New Feature: Person of the Week

Hello there,

CNEL here and starting this week my blog will have a new feature. In addition to Wise Words, we'll also have a person of the week. The person of the week is going to be a person: a celeb, an everyday person, someone who I believe is doing something noteworthy and someone I feel should be acknowledged. It may be a person of the past, a person of the present, or a person of the future, so stay tuned.

This week's Person of the Week: Michelle Singletary
Michelle's a columnist for The Washington Post, and a "personal finance guru"
She's from my hometown of Baltimore
She graduated from Western High School, and what may be the only remaining all girls public high school in the country, certainly one of the best known
She graduated from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University

Find out more here: http://www.michellesingletary.com/about2.htm

Why I feel Michelle needs to be acknowledged: She's made it her personal mission to help people be fiscally fit and make sound financial decisions, something that I believe along with education will help people achieve personal freedom and liberty.

I heard about Michelle and her "The Color of Money" column a few years back, but it wasn't until I saw the debut of her new show on TV One "Singletary Says" and also saw the behind the scenes look at her life last week that I really knew much about her.

Here's a synopsis of the first "Singletary Says" and some knowledge I took away from Michelle.

Michelle encouraged viewers to adopt a simple and sensible view of money. She said,
"You can't have a dollar without a penny."

&

"Most people nickel and dime themselves into debt."

On "Singletary Says", Michelle works with individuals, couples, and families to help them get their money right.

Maria, Howard student
took out $12,000 in loans
she brought a car for between $2,500 -$3,000 ? in cash
but car has is about wearing a boot because of $1,000 in parking tickets
she smokes
she drinks coffee
she likes to shop, especially for shoes

she wants to finance her undergraduate education
she wants to finance her law school education
she wants to pay off her parking tickets

Michelle's Money Mantra
"Sweat the Small Stuff"
"Enough is Enough"

Michelle wants her to not shop for a month
Michelle wants her to kick the caffeine and nicotine habits
Michelle wants her to open a savings account and save and make smart decisions

She paid off her parking tickets, cut the coffee addiction in half, and is working to quit smoking

Cecily, employed and single mom son Amori
used 401 K to finance move to a job
living paycheck to paycheck

she wants to own a home
she wants to have a college fund for herself and her son
she wants to have savings

Michelle's Money Mantras
"Sweat the Small Stuff"
"Priorities lead to Prosperity"

Michelle wants her to have a budget to understand why she's spending $6 more a day than she has and over $120 every month
Michelle wants her to have an emergency fund
Michelle wants her to pursue child support for her son

She's putting her plan into action

Big ups to Michelle Singletary, for helping people to get fiscally fit. I'm taking notes too, better to start off with a plan, then to have to make one out of desperation.

Check her out:
$ingletary $ays
on
TV One
Wednesday's at 8:30pm

or
Read her column
"The Color of Money"
in
The Washington Post or on their website

Have a great week.

-CNEL