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(c) Gerald Romine - All Rights reserved * www.kickassrealestate.com

Today I am going to respond to anl email I received because I know many people are in a similar position. Although the email is real, I've changed the author's name to protect their privacy:

"Gerald, I am so sorry. I don't know what happened, honestly. I am at a lost point right now. I want to get started but I have absolutely no money .. I don't even have a place to borrow the money. I guess I came to one of those points where I am in limbo and don't know what to do or where to turn. Can you help me, I will do anything you say. I have a wife and 3 children. I hope you get this and can reply to me." James Smith

I understand where you are coming from and have been in a similar position. In fact, my first house almost bankrupted me! Fresh out of the Marine Corps my new bride and I purchased a real fixer-upper on owner terms and jumped into a rehab project. We had only a few thousand dollars to our name, we had no experience, and her unemployment check was about to end. We completed the rehab on the house but, in the process, ran out of money and maxed out our credit cards buying materials!

I'll never forget going to the grocery store and having my wife cry her heart out in the car while I went into the store to buy what food I could with literally only pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. This spare change was all we had and we traded it for groceries so we could eat. We were busted. No more unemployment, no jobs, and a house that was now costing us money to own. The immediate situation was ugly and we were scared.

The good news was we had found a buyer and we just had to find a way to survive until the closing. Somehow we were able to hang on. With the closing check we so desperately needed we paid off all the debt and were able to place a small profit into our bank account. It wasn't much, but it was more money than we had ever made before and we were hooked on real estate.

The moral of the story is when the night is the darkest, the sun will rise!

What Can You Do To Change Your Life?

This may come as a bit of a surprise, be perceived as harsh, but is what I truly believe you need to hear for your own best interest:

"There are only two things in life, excuses and results." Gerald Romine

Let me explain that with a comparison. Can a woman be a little bit pregnant? No. If you are pregnant, it is a result and any other explanation is an excuse. Our lives are the same. Don't think my life is perfect; I need a few more results too!

Everybody is where they are in their life as a result of their decisions. If you are in a bad/good marriage, it was your choice to get married. If you get into an auto accident, you chose to drive. If you are having financial challenges, your decisions created it.

There is some good news. The minute you accept responsibility for your past decisions, you take control of your life and financial future. But, the first step is to take responsibility for your life, your actions, and everything you do.

What should you do to get on track financially? Start by tracking all of your expenses and putting yourself on a budget. Are you really serious about getting back on track? Then eliminate all expenses that are not necessary. Here's a few common ones: cable TV (the great American income drain), eating out, Starbucks coffee, entertainment. I'm not saying you have to change anything at all. It's your life.

What should you do to get on track mentally? I'm a big believer that you are a product of your environment. Surround yourself with positive people and remove from your life negative people (AKA - blood suckers, dream snipers, nay-sayers, etc). At the same time, take advantage of the public library and read self-improvement books or autobiographies of success people. A few suggestions:

* How To Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie
* Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
* Cash Flow Quadrant - Robert Kiyosaki
* Steps To The Top - Zig Ziglar

Now that we have covered how to get your finances on track and get your mindset in the right place, the next step is to find ways to make more money. If you are in a financial position to attend a good "how to" seminar on real estate investing I would encourage it, but they do require cash to attend. Set it as a long-term goal. A few years ago, I attended my first higher education seminar. Although it was expensive, 6 months later I had my first month that I made over $105,000 in cash! Without that seminar I would not be where I am today.

In your case I would look at doing what you can to decrease your expenses and get some additional income so you can get a little ahead. Can you get some overtime? Second job? Side jobs? Anything?

Then, once you have some breathing room, consider making a minimal investment into an e-course called 3 Pigs Teach Wholesaling. You can find it at www.kickassrealestate.com. The total cost is under $100. This course was designed as an introduction to wholesaling houses and contains all the forms and instructions you need to get started. It's designed to be an affordable way for people to get started and make some money in real estate. With just this E-System, others have been able to do a deal and make $4,000 in two weeks.

Now that we've covered a plan to get you back on track, I want to share an important lesson I hope you take to heart.

"If you can't make money without money, you probably can't make money with money either!"

This statement is one that most people find hard to believe. They believe, wrongly, that it takes money to make money. It's easy for people who are poor to accept this statement because it serves as an excuse for their lack of success. I know this is true because I've personally lived it! I can give you many testimonials from people routinely making $4,000 - $30,000 with only a $10 or $100 earnest money deposit.

This idea of making money without money was completely foreign to me most of my life. My background taught me if you wanted more you simply worked harder. For years, I heard, "Work smarter not harder." It sounded great, but I didn't really understand it until it started happening to me.

In closing, remember there are only two things: results and excuses. Take responsibility for your life and your decisions and things can quickly change for the better. Above all else, believe in yourself.