Without a doubt, going through fertility treatment can be one of the most stressful times in your life. Everything is affected. Your work life, marriage, and friendships can be negatively impacted as well as your physical health, emotional well being, and in most cases, your finances.
It’s the ultimate vicious circle. You need to stress less to get pregnant, but not being pregnant is stressing you out. The cost related to fertility treatment can become a huge stressor which impacts other areas of your life; including the ability to conceive!
Let’s take a look at 3 major money mistakes that may be holding you back and how to handle them.
Money Mistake #1 Letting fear make your decisions
FEAR can cost you big bucks or stop you from getting the treatment you need
This is a HUGE one. Fear is really prevalent during fertility struggles. If it goes unchecked, it can take over the driver’s seat in your decision making.
You’re scared you’ll never have a baby, and that you’re running out of time. Scared your future isn’t going to be what you’ve dreamed of since you were a child. You’re terrified that treatment won’t work, or that if it does, you’ll have spent your life savings and have no money left to raise a child. No matter where you turn, there’s just so much fear involved.
Making money decisions based on fear can go one of two ways. You may be too fearful to spend money at all or you’ll jump into spending large amounts on expensive treatments because you’re scared you’re running out of time. Neither is ideal!
How to fix it
In the moment, acknowledge you feel scared. Don’t ignore your feelings or pretend to be fine when you’re not. What you resist, persists! Take some time to journal about your fears or talk to someone you trust. Avoid diving into a big financial commitment while your emotions are running high.
Money Mistake #2 Thinking money struggles are about money
Think finances are stressing you out? It’s not actually about the cash
Money problems are never about money. During fertility struggles, money takes on other symbolic meanings. Money can signify control, hope, safety or security. Let’s say you’re struggling between the decision to spend money on another IUI or move onto IVF. You feel uncertain about risking so much money on IVF, but there might be other factors that are really driving the decision. You might be risking your last hope, what if it doesn’t work?. The real risk might be giving up the feeling of control that money gives you.
Money is one of the few things we can actually control during fertility struggles, so we hold it extra close. But by not taking a chance you could miss out on something that might have worked.
How to fix it
Peeling back the layers to see what your financial struggles are REALLY about can be complicated, but it’s an important first step to changing your relationship with money. Next, you need to take specifically targeted action steps to remove your money blocks. If you suspect your money issues are about more than just the money, it’s important to get a professional to help you work through them.
Money Mistake #3 Believing hard work and saving money are the only way to finance your future family
Are you missing out on the most fun way to get the money you need?
Obsessing about every penny you spend, constant couponing, and loads of overtime at work can get overwhelming and stressful. You end up creating tense energy around finances which can actually put a ‘money block’ in place.
Manifesting money, on the other hand, can be a fun and enjoyable way of creating more abundance in your finances. As soon as you start removing money blocks, manifesting becomes much easier. When you’re doing all three, saving money, making more money, and manifesting money, you reach your goals so much faster.
How to fix it
Cut out negative talk about money like ‘We can never afford this’ or ‘ I’m so broke right now!’
Re-write your thoughts and words to be positive about finances. An easy way to do this is to rephrase your negative thoughts into a question. “I will never be able to afford IVF” becomes “How can I afford IVF?”. Ask the Universe a question, and you will get an answer!
Don’t let money issues stop you from becoming a parent. You can use this challenging time to change your relationship with money for the better. You will be benefiting yourself and your future family, forever!
Devon Baeza is The Fertility Finance Coach. She mixes a lot of practical (and a few magical) proven strategies to help women make, save, and manifest money for fertility treatments! Learn more at https://www.devonbaeza.com/
