Braun Mincher Explains Why You Should Cut Up your ATM Debit Card, but KEEP your CREDIT Card

Get ready for some unconventional financial wisdom with my short video: "Why You Should Cut Up your ATM Debit Card, but KEEP your CREDIT Card." For all of the details about this strategy, read my complete article online:

http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2129787

This video is to help promote some events I am doing for "Financial Literacy Week" (4/6 - 4/10) with some fellow Financial Literacy Advocates. Check out our new website coming soon -- http://www.FinancialLiteracyNation.com.

Documentary Movie - Interviewees (UPDATED)

Secrets of Money:
Financial Illiteracy in America Exposed
www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com

Interviewee Listing – SUBJECT TO CHANGE & EDITING
Note: NOT ALL LISTED WILL APPEAR IN FINAL MOVIE CUT
Updated: March 29, 2009

Filming Wrapped 2/27/09 - Now in Post Production
120+ Hours of Raw Video Footage Being Edited
Rough Cut of Movie Trailer on Facebook & YouTube
Nationwide Movie Release Scheduled for Summer 2009

Celebrities

Chris Gardner
A self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and philanthropist who was portrayed by Actor Will Smith in the 2006 Hit Movie, The Pursuit of Happyness.

Wilmer Valderrama
Widely recognized for the role of Fez in the sitcom ‘That '70s Show’. Valderrama is also the host of the MTV series Yo Momma and has been featured in many other films and shows. He has done extensive philanthropic work and is widely respected in the industry.

John “Spider” Salley
First player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises. He was Commissioner of the American Basketball Association, host of “The Block Party’ for 100.3 the Beat in LA and is currently the hosts of The Best Damn Sports Show Period. He also had a role in Bad Boys and Bad Boys 2, as a thick-glassed computer hacking nerd who gets out of jail because he helps crack files for the Miami Police Department.

Christian Hosoi
Legendary professional skateboarder who is considered the Michael Jordan of skateboarding and the sole rival of Tony Hawk. He went through hard times and now has dedicated his life to helping people.

Josh Shipp
Labeled as “Dear Abby for Teens,” Josh is a 25 year old nationally traveling motivational speaker and the host of “Hey Josh” TV. He was previously on MTV’s “Total Request Live” (TRL).

Kaba Modern
These big names in the dance world and have been industry leaders since starting in 1992. They competed in MTV’s America's Best Dance Crew and placed in the top 3.

Trey Smoov
A group from Carson, California, their music style is a mix of Hip-Hop, R&B and Reggae. Summer 2008, the single Summertime Again featuring Omar Cruz was played on Los Angeles popular Hip-Hop radio station “Power 106,″ giving the group more exposure.

Tyler Christopher
Best known for his role as Nikolas Cassadine on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital, a character which he originated in 1996 and has played off and on ever since. He was nominated for Daytime Emmys for the role in 1998, 2005, and 2006

Malcolm McCassy
Highly respected in the industry and has interviewed the biggest names in the action sports world for Malcolm’s World TV. He is founder of Ethika under gear and is launching a new product to help raise awareness for nonprofits.

Brian Sumner
A legendary skateboarder who made a big name for himself in the world of skating. Featured in the Birdhouse on the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skate park Tour and is dedicate to spreading his message through “The Uprising”.

Government Officials

Honorable Wayne Allard
United States Senator (Retired) & Former U.S. Congressman

Bob Schaffer
Chairman, State Board of Education
(Former State Senator & U.S. Congressman)

Dean Martin
Arizona State Treasurer

David Rienzo
New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General

Kathleen Belanger
Director of Consumer Services, New Hampshire Insurance Department

Educators

Dr. Dierdre Cook, Ph.D
Public High School Principal

Maynard Brown, MBA
Junior Achievement “Teacher of the Year” (2006)
Entrepreneurship Teacher, Crenshaw High School

Barbara Tooker
Former President, California School Boards Association

Russ Spicer
Charter School Headmaster

Dr. Christine McClatchey
University Finance Professor

Bruce Potter, CFP®
Retired High School Business Teacher

Dennis Baker
Retired School Teacher, Counselor & Principal

Karen Seeton
AP High School Teacher

Duane Staton
Charter School Economics Teacher

Suzann Enzian Knight
University Cooperative Extension

Steven Johnson
Andre Hayes
Life Skills Teachers, Crenshaw High School

Jeremie Palko
Alternative School Teacher

Kristin Bristol
Associate Director, University Center for Financial Studies

Emmett Keith-Jones
Teacher

Personal Finance Experts

Larry Winget
TV Personality & NY Times Bestselling Author
“The Pitbull of Personal Development”

Manisha Thakor
Harvard MBA & Author of “On my Own Two Feet: A Modern Girls Guide to Personal Finance”

Lori Mackey
"Suze Orman for Kids”

MP Dunleavey
Nationally Syndicated Columnist
MSN Money Personal Finance Expert

Dr. Bill Cloke, Ph.D.
Psychotherapist on Money & Relationships

Sanyika Calloway Boyce
Financial Fitness Coach

Jen Smith
Blogger: “Millionaire Mommy Next Door”

Ramit Sethi
Blogger & Author: “I Will Teach You to Be Rich”

Peter Bielagus
Young America's Financial Coach

Jeri Ajayi
Director of Money Management International

Oliver Fracona, Esq.
Real Estate Attorney

John Zakhem, Esq.
Attorney at Law

Michael Rubin, MBA/CPA/CFP®
Founder of Total Candor Financial Education

Bob Snyder
Co-Founder, Nouveau Riche University

Matthew Sapaula
Financial Strategist & Former Marine

Ilyce Glink
Radio Show Host & Real Estate Expert

Rob Stumbaug
President, First Community Bank

John Zook
Former Mortgage Broker

Jordan Curry
Financial Representative for Northwestern Mutual

Chris Wise
Millionaire Wealth Coach

Bonnie Faye Weber
Tax Preparer

Financial Literacy Advocates
& Non-Profits

Sharon Lechter, CPA
Co-Author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Member of The President's Council on Financial Literacy

John Hope Bryant
Founder, Operation HOPE
Member of The President's Council on Financial Literacy

Dr. Robert Duvall
President & CEO of National Council on Economic Education (NCEE)
Member of The President's Council on Financial Literacy

Dan Hebert
Executive Director, Jump$tart Coalition of New Hampshire

Don Childears, JD
President of Colorado Bankers Association

Rich Martinez
President of Young Americans Center for Financial Education
President, Young Americans Bank

C.J. Juleff
Senior Vice President, Young Americans Center for Financial Education

Margo White
Vice President, Junior Achievement of SoCal
Junior Achievement Finance Park

Vince Shorb
President of National Youth Financial Educators Council
Author of ‘Financially Free by 30’
Founder of “Money XLive”

Chad Penry
College Planning Expert
Co-Founder of “Money XLive”

June Puett
Extension Agent, University of Tennessee

Drew Giffin
Marketing Director, Norbel Credit Union

DC Vito
Executive Director, Learning about Multimedia Project (LAMP)


Real People

Scoo, Concert Promoter

Dr. Sean Conlon, M.D. & MBA

Andrew Bantham, Attorney at Law

Jonathan, Law Firm Office Manager

Tim, EMT & Registered Nurse

Michele, Accountant & College Student

Brittany & Cody, Newlyweds

Erik, Web Developer

Jaymee, Real Estate Agent
Drowning in Credit Card Debt

Rudy, Flight Instructor & Former Cable Technician
Only 28, but Has $50k in Savings

Lorin, Landscaping Contractor
Lives Well on $35/yr Salary

Mitch, Plumber
Unemployed & Now Living in His Van

Ryan & Hollis
Young & Recently Married

Erika, Single Mother
Went from Having Everything to Nothing

J.R., Unemployed House Flipper

Jason, Wireless Phone Salesperson

Bob, Police Officer

Justin, Recent College Graduate

Brian, Accountant

Alicia, Brooke, Brett, Amorette, Michael, Victoria, Julie & Michael
High School Students

Possible Appearances

James Scurlock, Author & Filmmaker: Maxed Out Documentary

Erin Toll, Colorado Real Estate Commission Director

Note: Above list is subject to change, verification and final editing.

Secrets of Money:
Financial Illiteracy in America Exposed
www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com

Executive Producer: Braun Mincher
Cinematography: David Himot
Legal Counsel: Kevin Houchin, Esq.
Casting Coordinator: Audri Ivy

Financial Literacy Update & Newsletter

Greetings Friends,

Financial Literacy Advocate, Author and Documentary Filmmaker, Braun Mincher, here with a quick update on my nationwide Financial Literacy Project. My ultimate goal is still to get EVERY high school in this country to make the completion of a semester-long dedicated financial literacy course a graduation requirement. Sadly, only 3 states presently have this prerequisite.

Documentary Movie Production

At the end of February, we wrapped 3 months of filming for our shocking new documentary movie, Secrets of Money: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic Exposed. We are now in post-production (editing) and are planning the release early this summer. We traveled across the entire country -- both coasts and everywhere in between -- and interviewed over 100 real people, students, educators, government officials, celebrities, personal finance experts and others (click here for the detailed list) to get their perspective on why schools teach math, English and science but not Financial Literacy? The final film will surprise, shock, educate and entertain you, but ultimately we hope that it will also inspire you to take action to be an advocate for Financial Literacy in your local community, family and sphere of influence. We're still working out the details, but it looks like we will be showing a promo clip of the film at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in France! Check out the movie trailer on our website or YouTube and stay tuned for some BIG NEWS coming soon!

Money X Live Event - Anaheim, CA

While we had the opportunity to witness multiple financial education events as part of our documentary filming, one in particular stood out above the rest: Money X Live in Anaheim, California on 2/27/09. As financial literacy advocates, whether we like it or not, we are competing for attention with the likes of MTV, American Idol and the X-Box. One of the most effective ways to get our message through is by using the same pop culture marketing angles and making the content practical and relevant to their daily lives. Hands down, Money X Live was far and above the most effective and successful way I have seen to promote financial literacy to the next generation.

April is Financial Literacy Month

April is the official National Financial Literacy Month and an excellent opportunity to remind Americans of the importance to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. Many of the country's financial institutions and nonprofit financial educational organizations will be holding promotional events and I encourage you to get involved. During the first week of April, we will even be hosting some webinars with some specific tips and advice - search Facebook for our new "Financial Literacy Advocates" group for details.

Video Application for "The Best Job Ever"

Just for fun, I recently submitted my video application for the "Best Job Ever" - a 6 month stint as the "Caretaker" of the Great Barrier Reef Islands in Queensland, Australia. Over 34,000 people from around the world applied for the position, and sadly I just learned that I was not chosen. However, click here to see my video application on YouTube. Enjoy!

Press & Media Coverage

Obviously, Financial Literacy is a very timely topic in the news these days. I continue to use every media opportunity to bring awareness to the overall cause and promote my own book, The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy. I have also continued to publish a variety of op-ed articles on the "Financial Illiteracy Epidemic" that is sweeping the nation. Check out my recent media coverage: TV Interviews or Articles.

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube

I have wholeheartedly embraced social networking and have found it to be a very effective and efficient means to communicate and provide status updates on my various happenings. If you want to be "in the know," please connect with me online:

Summary & Closing

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of my nationwide Financial Literacy Project. Please feel free to forward this email on to anyone else who may find it of interest, and visit BraunMincher.com for additional information, frequent updates and free Financial Literacy resources.

Sincerely,

Braun Mincher, Financial Literacy Advocate

Executive Producer ~ Secrets of Money Movie: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic Exposed

Author/Publisher ~The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy

Creator/Speaker ~ FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com (What's Your Score?)

FinancialLiteracyBOOK.com

FinancialLiteracyBLOG.com

FinancialLiteracyQUIZ.com

FinancialLiteracyMOVIE.com

Note: To contact Braun or any of our staff, please use the form on our website as the sending email address is not monitored for replies. Thank you.

(Book ISBN: 978-0-9797003-0-9)

Why you should CUT UP your ATM Debit card, but KEEP your Credit card!

Ok, get ready for some unconventional wisdom. I know that every other financial guru will probably tell you otherwise, but they are wrong and I am going to tell you why. Judging by the responses I got just by telling people the title of this article, it is sure to create a lot of interest, misunderstanding and speculation. But trust me, by the time you finish reading this article you will see things in another light and will hurriedly be looking for a pair of scissors to cut up your ATM Debit card.

Although I actually talk in detail about this same recommendation in my book (pages 19-21), I was again reminded of its importance recently after attending a speaking engagement with Frank Abagnale. You may recall that he was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2002 movie Catch Me if You Can which chronicled his early life as a confidence man, specifically the cashing $2.5 million in fraudulent checks before being caught by the authorities. In exchange for a reduced prison sentence, Mr. Abagnale agreed to work with the FBI for 5 years, but after “going straight,” he has now been voluntarily associated with them for over 35 years. As he was describing some of the most ingenious scams he has seen perpetrated over the years, he too supports my “Credit, Not Debit” philosophy, something few people practice, or even know about (until now).

Before we get into the details, you need to understand a simple concept and answer a question: If somebody is going to steal money, would you prefer it be yours, or that of somebody else? Obviously, you chose the latter and now I am going to explain how this applies to credit cards and ATM debit cards.

Simply put, when you use an ATM debit card, you are spending YOUR money; when you use a credit card, you are spending THEIR money. An ATM debit card (or a regular check for that matter) has direct access to the funds in your checking account, whereas a credit card does not. If you loose your ATM debit card, it gets stolen (or the numbers copied), or it gets cloned (increasingly more popular), and it falls into the hands of a perpetrator, they now have full direct access to ALL of the funds in your attached checking account. Your life savings, rent money, car payment, college tuition, grocery allowance, emergency fund, etc. – anything and everything possibly in that account -- are all at risk and could be completely wiped out before you finish reading this article. Have I got your attention yet?

Used responsibly, credit cards are a great tool and offer extensive consumer protections not available with an ATM debit card. By using a credit card, it puts THEIR money at risk, not YOURS. Under federal law, consumer liability for fraudulent credit card charges is limited to $50, and most credit companies even reduce this to -0-. About once a year, my credit number is either compromised or I run into a dispute with a merchant -- when this happens, I simply call my credit card company and the charge is removed. If I had an ATM debit card, more likely than not, I would be out these funds, or at the very least, have a time consuming fight on my hands.

Although there are many similar stories, Mr. Abagnale told of a scam in which a computer system was hacked and the card numbers of thousands of consumers was stolen and used by the thieves. Those with ATM debit cards were COMPLETELY WIPED OUT and those with credit cards lost nothing. It’s not to say that your ATM debit cards have no recourse, but it will take MONTHS of fighting with your bank and possibly pursuing legal action with no guarantee of success, during which time you will not have access to YOUR money. In this particular case, there were thousands of college students who could not register for classes because their tuition funds were gone. Which one would you rather be?

Personally, I practice what I preach. For the past 15 years, I have not carried an ATM debit card, but rather a credit card. I use my credit card for every purchase possible and then pay the bill in full at the end of the month (just like a debit card!) to avoid finance charges. Not only does this give me an easy reconciliation, but also the ultimate consumer protection since it is THEIR money at risk, not mine. Whenever the bank mails me a new ATM debit card, I cut it up immediately [and then call the bank to formally cancel it].

Braun Mincher - Animoto Photo Album

I just created this cool photo album with Animoto.com -- enjoy!

6 Ways to Start a Personal Budget

GREAT article from MainStreet.com (powered by Jim Cramer's TheStreet.com) talking about how to start a personal budget. Extensively quotes yours truly, as well as my friend Jen Smith, better known as the "Millionaire Mommy Next Door."

Click here to read the article on MainStreet.com

Money X Live - Financial Literacy Event

The first ever event of its kind, "Money X Live" was held in Anaheim, California on Friday 27, 2009, as a means to creatively teach students the basics of financial literacy. Described as an MTV-style awards show mixed with education to inspire youth about financial literacy, upward mobility and being financially independent, the high-energy, high-impact event directly touched over 1,000 students through the use of performances and presentations by celebrities, musical groups and professional athletes. I have seen too many well intended organizations waste tremendous resources hosting events to "discuss" financial literacy, but Money X Live actually did something about it, and it worked.

We were fortunate to be included in the "Money X Live" event so that it could be filmed for inclusion in our forthcoming documentary movie, The Secrets of Money, as one of the "solutions" to the financial illiteracy epidemic that is sweeping America. We were also grateful to be granted special interviews with multiple of the event's celebrity participants (see photos below), who all spoke in support of better financial literacy education.

Whether we like it or not, as financial literacy advocates, we are competing for attention with the likes of MTV, American Idol and the X-Box; one of the most effective ways to get our message through is by using the same pop culture marketing angles and making the content practical and relevant to their daily lives. Hands down, Money X Live was far and above the most effective and successful way I have seen to promote financial literacy to the next generation. I hope that we will start seeing Money X Live events nationwide!

Braun Mincher with Money X Live Promoter, Vince Shorb

Wilmer Valderrama - "Fez" from TV sitcom 'That 70's Show'

Skateboarding legends Christian Hosoi and Brian Sumner

Tyler Christopher - "Nikolas Cassadine" on General Hospital

John "The Spider" Salley - NBA Champion & Talk Show Host
(Short People: Braun Mincher, Vince Shorb & Chad Penry)

Malcolm McCassy - Host of Malcolm's World TV & Founder of Ethika Underwear

Kaba Modern, Won Top 3 on America's Best Dance Crew (MTV)

Click here to see the complete photo album from the event online.

Check out the video below from Money X Live:

Documentary Movie - Trailer & Interviewees

Now that we have officially "wrapped" filming of our documentary movie, The Secrets of Money, and move on to the post-production phase, here is a link to the listing of the 100+ interviewees:

http://www.secretsofmoneymovie.com/?page_id=207

Obviously, not all of these will make it to the final cut of the film, but we had numerous fascinating and shocking interviews and are greatly appreciative for all of the people who contributed their time, support and talents to this important project. Watch for some big announcements coming soon!

ROUGH CUT of the Documentary Trailer: