Madness will drive you to new heights. Even if you are not immersed in this year’s NCAA basketball tournament, women’s or men’s, or March Madness, you cannot escape your friends like me who keep bringing it up.  Every NCAA basketball participant wants to win sooooo badly that they will go quite mad until they get the ultimate prize: winning.

When it comes to investing and your money, sometimes madness, or “the quality or state of being mad,” is just the kind of motivation you need to spur you into action. My mad state came yesterday when $553.69 was debited from my checking account for my Sprint bill. We have a family plan, and with all the taxes, hot spot, data, we typically pay close to $180 for 2 lines.

I HATE when I get an unexpected surprise for a bill that should be fairly consistent from month-to-month. Don’t you? And, I was hot because that’s almost $350 that could go into my savings.

Well, I called Sprint this morning and gave them an ear full. I went over my minutes, which has never happened to me. But, Sprint failed to notify me that I was close to the limit NOR did they proactively offer me a better plan (which they are currently offering to new customers) that would have prevented this. As soon as I said I was going to switch to T-Mobile, which was offering $65 per line, after 19 years of being with them they suddenly told me about their new plan of $65 per line + taxes. My credible threat worked!

It just goes to show you that you have the upper-hand with your phone carriers. Call them and see what they can do for your plan. And, have some pep in your voice.

Here’s My Madness Advice:

If something is really bothering you, let that be your guide to taking action. In your year of action, it is so important that you have control of your own destination. Some of us are encouraged by fear and others are encouraged by positive outcomes. But, every now and then, it is the madness that is the true driver of change.

This week, examine what aspects of your life are driving you mad. I suspect that there is a financial implication associated with that madness.

Leave a comment below letting me know what it is so we can brainstorm together on how to tackle it. There’s HOPE!

Until then, be well.