One of the most annoying feelings is when your money feels confused. You know you should be doing better. You work hard. You give 100 per cent of yourself to the project or the people or the place. Yet, if you feel like you get back 10 per cent in return, that is plenty.

And the feeling of confusion grows as you see things that you want, places you want to go, the dream home you want to buy. It is so frustrating.

As you fall asleep, questions taunt you…. What if I lose my job? Is my wife’s second income really worthwhile? How do I prepare for retirement? Whose financial advice am I to believe? Why doesn’t my debt go down when I pay extra? Everyone is screaming at me to buy, buy, buy! Why do I always seem to have more month than money? I feel lost! I am so frustrated and confused!!

Money confusion is the worst!

Yet, in the practice of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), the feeling of confusion is often a signal that you have learned something new and are struggling to process it in your mind.

Financial coach Alan Williams of MoneyMastery.com suggests that confusion is a lack of understanding how to apply basic financial principles to new experiences. Williams says that the answer is to simplify these many financial issues down to the money basics.

“The way to get back to the basics is to get back to time-proven, foundational principles. Principles can be viewed as ‘concentrated truth’. If you apply the following 10 Principles of ‘concentrated truth’ to your financial life, everything in your life will be better,” says Williams.

1. Spending is emotional.

This means that spending money is more than just math. There are feelings and emotions behind the way you spend. Having a plan for spending and living within the plan gives you a feeling of confidence, control, and financial peace.

2. When you track your money you control it.

Nothing is worse than feeling like you aren’t in control of your own finances.

3. Saving is actually delayed spending.

This means that saving is planned for the long-term, for emergencies and for emotional spending needs. You can feel good knowing that this money is in place for a specific purpose, and that it is meant to be spent only when you choose that it is right to do so.

4. When you power down your debt, you power up your fortune.

Getting out of debt is like removing a two-ton weight from your shoulders. When you live this principle you can make fantastic progress toward your financial dreams, and this allows you to choose the opportunity to pay yourself rather than others.

5. Know the rules of money management.

This strengthens your financial gain in the game of life. You will feel good having a basis with which to maintain your financial independence and determine the best options for your money, thereby minimising fear of financial theft or other losses.

6. The rules are always changing because life is always changing.

To know this allows you to maintain control even amid financial uncertainty, doubt and fear. It is about changing how you deal with the frustration of all this uncertainty, so that you can anticipate and adapt more easily, becoming part of a select group of people who accelerate their financial progress.

7. Always look at the big picture. This brings balance into your life because living this principle helps you know where you want to go financially and how to get there. It will give you a wonderful feeling to have a plan for your future and the power to work the plan, entitling you to financial hope, growth and opportunity.

8. Organising your finances enables the creation of additional wealth.

A systematic approach to finances eliminates the uncertainty about how to organise your estate and helps you maintain it, worry-free. This principle simplifies estate planning, taking the mystery out of setting up wills, trusts, medical directives, etc.

9. Understanding taxation enables you to retain more of your money.

All of us feel frustrated about taxation, but it is a fact of life. So we want to help change the way you think about taxes and learn how to pay just the right amount of tax at just the right time.

10. Money in motion creates

It’s a fact of life that you can get your money to do more than one thing at a time, thus creating more wealth with which to build your financial future. You can be in control of your money at all times. If you are tired of making the same financial mistakes, it is not too late to learn the magic of this principle: You can put your money to work for you in order to make you more money. Many before you have done it and so can you.

Dennise Williams, MBA (Banking & Finance) has 15 years’ experience in the financial services industry. You can see more of her work at www.youtube.com/financiallyfocused and contact her at financiallyfocusedtv@gmail.com.