Your Financial Checkup
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    FinancialCheckup

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    A 4-week checklist to help you get your money goals off to a great start this year!

    Talk money · Build confidence

    Financial literacy is year-round
    "You can't confidently change what you haven't taken the time to understand."
    Siobhan Bent
    Let's talk money

    This is your fresh start

    New year, new season, or just a regular Tuesday. The best day to get your money together is the day you decide to. Building financial confidence starts with one honest conversation and this one is with yourself. Tell me two things and I'll build your path around you.

    I'll map your 4 weeks from this date. Everything you type stays on this device only.

    Siobhan Bent with her son
    Siobhan & her son
    A Note from Siobhan

    Your financial future starts with knowing where you stand.

    Hi, I'm Siobhan! A proud mom to one amazing young prince, a Financial Life Coach and founder of the Mortgages 4 Moms community. I'm so glad you're here!

    Over 25 years ago, I purchased my first property, a decision that changed the course of my life. Within a few short years, that investment doubled in value and then doubled again.

    But the greatest return wasn't just financial. It was discovering how one intentional money decision could open doors to possibilities I never imagined.

    That experience inspired me to build a career helping other women and families create financial security through knowledge, confidence and smart financial decisions.

    And after 25 years, here's what I know.

    Women aren't lacking ambition. We're working hard, raising families, building businesses and showing up for everyone around us. Yet so many of us still wonder why, despite everything we do, we don't feel further ahead financially.

    Sometimes it can be about the need to earn more but ALL of the time it is about understanding what we already have and learning how to make it work for us.

    Building wealth, creating security and leaving a legacy don't happen by accident.

    Because you can't confidently change what you haven't taken the time to understand.

    That's why I created this Financial Checkup.

    Not to tell you what you're doing wrong but to help you recognize where you are, discover what's possible and take your next step with purpose.

    In just a few simple steps, you'll get a clearer picture of your finances, identify what needs your attention and walk away with a personalized, one-page action plan.

    Because building wealth, creating security and leaving a legacy don't happen by accident. They begin with intentional decisions and this can be one of yours.

    No shame. No judgment. Just clarity, direction and a plan to move forward.

    You've got this… and I've got you!Siobhan

    This checklist is for you if…

    • You know you could be doing better with your money but don't know where to start.
    • You have tried to budget your money before but fell off track and are ready to start again.
    • You think you don't earn enough money to bother tracking it.
    • You are tired of working really hard to only wonder where all your money went by the end of the month.

    Are you ready to get started?

    If you need any support I am here to help!

    Book a free call

    Step 1

    Find Your Number

    Start here with this quiz to help you identify whether your finances are on track or where you may need to put in some more work to improve.

    The GOAL of this Check Up is to GET THE LOWEST SCORE. Yes, you read right! The lower your score, the healthier you are financially.

    Some answers have 1 point assigned and others have 2 points assigned. This is because some impact your financial health harder quicker than the others. For each question you answer "Yes" you get 1 or 2 points. If you answer "No" then you get 0 points for that question. Your score adds up for you as you go.

    Score 0 0 of 16 answered
    See result
    Step 2

    Your 4-Week Game Plan

    Tick each item off as you go. Your progress is saved on this device.

    Follow Your Plan & Take Control Of YOUR Money

      Don't skip this one

      Protect Your Family

      Everything in this plan, the budgeting, the saving, the paying down debt, comes back to one thing: taking care of the people you love. Protecting them is part of the plan too.

        Not sure where you stand? Let's look at it together on a free call.

        Book a free family protection review

        Step 3

        Budget by Paycheque

        Budgeting takes work… I know! Here's the simple shift that makes it easier and a calculator to do it with your real numbers.

        The Problem

        Most people budget each month, meaning they budget from January 1st through the 31st. This may make the most logical sense but it isn't the most efficient or easiest way for a budget to work.

        The problem is that most people aren't paid on the first of each month. Instead, most are paid biweekly, weekly, or once a month and on different dates each month (With the exception of semi-monthly) When you budget monthly starting on the first of the month, you're likely starting your budget in the middle of your pay period which makes budgeting more confusing than it needs to be.

        The Solution

        Instead of budgeting from the first of the month until the end of the month, try budgeting per paycheck. For instance, if you are paid on the 1st and again on the 15th, then you would write TWO budgets.

        • Budget #1 would be from the 1st through the 14th.
        • Budget #2 would be from the 15th through the 30th.

        If you have a partner who is also paid on the same days, this makes budgeting even easier! For those that are paid on different paydays, it helps to "group" your paydays together based on how close they are.

        Why This Works

        Budgeting for each pay check allows you to plan your spending better and in an organized way. One of my coaches always says…'What gets tracked get measured and what gets measured gets improved!'

        Becoming a Good Steward of what you currently have will open the door for you to be Blessed with much more. This is Biblical truth…

        "The one who faithfully manages the little he has been given will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more."
        Luke 16:10 TPT

        Your Paycheque Budgeter

        Bills and needs due before your next payday

        Pick your split

        Needs
        $0
        Rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, transportation, childcare, insurance, minimum debt payments
        Wants
        $0
        Eating out, subscriptions, shopping, fun with the kids
        Savings & debt
        $0
        Emergency fund first, then extra debt payments, then TFSA or FHSA

        Beginner budget guidelines

        Pay yourself first. Move your savings amount on payday, before anything else gets spent.
        Start with 50 / 30 / 20. Half to needs, 30% to wants, 20% to savings and debt.
        Needs over half your pay? That's common, especially in big cities. Use 60 / 20 / 20 or 70 / 10 / 20 for now and protect that 20%. That's the part that changes things.
        Housing under 30% of your before-tax income is the benchmark CMHC uses for affordable housing.
        Emergency fund: work toward 3 months of essential expenses in a high-interest savings account.
        These are starting points, not rules. Track one month, then adjust.
        Step 4

        Your Credit Check-Up

        Your credit score opens doors, or closes them. Here's how it works in Canada and how to improve yours.

        In Canada, there are two credit bureaus: Equifax and TransUnion. They tally the numbers from your credit reporting and give you a grade somewhere between 300 and 900. The credit score is used by most companies to see if you are a good credit risk or not. Many lenders use a version of the FICO Score, a mathematical formula created by Fair Isaac and Company.

        In the mortgage lending world, a score of 680+ is considered excellent.

        Where do you land?

        Poor 300–559Fair 560–659Good 660–724Very good 725–759Excellent 760–900

        Equifax Canada's published ranges. Lenders set their own cutoffs. The gold line marks 680.

        How your score is calculated

        FactorWeightPoints
        Payment HistoryBankruptcies, late payments, past due accounts and wage attachments, collections, judgments35%315
        Amounts OwedAmount owed on accounts, proportion of balance to total credit limit30%270
        Length of Credit HistoryTime since accounts opened, time since account activity15%135
        New CreditNumber of recent inquiries, number of recently opened accounts10%90
        Types of CreditNumber of various types of accounts (credit cards, retail cards, mortgage, line of credit, loans etc)10%90
        Totals100%900

        How you can improve your credit score

        1. Order a copy of your credit report annually, review it carefully and correct any significant errors: equifax.ca & transunion.ca
        2. Make minimum payment BEFORE due dates on all credit accounts
        3. Be proactive with any negative reporting on your report
        4. Do not open accounts then don't use them. Keep consistent activity on your accounts
        5. High balances affect your utilization so keep balances low in relation to the available credit. If the credit limit is $10,000, aim to bring the balance below $3,000 (or 30% of the limit).
        6. Avoid closing accounts. The longer history your accounts have the better for you
        7. Only apply for credit when needed.

        If you have a copy of your report and would like a free consultation, book an appointment here.

        Book a free consultation

        Step 5

        Are You Home-Ready?

        Homeownership starts long before you go house hunting. These four checks show you how close you are and exactly what to work on next.

        1

        Your credit score

        Aim for 680 or higher. Don't know yours? Step 4 shows you how to check it.

        2

        Your down payment

        In Canada, the minimum down payment is 5% of the first $500,000, plus 10% of the portion from $500,000 to $1.5 million. Homes at $1.5 million and up need 20% down.

        3

        Your FHSA

        A First Home Savings Account lets you save up to $8,000 a year ($40,000 lifetime) toward your first home. What you put in is tax-deductible and it comes out tax-free when you buy.

        Do you have an FHSA open?

        4

        Your monthly debt payments

        Car loan, credit cards, lines of credit, student loans

        Lenders generally cap your housing costs at 39% of your income before tax and housing plus all other debts at 44%. The less you owe each month, the more room you have for a home.

        Want a plan to get home-ready?

        Wherever you landed, we can map out your next steps together.

        Book a free call

        These are rough estimates to guide your planning, not a pre-approval.

        Step 6

        Build Your Money Plan

        Everything you've learned, on one page. Fill in the blanks and your plan builds itself. Then save it, screenshot it, or print it and put it where you'll see it.

        My
        One-Page Money Plan
        You got this… and I got you!  ·  Siobhan Bent, Financial Life Coach

        Take a screenshot of your plan and save it as your phone's lock screen, or keep it in your favourites so you see it every day.

        Your Financial Checkup Workbook

        Want to keep tracking? Get your own private copy of the full workbook in Google Sheets. It's yours to fill in every week.

        One-Page Money PlanPaycheque BudgetHome-Ready SnapshotCash Flow AuditSavings TrackerDebt TrackerNo Spend ChallengeIncome Ideas

        Make my own copy

        Opens in Google Sheets. You'll need a free Google account.

        Step 7

        Your Money Toolkit

        Look at everything you've built. Come back to any of these anytime you need a reset.

        What you've built

        Keep it going

        Notebooks

        Yes, I acknowledge that we are living in a digital society! However, there is NOTHING like using pen and paper to write out your plans for Life but also for your MONEY! Another Biblical truth =) taken from Habakkuk 2:2. Get yourself a notebook or binder with loose sheets and get to work! LOL

        Podcasts

        If you're not listening to podcasts yet, here's your chance to turn drive time, bus time or even cooking time into learning time! Listen on Audible, Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch video podcasts on YouTube.

        What to look for

        • Search topics like "budgeting," "paying off debt" or "faith and finances."
        • Choose voices who teach rather than sell. Good teachers explain the why, not just the product.
        • Look for Canadian shows too, since rules on things like the TFSA, FHSA and credit scores are different from the US.

        High-Interest Savings & Money Management

        Keep your savings in an account that's separate from your everyday bank card and let it earn interest while it grows.

        Heads up: these are my referral links. I may earn a commission if you use them.

        EQ BankSavings, TFSA & FHSA · referral link Neo FinancialMoney management & credit building · referral link

        *Disclaimer: This page is not to be considered financial advice. Some links on this page are referral links, which means I may earn a commission or referral bonus if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. I only share tools I use in my own money system. Please schedule an appointment with me to discuss your situation and to receive personalized recommendations.*

        You did it!

        I know for many, implementing better Money Management practices can be overwhelming and sometimes discouraging! Don't worry, you don't have to do it alone, though!

        Your next step

        5-Day Financial Glow-Up Challenge

        5 days to get clear on your money and confident about your next move.

        1. Day 1: Money Truth ResetGet clear on where you stand.
        2. Day 2: Credit & Debt PowerUnderstand your credit. Make a plan for your debt.
        3. Day 3: Cash Flow & BudgetingTell your money where to go.
        4. Day 4: Investing for BeginnersStart thinking beyond today's bills.
        5. Day 5: Your 90-Day Financial Glow-Up PlanTurn what you've learned into action.

        Your 4-week plan becomes your 90-day plan. Five self-paced lessons with workbooks and daily exercises, plus a free 30-minute review call with me when you complete the Challenge.

        $47 CAD
        Start the Challenge

        Working toward a home or want help with your plan?

        Book a free call and we'll talk through your next steps.

        Book a free call

        Siobhan Bent
        Siobhan Bent
        Mom | Financial Life Coach
        'Helping Families Build their Financial Legacy since 2001'
        Mobile: 416-505-3067  ·  Email: info@siobhanbent.com