Financial Coaching Launch

This week the blog is starting on a new site and I am beginning the launch of a new project - Financial Coaching.  I must confess that I thought the idea of any kind of personal coach was a little bit weird. This past year, Dave Ramsey convinced me that there is great value in this kind of coaching and that I have the skill set to be able to help folks.

So why would anyone need a financial coach?  There are many reasons but I will share a few examples here.  The American norm is now a debt norm.  Our nation as a whole is deeply in debt, we are constantly being encouraged as individuals to go into debt and it is counter culture to actually be debt free.  Credit card debt, auto loan debt, home improvement debt, school debt and even pay check loan debt.  The debt piles up and many find themselves overwhelmed with creditors and an inability to meet obligations.

Many people may be treading water financially but will have a serious situation if something goes wrong like a major car repair or appliance breakdown.  The credit card ends up being the emergency fund.  This will soon spiral out of control.  With no savings for emergencies, folks are vulnerable.

With no savings account and no emergency fund there is also little thought about other future situations like losing a job or a major health crisis.  What happens when someone is too old to be productive in earning income? Some people say they never want to retire, but this may not be an option.

It may all sound a bit gloomy, but only if there is no plan.  Planning is the key to walking out of a difficult situation and being prepared for the future.  Planning is not a lack of faith in God's provision for the future; it is putting your faith to work. Proverbs tells us that it is foolish to begin a project without counting the costs.  In other words, look to the future, realize the potential expenses that will arise and plan for those expenses.  This is what we call living responsibly.

I have made enough mistakes in my life to realize that I did not always anticipate what responsible living looked like.  I know what it feels like to be trapped in a difficult financial situation - it is not fun! With a few grey hairs on my head, I can assure you that stuff in life happens and it is not always an easy road we travel.  As a financial coach, I am not about judging past decisions, as most of us are pretty good about beating ourselves up.  My approach is to look to the future with hope;  walking with an individual or couple out of bondage and into freedom.

So, how does this work? I do one-hour consultations.  I can do them in person if someone is local (twin cities in Minnesota) or facetime over the wonder of the internet. The first session is always free. After the first session I charge $100 for the next two sessions.  The charge is a commitment from the individual or couple that they are serious about making changes.  If folks follow the advice shared, that $100 would be made back in a hurry.  Also, I have decided to give that $100 toward mission projects I am involved in, so those I am coaching can feel really good about their investment into their own financial freedom.  These first three sessions are the beginning and may be all that is needed to launch some toward a new lifestyle of financial freedom.  If an individual wants to continue to meet, that, of course is an option and will be very helpful toward a peaceful financial future.

The lake photo above is a scene I enjoyed looking at on many quiet mornings living near Lake Erie.  It is a reminder that God wants to lead us to still waters, to a place of peace in our lives. When we have financial peace and freedom, a whole new world of opportunity opens up.  I can help people discover those opportunities. If you or someone you know thinks they can benefit from this service please email me at: brian@brian.rupe.name.