Manage your moolah and your mindset for a brighter tomorrow.

Money is one of the biggest causes of anxiety and worry for creative people and your attitude towards money will drastically affect your ability to earn and keep it.

“Where will the next clients come from?” “What if this big job is the last one I ever get?” “If I don’t work, I don’t get paid.” “As soon as it comes in, it goes out again.” These are just a few of the common worries I’ve heard from clients I’ve coached and worries I’ve also personally experienced a few of these over the course of my career.

If you can relate to any of these statements, it’s time to work on your money mindset.

How do you feel about money? Does money give you anxiety? Do you believe that creatives don’t earn much money (hello starving artists)? Is money something you enjoy? Do you get excited about it?

Earning ‘decent’ money isn’t just about lots of dosh flowing into your account each month, it’s about earning more than you spend and actively managing the money you have. You could earn $10,000 a month and still not have enough money to buy groceries three days after you’ve been paid if you don’t pay attention to what you’ve got and where it goes.

As someone who avoided looking at my bank statements for years, I’ve had to learn the skill of money management alongside developing a positive money mindset. I now enjoying watching my money grow (yay for compound interest), I have savings and investments which give me financial security and as a result, I’m able to take guilt and worry free breaks from work.

I’d love for you to be able to experience money in a positive way too, so here are my tips for improving your money mindset:

• Work out your monthly expenses. All of them. This might not be a very pleasant experience, however, it’s necessary. Be brave and add up all your outgoings so you know exactly how much you’re spending each month and what it is you’re buying with your hard earned loot. You can’t change something you’re not aware of.

• Look for money leaks. I guarantee you’ll be wasting money all over the show. Take a long hard look at where you can cut back without having to live like you’re starring in the Walking Dead.

• Start saving 10% of your income each month, even if that’s just £5. It will start to add up quickly.

• Budget for tax. Rather than overspending in order to avoid paying tax (yes we all hate it, but it’s a reality, accept it). Work out what your profit is each month and save 20% of that amount in a separate interest bearing account. No more scrabbling around like a lunatic to pay unexpected tax bills, hurrah!

• Make sure your clients pay you on time. You are not an interest free credit provider, you’re a creative business owner. It’s your responsibility to ask for payments and make sure outstanding amounts are settled promptly.

• Set financial goals. Define the amount of money you want to earn each month and go out and get it. Setting a goal will encourage you to take the action steps required (marketing, contacting clients, networking, being brave, sending emails, writing blog posts etc) to get the money rolling in.

• Investigate your money beliefs. What do you find yourself saying about money on a regular basis? Are your statements primarily negative ones such as, “I can’t afford it?” Or, “No one has any money to spend.” How can you shift your beliefs to more positive ones that serve the financial reality you’d like to create?

Money is the key to having the experiences and things we desire in life. If you’re not where you want to be because you’re not earning enough, you have the power to change your money story and turn things around for the better. If I can do it, so can you.

Need some help getting started? Check out my FREE Ultimate Pricing Guide here.