Since the show, things have been much improved. I have been working on following my budget and just being more cognizant of how I am spending my money and where it’s all going. I have EXCELLED in the food shopping area, I now shop with a list (and coupons when I can as well), I am doing well not exceeding my budget, I have even been UNDER budget! I now buy food with the concept of, okay what am I going to cook and then I shop based on that. I still end up ordering out, but what I choose now, is to NOT order out or get food outside the house EVERY SINGLE DAY, but instead, to cook more often things that we (my husband, daughter and I) want to and like to eat, and then once in a while go out to eat or get takeout. I also make sure not to spend too much, like if it would cost less to buy the ingredients and cook it myself, then I don’t go out to eat.

Staying on track is a bit of a challenge, since I have to play A LOT of catch up. But I am still using the Bank of Mom and Dad little red notebook, I do put my receipts in the apron since it’s a perfect organizer, and the accordion file, it helps me keep my bills paid and bills due in order.

I have been saving, little by little, and I have some different savings goals. Obviously savings for household expenses (lol — calamities), also for paying off old bills, and of course for my beauty products, namely another high quality human hair wig. Instead of just blowing the budget on the wig all willy nilly (lol) I am saving for one now.

I decided to do the show because I wanted to get in control of my money situation. As you can see, it was out of control. I was feeling very depressed and stressed out all the time. It was manifesting into physical issues, like headaches, sleeplessness, crankiness, just feeling pretty sick all the time.

I also wanted to get my finances in order so that I could make a better financial future for my daughter, and to be able to start my fashion line, and NOT run it into the ground. I was feeling very afraid of mine and my daughter’s future. I saw that I could get a free financial advisor, and that made me think that this would be an excellent opportunity to get it all together.

EEK! I was very afraid of revealing my actual debt on TV, but in speaking with the producers, etc., related to the show, I heard a lot of people telling me how they had been there before. And from opening up a dialogue about money (something people don’t do too much), I started to see that I was not alone, and that so many people are going through the same things. I hope that someone else who is going through the same things would use my very public financial intervention to evaluate and change their situation.

My Mom told me that I am destined for success because I did something so innovative and different that no one else she’s ever known had the guts or the “outside the box” attitude to try. As you can see she and my dad were 100% behind me on this. And they still check up on me, which is JUST what I needed! I am accountable now! And it makes me feel happy and loved. Isn’t that what we all want anyway?

My husband encouraged me to do the show. I was reading the casting call info to him and he was like “Yeah, you should do that, you NEED that.” Let’s be clear, my money situation was definitely affecting my marriage. I know we didn’t go into it on the show, but he and I have fought about money a lot in our relationship, and he really felt I needed the push to get it together. His personal money situation is nowhere near mine. For example he has paid off different debts he had, including his student loans. He had no idea that my debt was so big, and this was a wakeup call to let him know he needs to be on board to get our household situation in control.

I told only a few people about the show, because I wasn’t looking to become a star. I just wanted to get my finances under control, and I was also apprehensive about telling people, I was afraid of people telling me that I looked stupid for going on TV and exposing my financial situation. I just wanted to do this with as much positivity and encouragement as possible.

I think the most important piece of advice I could give a woman who is in a similar situation would be to first of all admit and own up to the fact she is in trouble. Once you own up to it, and face the fact, you can start doing the things you need to do to get OUT of it.

I would also suggest evaluating where you spend most of your money. I think she could just start keeping receipts and writing down what she is spending. Based on that, I believe it will help her see her own “money traps” and figure out whether or not they are necessities or just wants.

Lastly, I believe getting out of debt is also dealing with the small things one at a time and building up to the big. My debt is about $41K, but when broken down to what each debt is, everything gets more manageable. I know that saving money is important, as well as paying for needs, and necessities and also paying off old bills to get me out of debt. So when I break it down like this (the best way to do it is to get a credit report and grab all your old bills so you know what to pay first), it’s not overwhelming. For me (and most Americans today) the biggest part of my debt is student loans, which makes me feel less scared of my number.

I have started entrepreneurship courses, and I have changed the focus of my business, and decided to focus on things that wouldn’t cost me anything. I am working on doing custom dresses and gowns for clients, I closed down my website and started a free website, daniellecicero.etsy.com, which is under construction, and I started a free Facebook page as well. I am working on a contract to design dance uniforms for my church, and I am sewing on my own now. I made a FAB dress, and got all these people asking me to make one for them too. I have LOTS of fabric in my home studio, from previous purchases, and I am just using what I have now. I love fashion, I could never give it up. I have decided to open a nonprofit consignment shop to benefit the community, and I am also working on creating a network of people interested in the CT Fashion Scene (or lack thereof). I want anyone interested in Fashion and Style in CT to have a group of people who are just as creative and fun to meet with and network with.

Aaand… I have not yet found a job. I have basically decided to forget about working in NYC, because I feel like I was not living not really due to the fact that all my dreams about getting out of debt and getting my life together were hinged on finding that “dream job” in NY, rather than dealing with my current situation. I am sending out resumes, but really, my main focus is making the most of all the opportunities in front of me right now; building my custom design clientele, working on my nonprofit, and working on my mini-line.

I am so happy to have had this experience. I have more confidence now, I am more sure of myself. I just want to say thank you so much to everyone involved, in a few years, I will be a millionaire and it was all because I got my act together!

Luv and hugs,
Dani

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