Managing Your Money

Lesson 1: Who are you? Writing your Money Story

Finding Help

To get to a better place financially you have to do what a person who is lost on a highway would do. Pull over at the next opportunity, even if you pull over to the side of the road. Stop going in the same direction. Get out a map. Ask for help.

I have sought out help from people who have been successful with their money. After spending so much money in school loans, I was smart enough to know when to ask an “expert” for advice. I particularly sought out people who are practical and carefully plan out their next move.

I didn’t just look at people who play it safe, but more than that, I wanted to learn from people who seem to get what they want out of life. Sharing my lessons learned is an opportunity for me to reflect and laugh at my mistakes while hoping my story will help someone else to see that things can look brighter.

"Credit After Bankruptcy" offers a great action list for those who have filed bankruptcy or are having financial problems and are looking for ways to make a financial comeback. More of those tips will be shared in Lesson 4. There are amazing resources that have helped me to improve my financial self esteem.

The kinds of resources I like best are those that are easy to read. The books chosen and the anecdotes shared will be honest. I will give you the truth and somewhere in it you can hopefully find something that will help you navigate your way to your next destination. Hopefully, that destination is a place full of wisdom where you can say you have learned from your financial mistakes or maybe you can learn from my mistakes.

I will consider myself lucky to know that my life experiences have helped you to change your outlook on your own life. You can find help to improve your financial self esteem.

Exercises and Bibliography

Here is your first assignment.

Take some time to think about how you treat money. When you think about saving money what kind of thoughts do you have?

When you go out with friends, do you get fuel from paying for everything?

Did you work when you were a child? Did you earn money for chores?

How do you feel when you balance your checkbook?

When was the last time you said “yes” and spent money on yourself?

When was the last time you said “no” and didn’t spend money on yourself?

Bibliography

Money Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make - Paul Lim

The Two Income Trap: Why Middle Class Mothers and Father’s Go Broke - Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi

Credit After Bankruptcy - Stephen Snyder