Mid-August Money Tune-Up
Mid-August is a great moment to give your finances a quick reset before fall picks up.
This issue is all about easy wins—tidying where your retirement money lives so growth compounds on a bigger base, smoothing the month so paychecks and bills play nicely together, and keeping your 401(k) choices simple enough to run on autopilot.
Small moves now mean quieter, easier money later.
The Wealth Minute
Combine Old Accounts so Compounding Has More to Work With
If you’ve changed jobs, you probably have retirement money parked in a few different places.
Let’s scoop those old 401(k)s into one home so it’s easier to see, easier to manage—and so your money can grow on a bigger base.
In about an hour, make a quick list of every old 401(k)/403(b), pick a single “home” (your current 401(k) if it accepts roll-ins, otherwise a low-cost IRA), and call that provider for the rollover steps so you’re not guessing.
Be sure to update your beneficiaries while you're working on it.
Why It Matters
Fewer accounts = less chaos and often lower fees. And when you combine balances, your earnings are calculated on more dollars—so the same growth rate produces bigger dollar gains year after year.
That’s compounding working harder simply because the pile is bigger.
Bottom Line:
One retirement home, one simple fund, and a bigger balance for compounding to work on—that’s how you grow faster without doing more.
Wealth Move
Make a quick list of every old 401(k)/403(b): provider + balance
Pick one home: your current 401(k) (if it accepts roll-ins) or a low-cost IRA—choose the one you’ll actually finish.
Call for the rollover kit and ask for a direct (trustee-to-trustee) rollover to avoid taxes/withholding.
The Freedom Path
Fix the Mid-Month Squeeze: Create a Simple Cash-Flow Calendar
Ever feel flush one week and tight the next? That’s a timing problem, not a character flaw. A quick cash-flow calendar lines your bill due dates up with paydays, so money lands before bills do.
The Payday Planner inside the Awakened Wealth System is a simple way to line your paydays up with your bills so money lands before bills do.
Use the Payday Planner to cluster bills right after payday, set monthly mini-payments for big irregular expenses, and automate everything—so the month stays smooth on autopilot.
Why It Matters
When bills and paychecks are in sync, you skip overdrafts and late fees—and you can actually see what’s safe to spend, so that your plan sticks.
Bottom Line
Change the timing once, and your month stops feeling like a roller coaster.
Wealth Move
Grab the Payday Planner and stop guessing about when to pay what.
Do a 2-minute Friday check. Peek at next week in the Planner—if it’s bill-heavy, slow swipe-spend now; if it’s light, sweep a little extra to savings.
Automate the flow. On payday, auto-pay fixed bills from checking and set an automatic transfer to savings for your mini-payments and emergency fund. Turn on low-balance and upcoming-bill alerts so nothing sneaks up on you.
Book of The Month
This month's book is The Bucket Plan by Jason L Smith
This book is a game changer in understanding how to plan for retirement so you do not outlive your money.
Whether you choose to read it or listen to it...get through it this month!
Coffee Chat Question
If we were to meet for coffee, what would you want to know?
Feel free to email me questions that will anonymously be added to this section during each edition.
Is a target-date fund okay for my 401(k), or do I need to pick a bunch of funds?
A target-date fund (TDF) is a one-and-done option many busy people use in their 401(k). It automatically keeps a sensible mix and adjusts as you get closer to retirement.
I'm not opposed to this. Especially is you are not working with a professional, but are just choosing on your own.
Pick the year closest to when you might retire (not when you were born). Example: aiming for ~2055? Choose the 2055 fund.
Why It Matters:
If investing choices overwhelm you, a TDF lets you participate consistently—so that compounding isn’t delayed by decision fatigue.
If you need more on this, feel free to schedule a Money Chat to discuss more.
Bottom Line:
If you want simple and solid, one low-cost target-date fund in your 401(k) is a perfectly good answer.
Is your money moving your life forward this month—or just moving around?
If that hit a nerve, let’s fix the one money problem that’s slowing you down right now—cash-flow leaks, scattered accounts, tax drag, or “I make great money but it’s not showing up.”
Book a 30–35 min Financial Discovery Call to:
Pinpoint your bottleneck and why it keeps repeating.
Sketch a 30-day action plan you can start this week.
Decide next steps only after you’re clear on the path—no pressure.
Book your Financial Discovery Call
Why move now? Small delays compound. One more month can mean lost growth, higher taxes, or habits that get harder to break.
Let’s stop the drift and make a confident move by next Tuesday.
