This morning my day got slightly rearranged because one of my kids bought a new car and I'm helping him with it while he's working. It made me think about the things we do for others and the multitudes of things others do for us. It might be a thoughtful text. . . it might be a funny meme. . . it might be a whimsical gift or quote. . . it might be your son cleaning your car just because. . . treat others the way you love to be treated and see how your life changes.

Stay tuned for our new course - Six Steps to Money Mastery!! Can't wait for you all to join this discussion!

I always joke that I have to learn things the hard way… and money was no exception. Growing up, my mom was deep into Dave Ramsey. I vividly remember the envelope budgeting system. “No credit cards. No loans. Only use the money you have.” And if you’re already in debt? “Beans and rice. Rice and beans.” I heard this stuff constantly. Car rides. At home. Even as part of my “schoolwork.” So you’d think it would’ve sunk in. And yet… somehow, in my early 20s, I still managed to rack up about $15,000 in bad debt. Here’s how it happened. I had just joined the military, and my pay kept getting messed up in the system. My monthly paycheck—already modest, but enough to cover rent, my car payment, groceries, and basic bills—was often 2–3 months late. I burned through what little savings I had. Then I started using credit cards to cover the gaps… and some wants too, if I’m being honest. It felt like I blinked—and suddenly I was drowning. By the time my pay was finally fixed, I was already in too deep. The interest alone was basically my minimum payment. That’s when it clicked for me: It’s not enough to just say “don’t touch credit cards.” You have to understand why. So if you’re younger—or advising someone who is—please hear this from someone who made the mistake and wants to help you avoid it, if you can. 📉 Why Credit Card Debt Is So Dangerous Credit card interest accumulates daily. If you don’t pay the balance off every month, you’re typically getting hit with 20–30% APR. Yes, you might be able to make that $41 minimum payment… but very little (sometimes none) of that is actually reducing the balance. Most of it is just feeding the interest machine. 💳 Credit Isn’t Evil—But It Has Rules Credit can be useful if you use it correctly: - Travel points - Cash back (like 3–5% on certain purchases) - Purchase protections But only if you pay it off before interest kicks in. Once you carry a balance, the math flips against you—fast. 🧮 The Rule of 72 (This Changed Everything for Me)