Momentum is building

From the moment IOU NO MORE was published and this web log was launched, we have said that our intent is to start a revolution. A "Live Free" revolution. And I'm happy to say that momentum is beginning to build. Every day I hear from men and women who have had enough and want to take back control of their finances and their futures.

On one hand, it's sad that so many people are straining under the yoke of debt and financial mismanagement. But, that's the past. We've all made mistakes. No one knows that more than I do. I am encouraged by the number of people who are ready to break the chains and live free.

With that in mind, we at IOU NO MORE are working to put together a discussion board where fellow revolutionaries can meet together to support one another, ask questions, share tips, confess and just talk. So stay tuned, it's coming very soon.

Maxed Out

Last night, Brittan and I watched the docu-movie, "Maxed Out". I am told that the DVD has been one of NexFlix hottest rentals of late. I'm glad to hear that. Everyone should see it.

There were times, when the films left leaning bias frustrated me. For example, the only references in the program to personal responsibility as it relates to getting into debt, come from the smarmy managers of the Debt Collection agency. I find that unfortunate and believe it makes the whole documentary unbalanced.

On the other hand, the film makers do an excellent job of demonstrating the underbelly of the Credit Card industry and the devastating effects on the lives and families who find themselves buried in unsecured debt of various kinds.

Especially poignant are the stories of grieving families whose loved ones concluded that suicide was the only viable escape from their debt crises. These were interlaced with tragic tales of individuals and families who fell prey to unscrupulous sub prime lenders.

Pretty much all the major banks were portrayed as greedy, power broking evil doers who pretty much own Washington and get whatever they want. I doubt that Colombian drug lords could be painted in a more sinister light.

In the end, despite it's biases skewed viewpoints, one clear message comes through; credit card debt is BAD! Perhaps an upside of characterizing Bankers as purveyors of addiction, will be that we will learn to respond to the myriad offers of cards and loans the same way we teach our children to respond to the offers of drugs they hear and "Just say NO!"

See the movie. Watch it with your "baloney detector" turned on. And hopefully, when you're done, some plastic will be executed. I have some scissors if you need them.

Holy Cow, Where does the time go?

I can't believe how much time has passed since I last made an entry for this blog. Any readers probably think I've died. Or emigrated to Australia....

I've been very busy with work, our Church and a few other projects and didn't even notice how badly this spot has been neglected.

When you think about it, our finances get away from us in almost the exact same way. We get busy, don't pay attention and before you know it, the check book is a mess, bills are late and credit cards are at the max.

We have to stay on top of our money all the time, or it will run amok like an escaped zoo animal. It is a restless beast, ready to break free and devour us if given half a chance. But with vigilance and commitment, our finances can be tamed and even trained to do our bidding and give us pleasure.

First Live Event is History

Our first IOU NO MORE LIVE event is now in the books. While the crowd was fairly small, we had a great time together. We laughed a lot and busted more than a few myths about the inevitability of debt. I can't wait for the next event.

Website Issues

One of my favorite parts of the website, Tip of the Week, is malfunctioning. Actually, it has disappeared. Perhaps it's been kidnapped by a Credit Card Collection Company. At any rate, we are working on the problem and hope to have things working properly, soon.

Thank You to the Limestone Rotary Club

A big thank you to the Limestone Rotarians for hosting me yesterday morning. We had a great time enjoying breakfast and talking money.

I'm Not an Idiot,

I just play one on T.V.

A friend of mine from Church called me this morning to tell me that the Chamber of Commerce was going to send out an email promoting the IOU NO MORE live event. He also said that the date they were advertising was wrong. They were promoting July 27, rather than June 27.

At first I was perturbed, because I had hand delivered a poster with the dates and wondered how such a mistake could be made. Then I relaxed and put it down to a simple typo. Which it was...... MINE!

On a whim, I decided to look at the poster I gave them and there, big as you please, in plain English, was the date, July 27. Boy howdy, did I feel like a goof. So I sent them an email correcting the date and promising an updated poster.

I'm a pretty good money manager, but proof reading is not my greatest strength.