I started to read “Smart Women Finish Rich” back in 2003. At that time I had an IRA that wasn’t invested, no savings, four credit cards, living month to month and had just come out of a long period of unemployment. I was working fulltime and doing school fulltime and was accruing debt from school.
In four years, I was able to grow my IRA from 500 to 5000 by 2007 (not including my 401K). I opened an interest free checking account at the same place my IRA was at so I had no minimum balance to meet and fees were waived. I got my cards down to two cards so far. I consolidated some of my debt using my car loan as my car I paid for most of with cash. I lowered my car insurance by combining my insurance policies with one carrier. I started to establish a savings plan and I even invested in some CDs. I lost my job last December and I was gratful for the money I had saved so that I could survive. I then found a job making 11K more a year – simply by sking for it. I am still having to regain territory I lost from being unemployed, but now I know what to do.
Although the amount of debt I still have can seem overwhelming, I know I have made progress. I have found a ton of ways to save money such as getting my magazines subscriptions through airline mileage programs, free movies and books at the library, making my own latte’s, utilizing all the employee programs at work, and even a website where people exchange “time bucks” where you can, for example, write someone’s resume, get 15 time bucks and then exchange it for someone else fixing your car stereo for free.
I learned all these things because of you and your books. I learned about stocks and all the financial lingo. I joined the NAIC. I got a free subscription to the Wallstreet Journal. I could go on and on.
Now I am empowering others to do the same. I send out information with the link to your website to friends via email. It is important for women to know how to invest!
Thanks for helping me get on the road of success.
