When I was first starting to determine what I could do to help make the world a better place I started by looking for a moonshot.
For those who do not know what a moonshot is, it is an almost overwhelming goal. It is something that almost seems impossible to do, but it is a question that just has to be answered.
At the time I was figuring this out for myself, I was working for a small not-for-profit in the most impoverished section of Syracuse. This is an area more impoverished than Detroit. There are dozens of gangs in this area. Shootings and stabbings are part of daily life. Nobody ever sees anything. Drugs are rampant. In fact, we did not do drug testing on our employees because it was expected that none would pass.
And, yet, for all of this violence in teens and young adults, I noticed the elders and children were very respectful. Most people, especially those over the age of 35, referred to their elders as “Mister” or “Mizz”. The elders dressed up when they went to Church or had a meeting to attend. The children had the same hopes and dreams as children do everywhere. They were taught “please” and “thank you”. The community came together to raise these children. It really had a small town atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone, there are few secrets, and a lot of gossip.
I also realized children never say they want to be on welfare when they grow up.
Children never say they want to live from paycheck to paycheck.
Children never say they want to struggle.
At the same time I was noticing many of my former 4-Hers, who were now young adults living on their own, were also struggling to make ends meet.
These were kids from stable, loving homes with great support networks.
They knew what they “should” be doing, but were having difficulty actually doing it.
And many were settling for things that did not bring them joy, just so they could pay the bills.
I started to ask myself: at what age do people give up on their hopes and dreams?
In asking these questions I was hoping that I would be able to figure out what age that was so that I could start reaching them before they reach that age. In other words, I really hoped that by reaching these children before they gave up, that they would never give up. And, in doing so, they would not have to struggle and give in to societal pressures to be “just like everyone else”.
I started to ask the question “how can I make poverty optional?”.
I quickly realized that poverty is already optional.
With the technology and resources we have today anyone in the world from anywhere in the world can be successful, can be a millionaire or a billionaire, can live his or her dream life.
So, why do so many struggle?
The answer, I found, is simple.
Most people are not taught about money, finances, or investing.
They are taught they should save some money, they should invest in a 401(K), they should work hard and pay their bills.
They are taught that if they work hard and do what they are supposed to do, they will be successful in life and that is all they can expect.
And they should be happy with that.
But then they look around and they see others who have more- who have a new car, who have that nice big house, travel, really seem to be having a great time.
And, they start to think why me?
Why can’t I have those things?
What am I doing wrong?
The answer is: they are not doing anything wrong. They have done everything they were supposed to do.
Unfortunately, the system failed them.
They were taught to be good employees and good consumers.
Well, this is great for the economy, but it is not great for the soul.
And, in addition to the soul-crushing aspect of this way of life, the person ends up with poverty, financial stress, physical symptoms that actually make the problem even worse, and they end up living from paycheck to paycheck.
This vicious cycle makes it more and more difficult for the average employee to believe they can succeed. In fact, this vicious cycle does make it more difficult for the average employee to succeed.
They are stuck in this rut that they cannot get out of. They are trapped in a hamster wheel of despair and worry.
And, this affects your bottom line.
ONE IN NINE FULL-TIME US EMPLOYEES ARE LIVING AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
This does not include adults who work multiple part time jobs.
And it does not include employees who earn enough to be above the poverty line but are still mired in debt.
Are you making less than $11.83/hour?
That is the amount at the poverty line for a family of four.
A full time single employee making minimum wage in the USA is living in poverty.
And, please note, the poverty level is not the same as a living wage.
The poverty level is what is considered enough to provide the bare minimum to survive without needing government assistance. The living wage takes into account the cost of housing, food, health care, transportation, child care, and taxes.
According to MIT’s living wage calculator, in 2018 the least expensive place to live in the US was McAllen, TX. The living wage in McAllen is $10.31/hour for a single person. Manhattan is over $16/hour and that assumes one either has rent controlled housing or roommates.
Financial stress costs employers THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE ANNUALLY.
Your employer offers you support for mental and physical wellness. Why not your financial wellness?
Fiscal stress can manifest itself as depression, anxiety, illness, denial, fear, poor sleep, gastrointestinal distress, and strained relationships. And most of this can be attributed to employees uneducated about money, finances, and investments.
The general result is millions of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, a vicious cycle that can seem impossible to break.
There is a growing movement demanding schools start teaching students about finances.
But, in the meantime, something has to be done to teach adults how to handle their finances. Unfortunately, the people who need this knowledge the most are the least likely to pay someone to teach them.
This is where I come in.
Do you want an inexpensive opportunity to learn about money, finances, and investing?
Do you want to break free of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and reduce fiscal stress?
Do you want to show up at work well-rested, focused, and ready to give your best?
I offer a free facebook community where you can DIY your way to financial success.
I offer a low-cost subscription based program that gives you access to pre-recorded videos, short articles, and a closed online community app where you can discuss your financial questions, problems, and successes annonymously.
Inside the group I have weekly live calls discussing questions asked in the group. Topics include:- how to allocate their paycheck so they can pay the bills, save for fun times, save for the future, and have emergency funds, whether they use the envelope system, the jar system, or accounts- how to increase their credit score- how to use credit wisely- how to buy a car- how to buy a house- does it make more sense to buy or rent- options to pay down debt- what to do when there is not enough money to pay the minimum monthly payment- the difference between needs and wants- how to prioritize wants- how to invest, including terms, options, pros and cons- and much more!
I have online courses, with both individual and group options.
If you need more support, I offer 1:1 services where I will walk you through the process of achieving your financial dreams, including private zoom calls to answer your questions and break through whatever is stopping you.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU COULD USE?
I am on a mission to help at least 1 million people break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle by 2030.
To be more specific, I am on a mission to help at least 1 million people break free from the stress and uncertainty of the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle by 2030 so they can start making better fiscal decisions, become debt-free, have hope for the future, and maybe even become financially free.
I am starting with adults, but have pledged 10% of my profits to set up an account so this can eventually be offered to teen groups that can use club funds to invest real money in various options so they can learn first-hand, with club money, how investing in the stock market can vary from investing in bonds, or a savings account, or crypto, and so on without risking their own money or their family’s money.
Thank you for your attention. Your time is valuable and I really appreciate you choosing to spend it reading this to the end.
Please feel free to email me at Jennifer@jenniferharterconsulting.com or check out my website at https://jenniferharterconsulting.com
The landing page for the How To Be A Money Master financial wellness program is https://employeefinancialwellnessprogram.com
The How To Be A Money Master financial wellness program website can is https://howtobeamoneymaster.com
The How To Be A Money Master free facebook community can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtobeamoneymaster/
The How To Be A Money Master youtube channel is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa3dyxiyWgBkhpY4ZKzkiZQ
Enjoy the rest of your day!