Naked and Unashamed
By Ericka Young
()
About this ebook
When was the last time you and your spouse took an up close and personal look at your finances?
Let's face it. Money is hard to talk about. But if we don't get real we won't get free. Naked and Unashamed is designed to highlight an area of our lives that we neglect. It is time to uncover the truth so you can finally reach your financial goals. The future of your marriage depends on it!
In this book you will:
- Get tools on communicating effectively about money with to get you started.
- Learn how your money past is affecting you today and not allow it to define you anymore.
- Face your current state of financial affairs so you can wake up and do something about it.
- Create a financial road map leading you to the future you desire and deserve.
A financially fulfilling relationship is possible if you get rid of the money baggage holding you back. It's time to get Naked and Unashamed with your money and your honey.
Ericka Young
Ericka Young is a recognized expert in financial coaching and helps families significantly improve their finances and their future. As founder and president of Tailor Made Budgets, she teaches debt freedom through her e-newsletters, personal coaching, group programs, and speaking engagements.
Related to Naked and Unashamed
Related ebooks
The Family Letter: How to Intentionally Develop a Culture of Honor, Encouragement & Value With Your Loved Ones Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhen God Gives a Gift Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus Can Heal Your Hurts: 30 Inspirational Stories of Hurt Hearts, Minds, and Bodies, Being Healed by Jesus Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Affair of the Mind: The Thoughts & Feelings of a One Sided Affair Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of John Bevere's The Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAdvocating The Girl Child Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of Stormie Omartian's The Power of Praying® for Your Adult Children Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWaking Up Marriage: Finding Truth In Your Partnership Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomancing Your Better Half: Keeping Intimacy Alive in Your Marriage Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5My Walk with God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit: Dystonia a blessing from God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFind a Real Friend in Jesus: Ten Amazingly Easy Steps Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lust on the Rocks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Marry Well Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Circle of Fire: In the Midst of the Ashes an Ember of Hope Flickered Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Marriage App: Unlocking the Irony of Intimacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnraveled - And Made Whole Again Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDivorce Is Self-Defeat Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnderstanding Marriage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnfolding the Mystery of Marriage Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Marriage!: There Is Hope and Help Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSovereignty of God: Is God Really In Control? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPregnant and Praying Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHelpmeet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLove Is Looking For You...Are You Ready? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPreparing for Marriage: A Paradigm Shift Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPreparing to Date Your Soul Mate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTake Your Framework And Stick It Up Your Pipeline: Finding a new normal in business Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKeeping a Princess Heart: In a Not-So-Fairy-Tale World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Joy of Being Mom Devotional: Always an Adventure Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Personal Finance For You
The Millionaire Next Door Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Set for Life: An All-Out Approach to Early Financial Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Intelligent Investor, Rev. Ed: The Definitive Book on Value Investing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Black Girl's Guide to Financial Freedom: Build Wealth, Retire Early, and Live the Life of Your Dreams Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of I Will Teach You To Be Rich: by Ramit Sethi | Includes Analysis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Principles: Life and Work Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Same as Ever: Timeless Lessons on Risk, Opportunity and Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Investing For Dummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rich Dad Poor Dad Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier and Healthier for Less Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Get the Hell Out of Debt: The Proven 3-Phase Method That Will Radically Shift Your Relationship to Money Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bad with Money: The Imperfect Art of Getting Your Financial Sh*t Together Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Money Hacks: 275+ Ways to Decrease Spending, Increase Savings, and Make Your Money Work for You! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just Keep Buying: Proven ways to save money and build your wealth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner's Guide to Getting Good with Money Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The White Coat Investor: A Doctor's Guide to Personal Finance and Investing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Naked and Unashamed
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Naked and Unashamed - Ericka Young
Copyright © 2017 by Ericka Young
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written consent of the author, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law.
For permission to reprint portions of this content or bulk purchases, contact Tailor-Made Budgets
Publishing, composition, and design managed by Niche Pressworks
www.nichepressworks.com
ISBN Print: 978-1-946533-00-5
ISBN Digital: 978-1-946533-01-2
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Praise For NAKED AND UNASHAMED
I have had the chance to witness firsthand what happens when a person grabs a hold of the sound financial principles that Ericka shares in Naked and Unashamed. She has helped so many people in our church get out of debt, save money, and live like no one else. In her book, Ericka has masterfully explained how our faith, fears and family history have affected the way we see money today. Having known Ericka for many years now, she doesn’t just teach these principles, she has lived these principles. You can hear and feel her passion for seeing people walk in real financial freedom all throughout her book! This is definitely a must read and a keeper for your personal library.
Sean Moore, Senior Pastor, Faith Christian Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Naked and Unashamed changes everything when it comes to money conversations in marriage. As a licensed counselor, I’ve seen countless couples struggle to tackle financial challenges. But this book makes it easy, providing a step-by-step guide to help couples take the masks off and create the financial future they desire. If you’re married, do yourself a favor and read every page of this book.
Nicole Elam, Couples Coach and Founder of www.BadtoBetterGoodtoGreat.com
As I was reading Naked and Unashamed I thought to myself: This book needs to be mandatory reading for all couples going through premarital counseling. Following the advice Ericka gives in the book will ensure that couples have a solid financial footing as they begin their lives together as husband and wife and will save them from heartache, disappointment and financial stress. It will also help couples who have already encountered financial problems to communicate openly, address their issues and get into a more secure financial position. I highly recommend Naked and Unashamed.
Rosie Brock, Author of Hope Infusion: The Stabilizing Force in an Unstable World
Early on in marriage you realize a big part of marriage is learning how to communicate. Naked and Unashamed is the book I wish I had in the early years when I struggled to understand and express my money fears. The 10 conversations in this book would have helped us get on the same page much sooner and possibly avoid some of the many mistakes we made along the way.
Kendra Tillman, Event Host and Author of You Are Stronger Than You Think: Lessons of Endurance in the Race of Faith
Dedication
To my husband, Chris, who has made the ups and downs of creating a life we truly love worth it.
To our daughters, Faith and Olivia. You are the reason we have embarked upon this journey of financial freedom. Your presence has given us the purpose and passion to accomplish far more financially, than we ever thought possible. May you both experience the prosperity God desires for you as well.
Acknowledgements
Birthing a book is no small endeavor. It literally took an army of people to finally gets this book in your hands. As a result, there are many people to thank.
First of all, without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there would be no story to tell. Thank you for setting me free of all bondage and giving me the courage to share my journey with others, so we can all experience the life you desire us to live.
Thanks to my amazing husband, Chris. You’ve been so patient, encouraging, and understanding during this season. It wasn’t easy but it was worth it. I’m so glad we get to create a financial future we can enjoy together. I love you!
Thank you Nicole Gebhardt and Crystal Yeagy, for helping me get this project finished. This book would never have gotten to print or be something people want to read, without you both!
Thanks to all the people who helped me edit, rework, and eventually complete this work – Christine Simmons, Elisha Martin, Holly Kile, Rosie Brock, and Nicole Elam, and Emily Schmitz.
Kendra, you’ve been my biggest cheerleader throughout my entire business journey. Without you, I know for certain, I would not have gone into business. Thank you for believing in me and making sure I didn’t quit.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Section 1: Your Money Past
Naked Conversation 1: Uncover and Make Peace With Your Money Past
Naked Conversation 2: Grow Up Financially and Understand Your Money Story
Naked Conversation 3: Come Clean With Your Honey
Section 2: Your Money Present
Naked Conversation 4: Turn the Lights On With A Reality Check
Naked Conversation 5: Don’t Mimic the Joneses: Their Broke
Naked Conversation 6: Get Out of Debt For Good!
Naked Conversation 7: Set Healthy Boundaries
Section 3: Your Money Future
Naked Conversation 8: Get Into Agreement
Naked Conversation 9: Create a Financial Vision
Naked Conversation 10: Teach Your Kids
Conclusion
Client Testimonials
About the Author
Introduction
Imagine a life where you and your spouse are on the same page financially. You have dreams and goals that you are reaching every year, and you get to enjoy the journey along the way. That’s what we expected when we said, I do,
right?
What you may not realize is that your past relationship with money has affected your present situation. And, your present habits with money are determining your future. Most of the time, we’re not even aware that this is going on. So many people end up at the age of sixty-five, thinking about retiring, but have no funds because they didn’t make a plan ahead of time. Your story doesn’t have to end this way.
Naked and Unashamed is all about coming clean financially, so you can create the future you desire together, as a couple. Think about this: on average, we get married before we turn thirty, most of us retire around sixty-six, and, you can expect to live to be about eighty years old. This means that you will spend fifty years with your spouse, and nearly twenty-five of those years will be in retirement. That is way too many years to suffer from debt, financial stress or tension, and still not have accumulated any money.
It is very possible you have tried all kinds of things to fix your financial mess. Budgets seem to be the one thing everyone runs to when trying to make their finances work. Every financial professional (myself included) will tell you to create a written game plan, and, yes, that normally includes a budget. However, if a budget was all you needed to get and stay out of debt, then everyone would have one, and you would see financially successful people all over the place. Here’s the deal…
The budget will only work, if you work the budget.
Most people don’t work the budget. They don’t revisit it regularly to implement what it says. In addition to that, the budget is simply one tool. Granted, it is a tool I love because I’m a nerd with spreadsheets, but nonetheless, the budget doesn’t tell the entire story. It’s one tool of several that you will need. But what’s the real reason you aren’t making financial progress? This book will show you that there is more involved in your financial picture, than you’ve been led to believe.
When you said I Do!
, you committed to a lot of things, like staying for richer or poorer
. Many brides and grooms don’t really believe they will ever have to endure the latter, yet richer
doesn’t just happen. We can get so caught up in the moment and details of the wedding, that we don’t stop to think about the actual marriage. It takes work, discipline, and unity in a relationship to reach your financial goals. As you conquer these goals, you get closer and grow stronger as a team. If you follow the principles described in this book, you will be well on your way to having the financial future you both desire, and that you imagined on your wedding day.
In the Beginning
I’m not good with numbers.
If I just made more money, I could get my finances in order.
I don’t have enough time.
Well-meaning couples, families and individuals have shared these sentiments time and again in my coaching practice. Let’s face it, it’s easy to justify not handling money prudently. Believe me, I’ve done it too! We tend to sweep things under the rug and believe that love will conquer all.
Love can’t conquer misbehavior with money and it sure won’t pay the bills.
Yes, sometimes life is hard. We do have emergency situations that cause drama in our financial life. Nothing and no one is perfect. However, the above statements are the excuses that wage war against our ability to succeed with money.
I wish there was a magic wand to make your finances work out, in an instant. While I don’t have a magic wand, you do. Your magic wand is disguised as a thing called work. Any financially successful person will tell you that it takes diligence, patience, and a lot of hard work to create the financial picture you desire. They’ll also tell you, it’s worth it.
In order to find true healing in our financial lives, we must take a look at what God initially intended for us to have in our relationships and, subsequently, with our money. Going back to the very beginning brings perspective.