FFM (family financial meeting) is in Session

So my sisters and mom and I decided we need to start back having our financial meetings again. These are meetings where we lay it out on the table, no secrets, no money-is-taboo attitudes, nothing holding us back from being real with each other about money. This past year, I have done so much better at being transparent in so many areas. I am glad we are doing this again...especially for the next generation. As I said tonight to my 16 year old niece (in front of my mother): "We want to pass on this financial knowledge to you now, because it wasn't told to us by our mother - but not because she didn't want us to know...but because she didn't know."

We want our children to be better equipped to handle things financially than we ever were. I want them to know the importance of credit. I want them to know how important it is to start off with good credit...as opposed to repairing bad credit!! We all warned her of the college credit card trap. Credit card companies literally throw cards at college students (knowing they have no income to pay them back) who are not truly aware that this isn't "free money" and they'll have to pay this back. So by the time they graduate college, along with possible student loans to contend with, they already have not-so-perfect credit due to poor revolving credit accounts.

Yes, you're right. That should be illegal.

I am in the process of repairing my credit. Having good credit was never a big deal to me, because I was never taught that it should be a big deal to me. I learned from my mother (mostly by actions) that I was just supposed to struggle and expect to pay high interest rates for stuff. It was just ... accepted as the norm!

Now do you see what I mean when I say changing mindsets and completely redoing my previous ways of thinking??? When I talked to my family at the meeting tonight about "my truck" and that the sticker price for the 2008 was about $59K before rebates, they could barely understand that concept! They want to be happy with just making do; keeping the bills paid, while having a savings, and occasionally splurging on a few extras. For the longest time I thought I was the wrong one for wanting more than that!! But, as the newest book I began reading (as well as numerous others in the past couple of years) by Joel Osteen titled Your Best Life Now reminded me: God wants to give us His very best, not a little...but in abundance!!!

On that note, today I went on a vision quest. I went to actually sit in "my truck" today at the dealership. I even started it up. OMG, it is so fabulous! I cannot wait to have that thing!!! It has a touchscreen navigation system, in the dash!! It has a power sunroof, power liftgate and glass in the back, a rear "backup" camera, factory remote starter, etc etc etc. It's literally everything I wanted and more!! 2010 can't come soon enough!!!

House first, then Denali XL. House first, then Denali XL. House first, then Denali XL. However...

...I did see a 2004 there for only $16,995.....

Joking!!!

Here's today's LOVE tip:

Research your partner's favorite hobby and identify a gift that is really useful for him/her. The more specialized the gift the more impact it will have on them. Talk to friends and family and use the internet to find the information you need.


p.s. I requested my operative notes from my tubal ligation surgery from the hospital today. That means I can find out exactly which procedure was done and how much (if any) of the tube was removed. That's very important for "my doctor" to know!! Yet another step in the right direction!!