Financial Literacy Advocate, Author & Documentary Filmmaker Braun Mincher

FINAL Financial Literacy Newsletter

2010-05-11T19:20:00.007-06:00

Greetings Friends,

With the National Financial Literacy Month of April now being behind us, it only seems fitting that this newsletter also be my last and final Financial Literacy Update communication with you. Actively pursuing my nationwide Financial Literacy Project for the past 4 years has been a wonderful experience overall, but I recently returned to my roots in the telecom industry (following the expiration of my non-compete agreement), and I am now 110% focused on growing that exciting new venture. I am enjoying being back in a challenging, productive and fun environment working with many of the same people as I did previously. My, how time flies!

Final Updates on Important Financial Literacy Topics:

Secrets of Money Documentary Movie: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic in America Exposed:

In mid-2009, we finished 5 months of documentary movie filming, which involved traveling nationwide to collect over 120 hours of raw and shocking footage on the state of financial illiteracy in America. We interviewed over 100 regular people, students, educators, government officials, celebrities, personal finance experts and others (click here for the detailed list) to get their perspective on the importance of Financial Literacy in schools and at home.

Unfortunately, some other pressing projects took precedence last year, and the completion of the documentary film was temporarily placed on hold. My partners and I are still committed to getting this important documentary movie finished and distributed , and are actively seeking a qualified joint venture partner to see this project through to completion. Click here for joint venture information and a copy of the summary letter with additional details, which is also being circulated to our interviewees and the documentary film community. Feel free to pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested in this opportunity or contact me for more information.

Financial Literacy Web Domains Available:

Over the past few years, I have accumulated several hundred web domains which relate to financial literacy. Now that I am moving on to other endeavors, I would welcome any affiliate, joint venture or opportunities to sell these domains. Please click here for the complete list or contact me to discuss opportunities.

The Secrets of Money Book: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy:

My 472-page information packed book continues to do well and teaches readers everything they need to know about personal finance from a practical perspective that they can quickly and easily relate to. Amazon continues to offer the best price and it's also the only book I know of with a money back offer! As always, your published Amazon reviews and testimonials for our website are greatly appreciated. Special quantity discounts are available for orders of 100+ books for your school, club, association or company (private branding programs have become very popular). Please contact us for details.

FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com:

Over the past several years, tens of thousands of visitors have taken my free and thought-provoking quiz to test their knowledge of basic personal finance. While many of the respondents claim to be "well educated" academically, their paltry results certainly show what is lacking in many school curriculum. Sadly, the national average for FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com still hovers around a shocking 48%, yet 75% is barely considered passing. What's your score? Click here to take the quiz now.

Speaking Engagements:

Although my busy schedule and demanding responsibilities in my new telecom venture have greatly curtailed my availability for speaking engagements, I still very much enjoy the opportunity to interact with special select groups, like I did recently with over 200 energetic students at the University of Northern Colorado Monfort College of Business (UNC-MCB). If you are interested in having me speak to your school, group or company about entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy or the secrets to success, please contact me with your event details, budget and date.

Frustrations from the Financial Literacy Front Lines:

Overall, I greatly enjoyed my work the past few years as a financial literacy advocate and trying to bring a new awareness to this sweeping epidemic, but the experience certainly did not come without its share of frustrations. As a hard-driving and successful entrepreneur from the private business sector, I am used to like-minded smart people working together as a team, and making swift decisions to achieve a common goal. Let's just say that the educational, non-profit and government sectors do not exactly work in the same manner - once you remove profit as a motive, all that seems to be left is turf (to fight over).

I decided to pursue the role of being a financial literacy advocate because it was, and still is, something that I am truly passionate about, and I felt that I could use my business experience and platform to truly make a difference and inspire the next generation - and I had the time and financial resources to do so following the sale of my last telecom business in 2004. I never had a profit or business model in mind with my financial literacy endeavor - I just wanted it to be sustainable and I did it solely because I felt it was the right thing to do. Yet, I was frequently characterized by many as a "carpetbagger," who was only out to promote their own self interest. This incorrect judgment and labeling by literally hundreds of groups that supposedly represented the interests of people who desperately need financial literacy education, only proved to deprive people from getting the help they needed.

It seemed as though every time I turned a corner, I ran into challenge and conflict in my attempt to promote the importance of financial literacy, both nationally and on a local level. Multiple well-known national groups and individuals, who are supposedly concerned about educating the next generation, either completely refused my offer of assistance (unless I simply wanted to write them a check and keep my mouth shut), or were wholly unresponsive to my multiple contact attempts. Even in my own community, the local university, school district and several non-profits aggressively attempted to ban my attendance at their taxpayer funded "Financial Literacy Summit" in 2008, and only after involving an attorney, was I begrudgingly granted limited access (and not a very warm welcome) under the "open meeting statute." I am still not sure if they were all afraid of the truth or just more concerned with protecting their own self interests, but this lack of cooperation is certainly not doing anything to benefit those who need better financial literacy. The cause needs more people working together towards a common goal, and I am generally a huge fan of effective public-private partnerships.

What I have unfortunately learned is that since there is no direct business model for financially literate consumers, there is very little incentive for anyone to actually promote it effectively. The mainstream media bombards us with sensational advertisements on how to spend money, and consumers are living in denial believing that they must keep up with the Joneses' to be accepted. The problem seems to be that there are so many groups (more than 100 at my last count) trying to do the same thing with financial literacy education, but they are all re-inventing the wheel on their own and have no interest in working together. This is only causing to dilute the message and the available resources. Personally, I feel there needs to me more collaboration, consistent communication, curriculum consolidation and general cooperation within the financial literacy community, in order to ultimately achieve success. The doctors have the AMA, the retirees have the AARP, the gun owners have the NRA - there needs to be a single voice like this for financial literacy instead of everyone trying to do their own thing.

While my attempts to bring "financial literacy awareness and education" to the masses was significantly less successful than I had hoped, the good news is that I was able to make a difference when working with smaller groups or individuals one-on-one. While certainly not as efficient, I will take what I can get. Consumers have become conditioned by the marketing sizzle of "get rich quick schemes" who have large advertising budgets and have the incorrect lure of a "simple system that shows you how to make lots of money quickly and without working" - nothing could be farther from the truth, but this is the message you need to use if you want to effectively reach the masses. Smaller groups are more interactive and allow for more realistic discussions.

I am still clueless as to why not every school in this country starts requiring and teaching financial literacy post-haste considering the lessons we have all learned from the current economic meltdown. For a variety of reasons, parents are not teaching financial literacy to their children. In America, schools are where we educate the next generation on subjects like math, English and science, but we do very little to prepare them for the real world (and it shows). Financial Literacy is a topic that will affect each and every one of us for the rest of our lives, regardless of age, income or occupation, so how can we NOT start teaching this NOW? Schools certainly have their own set of challenges, and everyone and their brother has their own pet project they think needs to get integrated into the curriculum, but I cannot think of anything that would be more beneficial at this point than financial literacy education, taught by qualified instructors.

Even with all of my frustration with pursuing financial literacy advocacy, I did meet a handful of other like minded individuals who are equally passionate about the cause and doing what they can to effect positive change. Here are just a few of my friends who I unconditionally support in their ongoing efforts to make America more financially literate in their own ways (it is interesting to note that all of these people are entrepreneurial and come from the private sector):

Vince Shorb - Founder of National Youth Financial Educators Council (NYFCE) and Creator of the Money X Live events, which effectively combines music and celebrities with teaching financial literacy.

John Hope Bryant - Chairman of OperationHOPE and member of the President's Financial Literacy Council.

Sharon Lechter - CPA, Co-Author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Entrepreneur and member of the President's Financial Literacy Council.

Larry Winget - The Pitbull of Personal Development, Engaging TV Personality and Author of 5 bestselling books. Larry tells it like it really is; no sugar coating.

Manisha Thakor - Harvard MBA and a fellow author who left a successful corporate career to be a personal finance expert on women and money.

Summary & Closing:

One thing is for sure: the need for financial literacy awareness and education still remains as great as ever. I only wish that I could have done more to make a difference, but hope that the efforts I put forth will make at least some small impact on the financial habits of those I was able to reach. It is with great appreciation that I take this opportunity to thank all of those who HAVE supported my efforts for the past several years. I also commend those who are truly committed to improving financial literacy for the next generation and you have my ongoing support, encouragement, gratitude and appreciation for all that you do.

If you want to still keep up with my activities, please visit BraunMincher.com or connect with me online on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

"Give a man a fish and he will not be hungry for a day; teach him how to fish and he will not be hungry for a lifetime." - Ancient Chinese Proverb

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?)

Documentary Film Joint Venture Opportunity

2010-05-08T15:28:00.008-06:00

In 2009, we finished filming The Secrets of Money: Exposing America’s Financial Illiteracy Epidemic, and traveled across the country for 3 months – from New Hampshire to California, and everywhere in between – to film more than 100 interviews with a variety of real people, parents, students, educators, government officials, celebrities, personal finance experts and others. We have collected more than 120 raw hours of quality interviews, and are passionately committed to see this project through to completion. Unfortunately, some other business interests have taken priority, and this project was temporarily placed on hold, not allowing the time to personally finish this important production.

We are seeking a qualified joint venture partner to take the material and concept already created and “run with the ball” to get the production finished and taken to market. We would be open to contributing our content as project equity, simply selling the assets (approximately $75k invested), or some other form of JV. If you, or any of your associates, have the experience, resources and interest to explore such a relationship, please click here or contact us for more information.

Financial Literacy Update Newsletter

2009-11-10T08:35:00.005-07:00

Greetings Friends,

Financial Literacy Advocate, Author and Documentary Filmmaker, Braun Mincher, here with a quick update on my ongoing Financial Literacy Initiative, aimed at bringing a new awareness to this important cause and getting such required classes taught at every high school in America. Why is Financial Literacy a more taboo topic than religion, politics or sex? With your continued help and perseverance, we will ultimately be successful in reversing the Financial ILLITERACY Epidemic in America!

I am not sure about you, but my summer seemed to come and go too quickly this year. I hope that this email finds you doing well, settling into your fall routines and getting ready for the coming holidays. I apologize for the delay since my last Financial Literacy update, but my focus has been with some other unrelated projects for the past few months. While I still remain extremely passionate and committed to the Financial Literacy cause, I unexpectedly returned to the telecom business back in June. While building a new business is a lot of work, I am again having fun while enjoying the opportunities and challenges of the private sector, and look forward to growing another successful entrepreneurial venture. Please visit the PCG Telecom website for more information about my involvement with this new endeavor.

Updates on Important Financial Literacy Topics:

FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com

Thousands of visitors per week continue to take my FREE and thought-provoking Financial Literacy Quiz to test their knowledge of basic personal finance. While many of the respondents claim to be "well educated" academically, the paltry results certainly show what is lacking in many school curriculum. Sadly, the national average for FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com still hovers around a shocking 49%, yet a score 75% is barely considered passing. What's your score? Click here to take the quiz now and share with your friends.

Book - "The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy"

My 426-page information packed book continues to do well and teaches readers of all ages what they really need to know about personal finance from a practical perspective that they can quickly and easily relate to. I have a simple system to show people how to make lots of money quickly, and without working -- psych! Knowledge is power, and that is what my book delivers in an engaging format. Amazon continues to offer the best price and it's never too early to think about useful holiday gifts for those you care about. Special quantity discounts are available for orders of 100+ for your school, club, association or company (private branding programs have become very popular). Please email us for details.

Documentary Movie Production

Earlier this year, we wrapped several months of nationwide filming for our shocking new documentary movie, Secrets of Money: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic in America Exposed. We 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? We have gathered over 120 hours of raw footage and are open to exploring opportunities to collaborate with an experienced joint venture partner to assist with the final production, marketing and distribution of the film. Please contact us for more information.

Financial Education Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate

In March, Senator Patty Murray [D-WA] introduced the "Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2009," a bill to provide grants to promote financial and economic literacy. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee, and if passed, it will authorize up to $125 million in spending to create a program for three different grade levels, K-12, that will mandate standardized financial education as a core-competency class. In addition, another $125 million would be authorized for use in post-secondary education. We will keep you updated as this bill progresses.

Money X Live Event - Coming to Colorado in 2010!

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 held in Anaheim, California at the end of February. The event is aptly described as "Entrepreneurship & Money Entertainment." 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 engaging pop culture marketing angles and making the content practical and relevant to their daily lives. Money X Live was far and above the most effective and successful way I have seen to promote Financial Literacy to the next generation, and they are scheduling more events for 2010, including a visit to Colorado on Saturday, April 17th. For more information, please contact promoter Vince Shorb at (714) 960-4665 or Vince@NYEFC.org.

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube

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

Quotes from Personal Finance Experts

During the filming of our documentary movie, I made special note of the following memorable quotes from some of our interviewees:

Adam Carroll (Co-Author of "The Money Game"): "It takes about 3 years of constant action towards something before you begin to achieve the success you think you should."

John "Spider" Salley (NBA Superstar): "I don't read the sports section of the newspaper because it does not contain anything that helps my business."

Peter Bielagus (Young America's Financial Coach): "In America, you can have ANYTHING you want, just not EVERYTHING you want."

Rob Stumbaugh (Bank President): "The key to financial well-being is as follows: Same house, same spouse."

Chris Gardner (Entrepreneur & Movie Icon): "The person who is going to best look out for your financial well being does NOT live in the White House, he lives in YOUR house."

Sanyika Calloway Boyce (Financial Fitness Coach): "I did everything right academically, but everything wrong financially, so I turned my MESS into my MESSAGE."

Additional Financial Literacy Resources

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

Manisha Thakor's Blog - Harvard MBA & Personal Finance Expert

FinancialLiteracyBOOK.com

FinancialLiteracyBLOG.com

FinancialLiteracyQUIZ.com

FinancialLiteracyMOVIE.com

FinancialLiteracyMUSIC.com

More "Financial Literacy" Web Domains Available for Licensing!

Summary & Closing

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of this important nationwide Financial Literacy initiative. 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?)

Quotes from Personal Finance Experts

2009-10-28T21:47:00.002-06:00

During the filming of our documentary movie, on the topic of the Financial "Illiteracy" Epidemic in America, in early 2009, I noted the following memorable quotes from some of our interviewees, which I wanted to share. For more details, or video clips of the interviews, please visit: http://www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com. The quotes:

Adam Carroll (Co-Author of "The Money Game"): "It takes about 3 years of constant action towards something before you begin to achieve the success you think you should."

John "Spider" Salley (NBA Superstar): "I don't read the sports section of the newspaper because it does not contain anything that helps my business."

Peter Bielagus (Young America's Financial Coach): "In America, you can have ANYTHING you want, just not EVERYTHING you want."

Rob Stumbaugh (Bank President): "Young man, the key to financial freedom is as follows: same house, same spouse."

Chris Gardner (Entrepreneur & Movie Icon): "The person who is going to best lookout for your financial well being does NOT live in the White House, he lives in YOUR house."

Sanyika Calloway Boyce (Financial Fitness Coach): "I did everything right academically, but everything wrong financially, so I turned my MESS into my MESSAGE."

Financial Literacy Resources from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

2009-10-05T07:26:00.003-06:00

Upcoming Events

Second Annual Financial Literacy Leadership Conference

October 5-6, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

The Second Annual Financial Literacy Leadership Conference, presented by the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development, Inc. brings together leaders in the field of financial literacy to develop effective strategies and partnerships to address pertinent issues.

2009 Annual Conference for Economic Education

October 7-10, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

The Council for Economic Education, National Association of Economic Educators, and Global Association of Teachers of Economics holds its 2009 annual conference. The conference focuses on grades K-12 economic, personal finance, and entrepreneurship education.

2009 Money Smart Week Indiana

October 10-17, 2009 (Throughout the state)

Money Smart Week Indiana events are designed for all ages and backgrounds and include topics on teaching children how to save as well as helping seniors manage their finances. Events are held throughout the state, and some will be offered or advertised in Spanish.

2009 Money Smart Week Wisconsin

October 10-17, 2009 (Throughout the state)

Community groups, government agencies, financial advisers and businesses will attend Money Smart Week Wisconsin events to answer questions on how to handle finances and to teach children about handling money.

2009 Get Smart About Credit

October 15, 2009 (Local Schools)

Get Smart About Credit Day is an annual event held in October when bankers visit local classrooms to share with students the ”credit facts of life." October 15, 2009 is the date of this year’s event, the seventh annual. The foundation hosts six free Webinars to review tips on using the Get Smart About Credit Day Resource Kit, planning an event, sharing best practices, and positioning the event for Community Reinvestment Act credit.

2009 Protect Your Identity Week

October 17-24, 2009

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Council of Better Business Bureaus are sponsoring the second annual Protect Your Identity Week. During PYIW week, hundreds of identity theft protection events will be held in communities across the nation. At local events, consumers can take advantage of education workshops, the shredding of documents, and credit report reviews - - all free of charge and open to the public. A consumer Web site, in English and Spanish has been developed to highlight PYIW events and provide valuable identity theft awareness and prevention education.

American Savings Education Council Partners Meeting

October 21, 2009 (Washington, DC)

The Fall 2009 American Savings Education Council Partners Meeting will feature a presentation of the Stock Market Game, showing how the game boosts achievement in math and financial education, and a presentation of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education

October 21-23, 2009 (Philadelphia, Pa.)

The Institute for Financial Literacy hosts the 2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education. The conference provides professional development opportunities for people working in the fields of financial literacy and education.

Summit on Financial Education

October 28, 2009 (Boston, Mass.)

The Massachusetts Financial Education Collaborative is holding a summit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The summit focuses on program information, coordination and delivery of financial education for young people (K-16), adults and seniors.

2009 Reserve Cup Challenge

October/November 2009 (Boston, Mass.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston presents the 2009 Reserve Cup Challenge to representative high schools - one from each New England state - to compete in a quiz show that tests students’ knowledge of financial matters, ranging from financial literacy to economics to personal finance.

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop

November 4, 2009 (Lubbock, Texas)

The Texas Department of Banking provides hands-on training on three financial education curricula: the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s “Building Wealth,” the FDIC’s “Money Smart Program,” and JA Worldwide’s “Junior Achievement.”

Financial Literacy Conference

November 6-8, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy presents the first nationwide conference devoted entirely to personal finance education in grades K-12.

New Initiatives

FICO Mortgage Recovery Initiative

The FICO Mortgage Recovery Initiative is a comprehensive solution that meets the needs of Main Street and Wall Street. It follows the federal government’s Making Home Affordable guidelines. This program streamlines consumer loan applications and provides servicers with deep analytic solutions to help them work with their customers.

First Nations Development Institute Partners with the Office of the Special Trustee to Provide Financial Training to Indian Trust Beneficiaries

The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians Field Operations, in partnership with First Nations Development Institute, conducted a train the trainer session at the National Indian Program Training Center to prepare Fiduciary Trust Officers to provide financial literacy training to trust beneficiaries throughout Indian Country. Training also has been conducted at Fort Berthold and Standing Rock.

Maryland Coalition for Financial Literacy

The Maryland Coalition for Financial Literacy (MCFL) is an initiative to meet the urgent need for more financial education. The MCFL works with educational leadership groups, parents, the financial services industry, and others to find the best program for each of Maryland’s 24 public school systems as well as nonpublic high schools. The MCFL also works with partners to develop programs for adult constituencies such as employee groups, senior citizens, first-time homebuyers, and new immigrant groups.

Mini Bank

Native American Bank (NAB) and the Native American Community Development Corporation (NACDC) have developed a “Mini-Bank” program, which the NACDC delivers to elementary schools located on Native American reservations in Montana, Idaho, and Colorado. The program allows Native American youth to enhance their financial literacy skills by actually opening a savings account with NAB and learning, in a school setting, the value of saving, and the power of compounded interest. A combined Mini-Bank and Land Education curriculum is now offered in collaboration with Indian Land Tenure Foundation.

North American Securities Administrators Association

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced a new investor education initiative to equip millions of union and employee association members with the knowledge and skills they need to protect themselves from investment fraud. Through a new outreach program, “United Against Investment Fraud” (UAIF), NASAA is working with unions and employee associations to bring investor education to the workplace. The UAIF program teaches union members how to spot con artists and how to check the backgrounds of stock brokers and investment advisers.

Retirement and Savings Initiative - Helping Americans Save for Retirement

President Barack Obama announced new Federal resources to make it easier for American families to save for retirement. These new IRS initiatives include guidance on saving for, and choosing retirement plans, including design options; expanding opportunities for automatic enrollment; making it easier to save tax refunds; showing how employees can save payments in their retirement plans they would receive for unused vacation or other similar leave; and helping employees and employers understand their tax-favored rollover and other savings options.

Senior Financial Literacy Training and Education Initiative

The University of Albany’s Center for Excellence in Aging Services presents the Senior Financial Literacy Training and Education Initiative. This program provides to seniors a basic understanding of financial literacy, risk factors for financial exploitation, and an understanding of social work roles focused on senior financial literacy.

Small Dollar Loan Pilot Program

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) began a two-year pilot project to review affordable and responsible small dollar-loan programs in financial institutions. The pilot is a case study intended to identify effective and replicable business practices to help banks incorporate affordable small dollar loans into their other mainstream banking services. Resulting best practices from the pilot will be identified and will become a resource for other financial institutions.

Your Money Bus Tour

The "Your Money Bus Tour" is a consumer outreach initiative that kicks off its second year on October 1, 2009. In each city, local financial advisors volunteer their time to meet with residents and answer their financial questions—free of charge, with no strings attached. The bus tour is strictly an educational event; a way to give back to the community and help residents with financial questions. This year, the organization plans to visit 25 cities across the U.S. The tour is sponsored by the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors Consumer Education Foundation (NAPFA), TD Ameritrade, Kiplingers Personal Finance Magazine and FiLife.com.

New Resources

Building Your Future

Building Your Future developed by The Actuarial Foundation helps students easily grasp the essentials of personal finance, gives them multiple opportunities to practice core skills and showcases the real-world impact of the financial decisions they make. Each chapter is classroom ready, with a Teacher's Guide that provides handouts and answer keys, instruction and assessment suggestions, definitions and resources that align with national mathematics and personal financial education standards.

Cards, Cars and Currency

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis offers Cards, Cars and Currency, a curriculum that challenges students to become involved in three specific areas of personal finance—credit cards, debit cards, and the purchasing of a car.

Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship

The Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware provides to teaching professionals knowledge, skills, and innovative curriculum to equip Delaware K-12 students with the economic, personal finance, and entrepreneurial foundations necessary to become informed, active participants in today’s world.

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services utilizes educational programs, professional counseling and money management instructions to establish a customized program that fits peoples needs.

Consumer Action

Consumer Action is a nonprofit, membership-based organization that serves consumers nationwide by advancing consumer rights; referring consumers to complaint-handling agencies through a free hotline; publishing educational materials in Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages; and comparing prices on credit cards, bank accounts, and long distance services.

Doughnut Hole Calculator

This summer, more than one million older Americans will be forced into the Part D “doughnut hole”—a coverage gap in Medicare’s program that leaves seniors liable for all of their own costs while still paying premiums. AARP is launching a new free online resource to help these and other older Americans avoid this dreaded coverage gap.

Edie the Estimator

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) offers EDIE the Estimator. This estimator can calculate your FDIC insurance coverage in each FDIC-insured bank where you have deposit accounts. EDIE lets you know, in a printable report for each bank, whether your deposits are within or exceed coverage limits.

Financial Fitness Center

American Consumer Credit Counseling’s Financial Fitness Center is an online resource offering an enormous amount information on personal money management. Web seminars, podcasts, tips of the week, calculators, worksheets, resource articles, links and more are provided to help consumers better manage their money. Information is available free-of-charge.

Financial Security for All Community of Practice

The Financial Security for All Community of Practice (COP) is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service chat programs that consist of monthly personal finance topics. Upcoming topics of discussion are Tips for Happy Holidays without Financial Hangover (October 29, 2009) and Promoting Positive Financial Behavioral Change (November 19, 2009).

FINRA Investor Education Foundation

FINRA Investor Education Foundation provides support for innovative research and educational projects aimed at segments of the investing public. Through grants, researchers explore investor behavior and develop practical ways to avoid costly mistakes and ensure that reliable financial and investor education is available to all who need it. It also sponsors SaveAndInvest.org, a free service that provides financial education tools for military families and older investors (aged 55 years or older) as well as additional investor resources.

Institute for Financial Literacy

The Institute for Financial Literacy is a nonprofit organization that assists its clients directly with programs in financial counseling, financial education, and bankruptcy-related services.

It’s Your Paycheck

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis offers “It’s Your Paycheck,” a curriculum designed for use in high school personal finance classes. This curriculum is made up of three sections—"Know Your Dough," "KaChing!" and "All About Credit." The lessons in each section employ teaching strategies to engage students so that they can apply the concepts being taught.

Maryland Council on Economic Education

The Maryland Council on Economic Education provides individualized assistance to develop a curriculum that includes economic and financial instruction and to develop assessments to measure learning. It also offers free teacher workshops and courses to prepare instructors to teach the content lesson plans and other classroom materials. The curriculum includes programs and seminars are available for adults and community groups. Other programs include the Maryland-DC Stock Market Game™, a poster contest for students in grades 1 through 8 and the Maryland Economics Challenge competition for high school students.

Money Savvy Generation

Money Savvy Generation develops innovative products to help parents, educators, and others teach the skills of basic personal finance. Currently, this program is taught in school districts in 27 states and the District of Columbia.

Payment Parliament

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has developed a new role play, “Payment Parliament,” an interactive way for students to enhance their reading skills while learning about key financial concepts. This program is targeted toward students in grades 5 through 8 and covers different payment methods available to consumers.

Right at Home: Financial Answers for Home Ownership

The National Credit Union Foundation’s “Right at Home: Financial Answers for Home Ownership,” informs people on how to keep their home in tough economic times. Free and objective information, tips, and resources are provided for those who are falling behind in their mortgage payments but want to work out a plan to stay in their home or to move without foreclosure. Information focuses on finding a mortgage loan that fits your budget, protecting your credit rating, avoiding fraud, and creating a budget to manage your money.

Saving Our Futures: A Financial Responsibility Program for Young People

Saving Our Futures: A Financial Responsibility Program for Young People is an online curriculum that teaches young people in middle school and high school financial responsibility and methods for advocating for smarter money management in their homes, communities, and from elected officials. The curriculum is a program of the America’s Promise Alliance.

Smart Borrower

Smart Borrower provides to people the information they need to make smart decisions about borrowing money for a home, car, college education, or other high-cost items or services. LendingTree created this online resource to make personal finance information easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to act on.

The Stock Market Game

The Stock Market Game is a program of the SIFMA Foundation for Investor Education received results from a rigorous evaluation study conducted by Learning Point Associates with a grant from the FINRA Foundation that show students who play The Stock Market Game outperform their peers in mathematics and financial literacy. According to the independent evaluation team, the gains are substantial at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In addition, teachers reported that the program influenced their own financial practices.

There’s No Business Like Bank Business

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has developed a new role play, “There’s No Business Like Bank Business,” an interactive way for students to enhance their reading skills while learning about key financial concepts. This program targets students in grades 3 through 5 and introduces the workings of a bank and the benefits of saving money in one.

What to Do if You’ve Lost Your Job

What to Do if You’ve Lost Your Job is presented by AARP. It provides people with a checklist of suggestions on immediate steps to take together with longer term ideas for dealing with this new situation.

Wi$e Up

Wi$eUp is a financial education program designed for Generation X and Y Women. It was developed by the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau in support of the Department of Labor's Strengthening the Family Initiative.

Women’s Institute for Financial Education

The Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial education to women in their quest for financial independence. WIFE offers reviews of personal finance books and features articles on personal finance topics, online video clips, and archived WIFE e-newsletters—all designed to improve the financial expertise of women.

Your Money Counts.com

HSBC Bank developed Your Money Counts.com, a comprehensive online learning resource that helps people understand finances and make informed financial choices. This online guide to financial and credit education provides people with interactive calculators, information on current money issues, in-depth information on specific money topics, financial education booklets, and quizzes to test their financial knowledge.

PBS to Air 2 TV Specials on Financial Literacy - TOMORROW (Wednesday, September 9, 2009)

2009-09-08T12:54:00.004-06:00

Per Laura Levine, Executive Director of the National Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy in Washington, DC:

Just a reminder that tomorrow evening (Wednesday, September 9, 2009), most PBS stations will air two new special TV segments that address timely Financial Literacy issues:

Sesame Workshop will present "Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times," a program designed to help families with young children communicate during time of economic insecurity. The program is hosted by Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, and Elmo; featuring Jump$tart friend Jean Chatzky. Scheduled to air on PBS at 8 PM Eastern (check your local listings). Click here for more information and to be linked to their website.
"Your Life, Your Money" produced by Jump$tart national partner, WNED Buffalo/Toronto, and hosted by Donald Faison, star of "Scrubs." Your Life, Your Money is aimed at young adults who want to get their financial lives on track. It features a number of financial experts, including Jump$tart friends Michelle Singletary and Beth Kobliner. Scheduled to air on PBS at 9 PM Eastern (check your local listings). Click here for more information and to be linked to their website.

Each of these websites will offer ongoing financial education resources. Be sure to tune in to watch live or set your DVR to record it!

Chris Gardner Documentary Clip

2009-07-03T09:59:00.004-06:00

Chris Gardner is a self-made multi-millionaire, entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker and philanthropist, who was portrayed by Actor Will Smith in the 2006 Hit Movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. This is brief clip of our interview with Chris which will be featured in our forthcoming documentary movie, Secrets of Money: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic in America Exposed. Be sure to watch the whole clip -- the last part is the best!

Financial Literacy Resources from The OCC

2009-07-03T07:07:00.003-06:00

I just received this periodic update email from The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and thought it contained a lot of valuable financial literacy resources which I wanted to share:

Upcoming Events

Lessons in Children’s Literature Workshop

July 14, 2009 (St. Louis, Mo.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis offers “Lessons in Children Literature,” a professional development workshop for 1st-5th grade educators. The course covers curriculum ideas designed to help students gain personal finance and economic knowledge while they read.

Personal Finance: Your Students’ First Steps Workshop

July 16, 2009 (St. Louis, Mo.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis offers “Personal Finance: Your Students’ First Steps,” a professional development workshop for 9th-12th grade educators. The course covers two new curricula designed to help students meet their first personal finance challenges. It's Your Paycheck! introduces students to wages and taxes while also preparing them for the tempting world of credit cards, payday loans, rent-to-own contracts and check cashing schemes. Cards, Cars and Currency focuses on that first important purchase—a car—and also helps students learn more about the costs and benefits of using credit cards for smaller purchases that can add up to big problems.

Junior Achievement Worldwide Leadership Conference

July 20-24, 2009 (Boston, Mass.)

Junior Achievement Worldwide holds its Worldwide Leadership Conference with the theme,“ Connecting to Build a Better World.”

Making Sense of Money and Banking Course

July 20-24, 2009 (Philadelphia, Pa.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia offers “Making Sense of Money and Banking,” a five-day course for teachers that covers money, banking, and the Federal Reserve System. The course is taught by Federal Reserve economists, economic education specialists, and staff from state centers on economic education. Emphasis is placed on active- and collaborative-learning teaching methods and curricula for teaching money and banking in the grades K-12.

Get Your Kicks on Route 66 Teacher Workshop

July 22, 2009 (Canyon, Texas)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Texas Council on Economic Education, West Texas Center for Economic Education, College of Business, and West Texas A&M University offer a one-day teacher workshop for secondary educators called “Get Your Kicks on Route 66.” The workshop examines the West Texas economy and how it relates to what is going on nationally as well as globally. Also addressed are the major economic drivers that make this region work, especially as they relate to the natural resources of wind, water, and energy.

2009 National Youth Involvement Board Annual Conference

August 3-6, 2009 (Tempe, Ariz.)

The 2009 National Youth Involvement Board Annual Conference provides insight and resources that can be used to understand young consumers and teach them good money management skills.

Program on Personal Finance for the Middle School Classroom

August 4, 2009 (Philadelphia, Pa.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia offers a one-day professional development program that introduces middle school teachers to methods for teaching personal finance topics, such as personal decision making, saving, investing, budgeting, and the wise use of credit.

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop

August 19, 2009 (Dallas, Texas)

The Texas Department of Banking provides hands-on training on three financial education curricula: the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s “Building Wealth,” the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) “Money Smart Program,” and JA Worldwide’s “Junior Achievement.”

National Community Tax Coalition’s 2009 Annual Conference

August 31-September 1, 2009 (San Antonio, Texas)

The National Community Tax Coalition, a project of the Center for Economic Progress, holds its 2009 Annual Conference. Themed “Realizing the Dream: Promoting Financial Opportunity in All Communities,” the two-day conference provides opportunities for training, learning, networking, and shaping the direction of community-based tax preparation, financial services, leadership development, and advocacy.

Financial Literacy, Financial Education, and the Federal Reserve: Conference on Strategies for Success

September 11, 2009 (Chicago, Ill.)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago holds this conference to bring people together with researchers and representatives of partner organizations to discuss strategies for designing successful programs and partnerships in financial literacy and financial education. The conference provides research that evaluates the effectiveness of financial education and counseling and opportunities for participants to learn from partners about what works and what could be improved.

2009 NFCC Annual Leaders Conference on Credit Counseling

September 14, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling holds its 2009 Annual Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. The national agenda focuses on financially responsible behavior and helping the foundation’s members deliver quality financial education and counseling services.

2009 Annual Conference for Economic Education

October 7-10, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education

October 21-23, 2009 (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop

November 4, 2009 (Lubbock, Texas)

Financial Literacy Conference

November 6-8, 2009 (Washington, D.C.)

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy presents the first nationwide conference devoted entirely to personal finance education in grades K-12.

New Initiatives

Bank On Cities Campaign

The Bank On Cities Campaign is a technical assistance project that helps municipal officials build a comprehensive asset-building agenda for residents. Project participants learn how to access financial services, accumulate and protect savings or other financial assets, and avoid unmanageable debt and bad credit, which are the keys to both family financial stability and the broader economic vitality of their cities.

New York City’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan

Mayor Bloomberg’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan has provided New Yorkers with access to free financial counseling at the city’s Financial Empowerment Centers in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens in addition to the Bronx. Services are provided by professional counselors in person or by phone in English and Spanish. Opening additional Financial Empowerment Centers is one of Mayor Bloomberg’s 18 initiatives to help New Yorkers face current economic challenges.

Money Smart Week

Money Smart Week Wisconsin October 10 – 17, 2009, is a public awareness initiative that aims to build financial knowledge so people can deal with their own money more quickly, confidently, and shrewdly. The workshops, seminars, programs, events, and other activities help people and their families, students, homeowners, businesspersons, employees, and other community members expand their opportunities through improved financial literacy.

NAPA’s Innovative National Financial Literacy Campaign on College Campuses

The National Academy of Public Administration has launched a student-focused, public awareness campaign designed to demonstrate the importance of financial responsibility and to inspire students to make their voices heard in the ongoing fiscal policy debate. “Budgetball” is an innovative new sport that combines fiscal strategy and physical play. The game takes students out of the classroom and on to the field for competitive play that highlights the relationships among debt, savings, interest, and taxes.

NASAA’s Senior Investor Resource Center

The North American Securities Administrators Association provides information and tools on financial services and investments, including tips for avoiding investment fraud and where to go for help.

High School Liaison Program

Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants has a variety of financial literacy programs targeting high school and college students. Its “High School Liaison Program” provides each high school in Tennessee with a volunteer certified public accountant to speak to students about career options or personal finance. The organization also offers a personal finance session to high school juniors and seniors who attend its summer Accounting Academy, a four-day program designed to expose students to career opportunities in the accounting profession.

Smart About Money

The National Endowment for Financial Education has launched a National Financial Literacy Campaign that encourages Americans to start achieving their financial goals by accessing practical information on the Smart About Money Web site.

United We Serve

"United We Serve" is a nationwide service initiative, announced by President Obama, that will help meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. The initiative aims to both expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and encourage volunteers to develop their own "do-it-yourself" projects. United We Serve is an initial 81 days of service, through September 11, 2009, but hopes to grow into a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to promote service as a way of life for all Americans.

Virginia CASH Campaign (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope)

The Virginia CASH Campaign (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) helps low- and moderate-income workers move toward greater self-sufficiency (a) by receiving the federal Earned Income Tax Credit that can supplement earnings and (b) through financial literacy and other asset-building activities. The campaign promotes the Earned Income Tax Credit program through education, outreach, and awareness; provides free tax preparation to avoid the high cost of professional preparers and to avoid refund anticipation loans; and promotes financial opportunities to the unbanked.

New Resources

Ask Doctor Debt

The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals International’s Education Foundation provides a free and confidential resource for helping consumers find solutions to credit and debt issues.

Benefits Edge

MetLife released a new publication, The Benefits Edge: Honing the Competitive Value of Employee Benefits, written by industry expert Dr. Ron Leopold. Grounded in MetLife research, The Benefits Edge contains pragmatic principles and ideas designed to help employers make more strategic investments in employee benefits with an eye toward optimizing return on benefits investment and delivering greater competitive advantages.

CardRatings.com

CardRatings.com offers free educational materials and resources in addition to free credit card ratings and reviews. The U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms maintains this Web site.

Cooperative Extension System

The Cooperative Extension System’s Financial Security for All Community of Practice hosts a series of informational chat sessions through the University of the District of Columbia. Visitors to the site can ask questions and get answers from extension personal finance experts. Also available on the site is a locator for local extension offices and institutions.

Debt Advice

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling has launched Debt Advice, an interactive Web site that gives consumers access to numerous financial education tools and helps them find a certified credit counselor closest to them.

Federal Reserve Credit Card Repayment Calculator

The Federal Reserve has created a Credit Card Repayment Calculator. Based on the information the user provides, the calculator will give an estimate of how long it will take to pay off the credit card balance. A second calculation helps the user develop a plan for paying off the balance sooner.

FDIC Money Smart Podcast Network

The FDIC has released the Money Smart Podcast Network, the portable audio (MP3) version of the award-winning Money Smart financial education. The new version of Money Smart is suitable for use with all MP3 players, enabling consumers of all ages to learn to make informed and prudent financial decisions while “on the go.”

FDIC Tips on Foreclosure Frauds, Easy Money Schemes, and Other Costly Deals

The FDIC has issued a variety of tips to help consumers stay on guard financially in the current economy, in areas ranging from foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams to deceptive offers of FDIC-insured certificates of deposit. The FDIC published these tips in the spring 2009 issue of FDIC Consumer News, the agency’s quarterly newsletter for consumers, which is available on the Web site.

FDIC Tips To Help Consumers Manage Their Money

In its winter 2008/2009 issue of FDIC Consumer News, the FDIC issued tips to help consumers spend less, save more, protect against fraud, and borrow wisely at any time but especially during a difficult economy.

Financial Literacy of Young American Adults

The Financial Literacy of Young American Adults, an analysis of the Jump$tart Coalition’s 2008 biennial survey, is available in PDF on the Jump$tart Web site. The survey, which launched in 1997 and has been conducted every other year since 2000, focuses on high school seniors but included college students for the first time in 2008. The results of these surveys (and comparisons with earlier surveys) are included in the book. Also available on this site is Making the Case for Financial Literacy, 2009, a collection of personal finance statistics that Jump$tart compiled from other sources.

Financial Literacy Online

Financial Literacy Online is a product of National Student Loan Program, a nonprofit student loan guaranty agency dedicated to financial literacy, based on the belief that education helps all consumers manage debt and other financial matters. Financial Literacy Online is a comprehensive and convenient online learning center that teaches students the basics of personal money management. Courses are for students planning for college, enrolled in college, planning to graduate from college, or recently graduated from college. Anyone interested in money management—including parents—may take the courses.

Funny Money for High Schools Assembly Program

Investor Education Fund, in partnership with the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, sponsors “Funny Money for High Schools Assembly Program,” an entertaining show that takes students on a financial literacy tour through the basics of balancing a checkbook, reconciling a debit card statement, learning credit card fundamentals and more.

Junior Achievement $ave, USA

Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation have created a new series of free, downloadable teaching tools to help parents talk to their children about smart money management. Lessons cover budgeting, the importance of saving, understanding the cost of credit and how to use it, and more.

Mad About MoneyOpportunity Plan

The National Theatre for Children has developed a communications strategy that combines live theater and multiplatform educational materials to communicate complex messages to hard-to-reach audiences. Mad About Money is a four-part program that teaches children about forming savings habits, evaluating risks, and the difference between a debit card and a credit card.

My Money Management

My Money Management is a unique industrywide effort to provide consumers with comprehensive financial education resources to help guide their personal finance decision-making process. This Web site provides consumers with tools and resources from a variety of sources, including financial service companies, advocacy organizations, and personal finance experts. My Money Management is an initiative of the Financial Services Roundtable.

Smarty Pig

Smarty Pig is a free, online savings account for people who want to save for specific goals. The account also is FDIC-insured. A person types in the dollar amount they wish to save and the time frame in which they would like to reach their goal. The Web site technology suggests a monthly deposit amount to the account holder to reach that goal.

Social Security Administration’s Retire Online — It’s So Easy

The U.S. Social Security Administration offers a wide variety of new and important publications and other resources and tools for the public about retirement, benefits, and support for family members in the event of disabilities or death.

Stage Coach Island

Wells Fargo recently launched a free virtual world, “Stagecoach Island,” an entertaining and interactive companion site to Hands on Banking, its free financial education program. Teens can explore the island and its hidden secrets, connect with friends and make new ones, and learn smart money management. Educators can use the “Stagecoach Island” virtual world in the West Texas Center for Economic Education classroom to teach important lessons in budgeting, saving, managing credit, buying a home, and getting a job. Participants earn virtual money by visiting the Learning Lounge, and answering questions about money management. They can also obtain virtual jobs, credit cards, and home loans giving players the opportunity to learn, earn, build and, play in a virtual world.

Teach Children To Save

The American Bankers Association has launched “Teach Children To Save,” a Web site designed to make classroom lessons for children available to everyone. The site offers tips for young people and their parents on how to establish a budget, start a savings account, and make regular deposits.

Understanding Your Retirement Paycheck

The National Endowment for Financial Education has developed a new Web site dedicated to help people optimize their retirement paycheck by making wise decisions.

HelpWithMyBank.gov - The OCC’s Web site that provides answers to more than 300 commonly asked banking questions. While targeted at national bank customers, the site answers many questions common to all banking consumers and provides useful information about contacting regulators of state banks, thrifts, and other financial institutions. A link from HOPE NOW to HelpWithMyBank.gov has been established.

MyMoney.gov - The U.S. government's Web site dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics of financial education. The site houses important information from 20 federal agencies on such topics as buying a home, foreclosure prevention, deposit insurance, privacy, fraud, scams, balancing a checkbook, and investing in a 401(k).

Have a financial literacy event coming up worth noting? Rolling out a new financial literacy initiative? Developing a new tool or product? Have general feedback? E-mail us at communityaffairs@occ.treas.gov.

Larry Winget Documentary Clip

2009-06-13T10:32:00.004-06:00

Larry Winget, the "Pit Bull of Personal Development" and Host of A&E's "Big Spender" TV show, recently posted this clip of our interview with him which will be featured in our forthcoming documentary movie, Secrets of Money: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic in America Exposed. Click here to see what Larry has to say about his life story and the importance of Financial Literacy!

Jump$tart Releases Summary of Annual Survey

2009-05-26T12:26:00.002-06:00

The Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy has just released this .PDF E-Book (255 pages) which analyzes the results of the 2008 National Jump$tart Coalition Survey of High School and College Students. Click here to check out this interesting summary and their findings!

Financial Literacy Resources from The OCC

2009-05-11T11:05:00.003-06:00

I just received this update email from The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and thought it contained a lot of valuable financial literacy resources which I wanted to share:

Upcoming Events

21st Annual Personal Finance Seminar for Professionals - Maryland Cooperative Extension

May 13-15, 2009 (Annapolis, MD)

The Maryland Cooperative Extension, a statewide system within the University of Maryland, will host the 21^st Annual Personal Finance Seminar for Professionals at the Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis, MD. The seminar is targeted toward counselors, educators, analysts, and other personal finance professionals. Expert speakers will discuss current issues and trends facing personal finance professionals and their clients.

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop - Texas Department of Banking

May 13, 2009 (Houston, TX)

The Texas Department of Banking will provide hands-on training on three financial education curriculums: the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s “Building Wealth,” the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s “Money Smart Program,” and Junior Achievement.

Improving Financial Literacy and Reshaping Financial Behavior Conference - Networks Financial Institute

May 14-15, 2009 (Indianapolis, IN)

The Networks Financial Institute at Indiana State University will host a two-day conference, “Improving Financial Literacy and Reshaping Financial Behavior.” The conference focuses on factors shaping financial behavior and how individuals, educators, and policy makers can effectively improve financial literacy and its influence on financial decision making.

4th Annual Underbanked Financial Services Forum - Center for Financial Services Information

June 1-3, 2009 (Dallas, TX)

The Center for Financial Services Information’s 4^th Annual Underbanked Financial Services Forum will provide information from industry experts and on-the-ground case studies from across the globe, offering strategies and solutions to achieve profitable growth and long-term success. The forum also offers an exhibit hall focused on underbanked solutions and a variety of networking formats.

Summer School at the Fed - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

June 8-10, 2009 (Memphis, TN)

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, University of Missouri at St. Louis, and the Office of Economic Education and Business Research (Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville) will host a three-day event for classroom instructors. The event focuses on government’s role in the economy.

Community Development Lending Conference– Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

June 10, 2009 (Dallas, TX)

This conference titled, The Changing Economy: The New Community Development Lending Environment, is sponsored by Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Texas Mezzanine Fund, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This event will help identify ways to maintain community development lending with new resources, grants, credit enhancements and best practices.

2009 National Conference on Children and Youth Savings - Corporation for Enterprise Development

June 14-16, 2009 (Brooklyn, NY)

The Corporation for Enterprise Development will host the 2009 National Conference on Children and Youth Savings to bring together innovators and leaders from the fields of asset building and child development to showcase youth savings programs.

Operation HOPE - Global Financial Literacy Summit

June 17, 2009 (Washington, DC)

This global summit titled, Making a Business Case for Financial Literacy, Post Crisis, is featuring U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as the headline speaker. The goal of this summit is to promote viable long-term, systemic and sustainable solutions to economic problems. The Summit will frame the issue of financial literacy as an essential, core ingredient to mid-to-long-term economic recovery and stability.

Financial Literacy as Part of the Curriculum - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

June 17 and 18, 2009 (Nashville, TN)

The Nashville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta will sponsor the “Financial Literacy as Part of the Curriculum” workshop, designed for educators to learn more about financial literacy as part of a high school curriculum. The workshop addresses the new high school personal finance course and tactics for integrating personal finance instruction into existing courses.

Leadership Conference - Junior Achievement Worldwide

July 20-24, 2009 (Boston, MA)

Junior Achievement Worldwide will hold its Worldwide Leadership Conference in Boston, MA, with the theme, “Connecting to Build a Better World.”

Making Sense of Money and Banking - Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

July 20-24, 2009 (Philadelphia, PA)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia will offer the “Making Sense of Money and Banking” five-day course for teachers in Philadelphia. The course covers money, banking, and the Federal Reserve System and will be taught by Federal Reserve economists, economic education specialists, and staff from the state centers on economic education.

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop - Texas Department of Banking

August 19, 2009 (Dallas, TX)

2009 Annual Conference - National Community Tax Coalition

August 31–September 1, 2009 (San Antonio, TX)

The National Community Tax Coalition, a project of the Center for Economic Progress, will hold its 2009 Annual Conference. Themed “Realizing the Dream: Promoting Financial Opportunity in All Communities,” the two-day conference provides opportunities for training, learning, networking, and shaping the direction of community-based tax preparation, financial services, leadership development, and advocacy.

2009 Annual Conference - Council for Economic Education, National Association of Economic Educators, and Global Association of Teachers of Economics

October 7-10, 2009 (Washington, DC)

The Council for Economic Education, National Association of Economic Educators, and Global Association of Teachers of Economics will hold it 2009 annual conference. The conference is largest national conference focusing on K-12 economic, personal finance, and entrepreneurship education.

2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education - Institute for Financial Literacy

October 21-23, 2009 (Philadelphia, PA)

The Institute for Financial Literacy will host the 2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education. The conference provides professional development opportunities for individuals working in the fields of financial literacy and education.

Train the Trainer Financial Education Workshop - Texas Department of Banking

November 4, 2009 (Lubbock, TX)

New Initiatives

Boys and Girls Club of America - Money Matters: Make It Count

The Boys and Girls Club of America partnered with the Charles Schwab Foundation, to create Money Matters: Make It Count. This financial literacy program was designed specifically to help teens (ages 13 to18) expand their knowledge of money management and learn the skills that lead to financial independence and well-being.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service - Financial Security Program

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, operates a financial security program which targets youth, financially vulnerable populations and consumers. The goal of the program is to enable individuals to make sound financial decisions that will help them acquire the knowledge, skills, and motivation to build financial security. Programs focus on behavioral change, starting with achieving financial self-sufficiency, then stability.

The Extension Financial Security for All Community of Practice - Informational Chats

The Extension Financial Security for All Community of Practice (COP) hosts a series of informational chat sessions. People can ask questions and get answers from personal finance experts. The March Chat focused on Federal Income Tax Planning. The April Chat dealt with Banking and Unbanked. Records and transcripts are available online. These monthly chat sessions are scheduled through November 2009.

Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) Mortgage Recovery Initiative

FICO, a provider of analytics, decision management technology and consumer credit empowerment, introduced the FICO® Mortgage Recovery Initiative (FICO® MRI) to help homeowners and lenders address the growing problem of mortgage foreclosures. FICO® MRI was developed in collaboration with leading mortgage industry partners to help lenders address immediate challenges with mortgage modifications while mitigating new delinquencies that are near on the horizon.

Junior Achievement - Finance Park

Junior Achievement, with sponsorship from Capital One, plans to build the region’s first Finance Park facility, scheduled to open in Fairfax County, VA, in January 2010. The Finance Park, a 20,000 sq. ft. facility with state-of-the art technologies, is designed to provide hands-on solutions on personal financial management topics for over 13,000 young people a year.

Junior Achievement – Teens and Personal Finance Poll

Junior Achievement, with the support of The Allstate Foundation, conducted its tenth annual “Teens and Personal Finance” poll in late February. The survey assesses how the current economic climate has impacted the spending and saving habits of American teens. For more information about Junior Achievement’s financial literacy programs, visit www.ja.org/programs.

Junior Achievement - Tools for Understanding the Financial Crisis

Over the past few months, Junior Achievement delivered two comprehensive white papers (“Understanding the Stock Market Fluctuations” and “Understanding the Financial Crisis”) to every school system in the Greater Washington State Region. The papers are available online and Junior Achievement plans to publish additional papers on financial topics quarterly.

Metlife - 2009 Study of the American Dream

The MetLife Study of the American Dream set out to determine American attitudes and perceptions in light of the current economic situation and the ongoing erosion of traditional corporate and social safety nets. The study surveyed a cross-section of U.S. adults, in all generations and ethnic groups, to find out how their lives have changed—and how the American dream itself has changed—in the past year. Read the results on its Web site.

National Consumer League - LifeSmarts

The National Consumer League runs LifeSmarts, a national consumer education competition program for middle and high school students, which develops and rewards teens for their marketplace financial knowledge. Teams of four to five teens, coached by an adult participant, compete in district and state matches with state winners going to the national competition to vie for the national LifeSmarts title. For more information, call (202) 835-3323 or e-mail the National Consumer League.

National Institute of Financial Literacy and Economic Literacy

The Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition partnered with professional educators to create the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy, which provides teachers with tools and training to educate local youth. For more information on what this new organization can do for schools, call (608) 267-1713 or e-mail Teresa Walker.

West Virginia State Auditor’s Office - Money Matters Presentations

The West Virginia State Auditor’s Office is offering Money Matters, a free seminar on investor education and financial literacy for classroom or group presentations. The program includes the “Stock Market Game,” in which attendees become participants in an active stock exchange. Since its inception, Money Matters has been presented to over 8,000 students and 2,000 teachers. For more information, e-mail James Rutledge, Outreach Manager.

New Resources

American Bankers Association Education Foundation - Teachchildrentosave.com

The American Bankers Association Education Foundation launched teachchildrentosave.com, making the Teach Children to Save program -- historically only delivered through classroom lessons -- available to the public via the Web. The Web site offers tips for young people and their parents on how to set a budget, start a savings account, and make deposits regularly. Also, there is the “Saver’s Pledge” that youth can take as they vow to become lifelong savers.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) - 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

The 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy program provides a comprehensive approach for consumers of all stages of life to making informed financial decisions. The program combines grassroots, state-driven financial literacy models with free resources for the public and tools that certified public accountants can use at the local level when volunteering to educate others.

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services - Financial Responsibility in the Workplace

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services partners with businesses and organizations to bring “Financial Responsibility in the Workplace” programs into communities. The staff provides financial education to individuals and employers, free seminars, financial literature libraries, and Web-based financial tools for employees and their families.

Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education advocates for better and greater school-based economic and personal finance education at the K-12 level. Its goal is to empower young people in the United States and around the world, primarily through well-prepared teachers, with economic and financial literacy.

Federal Trade Commission - Money Matters Web Site

The Federal Trade Commission recently launched its “Money Matters” Web site, which offers short, practical tips, videos, and links to reliable resources and information on such topics as credit repair, debt collection, job-hunting and job scams, vehicle repossession, managing mortgage payments, and foreclosure rescue scams.

Journal of Extension Web Site

The Journal of Extension, the official refereed journal of the Cooperative Extension System, has a new Web site. The Journal of Extension expands and updates the research and knowledge base for extension professionals and other adult educators to improve their effectiveness.

Jump$tart Personal Finance Clearinghouse

The Jump$tart Clearinghouse provides an easy-to-use, free online database of personal finance materials designed for teaching and learning. The clearinghouse includes CDs, DVDs, interactive online programs, lesson plans, teaching guides, textbooks, informational brochures, simulation games, and posters.

Money Mammals

The Money Mammals are characters created specifically to teach kids the value of money. The Web site offers educational videos and games for children as well as the opportunity to join the “Saving Money Is Fun” kids club.

Nuestro Barrio

Nuestro Barrio is a Spanish-language miniseries about Hispanic life in the United States. The miniseries uses the telenovela, or soap opera, to engage and entertain consumers on various issues, including banking and homeownership. The TV show is one of the largest financial literacy efforts in the country, broadcasting to over 25 million households and distributing more than 60,000 DVDs. Nuestro Barrio is a collaboration between the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina and Café con Leche Production.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) released a free, consumer video, “Avoiding Foreclosure,” that introduces four clients who found themselves in mortgage trouble for different reasons and sought assistance from an NFCC-certified housing counselor. The video introduces consumers to some of the terms and scenarios they are likely to encounter as they work to save their own homes; familiarizes consumers with the process for avoiding foreclosure; and shows real-life examples and how they worked through their challenges with the help of an NFCC-certified housing counselor.

NFCC redesigned its Web site, www.DebtAdvice.org, which allows consumers to access numerous financial education tools and reach an NFCC-certified credit counselor closest to them.

National Endowment for Financial Education - Smart About Money

The National Endowment for Financial Education, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to helping people make sound financial decisions throughout life, has redesigned its Web site. The Web site provides relevant content, interactive tools and quizzes, an e-newsletter, and forums to help people understand and manage money.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

The OCC released the April 2009 issue of Community Developments Investments, Cultivating Community-based Financial Literacy Initiatives. The newsletter highlights roles that banks can play in promoting financial stability through local partnership efforts. Articles describe four programs that help banks and their community partners reach out to consumers to encourage better money management through savings and checking products.

OCC Community Developments Insights School-Based Bank Savings Programs: Bringing Financial Education to Students, discusses how banks can set up school-based bank savings programs to help students learn about the importance of saving and managing their personal finances. Students receive “hands-on” learning, while banks gain visibility in the communities they serve.

OCC Consumer Advisory, Protect Your Family from Foreclosure Prevention Scams” (April 2009), provides information about scams promising to "rescue" consumers from foreclosure. These scams are popping up at an alarming rate nationwide. The advisory addresses how homeowners can protect themselves and their homes. The advisory also provides tips on how to differentiate between scams and legitimate resources.

Candid Comments from Executive Producer of Financial Literacy Documentary Film

2009-04-21T12:08:00.003-06:00

Check out some my candid comments and findings as we were in the process of filming the forthcoming documentary movie, Secrets of Money: The Financial Illiteracy Epidemic in America Exposed. Shocking stuff! For more details -- http://www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com.

FREE Tele-Seminar on Monday, 4/6

2009-04-02T08:21:00.002-06:00

In order to help promote April being "Financial Literacy Month," I have teamed up with several other Financial Literacy Advocates to host multiple FREE tele-seminars next week and offer some much needed financial advice to consumers.

My topic is going to be some little-known tips about consumer credit that will save you money, as well as expanding upon my discussion on "Why you should CUT UP your ATM Debit Card, but KEEP your Credit Card." Lots of good information and it's all free. I've never offered one of these tele-seminars before, so I hope that you will join on the call and and give me your feedback.

My time on Monday (4/6) is 1:00 pm (Eastern) with a repeat at 9:00 pm (Eastern). Click here for the call-in details and I hope to "see" you there!

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

2009-03-30T13:10:00.004-06:00

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)

2009-03-29T11:39:00.008-06:00

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

Curtis Arnold
Founder of CardRatings.com
Author of How You Can Profit from Credit Cards

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

2009-03-26T06:12:00.000-06:00

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!

2009-03-22T13:28:00.008-06:00

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

2009-03-14T09:16:00.004-06:00

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

6 Ways to Start a Personal Budget

2009-03-12T09:41:00.002-06:00

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

2009-03-07T14:16:00.020-07:00

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

2009-03-06T14:55:00.002-07:00

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:

Braun's Application for "The Best Job Ever"

2009-02-23T09:47:00.002-07:00

Totally unrelated to my normal blog posts about advocating for financial literacy, here is my 1:00 minute video application for "The Best Job" ever as the caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef for 6 months.

As a PR campaign, the Tourism Authority in Queensland, Australia has solicited such applications from some 34,000 people across the world, and will narrow it down to a short list of 50 on March 2, 2009.

We took a break from documentary filming for just a day to put this together, and although I did it just for fun, I think the job would be the perfect fit for me! Enjoy the video and be sure to vote for me if you like it!

President's Council on Financial Literacy

2009-02-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm cleaning up and organizing my website a bit, so I decided to move this document over to my BLOG. Last year, the new President's Council on Financial Literacy requested public commentary, and you can click here to see what I submitted to them. The good news is that we have interviewed or spoken to a good number of the Council members as part of our documentary film production, and they are going to continue to be very instrumental in positive driving change as it relates to helping American's become more financially literate.

Parent Journal: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy

2009-02-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here is an article I recently authored for the Livingston Parent Journal giving tips about teaching financial literacy to your kids.

La Opinión: Cuando llegue dinero a casa

2009-02-11T14:50:00.001-07:00

For my Spanish speaking friends, here is a La Opinión newspaper article in Espaňol which quotes me relating to the new economic stimulus plan. You can go to FreeTranslation.com and enter the web address if you want to read it in English!

20/20 Special - Stupid in America: How we are Cheating Our Children

2009-01-28T18:13:00.002-07:00

I was almost physically sick after watching this 20/20 segment, and felt compelled to share it. Beware: It is shocking and scary, and will likely make you angry. Unfortunately, the interviews speak for themselves as it relates to our educational system.

While I am certainly the first to say that there are numerous hard working teachers, principals and administrators, the traditional SYSTEM has not changed with the times and is broken in terms of unions and seniority; we need to give good (effective) teachers bonuses and fire those who do poorly (gee, just like in the real world...). I could care less if you've been a teacher for 2 years or 20.

I was especially frustrated with the part where the NY Schools superintendent said it took 6 years to get rid of an admitted sex offender. I think he said their state spends $40 million PER YEAR for a "Rubber Room" -- an office building where they send teachers (who just read magazines all day) who are no longer fit for teaching in the classroom, but they must continue to employ and pay due to the union rules. Give me a break!

Watch this video and let me know what you think!

1st Quarter Financial Literacy Update

2009-01-13T21:11:00.011-07:00

Dear Friends,

Happy 2009! Since my last email was at the end of September, I wanted to take a quick moment to give you a status update on my nationwide Financial Literacy Project. It is still my ultimate goal 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.

I am pleased to announce that we began production on a new feature-length film, Secrets of Money: The Documentary Movie, which exposes the shocking state of Financial Literacy (Illiteracy) in America. We are currently traveling across the country - both coasts and everywhere in between - interviewing real people,students, educators, government officials, celebrities,personal finance experts and others to get their perspective on why schools teach math, English and science but not Financial Literacy? So far, we have completed approximately half of the 100+ scheduled interviews, and the responses have been startling to say the least! This independent film is going to entertain, shock, educate, engage and inspire viewers when released worldwide in May. Please check out our movie website for additional details and updates.

I am continuing to promote my own book, The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy, which continues to do well in terms of sales, industry awards, and most importantly, consumer education. If you don't know what a "Yield Spread Premium" is, you too should read it! To challenge your brain with more personal finance trivia, also be sure to check out my website at www.FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com.

Good publicity continues to pour in for both my projects and the financial literacy movement in general. Click here to see some of the recent press articles on the topic and click here to see some of my recent television appearances posted on YouTube. I will be back in New York City later this week to film, as well as make several media appearances myself, including FOX Business with Neil Cavuto (Thursday, 1/15 @ 6-7 pm Eastern), The CW Network and Business Beat Live - check out my Events Schedule for details.

People frequently ask me what THEY can do to help the financial literacy cause. First, talk to everyone you know (especially the young people in your life), about HOW and WHY financial literacy education is important - this includes posting comments online and in blogs. Next, you can write testimonials and post online reviews for financial literacy authors like me which helps create awareness. Finally, you can write to all of the teachers,principals, school administrators and government officials in your community to ask them what they are doing to further financial education at all levels. If there is one thing I have learned from this whole project, it is that parents and other stakeholders have a lot more power than they think, so let our message be heard!

Where's Waldo - remember these cartoon books? In case you want to know "Where's Braun" or "What is Braun doing these days," you need to be following me on either Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. I have these 3 popular social websites synchronized and generally post 1-2 status updates per day so everyone can keep track of my current activities and happenings!

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of my nationwide Financial Literacy Project. I look forward to sharing some exciting business announcements in the near future, but in the meantime, please continue to visit BraunMincher.com for frequent updates and financial literacy resources. Let's make 2009 great!

Sincerely,

Braun Mincher, Financial Literacy Advocate

Executive Producer ~ The Secrets of Money: A Documentary Movie (Coming in May!)
Author/Publisher ~The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy
Creator/Speaker ~ FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com (What's Your Score?)

Braun's Website: www.BraunMincher.com
Braun's Blog: www.FinancialLiteracyBLOG.com
Movie Website: www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com

Connect Online: LinkedIn ● Facebook ● Twitter

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

Filmmaker Behind International Documentary Movie Interviews UNC Finance Professor

2008-12-30T02:18:00.007-07:00

To date, we have completed approximately 45 of the 100+ total interviews we anticipate for the filming of our new documentary movie exposing the state of financial literacy (illiteracy) in America that also explores what role the school system should play in teaching basic financial education students.

One of our interviews in December was with Finance Professor, Dr. Christine McClatchey, at the University of Northern Colorado, who shared lots of shocking statistics and stories, but also told us about a new pilot program they are implementing to teach basic financial literacy to freshmen college students -- a very needed (and popular) service.

The UNC school newspaper wrote this article about our interview with Dr. McClatchey. The Greeley Tribune also wrote this article the next day.

2008 California Summit on Financial Literacy - CalCPA and California Jump$tart Coalition

2008-12-23T14:11:00.005-07:00

I found this to be very ironic, so I wanted to share. This is a short video of the 2008 "Financial Literacy Summit" hosted by the California Society of CPA's and California Jump$tart. I commend them for putting on this event, and I think that most viewers will agree this clip is great exposure for the financial literacy cause in general, as well as their specific event (notice their logo in the background of EVERY interview). Smart folks!

However, when we recently wanted to film something similar at the Larimer County Financial Literacy Summit (held on 12/8 in Colorado), they tried to tell us "no" because it would be "too disruptive" and they were opposed to “adversarial” words like "shocking" in our press release when describing the state of financial literacy in this country (how else would you describe it?). Because it was a public event, we finally got limited access to film the individual interviews we wanted in a back room, but I really wish we could have actually covered the "event" in a manner like this video for inclusion in our documentary movie, as well as for promotion purposes of the event in the future. Not exactly PR geniuses…

Businessmen Examine Financial Literacy

2008-12-20T15:53:00.002-07:00

The Coloradoan newspaper just wrote a nice article about our documentary film project exposing the state of financial literacy in America, along with the solution. Click here to read the article on their website. For updates about the movie: www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com.

Explanation of Yield Spread Premiums on Home Mortgages

2008-12-19T18:38:00.006-07:00

We just completed our 3rd week of filming (40+ interviews) for the documentary movie, "The Secrets of Money". We recently interviewed college finance professor Christine McClatchey, and after we were done she gave one of the best explanations (stories) I have ever heard of "Yield Spread Premiums" on home mortgages, which I was able to capture with my new handheld FlipCam. More clips and a trailer will be posted soon on our movie website!

NCBR: 'Financial Literacy -- the Movie'

2008-12-06T14:05:00.006-07:00

The Northern Colorado Business Report published a nice article in "the Eye" section describing our new documentary film which is currently in production. We are traveling the country coast-to-coast over the next 3 months asking the question: "Why don't schools require financial literacy classes?" and the responses so far have be stunning, to say the least. Check out our movie website at www.SecretsOfMoneyMovie.com for more details about the project.

Channel 2 News TV Interview - Saving vs. Spending

2008-12-05T18:30:00.004-07:00

Interview on Channel 2 News in Denver talking about holiday saving vs. spending. The tough economy means "back to basics" for consumers!

GOOD NEWS: Larimer County now Welcoming Us!

2008-12-04T14:53:00.005-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the Colorado State University (CSU) Extension Office (Larimer County) has changed their position on on this matter and are now offering to provide us access to their "Financial Literacy Summit" on Monday (12/8). We received the email below on Wednesday to formalize this offer:

Hi Braun,

It was good to meet you yesterday at the Larimer County Extension office.

I’m hoping you still have the summit on your calendar for Monday, Dec. 8.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Your participation will include the morning and afternoon session, as well as lunch.

The Estes Park room, adjacent to the session area, has been set aside for media interviews, which can take place during the lunch hour (noon-12:50) and is also available after wrap-up at 4:30, until about 6:00 p.m. if you need the extra time.

We will plan on having lunch available for your videographer as well.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any additional questions.

Thanks so much.

-Joanne

Joanne Littlefield, MMC
Interim Assistant Director-Community Relations
Front Range
Communications Coordinator
Colorado State University Extension
Joanne.Littlefield@colostate.edu
970-491-4640 (office)
970-980-5880 (cell)
www.ext.colostate.edu

UPDATE: Larimer County Financial Literacy Summit

2008-11-22T08:06:00.006-07:00

In response to the critical letter I recently sent to the Larimer County Commissioners (see previous blog post) regarding the "cold shoulder" I got when asking to be involved with their upcoming (and taxpayer funded) "Financial Literacy Summit" being held in my own community, Frank Lancaster, the county manager sent me back a very nice letter addressing some of my concerns.

While I am very appreciative of his time and input, Mr. Lancaster also automatically assumed my desired involvement to include the blatant selling of books at the event, which was never my intention (nor have I ever done at any similar events). However, he did not address my chief concern, which is being denied media access to cover the event for our documentary movie about the state of financial literacy (illiteracy), currently in production. It seems as though a double standard exists insofar as they have given interviews to the local newspaper begging the question: Why are we not being given equal access? Click here to see my response letter to Mr. Lancaster, which was sent yesterday.

You may have heard me talking about this controversy last Monday on the local KCOL-600 Morning Show, and I have received queries from several investigative journalists who are closely watching how this event unfolds, considering the use of public funds. I appreciate the hundreds of supportive emails I have received regarding this situation and will continue to keep everyone advised. In the meantime, feel free to send your letters to editors of the various local papers and/or share your concerns in writing with the county commissioners and CSU.

Larimer County Gives Braun "Cold Shoulder" for Upcoming Financial Literacy Summit

2008-11-14T11:10:00.009-07:00

Larimer County, Colorado (where I am based) recently authorized the allocation of approximately $19,000 in public funds to host a Financial Literacy Summit in December to bring together various community resources. As a passionate advocate of this important cause, I reached out to offer my assistance, research and resources, only to get the cold shoulder. Check it out:

Click Here to Read my E-Mail Correspondence with Larimer County

Click Here to Read my Letter to the Larimer County Commissioners

I forwarded this to about 100 other leaders in the community, and here is a just a sample of the over 75 responses I have received so far:

"Good, well-written, and fair response. This is the way a lot of higher-education (and secondary K-12 education acts). It's the ivory tower and again: "Once you eliminate profit as a motive, all that's left is turf."
- Local Attorney

"I have read this correspondence twice, and the content of Ms. Kubin's correspondence angers me and saddens me all at the same time. It upsets me that she obviously did not take the time to learn about you, and to fully understand how beneficial your partnership would be. I feel like she quickly threw the "vendor" label on you, and then dismissed you. It is so frustrating that FOX News will have you come to NYC to learn from you, but folks in our own backyard ignore a wonderful opportunity."
- Local Educator

"This is very disappointing to read. What a fantastic opportunity Larimer County missed! Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident."
- Local Business Leader

"I liked your response. What a dork. But don't you know, that's the idiocy and unfairness we are facing from much of the public sector who is supposed to be looking out for us."
- Local Rancher

"Honestly, it's unfortunate they did not want you to participate. If they had understood your positive impact on Northern Colorado then they certainly would have rethought their decisions. It's a shame too - you weren't making a profit off of the event, you were merely wishing to put it in your documentary; that would only had enhanced the image of Larimer County as a county that is concerned with financial literacy."
- Local College Student

What do you think?

Is Financial Illiteracy Tantamount to Child Abuse?

2008-11-04T16:48:00.007-07:00

Below is another op-ed article which was recently published by the following papers:

San Gabriel Valley Tribune (11/9/08)
Nashua Telegraph (11/9/08)

We teach our children to walk and speak, to brush their teeth and hair, and to not talk to strangers, so why aren’t we teaching them about money management and financial wellness?

We deal with money in our everyday lives. Starting at a young age, more so now than ever before, we are exposed to the various aspects of money management and fiscal tools. But, while the nation places an importance on teaching the youth of America about mathematics, science and even sexual health, we neglect to prepare our children for the inevitable matter of personal finance.

Child abuse comes in many forms. Neglect is a failure to provide for a child’s physical needs. Emotional abuse is any behavior that interferes with a child’s mental health or social development. How is not teaching your child about at least the basics necessary to lead a financially healthy adult life not abuse, too?

Financial illiteracy among all Americans is truly reaching epidemic proportions, but it is most prevalent among the young – the generation of tomorrow. The results from a 2008 survey conducted by the Jump$tart Coalition – a financial literacy advocacy group for students – show how dire the situation has become. More than 6,500 high school seniors took the group’s 31-question survey and, in general, could only correctly answer 48.3 percent of the questions. That’s down from the 2006 survey when the mean score was 52.4 percent.

Likewise, the average score at http://www.financialliteracyquiz.com/ for participants less than 18 years of age is 29.8 percent. The scores tend to increase with age, perhaps due to experience, but the overall score average score on the quiz is only 53 percent.

Perhaps likening financial illiteracy to child abuse feels like a stretch, but let’s think about the consequences. A child who is neglected is denied adequate supervision, shelter, food, clothing, medical care and/or hygiene. Each of these elements is essential to leading a decent life and also provides the child with a roadmap for adulthood. Will a neglected child grow to be a neglectful parent? Where would he or she learn otherwise?

I’m sure that there are many neglected children that have grown to be responsible adults and loving parents – after all, things like food and shelter are really common sense. But children who do not learn about things like savings and credit are not likely to magically stumble upon the information as they grow up. Instead, they will learn the hard way, through trial and error, sullying their credit and overall financial well being along the way.

Consider the millions of Americans who have lost or are loosing their homes. Or the increasing number of individuals who turn to payday loans — carrying interest rates of up to 400 percent — because they cannot budget for their living expenses. If as children these individuals were given basic guidance in money matters perhaps some of these hardships could be avoided.

Financial illiteracy can be debilitating. Money might not be everything, but fiscal responsibility is key to the American dream – a house, a happy family, a stable job. Beyond that, knowing the basics of personal finance is paramount to survival in an ever-more-complex environment. As a nation, we need to provide the next generation with the financial basics just as we provide them with other necessities of life. To not do so is misguided and even cruel.

CRM Magazine: The Boomer Boom

2008-11-01T09:00:00.005-06:00

I was recently interviewed for the November issue of CRM Magazine to discuss "The Boomer Boom" in America and what it means from an economic perspective. Click here to read the article online or click here to read the scanned .PDF version.

Baby Boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964 (now age 44 to 62), and their biggest financial concern is outliving their savings. From a political perspective, their biggest concern is the economy and how that relates to Social Security and Medicare. Read the article for more interesting and in-depth details!

The "BoomerCafe" blog also posted the article.

Why the Economic Crisis is a Good Thing

2008-10-27T10:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a recent op-ed article I just submitted talking about how we should use the current economic situation as a "wake up call" to promote better financial literacy education:

In case you’ve been living under a rock or in a cave, we are currently in the midst of a widespread financial crisis and looming recession. But before lapsing into a coma induced by a glimpse at your most recent 401(k) statement, realize that there may be a silver lining in this ever-darkening cloud, at least for those who choose to notice it.

The roiling financial markets might prove to be the “slap in the face” that consumers and educators need to realize the importance of teaching financial literacy in the school system. Shockingly, only three states currently require a semester-long course devoted to personal finance as a high school graduation requirement. The results from a 2008 survey conducted by the Jump$tart Coalition – a financial literacy advocacy group for students ¬– prove that more is needed. More than 6,500 high school seniors took the group’s 31-question survey and, in general, could only correctly answer 48.3 percent of the questions. That’s down from the 2006 survey when the mean score was 52.4 percent.

It’s human nature to be reactionary. We’re not clairvoyants – well, most of us aren’t – and cannot be expected to predict when disaster will strike. But in many cases, such as in the current financial crisis, the fissures that lead to mass failure aren’t impossible to read and are a long time in forming.

Now, fingers are flying, quick to place the blame for worldwide economic ruin as far from themselves as possible – Washington, Wall Street, real estate brokers, mortgage lenders, and the regulators who were charged with supervising them all. The argument over whether mortgage lenders or the home buyers are responsible for using the poor financial instruments that have played a major role in tens of thousands of foreclosures as well as the fall of some of the nation’s largest companies may never be settled.

The truth is, we are all responsible. Consumers must accept personal responsibility and cannot count on anyone else to take care of their financial health as well as themselves. Whether devious or not, real estate agents, mortgage lenders, car dealers, credit card companies and the like have a financial interest in making the deal, regardless of whether the deal is the right for the individual. There is certainly no direct financial alignment of interest between the two parties.

The mindset that we can live beyond our means is an underlying theme to the current crisis. Consumer acceptance of fiscal limits has become nearly non-existent. Why would you limit your spending power when it’s so easy to extend your credit? During the past decade, financial instruments have become exceedingly complex, but at the same time easier to access.

While most high school or college students are receiving their first credit card solicitations, a majority of them don’t even understand how finance charges will accrue. Only 48 percent of the Jump$tart survey participants were able to point out that a credit card holder who only pays the minimum amount on monthly card balances will pay more in annual finance charges than a card holder who pays the balance in full. Financially uninformed students soon become financially unaware adults.

According to recent survey results from www.FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com, only 40 percent of participants knew that their liability for credit card fraud is limited to $50. The Web site’s 50-question multiple-choice quiz covers such topics as credit and banking; real estate and mortgages; car buying; taxes and insurance; and saving for the future. Sadly, the average adult quiz taker scores just 53%, similar to the Jump$tart survey administered to students.

If we can’t teach students about the mechanisms that dictate credit financing, how can we expect them to decipher the terms of an adjustable rate mortgage or the understand the consequences of a financing plan that begins with the borrower owing 110 percent the value of the home?

While legislators and regulators are discussing how the financial markets can avoid further stress, parents, educators, business leaders and the general public should be addressing how the future generations can avoid the mistakes of their predecessors. Every state should have dedicated financial education classes as a required part of its K-12 curriculum. There is no excuse for lack of knowledge of this practical life skill in a subject that impacts our lives everyday. We require students to study trigonometry and physics, which a vast majority of them will never use outside of the classroom. So why not arm them with at least the basics of leading a financially secure life?

We do not need to waste time fretting over the current state of the financial markets. No amount of worry will soothe the system. Instead, we need to wake up and smell the opportunity that this crisis presents — an opportunity to demand that the future will be one of financial enlightenment rather than fiscal ignorance Regardless of the economic climate in the future, the best defense is a financially educated consumer.

FOX-31 TV - Good Day Colorado

2008-10-23T15:14:00.001-06:00

Here is my recent TV appearance on FOX-31 in Denver to talk about Financial Literacy, along with giving some tips for consumers. They are scheduled to have me back on Monday, November 3rd, so please be sure to tune in.

KWGN-TV - Channel 2 - Morning News

2008-10-22T10:47:00.000-06:00

I was interviewed on KWGN-TV - Channel 2 Morning News in Denver to talk about what consumers can do to "Stop Spending and Start Saving," as well as my overall financial literacy initiative. Check it out on YouTube!

Hawaii Ending Socialized Health Care after 7 Months

2008-10-20T07:55:00.005-06:00

After only 7 months, Hawaii is ending "universal" health care, after finally figuring out that the people who were previously paying for it decided to get it for free instead (duh!). What do you think would happen if we tried to implement socialized health care in the continental US? Click here to read the AP article.

Jump$tart: Financial Education Requirements by State

2008-10-17T02:47:00.004-06:00

My friends at the Jump$tart Coalition have prepared this map showing the financial education requirements in high school by state. Presently, ONLY 3 STATES require a semester long financial literacy class... only 47 more to go (my mission...). Click here for details by state.

CNN Radio: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy

2008-10-13T19:38:00.006-06:00

On Tuesday, October 14th, at approximately 9:00 am (Eastern), Braun Mincher will be interviewed on CNN Radio (2,000 radio affiliates nationwide!) about his plans for teaching kids financial literacy. Please plan to tune in to the interview on your local station! Click here for a listing of stations nationwide. CNN Radio can be heard on Sirius channel 132 or XM channel 122.

Denver FOX 31: Everyday Savings Tips

2008-10-13T09:14:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday, October 14th (probably during the 9 am hour), Braun Mincher will be a live TV guest on KDVR-31 in Denver to talk about financial literacy and everyday savings tips for consumers. Be sure to tune in or click here for more information. Braun is also scheduled for a return appearance on Monday, November 3rd.

CW-11 NYC: Avoiding Financial Scams

2008-10-10T19:13:00.003-06:00

When I was recently in New York City, I taped this TV segment for CW-11 Morning News to talk about how consumers can avoid being victims of financial scams. Check it out:

http://weblogs.cw11.com/news/local/morningnews/blogs/2008/10/avoid_financial_scams.html

Business in Vancouver

2008-10-10T10:02:00.001-06:00

The Business in Vancouver newspaper just published an article about the financial crisis in North America where I was interviewed and quoted:

http://www.bivinteractive.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1178&Itemid=47

A Primer on Sub-Prime Mortgages & CDO's

2008-10-07T07:03:00.002-06:00

Several people have forwarded me this link, so I thought that I would share it with everyone. Basically, this PowerPoint presentation (complete with stick figures!) does a good job of explaining the mortgage mess in simple terms we can all understand. Let's just hope we do not let anything like this ever happen again. Here it is:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2190705/CDO-Powerpoint-SubPrime-Primer

FOX Business Channel: Financial Illiteracy?

2008-10-02T16:13:00.000-06:00

FOX Business Channel had me on again this week when I was in NYC to talk about why America needs financial literacy classes in every school. Obviously, the "breaking news" of the week has been the ridiculous media frenzy over the "Rescue Bill." Instead, I tell people to focus on what YOU can actually control (i.e. how much you save and how much you spend). Check out the video!

10-Day Flying Trip Across the US

2008-10-01T23:56:00.002-06:00

I just got back from my 10-day flying trip across the US! I met lots of people and did a ton of business, but it is good to be back at home in Colorado (for at least a few days...). I covered 3,287 miles and logged 28.7 hours of flight time in my Cessna 182.

3rd Quarter 2008 – Update & Financial Literacy Newsletter

2008-09-28T12:33:00.004-06:00

Greetings from New York City, where I arrived yesterday as part of my 10-day flying tour across the country!

Stops along the way have so far included the states of Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. I am now in NYC for some more TV and media appearances this week, relating to the need for better financial literacy of consumers, in the wake of the current economic situation (see below for details).

Here is an update and summary of my current happenings and upcoming activities:

Financial Literacy Initiative
As you may already know, I am working hard to bring a new awareness to the Financial Illiteracy Epidemic that is sweeping the nation, with the ultimate goal being to get financial education classes mandated as a high school graduation requirement nationwide (sadly, only a handful of states presently have such a requirement). We need to look no further than the daily news headlines to see why this is such a timely topic and so important to integrate into our school curriculum.

Press Exposure
Since engaging an outside PR firm over the summer, I have been fortunate that their efforts have helped me to garner additional exposure for my book and overall financial literacy initiative. Recently, I was quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution alongside President George W. Bush and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a feature article pertaining to financial literacy.

I also recently wrote an op-ed article entitled "Why America Needs Financial Literacy in Every School," which was published by numerous newspapers and online blogs, including the New York Daily News, The Christian Science Monitor, The Austin Statesman, The Eureka Reporter and The Birmingham News. Additionally, the Richmond Times-Dispatch interviewed me for an article on credit cards and Woman's Day Magazine quoted me in an article on "10 Things Every College Kid Should Know." Please visit my blog for more details and frequent updates.

Media Interviews
In late July, I was again interviewed live on the Fox Business News Channel to talk about how Starbucks closing of 600 stores may be an economic indicator of consumers' reduction in spending. I am now back in New York City for several additional live TV appearances this week:

FOX Business News (FBN)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Approximate Air Time: 2:30 pm (Eastern)

Morning News - New York's CW-11 / WPIX Television
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Approximate Air Time: 10:00 am (Eastern)

I hope that you can tune into these interviews, but they will also be posted on our website and YouTube with the others shortly afterwards. As always, you can visit the Events page of my website for the current schedule of my happenings.

Speaking & Book Signing Events
I was honored and humbled recently when I was asked to be the keynote speaker for the annual Bixpo trade show in mid-September, following the likes of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani who had filled this role in previous years. I then completed a book signing at the local Barnes & Noble store and have another one scheduled at Sign With Prestige in Fort Collins, Colorado on Saturday, November 29th, just after Thanksgiving. Please stop by to say hello if you are in the area! Finally, I am looking forward to my upcoming keynote presentation for the Delta Sigma Pi conference being held in Denver in mid-October.

FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com
Have you taken the quiz yet? I created this 50-question and multiple-choice quiz as a way for people to test their level of financial literacy. It covers such topics as Credit and Banking, Real Estate and Mortgages, Car Buying, Taxes, Saving for the Future and simple Estate Planning (coincidently, the same things I discuss in my book!). Sadly, less than 10% of the visitors are able to pass with a score of 75% or better on this quiz, and the average score hovers at about 53%. Click here to try the quiz for yourself, or pass this on to a friend if you have already taken it.

Closing
I am continuing to work on some new and exciting projects and look forward to sharing the details with you in a future update. In the meantime, I greatly welcome your ongoing feedback and testimonials to post on our website. As always, thank you for your continued interest in financial literacy and your support of my efforts. Please keep talking with students, parents, teachers, school administrators, friends, legislators and others about the importance of this topic, and together we will make a difference!

Warmest Regards,

Braun Mincher, Author
The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy

Available at www.BraunMincher.com and from booksellers nationwide.
(ISBN-13: 978-0-9797003-0-9)

Please join Braun on Facebook and LinkedIn!

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Credit Cards Likely to Change

2008-09-28T10:03:00.003-06:00

The Richmond Times-Dispatch just published excerpts of an interview with me relating to some surprising changes coming in the credit card industry and the impact that it will directly have on consumers like you and me. Click here to be linked with the article on their website.

Mincher: Why America needs financial literacy in every school

2008-09-21T17:13:00.017-06:00

Considering that I was the kid who ended up in remedial English, it is kind of ironic (poetic justice) to see that multiple newspapers across the U.S. published the recent op-ed article I wrote regarding the need for financial literacy classes in every school. Check them out:

Many of the blogs have also picked it up:

La contracción del crédito se agudiza

2008-09-20T10:57:00.001-06:00

Habla Español? If so, check out this article in La Opinión who interviewed me regarding the current credit crunch and need for financial literacy of consumers:

http://www.impre.com/laopinion/negocios/2008/9/20/la-contraccion-del-credito-se--82235-1.html

If you want to see what it says in English, copy the text and then go here for the free online translator.

La Opinión is the leading Spanish-language daily newspaper in the U.S. with an audited circulation of 125,624 copies, which is sold throughout the five-county Southern California area and reaches over 495,000 readers everyday.

Personal Excellence Magazine: Secrets of Money

2008-09-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

Check out the upcoming October issue of Personal Excellence Magazine for the article I wrote on Page 10: Secrets of Money -- Become Financially Literate.

Bixpo Just Around the Corner!

2008-09-03T06:15:00.006-06:00

The annual Bixpo trade show in northern Colorado will take place at "The Ranch" (Budweiser Events Center) on Wednesday, September 17th and Thursday September 18th.

I am honored to be the opening keynote speaker at the "40 under 40" kickoff awards luncheon which honors the top young business leaders in the region. Click here to see the recent article in the Northern Colorado Business Report with details.

BusinessWeek Article

2008-08-27T13:13:00.003-06:00

I was just quoted extensively in a BusinessWeek article called "When Should You Quit Your Day Job?" Click here to check it out online.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Spotlight on Financial Literacy

2008-08-17T10:34:00.003-06:00

Check this out -- I was quoted today in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution along with President George Bush and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke:

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/opinion/stories/2008/08/17/lend.html

Not bad company to be quoted with!

Woman's Day: 10 Things Every College Kid Should Know

2008-08-11T19:09:00.002-06:00

I just got quoted in Woman's Day magazine for an article entitled "10 Things Every College Should Know." Check out the "How to Manage Credit" section here.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door… Literally!

2008-08-05T11:05:00.000-06:00

The Millionaire Next Door book is one of my all time favorites on personal finance. It objectively contrasts the financial well being of a surgeon and a plumber. On the surface, people would incorrectly assume that the surgeon had more financial resources, but in reality, it was the self-employed plumber who was more financially sound because he exercised frugality, lived within his means and was not trying to impress anyone with his “stuff.” The authors of the book discovered that true millionaires live well below what they could technically afford – my favorite quote from one of the millionaires they interviewed, after offering him an expensive beverage: “I drink two kinds of beer – Bud Light and Free.” I like that.

Recently, I had the good fortune to meet a real “Millionaire Mommy Next Door” with a similar story, who actually lives near me in Northern Colorado. Before becoming the mother of an adorable girl, she was a dog groomer and her husband is – guess what – a plumber (just like in the book!). Neither of these are notoriously high paying professions, but their financial success just goes to prove that anyone who is financially literate and follows some simple steps can achieve financial freedom, allowing them to live the life they want.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door has actually created a blog to “share her recipe for success, happiness and financial freedom,” which also got her an appearance last year on the Montel TV Show (she also has a book deal in the works). Her current articles cover their move to being renters in a “resort style” community, a strategy that will actually save an additional $4,000 per year – very smart! I like her story and just wish that more people would heed her advice. Check out her blog to learn more:

http://millionairemommynextdoor.blogspot.com/

LIVE National TV Interview on FOX Business Network

2008-07-30T10:40:00.005-06:00

I was invited back again for a 3rd time to be a live TV guest on the FOX Business Network, to discuss how consumer finances and the state of the economy are causing companies like Starbucks and some restaurant chains to to close hundreds of locations.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support and interest in my Financial Literacy Project!

Sincerely,

Braun Mincher, Author
The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy
http://www.FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com

Available from Booksellers Nationwide!

Barnes & Noble Book Signing

2008-06-07T19:35:00.016-06:00

Thank you to everyone who came out for my book signing this afternoon at the Barnes & Noble store in Fort Collins. It was great to see you all and I am truly appreciative of your continued support. Check out the Events page on my website for a schedule of upcoming book signings in your area.

Financial Literacy Update & Newsletter

2008-06-05T10:21:00.005-06:00

Hello and greetings from rainy Colorado! I don't know about you, but I have really been enjoying the nice weather recently (excluding today...) and am looking forward to summer. After traveling extensively the past few months to further my nationwide Financial Literacy initiative, I am happy to be spending the month of June back at home (and sleeping in my own bed). In just reviewing my calendar, I was reminded that I have had events in over 25 cities since the beginning of the year, including Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, New York, Washington, DC, South Florida, and others.

My recent book release is going VERY well, and much of my travel has been for the National Book Tour. Luckily, I will get a brief break from travel over the summer, but am already getting booked for a lot of speaking events again in the fall, which I am really looking forward to. This is a great time for me to catch up and plan the next phase of my Financial Literacy Awareness Project.

Here is an update of my current happenings and upcoming activities:

Book Expo America - Los Angeles
We just got back from a very productive week in LA for Book Expo 2008. This is "the" industry event of the year and typically draws over 30,000 authors, publishers, agents and other exhibitors. We had a booth in the middle of it all and enjoyed meeting lots of new people and making good contacts for the future. Go to my BLOG to see my daily notes and pictures from BEA.

Barnes & Noble Book Signing - This Saturday (6/7)
Come say hello this Saturday, June 7th, at the Barnes & Noble Store in south Fort Collins, where I will be signing books from 2 pm to 3 pm. If you are not able to make it this Saturday, then check out my Events page to see when I will next be in your area.

National Media Interviews
In order to bring a new awareness to the Financial Illiteracy Epidemic sweeping the nation, I have been conducting numerous radio and TV interviews across the country. Recent TV appearances have included Neil Cavuto and FOX Business, and you can click here to see the videos. To see what is scheduled in the future, you can always check the Events or Press & Media pages on my website.

Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill
In conjunction with April being "Financial Literacy Month," I participated in an event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC with approximately 100 others who share the same passion for this cause. For details and pictures, please visit my BLOG.

Comments Submitted to President's Financial Literacy Council
The President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy was created on January 22, 2008 by President George W. Bush. The Council's purpose is to help keep America competitive and assist the American people in understanding and addressing financial matters. The 16-member council is headed by financial icon Charles Schwab.

The council recently issued a request for public comments regarding the state of financial literacy in the United States and proposed solutions to improve it. As a passionate advocate of financial literacy at all levels, I welcomed the opportunity to provide my "2-cents." Click here to see a copy of the 5-page "white paper" I provided with my thoughts and suggestions on the topic.

Book Reviews & Awards
The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy has recently received some more kudos with a very positive recommendation from Midwest Book Review and being named as a finalist for the Indie Book Award.

Soliciting Your Testimonials
One of the most fulfilling parts of this project is hearing from people like you about the importance of financial literacy and your feedback on my book. If you enjoyed reading the book and feel it would be beneficial to others, I would welcome you to email us your Testimonial and/or for you to write a review on Amazon, or another online BLOG, for others to see. I know that this request takes time to complete and thank you in advance for your help and support.

Summary & Closing
As you may already know, northern Colorado was devastated by a large tornado 2 weeks ago today. Both the towns of Windsor (where my parents live) and Wellington (where I live) were in its path. Luckily, we are all OK and only sustained minor property damage and several days without power, but others in our community were not so fortunate. Thank you to everyone for your phone calls and outpouring of support; it has been very touching. If you want to help the tornado victims, please consider making a donation to the Red Cross or Salvation Army.

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all of the continued support for my nationwide Financial Literacy Project and book release - I could not do any of this without your help! Please be sure to frequently visit my website and BLOG for timely updates. As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome. I hope to see you soon at an upcoming Event!

Sincerely,

Braun Mincher, Author
The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy

Available at www.BraunMincher.com and from booksellers nationwide.

(ISBN-13: 978-0-9797003-0-9)

Book Expo America - Day #3 (It's Over!)

2008-06-01T17:14:00.000-06:00

Well, BEA 2008 has come to a close. It was a great show and we made LOTS of contacts and new friends. I have now been in LA for a week and am ready to head back home. Today was pretty quiet and uneventful, with the exception of United cancelling our flight back to Denver from LAX due to "mechanical reasons" (or the fact that they did not sell enough tickets...). Not impressed, considering the same thing happened on the way out (one of the baggage handlers RAMMED the loading tug into the plane as we are loading). So, I am now at the John Wayne airport in Orange County for an alternate flight... at least I will be home tonight. Thanks to everyone for coming out to see us at BEA! This week will be filled with follow-up, but I promise more updates soon! Come see me at the Barnes & Noble book signing in Fort Collins next Saturday (6/7)!

Book Expo America - Day #2

2008-05-31T17:20:00.001-06:00

Well, day 2 is now over... just tomorrow and then back to the book tour. Today was filled with lots more meeting -- publishers, agents, publicists, authors, etc. When grabbing a coffee this morning at the Starbucks in the LA Convention Center, I found myself next to Alec Baldwin who was at BEA to promote his forthcoming book on "parenting" (I did not see his daughter with him...). Not sure of the details, but somehow there was a labor dispute this afternoon and all of the union food workers walked off the job for a couple of hours. Of course, it happened right over the lunch hour. Check back tomorrow for the final BEA wrap up from sunny Los Angeles.

Book Expo in LA - Day #1

2008-05-30T19:15:00.005-06:00

Well, the first day of BEA went great (except for the fact that my feet are killing me -- I will be wearing my Asics tomorrow, which I am sure is some sort of a massive fashion faux pas...). We met LOTS of people and made some great contacts. Looking forward to more of the same tomorrow... 2 days left to impress! Its funny how people who do not even know me say of the strangest things... here are my top 3 for the day which I wanted to share:

1. Do you give your books away free?
2. Your story is not believable (from an LA reviewer). Yes, I completely fabricated my resume.... right.
3. My Favorite: You look a lot like the guy on the cover
of that book! (3 times!)

If you are at BEA, please come see us in booth #752!

Book Expo America - Setup Day

2008-05-29T18:17:00.010-06:00

Greetings from sunny LA! We have a booth at BEA this year to promote The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy. Although this is my first time at BEA, I have done a lot of trade shows in past, and I can say without a doubt, BEA is completely over the top... "huge" would be an understatement! The major publishers basically setup a complete bookstore in the LA Convention Center for the 3-day show. I just got back from our final booth setup (the show starts tomorrow), but check out the "behind the scenes" photos showing the madness. If you are also in town for BEA, please stop by booth #752 to say hello!

Indie Book Award Finalist

2008-05-28T13:12:00.002-06:00

Yeah... another book award! I was just informed that The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy is a finalist for the 2008 Indie Book Award. After working so hard on this project, it is nice when others recognize the time and effort. Check it out: IndieBookAwards.com.

7 Tornadoes Hit Northern CO - We're OK

2008-05-22T23:17:00.008-06:00

Well, it has certainly been an interesting day here in northern Colorado, but I am pleased to report that we are all OK. Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out with your phone calls and emails to check on us -- I am truly touched and appreciative of your sincere concern.

Just before lunch today, a large tornado touched down in the middle of Windsor, Colorado (where my parents live) and then the same tornado touched down a few minutes later near the Budweiser Brewery close to Wellington, Colorado, which is less than 1/2 mile from where I live. While we both sustained some minor property damage, both my parents' and my house made it through the storm relatively unscathed and most importantly without any injuries. However, since their house in Windsor is expected to be without power for 1-2 days, they are temporarily staying with us, so that is the best place to reach them if you need to make contact.

Unfortunately, not all of our neighbors and friends were as lucky as us (click here to see the path of the tornadoes). The majority of the damage occurred in nearby Windsor, CO, where over 100 injuries and 3 deaths were reported. I ask that you keep our community in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to assess the damage. Please click here to see details and video on 9 News, our local NBC affiliate.

President's Council on Financial Literacy - Request for Public Comments

2008-05-21T13:30:00.009-06:00

The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy was created on January 22, 2008 by President George W. Bush. The Council’s purpose is to help keep America competitive and assist the American people in understanding and addressing financial matters. The 16-member council is headed by financial icon Charles Schwab.

The council recently issued a request for public comments regarding the state of financial literacy in the United States and proposed solutions to improve it. Click here to see the request for comments in the Federal Register. As a passionate advocate of financial literacy at all levels, I welcomed the opportunity to provide my "2-cents." Click here to see a copy of the 5-page "white paper" I provided with my thoughts and suggestions on the topic. The deadline for submissions is May 23rd, so please send your comments along as well!

Broken Hand = Bad Typing for 6 Weeks

2008-05-14T19:14:00.006-06:00

Due to a random injury this past weekend (let's just say it involved a go cart...), and thanks to my friend the radiologist, I just found out that my left hand is fractured in 2 places. Obviously, this now explains the swelling and pain over the past 3 days. Although I still have to see the my other friend, the orthopaedic surgeon, this likely means a splint/cast for about 6 weeks.

So... if any of you are wondering why I am slow in returning your emails, it is because I only have 1 "good" hand left to type and it is much slower this way. I am trying to find a good assistant who takes dictation and knows short-hand, so if you know of anyone, please let me know. My girlfriend says that I should not attempt humor, but if you can't laugh at this, you (I) will only cry. I am literally chained to my computer all day (it is part of being an author...), so I am not sure how to handle this small challenge, but please be understanding if my grammar slides for a few weeks due to my new hunt-and-peck typing.

Midwest Book Review - "Recommended..."

2008-05-09T08:04:00.008-06:00

Yeah again!! The book just got another very complimentary review, this time from Midwest Book Review:

"People as a whole go through life woefully uneducated about how to manage their money. The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial literacy seeks to teach readers what they are never taught by their schools or their parents - basic financial literacy. Promoted as a guide that can help anyone manage their money better at any age, The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy lives up to that promise and more, filled with over four hundred pages of invaluable information. Recommended to almost everyone, but especially so to personal finance community library collections where it is sure to be a popular lend."

Click here to see the complete review on their website or click here to see it on Amazon.

Book Expo America (BEA) - Los Angeles

2008-05-07T16:42:00.001-06:00

Book Expo America (BEA) is where it all happens from 5/30 through 6/1. Braun Mincher will be there; will you? If so, please come visit us in the PMA section, booth #752. Daily updates will be posted to the BLOG during BEA.

Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill in DC

2008-04-28T16:21:00.003-06:00

I was recently invited to participate in the annual Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill and used it as an opportunity to meet with several of our key lawmakers in Washington, DC and to promote my nationwide Financial Literacy Initiative. The event was a great experience and it was also a lot of fun to network with other people who are so passionate about the same cause. Angela was fortunately able to join me on this trip and was a GREAT help as you can see in the photo below!

As consumers, we really need to do more to bring awareness to the need for better financial education at all age and income levels. While I do not think that we should rely on the government for this to happen, I do feel that the only way to counter this epidemic is to integrate such classes into the school system and make them a graduation requirement.

National Financial Literacy Challenge

2008-04-27T08:14:00.002-06:00

An initiative recommended by the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy and sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the National Financial Literacy Challenge measures the financial literacy of America’s high school students through a 35-question online test. Students will compete by taking the test April 28 through May 16.

Each of the top regional performers in the 2008 National Financial Literacy Challenge will win a $2,500 scholarship for use at the post-secondary institution of their choice. A $1,000 contribution in their name will additionally be given to the school or program that provided their money management education. Each winner and two guests will also enjoy a trip to Washington, D.C. The trip will include an awards banquet on June 17, official recognition at the June 18 meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, and special tours and activities.

The Challenge was developed by the U.S. Treasury in consultation with four non-governmental economists and the following education organizations: Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Junior Achievement USA, The National Council on Economic Education, and the National Endowment for Financial Education

For Additional Information: http://flc.treas.gov/teacher.aspx

2nd Live TV Appearance on FOX Business

2008-04-25T17:17:00.003-06:00

I was invited back to the FOX Business Network to discuss what consumers should do with their economic stimulus checks.

FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com Newspaper Article

2008-04-22T06:14:00.003-06:00

The Coloradoan Newspaper just published a feature article focusing on my website, FinancialLiteracyQuiz.com. Click here to read the article online.

Financial Literacy & Education Summit 2008

2008-04-21T16:06:00.004-06:00

I just "attended" (virtually) the 2nd Annual "Financial Literacy & Education Summit," which was hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in conjunction with VISA. The opening remarks were provided by Ben Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve who replaced Alan Greenspan. There were several great speakers and panelists for the event, and I could have not echoed their comments more as it relates to the need for better financial education in our society.

I think we all agree that there are numerous resources available to consumers (many being free or low cost), but the challenge is bring awareness to this topic (my personal goal), explaining why this type of education is important to them and how it directly relates to their everyday life for many years. The second part is to actually deliver the content to the people who need it, whether that be via the web, text messages, books, seminars, etc.

While individuals ultimately need to accept personal responsibility for their own education, getting the support (i.e. buy-in and not necessarily money) from the school system, employers and parents would be most helpful. Click here to visit the website where a replay of the Summit should be available soon.

Live FOX TV Interview with Neil Cavuto

2008-04-11T18:29:00.005-06:00

I was recently a LIVE television guest with Neil Cavuto on the nationally televised FOX Business Channel broadcast from New York City. We talked about the importance of Financial Literacy at all age, income and education levels in an effort to bring better awareness to this nationwide epidemic, and I will likely appear on the show again in the future. Click here to see the interview posted on YouTube or visit the FOX Business Network website.