These Ladies Are Savvy

Although admittedly many people look upon January 1^st as the trigger-point for resolutions, an organization known as Savvy Ladies figures that April 15^th is really the better date.   “Tax time is often the only time of the year when a lot of people sit down and look at how much they’ve earned and how much they’ve been able to save,” says Stacy Francis, founder of Savvy Ladies and a certified financial planner,. “It’s a bit of a shock for many to see how much cash slips through their fingers every month.”   Savvy Ladies is dedicated to providing financial education to women in their quest for financial independence. It has free monthly newsletters, seminars, and teleconferences that are pegged at fostering a sense of community and are specifically designed to educate, amuse, and fulfill savvy women who want to take control of their financial future. There are currently 2,100 members and growing rapidly.   The founder of this organization is Stacy Francis who is the president of Francis Financial, a New York City-based firm that specializes in helping individuals create more fulfilling lives through financial freedom.
According to Francis, the two main areas that one needs to look at in a new way are the day-to-day office spending and long-term capital spending. “The main expenditure for most businesses is information technology. Luckily, there is a lot of competition out there now for basic services like phone, Internet, and mailing. Consolidating those services can result in savings.”   Francis also advises members with small businesses to evaluate their true needs and get rid of products and services with high cost and little profit. “A lot of businesses don’t do enough research to figure out what they truly need. While a new beautiful office space might be nice, it is not necessarily needed in order to run your business effectively. There are businesses that end up wasting a lot of time and money on things that are not in their best interest.”   She also cautions people about how they spend those tax refund checks. “If you are carrying credit card debt, use the refund to help get it whittled down. Don’t use it for a vacation. Your first priority is to pay off debt. Leftover funds can be used to develop your business or to increase your savings.”   Savvy Ladies has a Web site (www.savvyladies.org) that has loads of money-saving tips. It has also partnered with some of the top businesses in New York who offer financial and logistical support for the organization.