Jorji, my wife, and I have decided to start this blog to help struggling Americans cut through all the marketing hype and hysteria of modern personal finance and find the common sense once again in handling what we spend the majority of our time making, money! Jorji and I have realized that good financial well being is a critical component for living a healthy, fun, peaceful, and fulfilling life.
Jorji and I have been fortunate enough to discover some tools and techniques that has made a significant impact on our lives. We are excited by our new found feelings of excitement and optimism. Finding and internalizing the right strategies for success has changed our attitude and outlook on money. As such, it has changed our lives. We are well on our way toward achieving our financial goals and are excited about sharing our discoveries so that others can also benefit!
Jorji and I started our journey together with a blended family consisting of 11 children, 4 of which were still at home when we married. We were both emotionally and financially devastated by divorce; and had to start all over again. We embraced the challenge with a positive attitude; determined to make it all work out.
In our current economy, we've been concerned almost daily about the prospects of a layoff. Unemployment is at an all time high. Jorji and I feel like it is only a matter of time before we have our turn. A layoff would be devastating as it has been for nearly 10% of Americans.
Jorji was a small business owner and worked very hard for extra income. Unfortunately she was recently diagnosed with Osteo Arthritis. We are hopeful, but concerned since this is a degenerative form. She experienced pain so severe that she could not handle the products in her business any longer. I could not hold down my full time job and also be there to help her. We soon realized that we would need to sell her business. We sold thousands of dollars of inventory at well below cost. We had purchased some of the inventory on credit and was depending on her income to make the payments. Needless to say, this put us in an extremely precarious position.
Once out of business, Jorji was still experiencing severe pain due to climbing the stairs to the master bedroom in our home. Also with the lack of income from her business and not really knowing whether or not she could hold down a full time job; it became apparent that we would need to move down to a more affordable home with all main floor living. This at a time when the housing market was at an all time low!
Then suddenly the day came to send our youngest son on a mission for our church. Our budget will take a hit for that as well; but we both felt that is would be worth the expense.
To add insult to injury, we are in our mid-fifties without a dime of retirement. We do not want our children to be faced with the responsibility of taking care of us. We want to retire with dignity someday.
Through our years together, it seemed that by the time we handled all the monthly expenses, there wasn't any left for savings. Before we knew it, we managed to rack up quite a large amount of debt. We fell back on credit cards for emergencies and unexpected expenses, which eventually added up. Soon most of our discretionary income was being spent on debt payments. Our church had always taught us to stay out of debt; but neither Jorji or I knew how. It seemed the only way to have anything of any significance.
Needless to say, that journey through our money storm, which felt more like a tornado, has been filled with high winds, lightning, and plenty of thunder.
Jorji and I managed to make it through much of the turmoil. We moved to a beautiful, but smaller home, cleared the business debt, and have some money in an emergency fund. We look back with relief that that is all behind us now; but still much lies ahead. We have a 30 year mortgage to pay. I'll be 85 by the time it is paid. We have a car and furniture loan to pay off along with some credit cards. And we are determined to save up six months worth of expenses for emergencies. This will be our peace-of-mind investment; we will never worry about another layoff again. Then we will pay off our mortgage and begin investment for retirement. We know we won't have enough saved to fully retire; so we must develop a business with residual income.
Wow, that is a pretty TALL order!
This blog will contain the insights and inspirations that have produced good results in our lives and has moved us closer to our goals. Neither of us are financial professionals; but get our credentials from the school of hard knocks. Most will be recommendations from professionals with which we have had personal experience and success. We are intelligent, practical minded folk that are looking to build a web reputation of being honest and straight with our representations.
We hope that the information in this blog will be an inspiration and direct you to brighter days in dealing with your financial storms.
Please feel free to post your thoughts and insights. We can learn from each other!
Have a cup of hot chocolate and stay awhile! Check out our other pages...
Sincerely,
Keith & Jorji Roberts
