I’m Jackie Beck, personal finance writer and creator of Pay Off Debt — an app that’s helped tens of thousands of people use the debt snowball method to pay off debt. I’ve got a Master’s degree, an Etsy shop, and a family that I love.
I write here on Mondays and Wednesdays about money-related things. Typically that’s got to do with goals, entrepreneurship, or personal finance, but you may find stuff about a horseback ride through the jungle or removing a tree too. Did I mention I have ADD?
But no matter what the topic, the true focus is the same: I want to help you learn to love your financial life. I hope that sharing my experience and ideas will help you do just that.
Want to know a little bit about my financial story?
Well, you know how the government used to send out a Social Security Statement every year?
I actually like looking at mine, because it reminds me of where I’ve been.
Basically, I spent four years unemployed and making very little money — way below the poverty line for most of those years. (At the lowest point, my taxed earnings were $2,375 for a year, not including unemployment compensation.)
I was also in debt, struggling to build a small business, and I had a negative net worth.
Today, life’s different.
Getting a temporary “one or two day” contract position that eventually turned into a full time job certainly helped matters, but I’d made good money before with no lasting impact.
The real turn around came from something else: I started paying attention to my finances, and taking action.
I read Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin’s Your Money or Your Life, and literally started tracking my spending before I’d even finished the book. I built an emergency fund, and began contributing to retirement with a vengeance. My husband and I got out of debt (including our house). I’ve learned how to make money and actually keep it, building my net worth with the goal of retiring early.
If I can change my financial life, you probably can too.
Not sure where to start?
Try my 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance series. (The first day is here.) Or browse through some of the categories down there to the right.
You can always drop me a note to say hi, or leave a question or comment. Hope to see you around the site :)
*hug*
