Level Up Your Finances
Cut through the confusing and contradictory investing BS and learn exactly what you need to know to confidently take control of your financial life and invest for your future!
Does this sound like you?
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You feel insecure and overwhelmed about finances because no one ever taught you about money.
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You're ready to face your fears and conquer money, so you can intentionally save, spend, and invest money in line with your values and goals.
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You want to provide your children with more opportunities and experiences than were available to you.
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You want to understand investing, taxes, and retirement planning so you can make strategic decisions, then automate your finances.
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You want to grow your wealth so that one day you can stop working and gain "time freedom" or the ability to spend your time however you want, rather than working to survive.
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You want to create a plan for your financial future and feel confident that you can achieve your goals.
You can conquer money
... and use it to achieve your goals, and you don't have to be a high earner to do it!
But I know you have very little free time. And it sounds like such a huge task, and you have no idea where to start or who to ask. It feels impossible that you could ever really feel confident with money! You may even be feeling ashamed of some of your past or current money choices and are looking for way that you can learn without judgement or shame.
And you have tried...
- You looked into your 401k/403b options, but had no idea what it all meant.
- You listened to a podcast that said you should just stop spending money, so you did! But then it was miserable and soon you started spending again, and felt even guiltier this time.
- You've Googled answers to your questions, but the answers were so confusing that you learned nothing specific to you and your financial situation.
- You heard you needed an IRA and a 529 account and you tried, you really tried, to open those. But you didn't know where to start and got overwhelmed. So now your savings account keeps growing but you know you’re losing money every day because of inflation.
- You really tried to learn more, but you didn't know who you could trust. And you were so busy meeting your other obligations that you couldn't spend the time figuring it out.
I get it!
I didn't actually gain financial clarity until recently either.
As you can see from my investing chart, in 2015 I only had $500 invested! I was terrified to invest and didn't know where to go for reliable information. I knew that my partner and I wanted time freedom, we wanted to have meaningful experiences with our children, and we wanted to retire early. But we had no idea how to get there.
But I figured it out, and I reached my first investing goal! And so can you.
But who am I?
Michelle Onaka
Founder
Hello, I'm Michelle, and I'm so glad to meet you!
I'm a mom of 2, former higher education professional, current associate advisor at a financial planning firm and financial planner at another advisory firm, and founder of Intentional Money Life.
I'm originally from Ohio, where I got my Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and now I'm in Oregon, where I got my Master of Science in College Student Services Administration (higher education). My unique background combines money with education and support, and lends really well to helping my students understand their own financial situations.
More importantly, my unique approach helps people first understand why learning any of this is important, and also helps them put any new knowledge to use, all in service of creating a life you're truly excited to live.
If you'd rather just meet with me for a 1-time, 1-hour, advice-only financial planning session ($150), you can sign up here: https://hellonectarine.com/advisor/michelle-onaka.
Check out what my students have to say...
“So, we had a financial advisor who did all our investments and I just didn't understand anything that was happening there. But today, I met with him and I had all of these different things that I have learned from the program and changes that I wanted to make to maximize everything. And when he was talking about changes that he would suggest, it was all stuff that I had prepared to bring to him. And at one point, he was like "I should hire you". I've come so far and I just feel super proud of myself! And I'm really excited looking forward to all these changes that are going to be made and that I think are just setting us on a much smarter track than what we were on before... it's been a really empowering experience and I feel very thankful for this program.”
Alicia
“My favorite part about the program was learning that financial freedom is possible and you took me through detailed steps on how to do that... I already have raved about the program to family and friends. I think a lot of my friends would benefit from this course because they can take advantage of being young and learning this information now. I don't think we are taught this information and this is a great way to find out the information with someone who has done a lot of the leg work for us and is a great resource when there are questions.”
Sarah
“Michelle’s program helped me and my husband get on the same page about our money goals. We were also able to calculate our net worth and learn how to start planning for our long-term financial goals, like retirement! I highly recommend this program to anyone who knows they could be doing more with their money strategy, but aren’t exactly sure where to start. Getting clear on what we really want our life to look like was super helpful to get us motivated to make some small shifts in how we spend and invest our money so we can actually reach our goals!”
Jenesis
“I just have to say… I'm only halfway through module 2. But this is why I signed up for this course! This stuff was so mysterious to me before. So I've always been an awesome saver and not a good investor because I just didn't even know where to start. And I'm seriously so comforted by learning all of this stuff right now. I'm so excited!”
Jamie
“Retirement is a lot more attainable than I thought when I first started this module! I am glad I am getting into this now that I am only 30 years old and have time on my side. I feel a lot less discouraged and hopeless about retirement... I feel like I have a plan!”
Anna
In this course...
you will identify what matters most to you in life and create a financial plan to get there.
You will feel financial clarity and confidence, knowing that you can achieve your goals and exactly what it will take. And you will take steps to automate your finances and put that plan into action so you can stop worrying about if you’ll ever actually get to retire, or be able to pay for your kids' college tuition.
If you’re ready to take control of your finances and create the life that you want for yourself and your family, then it’s time to join Level Up Your Finances! The longer you wait, the less compound interest can benefit you in the long run!
What's included?
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Getting Set Up
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Module 1 - The Life You Want to Create
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Module 2 - The Stock Market
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Module 3 - Demystifying Taxes
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Module 4 - Optimizing Your Taxes
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Module 5 - Financial Independence/Retirement Planning
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About this course
- $279.00
- 8 Video-based modules
- Workbook with activities and cheat sheets
And there are bonuses!
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Your Relationship with Money
$15 valueDig in to your relationship with money, beliefs about money, and money personality. This kind of work is crucial to help you start to use money in a way that aligns with your values and goals!
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Retirement Before 59½ : Strategies for Accessing Your Money
$15 valueIf you're considering retiring before "retirement age", it'll be helpful to consider how you'll access that money early. This activity walks you through several different options that it would be helpful to be aware of, so you can be intentional with your planning.
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Finding More Money to Reach Your Goals
$25 valueHow can you find more money to reach your goals? This bonus walks you through both pieces of the equation, how you can grow your income and how you can reduce your spending.
FAQ
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What is the time commitment?
3-6 hours per module (8 total modules) is a reasonable expectation, though some people fly through it in less time and some spend more time. That time consists of watching 30-60 minutes of videos (for the first 7 of 8 modules), completing 2-5 activities where you apply the information to your own life, and submitting a reflection. Module 8 doesn't have any videos, it just has one activity where you go back through the entire workbook and revisit everything you have learned, and identify the next steps that you'll take.
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How long will the course last/how long will I have access to the materials?
You will download the workbook to keep for yourself. You will have access to the course videos for as long as I continue offering it through this website (at least), or for at least one year from purchase date.
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How do I know if this is for me?
This is especially for those who already have decent credit and don't have significant consumer debt (or already have a plan to pay it off). This is a comprehensive educational program, covering investing, taxes, and retirement planning. If you feel you're lacking education in these areas and you're ready to jump in and learn more, while always applying that info to your life, then this is for you! Still not sure? Preview module 2 for free (click the link above the FAQ).
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Will you blame or shame me? Will you tell me what to do?
I strongly believe in social justice and in understanding the impact of systems of oppression. I do not shame and blame people for their situations, and I will never try to tell you what you should do. I believe you need reliable information and support in making sure you understand that information and any potential ramifications of your decisions, and then you should feel confident making your own decisions.
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Everyone is trying to sell me something, how do I know that I can trust you?
Besides purchasing the program (and an occasional affiliate link that will always be clearly labeled), I will not make money off of anything that you do because of the program. I will not make money when you invest, or file your taxes, or buy insurance. I have no incentive to give you bad information. Note that the information I provide is for educational purposes only and not given as advice. But I have spent the past couple years learning everything that I could, always seeking evidence-based information, as I needed this information to make my own decisions. If you'd like to see some of my work, check out my blog, such as this post where I explain why you really want to avoid fees when investing (intentionalmoneylife.com/fees).
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This sounds like a pretty big commitment. What if I'm not ready?
If you're just feeling overwhelmed with the idea of everything that we'll cover, just remember that you can go at your own pace and take your time, and you can reach out to me with questions. For some people, they will fly through the content in 8 weeks or less. Others might want to take more like 6 months or even longer. It's totally up to you, and it's all broken down into small pieces, where you watch a video or a couple, then do an activity where you apply it. You can always take breaks between the topics or modules! Remember that with compound interest, the sooner you start investing the more you'll have in the end. So even if this isn't the perfect time for you to commit to this course, if you are financially in the right place to take it (you don't have credit card debt, you have at least some emergency fund, and things like that), I'd encourage you to make the time for it. It will pay off in the long run!
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What if I don't have the interest or time to learn all of this?
If you truly aren't interested or can't currently take the time to engage in this course, I'd encourage you to instead sign up for a 1-time, 1-hour financial planning session with me through Nectarine. Then you can at least get started working towards your goals, and later you can circle back and build that education. Remember that putting this off will cost you a lot of money in the long run, so no matter how you get started, get started now!!! You can sign up for a session ($150) here: https://hellonectarine.com/advisor/michelle-onaka
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Do you have another question that I didn't answer?
Feel free to reach out on social media (@intentionalmoneylife on Instagram) or send me an email with any other questions at [email protected].
Let's do this!
With compound interest, the sooner you start, the more your money will grow. So if you really want to create a better life for you and your family, now is the time to Level Up Your Finances.
If this course helps you to start investing now, at only $200 each month and 8% growth, in 20 years you'll have over $109,000 invested. If you instead wait for another 5 years to get started, you'll only have $65,000.
That gap would grow to $141,000 after another 15 years! Don't keep putting this off!
Disclaimer
This course is offered for education only. It does not provide financial advice, nor can it tailor information specifically to you and your situation. Learning this information is not meant to be a substitute for seeking services of a financial planner! Intentional Money Life is not a registered Investment Adviser and does not claim to be one. You can, however, meet with me for investing advice through Nectarine, sign up here. You can find additional disclaimers here.
Not ready to buy?
Sign up for my free Investing 101 download instead!
This free downloadable PDF covers 10 things I think everyone who wants to invest needs to know about investing and retirement accounts.