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Money and "stuff" are the granddaddy of all motivators.  Calling Santa . . . !

Thrill of Victory (the purchase) AND Agony of Defeat (the debt)

Movies, books, gas, electronics.  Where's that big guy in the red suit?  Well, he's not around, but those wishes for "stuff" ARE. Even if you aren't a believer in credit cards, and you prefer debit cards or cash, nearly everyone has a credit card or so it seems to your child.  They are soaking up illustration by illustration of credit cards in real time.  It's like an action movie but instead of Tom Cruise being the hero, it's a credit card.  

At JG we want things made easy.  Last lessons are sometimes difficult to teach but today you can learn how to teach DEBT in a dramatic and easy fashion.  Just an fyi, we are not against credit cards.  We ARE against credit card debt and credit card abuse.  More on that another day.

Please watch the 4 minute video if you can.  We...

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We’ve talked so much in the past about how to instill in our kids the values and motivations to be successful.  As parents we want our kids to be achievers, take responsibility, and own the world around them.  You’ve worked hard to instill in them a reliable set of practices, habits and commitments that will help carry them through to life, marriage, and maybe grandkids! 

Now comes an important task that you can't do until they are near aged 18.  

Do you remember when they first voted at their high school for class officers?  Or helped a friend run for office?  Hopefully your kids school did that.  I have to tell you that I never had the courage to run for a school office.  I was camera shy in  high school – and here I sit in front of a camera.  Who knew!  I had my finger in many pies, but just not the running for office one.  But my kids did. 

Little did I realize, but after they won...

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Times have changed.  

Math Class        - Check
History               - Check
Language Arts  - Check

But what about how to quit using excuses, how to learn confidence, how to go proactive and conquer that next achievement or goal?  

A lack of confidence encourages mental excuses

But what about how to quit using excuses, how to learn confidence, how to go proactive and conquer that next achievement or goal?  

Have you heard this at your house?

• "I don't have enough money."
• "I don't know how to do that."
• "I don't have the skills to try out for that."
• "No way will I ever learn how to do that."
• "Everyone will laugh at me. I won't be good at that."

The actual line to achieving confidence isn't what you might think.  It is learning to ask questions.  Those questions lead to knowledge.  Knowledge leads to confidence BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN ULTIMATELY FIGURE IT OUT.

But the trick we...

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HELP!  Many a parent of a nearly-grown child feels there is still so much more to teach them, but need a creative idea on how to tackle it all.  

We've been there with our kids.  Despite our passion for helping parents and kids this age, we hit the wall (so to speak) on  how to get their attention to listen to those last critical lessons.  They didn't always want to listen to us.  

That's when we realized that we, or more specifically our kids, had/have a SECRET WEAPON to use.  Your kids (and you) have it too but odds are you haven't recognized it for what it is.  

But before we get to this SECRET WEAPON, if you didn't get a chance to view/read a prior session we taught that relates to this where we covered how to build confidence in our kids, and why our kids have such a challenge with this at their age, and what is the first move you can make to start that confidence ball rolling, Start with THIS to build confidence

Now about that...

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Our nearly-flown kids get grades in history, math, and even physical education.  But, do we approach the subject of "confidence" as intentionally?  We should and CAN.

Welcome to an 11 minute installment of our "Skill Set Series".  

What does it cover?

• A completely new way to look at confidence
• 3 Reasons our kids have challenges with this at their age
• An easy, concrete, can-do-it-today move you can make to start your nearly-flown child on the road to increased confidence.

Point:  we are NOT talking about turning into a helicopter parent!

What You Might Be Seeing with Your Child

Are they hesitating when considering new challenges? Are they missing opportunities that you know they can tackle?  Do they play a mental tape that slows them down?  We've seen this over and over.  

I was very shy in high school and college.  It wasn't until my mid-20's that I began to pull out of it.  This transformation should have occurred much...

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It happens quickly, doesn't it.  The 18 years you've had with your children.  You've been involved in their activities, learned to love their friends, and even made life-long friends with those parents.  And then, it happens.  Your life changes, seemingly in an instant.  

Staying in touch changes.  Completely.  You have to make more of an effort to touch base with and keep up with not only your child, but the friends you've made through them.  

Normally we discuss money, legal matters, taxes and more.  Our mission is to facilitate more knowledge that just typically isn't covered for we parents with almost-flown and just-flown kids.  

But today, we thought we'd give you a great idea on how to stay in touch with people that through the years you've grown to like and love.  You aren't seeing them anymore.  

These very challenges are happening to us, too.  

Here is an fun idea worth considering that allows you to...

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What to do BEFORE you (or your graduate) packs and moves . . . !

Is someone in your family, perhaps you or your graduating child, considering moving to a new city(s) and contemplating the salary offer(s) involved?

The offer may sound perfect or maybe it doesn't.  Either way, how much buying power does it have when compared to your current city or any other city you might be considering?

Do you want to avoid mistakes, create a leg up on negotiation tactics?  Then this article is tailor-made for you.  

The cost of living varies GREATLY between cities.  One mom of our students said:

"My child was so excited to be heading to CA.  He is working out his spending plan, just like your course teaches, and put in the $ amount it takes to get an apartment - with 4 roommates no less.  I nearly fell through the floor.  His "apartment rent" (just his 1/4 portion) is MORE than my house payment.  My house has a front and back yard, and more square...

You should have seen my to-do list the summer before sending my oldest to college. People laugh at my lists, but I have found the older I get, the more I don’t want to “think”.  I just want to “do” when under a crunch deadline.  Lists made in my less stressful time always pay off for me…or so I thought.

It might be interesting to note that our college student’s bike came back home to us in the first 3 weeks as “not needed.”  

Such a blow to my ego!

College Money Management – what to consider about bikes

Nearly every parent will have this discussion:  does my college kid need a bike? Many students envision themselves a Lance Armstrong wanna-be (ok, hopefully the Lance-type before we knew about his drug issues), and think they will simply bike to all their classes. Not necessarily true. You might want to run a check on the following:

• How “on-time” does the campus bus system (if any)...

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How do you know if your child is ready for a debit or credit card (plastic money)?

Money.  Parents.  Kids.  Tension.  Maturity.  Focus.  Responsibility.  Nightmare.

You pick which words to assign to a parent and which to assign to a young adult.  You'll probably select "all of the above" for both.  Much has been written about establishing credit, debit cards, credit cards, and more. 

Even reviewing the contract involved in any financial card of any kind is like someone handing you a Webster’s Dictionary and saying “you are responsible for all of it”. 

Today, having a 'plastic' debit/credit card is a status symbol.  Remember seeing photos of James Dean in his cowboy hat leaning on that car....with that cigarette?  Yes, the status symbols may have changed, but the concept fit even us, our parents, and grandparents.  

Statistic:  Reports say over 50% of college freshman have a...

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How do you introduce money management tracking with them?

• Start before they hit high school if possible.  If you haven't started it yet, start now.

Why will they benefit while in high school?

• They will experience guilt-free spending.  Priceless.
• They will be able to say "no" to something because they are saving for something bigger.

How should they actually start?

• With so much coming at them, starting simply is crucial.
• Start with pen and paper.
• Avoid the fancy money software. . . at least until later.
• Paper helps them more clearly see the movement of their money from category to category.

What are 6 things to remember as you pick money management software for your young adult:

Again, we strongly suggest starting with pen and paper before moving to this level.  Many will be happy with just a simple, direct pen and paper system.  But if you have a teen or young adult that is ready to level-up to something more, you will find these 6 items...