Stop winging it financially.
Get a plan, get ahead, and spend with confidence.
We have a better way to budget. Learn from the creators of The Plan Ahead Method™ how simple, realistic planning can transform your finances.
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Our superpower is helping people, just like you, to see your money clearly so the next financial decision you make is a no-brainer.
At Fiscal Fitness, we help people across the country create a road map for their money that takes into account their next car payment as well as their dreams and goals for the future. Whether your dream is renovating your house, paying off your student loans in a year, or taking a month off to bum around Europe, it is possible. (And you don’t have to live on rice and beans to do it.)
We don’t think money should stop you from dreaming big. Quite the opposite. Your money should be used as a tool to help you achieve your dreams. Let us show you how.
Why We Do What We Do
Planning ahead with money is a skill everyone can learn.
We help our clients create a realistic budget (we will not take away your daily coffee splurge if you don’t want to) but the budget is just one part of the plan. And when we say “budget” it’s not like any budget you’ve ever seen before. It takes into account the timing of real life and shows you the impact of a decision you make today, on your money tomorrow, next week, next month and even further into the future! Imagine the peace of mind and sense of control you will feel! You’ll walk out of your Eureka session knowing what to pay and when to pay it, the best strategy for paying things off, and how long it will take you to save for what you want. It’s more than a budget. It’s a full financial roadmap made with you in mind.
The Fiscal Fitness Process
Client Stories
How three clients transformed their future through financial coaching with Fiscal Fitness.
You Can Feel Excited About Your Money
At Fiscal Fitness, we believe everyone has the ability to take control of their finances. That’s why we freely give away our strategies for success and inspire anyone we can through The Fiscal Fitness Podcast and the Fiscal Fitness blog. In addition, we have been featured on websites, blogs, magazines, newspapers, national and local TV programs giving away the advice we share with our clients.
The Fiscal Fitness Podcast
The Fiscal Fitness Podcast is a weekly podcast about money strategies featuring our coaches, as well as featured experts and forward-thinking gurus who talk about everything from career coaching to meal planning.
The Fiscal Fitness Blog
Take Inspired Action
Sometimes the only difference between being successful with your finances and not is a dash of inspiration mixed with an ounce of motivation. On the Fiscal Fitness blog, we provide both. We regularly write about budgeting tips, savings strategies, and spending habits because we know life is complicated. Your finances shouldn’t be.
Planning Your Post-Coronavirus Budget
You’ve probably longed for the feeling of normalcy over these past few months. Covid-19 has caused a lot of upheaval and uncertainty in a very short amount of time. Previously mundane daily activities like grocery [...]
The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 89: Meet our newest team member, financial coach Jaclyn Wise
Meet our newest Financial Coach, Jaclyn Wise! As a former math teacher you might expect budgeting would come easily, but Jaclyn shares she was a mess when it came to budgeting and balancing her own [...]
The Fiscal Fitness Podcast Episode 88: Why do we need to calculate our Net Worth and Savings Rate?
Your net worth and savings rates are key pieces to navigating your personal finances! Knowing your income and expenses are important. But just as important are numbers that show you the bigger picture of your [...]
Your Fiscal Fitness Team
Jill Emanuel
Financial Coach
Kelsa Dickey
Founder and Financial Coach
Michael Dickey
Co-Founder and Creative Director
Sheri Milam
Office Business Manager
What Our Clients are Saying about Fiscal Fitness
Ben Zachary
2020-03-06T19:17:29+0000
Jill and the Fiscal Fitness team have had a huge impact on our life and relationship! We came into coaching feeling... fairly positive about our financial literacy, but she helped us move to another level. Over the course of her coaching we made it through the holidays on budget and without putting a single dollar on a credit card and paid off nearly $17k in credit card debt and personal loans. More importantly, she guided us through money conversations that benefited our relationship in a big way. Getting on the same page about our money removed the biggest cause of arguments and taught how to discuss and get on the same page with our life goals! She also went the extra mile to help us with personal situations and referred us to experts for anything that came up throughout our coaching. Very happy we went to Fiscal Fitness, and especially that we got to work with Jill!read more
Elisa Batista
2020-03-04T18:14:11+0000
For anyone feeling uncertain about their finances, I highly recommend plopping down the $500 for an initial session... with Fiscal Fitness. I was wary, but ended up saving much more money from the strategies that I gained! After saving thousands of dollars and learning new budgeting strategies, I feel much more secure in all other aspects of my life. Thank you, Fiscal Fitness!read more
Louise Yanock
2020-01-22T22:37:18+0000
This is a wonderful program for anyone who's trying to save and can't seem to do it!! It has helped me to prioritize... and cut out unneeded spending. Thanks Ladies for taking me on this journey!!read more
Kelsey O'Neal
2019-08-14T16:29:09+0000
Kelsa & Jill are fantastic financial coaches! They always go above and beyond to provide incredible knowledge and... resources for their clients.read more
Ally Rose
2019-06-21T20:16:29+0000
Working with Jill has literally changed my life. She helped me
navigate starting my new business and other major life... transitions where I felt in over my head around my finances. Jill lovingly guided me through the process of sifting through everything, organizing all the numbers, and helped me make a plan so that I felt confident and secure as I moved forward. She held me accountable without judgement and helped me create a spending plan that didn't make me feel deprived
or like I was operating from scarcity mindset. I have big dreams for my future and the thing is that you can’t get to where you want to go unless you know where you are now. I'm so thankful that Jill helped me feel empowered around my finances, a place that I had avoided and buried my head in the sand for so long. I now feel that I have a clear
plan and path forward and know that I can handle the things that come my way as I continue to build a life that I love. Thank you so much Jill, for your kindness, compassion, guidance and for always believing in me and helping me believe in myself. I am forever grateful for the work that we have done together!read more
Stevie White
2019-01-29T21:08:01+0000
Fiscal fitness is the best! Jill has been a life saver and taught me how to move forward with my finances, even with... unplanned expenses! This business sets you up for success and gives you skills you can use everyday!read more
Gretchen Skigis
2018-12-19T18:33:55+0000
We were Kelsa's client for 5 years, and we are eternally grateful for what she has taught us and for the tools she's... given us to endure a lifetime of fiscal fitness!read more
Rachel Lynn
2018-11-14T03:25:59+0000
I met Jill through an online course and she has taught me so much already about financial health! just started... listening to the podcasts Overcoming Financial Stress with the Spender and Saver and love their advice. Looking forward to my new financial journey thanks to Jill!read more
Janelle Elizares Knapp
2018-07-23T21:42:02+0000
We knew we needed to make some changes to how we spend and manage our money, so I finally took the plunge and scheduled... our Eureka session with Jill. We have some short and long-term goals to reach, so our two hours really gave us the kick start we needed to review our current state of financial affairs and to develop our plan to take things to the next level. Everything from the initial scheduling to completing the dreaded "homework" was actually very easy to do. And I have to add that Sheri was awesome because she sent friendly reminders about due dates to make sure Jill had what she needed in advance of our session. The two hour session with Jill was awesome. She challenged some of our best guess figures in our spreadsheet to make sure we weren't under or over-estimating things--and she did it in a very friendly way. 🙂 She explained everything in a realistic and easy-to-digest way and it was clear to both my husband and I what we needed to do to make immediate changes. The templates and knowledge that Jill shared were also super helpful, and we’re definitely already applying everything we’ve learned!read more
Jan Vickery
2018-05-21T15:49:22+0000
I sent my 21-year-old grandson for a session to learn about financial budgeting and planning as he is ready to go off... on his own.
He was amazed, inspired and had a whole new outlook on money and the role it plays in our lives! Thank you Kelsa from the bottom of our heart. I would like to recommend this training for every young person starting out on their own .read more
Nicole Woodard
2018-04-29T20:41:41+0000
I am writing this review 2 weeks into implementation! THIS IS AMAZING AND LIFE CHANGING! I listened on an interview... that said money should be boring not stressful and that fun should come from your life!!! It changed my world because money was high stress in my marriage and my day to day life! I love that I can see immediately 6 weeks out if I going to overdraft. I can see immediately if paying more towards debt is helpful or hurtful! I can see my money future and now I can manifest debt free lifestyle! I would never have felt this empowered without the help of Fiscal Fitness!!!! Best use of a tax return yet was investing our financial future!!!read more
Renee Lucci
2018-04-25T22:38:40+0000
My husband retired in January and we seriously needed to make some smart decisions and rein in our spending so we could... try and live on my earnings and his social security so he wouldn't have to search for a part-time job. We didn't know if we could make that happen without making lots of sacrifices. The warm up worksheet was super helpful to us in getting all our expenses, debts and anticipated spending on paper. The bottom line was negative as we had anticipated. I was really excited to meet with Jill and see how she could help us sort it all out. I think my husband was more tentative. He was a little nervous about meeting by video conference, but as soon as we began the session, Jill immediately put us both at ease. Jill was able to show us a variety of choices for how to reduce our spending and the impact that each decision would have on our monthly spending and our future income stream from retirement savings. The time flew and we were amazed at how quickly she was able to help us put together a very workable plan. At the conclusion of our meeting, I told Jill that her coaching and the Fiscal Fitness Plan were worth every penny of the fee and we felt very confident moving forward that our finances would be easy to manage and we could clearly see what impact any of our spending decisions would have on our future bottom line. I would highly recommend Fiscal Fitness, and specifically Jill, to anyone who wants to take the stress out of your budgeting. She is amazing!read more
Kristen Machen Boyer
2018-04-25T01:02:02+0000
My husband and I started working with Jill and team back in January. When we began our finances were messy to say the... least - our money controlled us not the other way around. We saw immediate results in terms of control, savings, debt pay off and less stress. We were nervous to have someone looking at our finances.. worried about judgement, too strict and not fun. It’s been the totally opposite- Jill’s a pleasure to work with!read more
Erica Dodge
2018-02-10T14:51:29+0000
Kelsa and her team were awesome, and set us on the path to financial success! Our session was the most insightful and... meaningful financial conversation we have ever had, and we were provided with a great plan to move forward.read more
Stephanie Espinoza
2018-01-07T22:45:52+0000
I recently met with Kelsa to discuss my financial goals. I highly recommend Fiscal Fitness Phoenix! She is amazing!
Alicia Fields
2017-07-31T20:52:37+0000
I just have to give a shout out to Kelsa Dickey her podcast is awesome!!! (I'm a huge podcast fan) I just finished #2... about debt and Iove Kelsa's approach, it has to fit you and your situation or it won't work. I have this same approach to health and eating since we're all individuals and need different things. I knew you were good Kelsa but this is awesome 😉 I also love the aspect of a saver and a spender and that neither is bad just different. It really gave me peace of mind that ok I really can do this. For anyone who is wanting some great money advice check it out!read more
Tabitha A Dumas
2017-04-01T20:04:46+0000
Practical and down-to-earth advice that will truly change your life. Such a confidence boost! All couples or... entrepreneurs need to go see Kelsa NOW!read more
Sharon Hall
2017-03-29T20:38:39+0000
After just 2 sessions and a bit of intense, highly worthwhile homework, I have a workable, useful financial management... system in place and working well. I'm actually enjoying it, instead of dreading working on finances. The templates make it simple in ways I would never have thought of on my own. Brilliant program and highly recommend working with Kelsa and the Eureka team.read more
Laura Barnes
2017-01-19T20:36:55+0000
Last night I attended the first ever LEVEL UP LADIES meeting featuring Kelsa Dickey, a financial coach (wizard!) at... Fiscal Fitness Phoenix in Chandler. First of all I have to say I am predisposed to LOVE Coaches, (being a Life Coach myself!) but I was intrigued to discover how a financial COACH is different to a financial ADVISOR. In a nutshell, Kelsa wanted to EMPOWER us in creating simple, achievable, non-scary, efficient and effective systems that would help us FEEL good about our finances. She talked us through a whole new way of budgeting for ourselves, our businesses and our families that would help eliminate surprises and shame as well as break out of unproductive habits. I left the evening with exciting strategies, resources and back up. LEVEL UP LADIES presented a knowledgeable, independent Financial Coach who did not try to sell ANY product, she simply shared ways to manage our money better. Lots of questions were asked and there was a lively dialogue. Wine and elegant refreshments were served. It was a non-intimidating environment and a really interesting, fun evening. I am eager to get started on reviewing my saving and spending habits 🙂read more
Kit Wilson
2017-01-19T15:13:27+0000
I felt Energized and Educated after my workshop with Kelsa. I have a Fresh and Accessible way of approaching my... finances. Highly Recommend this Experience!read more
Nicole Hanger
2016-11-22T05:41:55+0000
Just getting started on Kelsa's plan but already it has made me and my husband feel more in charge of our finances. I... am really excited about where this control of our finances can take us and with Kelsa's help, I am not nervous about finances at all right now!!!read more
Ruel Mallari
2016-10-11T02:48:35+0000
After moving from IL, we fell a little behind and struggled to catch up. Kelsa got us back on track and even increased... our bank balances the right way! We are forever grateful!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!read more
Cheyenne Rowell
2016-09-27T21:19:49+0000
I am going to start by saying that I had all intentions to write a review after my first visit to Fiscal Fitness,... however, I realized that the most important part is the ability to utilize the tools and stick to the plan when you talk about finances and budgeting.
It has been about a year since my husband and I met with Kelsa and the experience exceeded our expectations. Since that visit we have stuck to our budget, communicated about finances better and planned for the future without stress. We have even fallen on some more challenging financial times and were able to revert back to the rules and worksheet we were given by Kelsa to help get us back on track!
I highly recommend Fiscal Fitness for yourself or as a gift!read more
Tami Jo
2016-08-12T01:23:49+0000
I have known Kelsa for many years and worked with her on a professional level when she lived in Michigan and she knew... way back then that my husband and myself struggled with our finances. When she introduced her DMM on her business page, I knew right then Kelsa was our gal. We have the money it was just very unorganized and in just over a month Kelsa has everything being paid on time and it is just fabulous. I don't worry about one thing. I look forward to her email every week with her note "everything is looking great". I will never pay our bills again. Hire Fiscal Fitness Phoenix-Kelsa. IT'S A WIN WIN!!read more
Ryan Hamic
2016-06-23T23:48:41+0000
No nonsense practical approach to managing your finances. Don't overthink this, you need this service!
Jonathan Graham
2016-06-23T15:09:22+0000
Amazing experience that I cannot recommend enough! If you have pain in your life w/ money or just want someone to help... you out some she is your lady. MIND BLOWN!read more
Seth Gunsauls
2016-04-01T04:16:39+0000
Had a great experience with Fiscal Fitness. What my wife and I liked was that while we certainly addressed the... logistical/functional issues with our finances, we also approached them from a psychological standpoint and Kelsa helped us better understand our different approaches and why we think the way we do. This is a great tool for any couple, even if your finances are in good shape!read more
Ben Whaley
2016-03-09T20:56:24+0000
So grateful for Kelsa and her help. The peace of mind is worth the cost alone. I cannot recommend her highly enough!... Thank you Kelsa!read more
Nic Yavelak
2016-01-02T00:34:49+0000
Deciding to work with Kelsa has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I came to Fiscal Fitness, nearly three... years ago, hoping to gain control over my finances. My experience has been much more valuable than money management. The concepts Kelsa instilled in me have caused a positive ripple effect in nearly every area of my life. Whether you're being controlled by your money, seeking a better system, or simply looking for a smarter way to make your money work for you...Fiscal Fitness is the answer. I'm a better person today due to Fiscal Fitness and will continue to work with Kelsa indefinitely. Nicread more
Allie Rogers
2015-05-08T18:10:23+0000
I absolutely loved working with Fiscal Fitness. Even though I'm still young and new in my career, Kelsa really helped... me see the big picture during our Eureka session. Kelsa has made a very detailed plan for me on how to not only tackle my credit card debt but a long term plan on how to pay off my car and student loans. She spent not even a minute going over my mistakes but continuously told what I am doing right. I'm so much more relieved knowing my finances are organized and I'm actually using my hard-earned money in a wise way. I'm going to encourage all of my friends to consider her services! Thank you, Kelsa + Sheri!read more
Jill Emanuel
2015-04-21T06:33:05+0000
Wow - I can't even begin to describe how much Kelsa and Fiscal Fitness has changed our lives! After my husband lost... his job and decided to pursue a new business opportunity, our financial situation was a complete disaster. I guess it takes feeling like you have hit "rock bottom" to really search for a way to do something different and get some help. I don't think I will ever forget where I was and what I was doing when I was given the greatest gift ever - a referral to Kelsa. We were struggling with how to pay our bills since we were down almost $50K annually from the loss of my husbands income. Kelsa taught us how to plan ahead, and gave us some amazing tools, resources and guidance. I remember looking at the cost of going in for our initial meeting and not even beginning to imagine how we were going to pay her fees....but decided, at the very least, we had to go to the first meeting and see if it was something that could help us. Kelsa has probably the best investment/decision my husband and I have made in our entire marriage. In less than one year Kelsa has helped us to improve our net worth by almost $50,000. We NEVER worry about not having enough money for the essentials - now we have to decide how to make good choices with all of our EXCESS money! Not a bad problem to have! I would (and do!) recommend Kelsa to EVERYONE - no matter where you currently are in your financial life - you owe it to yourself to see what Kelsa has to offer! Two Thumbs Up!read more
Abby Herman
2015-04-03T19:11:05+0000
I am SO happy I took the leap and made an appointment with Kelsa!
Erin Chesser
2015-04-03T14:52:08+0000
Are you stressed about your financial situation? Do you feel like you're running in circles in regards to your money... and not going anywhere? That was me ten months ago. Just thinking about our finances caused me stress. I talked to my husband about Fiscal Fitness Phoenix after hearing about it from a friend. We were nervous to start but we knew we needed to do something so we started meeting with Kelsa. Our first meeting with her was amazing and so eye opening. She showed us a new way to look at our money and a way to budget unlike anything I had ever seen before and it made so much sense! The best part was how easy it was to talk to her about our finances. I could tell from our first meeting that she really cared. She was positive and showed us what we were doing right and what we could do to make things better. Now here we are ten months later and I can tell you that my stress about our finances is gone…GONE! We have a plan for our money every month. My husband and I do our budget together and we are on the same page with our finances and goals. We have paid off over $30,000 in debt and have been able to put over $8,000 in savings. We recommend Kelsa to all of our friends and family. She has helped us in so many ways and is always there when we need her. If you are considering Kelsa and her services I would highly recommend her. She is so much more than a financial coach!!! She has changed our lives!!!read more
Kittie Mattingly
2015-04-02T17:36:35+0000
It took me a while to convince myself to actually allow someone else into my disaster of a financial situation. I also... had to convince the husband. The first time we saw Kelsa we were terrified. Kelsa's expertise and guidance was exactly what we needed. She helped us realize what we were doing with our money and created a plan to help us get it together. Since our initial meeting with Kelsey we have paid off so much debt and are doing wonderful things financially. The stress we had about money is now gone. Kelsa is a gem and we couldn't imagine our lives without her. ❤️read more
Stacey Way
2014-12-09T03:20:23+0000
Kelsa rules. End of story. I highly recommend her for everyone fresh out of college or moving quickly towards... retirement.read more
Jenny Ruark Haddad
2014-06-25T15:52:06+0000
About 6 months ago, my husband and I began budgeting the Fiscal Fitness way after seeing one of Kelsa's infographics... about how to budget. My husband was completely skeptical when we began, but after 6 months, BOTH of us cannot speak more highly of the way Kelsa teaches people to budget! We have never been more in sync than we are now. We have specific goals and are actually seeing them achieved. Our arguments over money are practically gone. We cannot thank you enough, Kelsa!!!read more
Shauna Baxter Murphy
2014-01-08T23:39:34+0000
My husband and I have paid off our credit cards and we have now have control over our money. I have never felt so good... about our finances! Thank you - Kelsa you are our money chic!read more
Melody Dockery-Chleva
2013-12-12T22:32:06+0000
Wish I met Kelsa sooner! Best decision we have ever made.
Michelle Vina-Baltsas
2013-12-10T16:01:08+0000
My husband and I are so thankful that we have Kelsa in our lives. We went from stressing endlessly over money to being... more disciplined and using cash for mostly everything. While we still have a ways to go, we have paid down so much debt and feel proud, know there is hope, can sleep again, and see a future for our son without debt. Thank you, Kelsa, for your patience, real life examples, and non-judgmental style. We deeply appreciate all you've done for us.read more
Erin Robert
2013-11-26T23:00:01+0000
Kelsa at Fiscal Fitness is amazing at what she does. I have been using her for both my business and personal budgeting... for over 2 years and she has helped me tremendously. She keeps me accountable and helps me reach my goals. I feel like I have a good handle on my finances now. I highly recommend her.read more
Sara Johnson
2013-11-26T04:20:33+0000
I really like having a structured budget, and it is totally easy and doable. I've definitely learned a lot from Kelsa... about planning and saving! 🙂read more
KC Guenther
2013-11-23T16:17:23+0000
Thank goodness for Kelsa! I found her as a recent college grad with a growing credit card bill and with zero ability to... manage my finances. Kelsa taught me how to budget, plan for the future and adapt with my changing life. I now have a balance on 0 on credit card, a RothIRA, multiple savings accounts and most importantly the knowledge to manage my finances for the rest of my life!!! Kelsa inspires me, settles me down when I panic and continues to teach and guide me.! Thank you thank you thank!read more
Cara Danielle
2013-11-04T23:24:16+0000
I just have to let everyone know about the AMAZING experience I have had with Fiscal Fitness, not because she asked me... to, but because I'm sincerely impressed. When I started working with Kelsa in August, I had just taken on the new adventure of being a single parent. I wanted to make sure that everything I was doing was the smartest and best financial decision I would make for my son and I. Since then, she has helped me cut almost $1000 out of my monthly expenses, helped me get into a new car, guided me towards the best life and health insurance options all while socking away $600+ per month into savings accts. Oh, and did I mention all of my credit cards are paid off? IN THREE MONTHS!!!! This woman is amazing! Every time I feel stressed or anxious about money, she always points out the positive aspect and takes ALL of the stress away. I can't imagine not having her as a financial coach, and like it or not, she's probably stuck with me for life. She'll teach you all the ups and downs to finances that we don't learn in school or from our parents. She is worth every penny!!!!! Thanks Kelsa! I adore you!!!!!read more
Cristi Hammond
2013-07-21T15:29:26+0000
Kelsa has helped my husband and I to get on the same page with our money and plan where it goes each month, instead of... wondering where it went! I am so thankful for what she has helped us to do!read more
