African-American women have children under age eighteen living in their household. Of those women, 42 percent are single mothers.

Here’s What I do:

I coach women in the areas of Positive Thinking, Personal Finance, and Entrepreneurship

Here’s What Coaching Will Do For You!

My unique coaching style, which can be done via video conferencing, phone, or chat, will improve your quality of life.

Here’s What I Want You To Do Next:

Google me! Yes, Google me! Dina Harbour. After you check me out and are ready to get started! Send me your full name, phone number, email address, and a date and time when we can talk for about 10 minutes. Currently I have Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays available between 10am – 12 noon, and 3:00p – 5:00p eastern standard time.
Send me an email at: dinaharbour@WomenObtainingWealth.com