My Story

“Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.” Jay-Z, “Diamonds from the Sierra Leone”

So how do I know so much about money? Trial by fire/life experience. 

When I was 19 I wanted to buy a (no doubt hideous dress) from a chain store that was offering an extra percent off when you opened a credit card. I applied at the register and was denied. A few weeks later I got the letter in the mail from the credit card company explaining why: All total, I had nearly $250,000 in credit card, car loan, and bank debt that I had known nothing about. 

It turns out that a family member had used my information to run up this debt and I was indeed responsible for it.

Growing up, I listened to my parents fight about money constantly. I knew I never, ever wanted to be in a position where I was controlled by debt, but here I was. I got a few dozen books from the library, read up on my circumstances and decided that I needed to get a handle on the situation. I followed the instructions, learned a lot, and have never worked so hard in my life.

It took a few long years but I did it. I am now a boring middle-aged lady with two kids and a husband. Using the knowledge I gained through my awful experience, I have been able to guide my family to success. My husband and I bought and paid off a house in 3 years, sold it for a profit, bought our dream house in Pittsburgh, paid off our car loans, and stayed debt-free through the whole thing. We have recently relocated to LA and are living on a single income as a family of 4 in one of the most expensive cities in the country.

Music and pop culture have always influenced me and continue to inspire me - you'll find a lot of that mixed in here. 

Mind On Your Money won’t be able to help you choose the right company to buy in a hostile takeover or help you shop for yacht insurance. But! When your mind is on your money it’s hard to focus on anything else. I get it, I've been there. Let's do this.