“Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can’t buy.” |
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” |
A listing of organizations that provide financial advice or help is provided below. No endorsements or recommendations are intended. This listing is for informational purposes only. It is up to you to determine appropriate professional care.
What does your Financial Situation have to do with Sobriety?
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You might be wondering why we included a section on finances. If you struggle with addiction or mental health issues, you might find yourself struggling with your budget. You may find yourself regretting purchases you made out of impulse.
If you are a parent of a child struggling with addiction have your made unwise financial choices? Have you put yourself in debt trying to save your child? Are you giving your adult child money or supporting them because they can't seem to do it themselves? |
If you are an adult living at home, you may want to ask yourself a few questions? Do you plan to live there forever? What are your future plans? Don't you want to work toward your financial independence? To have your own apartment, house? If that seems completely out of reach to you. Then check out the videos below. You can be independent, you just need to take some baby steps to get there! Independence can even start with moving into a recovery or sobriety home.
Being independent might look like different things to different people. It might just start with paying your parents rent and being responsible for all your bills. It might be moving into a recovery home where you have roommates that are working toward the same goals you are. It might look like saving enough that you are ready to finally move out or maybe you have lived on your own before and now you are ready to gain your independence again. Maybe you were able to save enough at home that you can move into your own apartment or perhaps you have saved enough to buy your own house. Perhaps it is paying off all your debt?
One thing my parents insisted was that I go through a Dave Ramsey financial course. They realized that growing up they had instilled a good work ethic but didn't do a very good job of teaching me about money and how to budget. When I was living with them as an adult, I took the Dave Ramsey course with my mom. I think I relapsed at some point and never finished it, so I had to take it again.
After we finished the course we all downloaded the free app called Every Dollar (on the Ramsey site). They had me create a budget with all my bills and enter how much I was earning. Each week I had to update the app and we had a family meeting to make sure I was on track with my financial goals.
It was helpful. I recommend you use one of the apps below and take a financial course to help you stay on track with money. There are a lot of free resources out there too.
Being independent might look like different things to different people. It might just start with paying your parents rent and being responsible for all your bills. It might be moving into a recovery home where you have roommates that are working toward the same goals you are. It might look like saving enough that you are ready to finally move out or maybe you have lived on your own before and now you are ready to gain your independence again. Maybe you were able to save enough at home that you can move into your own apartment or perhaps you have saved enough to buy your own house. Perhaps it is paying off all your debt?
One thing my parents insisted was that I go through a Dave Ramsey financial course. They realized that growing up they had instilled a good work ethic but didn't do a very good job of teaching me about money and how to budget. When I was living with them as an adult, I took the Dave Ramsey course with my mom. I think I relapsed at some point and never finished it, so I had to take it again.
After we finished the course we all downloaded the free app called Every Dollar (on the Ramsey site). They had me create a budget with all my bills and enter how much I was earning. Each week I had to update the app and we had a family meeting to make sure I was on track with my financial goals.
It was helpful. I recommend you use one of the apps below and take a financial course to help you stay on track with money. There are a lot of free resources out there too.
Website Sources to Improving your Finances and Getting out of Debt
SCORE
https://www.score.org
SCORE hosts FREE or low cost, LIVE webinars every week on small business tips and strategies. SCORE offers FREE business training /education resources to help you start and grow your small business. SCORE business mentors can help you start, grow, or transition your business for free!
Mindful Fire Podcast
https://www.mindfulfire.org/about/
The Mindful FIRE Podcast explores living mindfully on the path to financial independence and beyond. We talk to people about how they are living life intentionally (and areas where they aren't). This podcast explores the concepts of mindfulness, financial independence and designing a life worth living. Join us.
Brigham Young University (BYU)
https://personalfinance.byu.edu
We love that this course is FREE! It really doesn't leave you any excuse for not improving your financial situation.
The purpose of their website is to instruct members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others around the world about personal financial management from "another" perspective. This instruction is provided through a series of lessons delivered over the Internet and available through free personal finance manuals. While there is no college credit given for reviewing this material, there is a wealth of information provided that can help you learn about personal finance.
These lessons are designed to help you do the following:
Purdue University
https://ag.purdue.edu/programs/areyouprepared/secureretirement/Pages/default.aspx
Here is another course we are excited about. Especially for all of you moms out there and guess what? It is also FREE!
Are you looking forward to the day you retire? Or, do you dread the thought? Being able to retire when you want and how you want is important to many people. Planning ahead can put you in a position to live comfortably during your retirement.
The objective of this course is to help you with your planning for retirement. Each provides information that can be valuable in answering the questions you need to consider as you make your plans. The modules include specific goals for the module, activities to complete, and sources for more information.
Suze Orman
https://www.suzeu.com
This is a very inexpensive course and we love Suze. We had the pleasure of seeing her speak in person and feel she is a wealth of knowledge. Last time we checked the course was $54. An amount that is easily manageable. Learn what’s keeping you from being more and having more and the fastest way to get out of debt. She will share how to be smart about which debt to pay first and what you need to know about Student Loan debt. You will learn the most important factor in having money in retirement and why a 401k may not be the best option. You will understand how to avoid fees on your stocks and bonds and learn a simple solution to predict percentages to invest. Learn what you can afford before purchasing a car and four tips to prepare for buying a home. You will learn how to talk to your kids about money and review the best ways to save for a college education and much more!
Dave Ramsey
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/get-started
Ramsey Solutions provides biblically based, commonsense education and empowerment that give HOPE to everyone in every walk of life. It is affordable, they have a free app you can use to get started, along with other free services. They also have a membership program we highly recommend. Many companies define success based on the dollars coming in, but at Ramsey Solutions, they define their success by the number of lives changed: listeners getting out of debt, readers taking their first Baby Step and saving $1,000, Financial Peace University graduates investing for their future.
The Penny Hoarder
https://www.thepennyhoarder.com
Founded in 2010, The Penny Hoarder is one of the nation’s largest personal finance websites. Its purpose is to help people take control of their personal finances and make smart money decisions by sharing actionable articles and resources on how to earn, save and manage money. The Penny Hoarder envisions a world where there is less money stress. The Penny Hoarder’s mission is to empower people to make smart choices with their money.
Here is a list that has other free courses and classes (some paid) on finance.
https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/worthwhile-online-personal-finance-courses
https://www.score.org
SCORE hosts FREE or low cost, LIVE webinars every week on small business tips and strategies. SCORE offers FREE business training /education resources to help you start and grow your small business. SCORE business mentors can help you start, grow, or transition your business for free!
Mindful Fire Podcast
https://www.mindfulfire.org/about/
The Mindful FIRE Podcast explores living mindfully on the path to financial independence and beyond. We talk to people about how they are living life intentionally (and areas where they aren't). This podcast explores the concepts of mindfulness, financial independence and designing a life worth living. Join us.
Brigham Young University (BYU)
https://personalfinance.byu.edu
We love that this course is FREE! It really doesn't leave you any excuse for not improving your financial situation.
The purpose of their website is to instruct members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others around the world about personal financial management from "another" perspective. This instruction is provided through a series of lessons delivered over the Internet and available through free personal finance manuals. While there is no college credit given for reviewing this material, there is a wealth of information provided that can help you learn about personal finance.
These lessons are designed to help you do the following:
- Understand the purpose of wealth, and apply the counsel of the scriptures and Church leaders regarding wealth.
- Set personal goals that will help you progress toward financial and spiritual self-reliance.
- Identify your past and current financial situation, and learn basic tools to help you solve current financial problems and prepare for the future.
- Learn key areas of financial responsibility and the need for constant vigilance in financial matters.
Purdue University
https://ag.purdue.edu/programs/areyouprepared/secureretirement/Pages/default.aspx
Here is another course we are excited about. Especially for all of you moms out there and guess what? It is also FREE!
Are you looking forward to the day you retire? Or, do you dread the thought? Being able to retire when you want and how you want is important to many people. Planning ahead can put you in a position to live comfortably during your retirement.
The objective of this course is to help you with your planning for retirement. Each provides information that can be valuable in answering the questions you need to consider as you make your plans. The modules include specific goals for the module, activities to complete, and sources for more information.
Suze Orman
https://www.suzeu.com
This is a very inexpensive course and we love Suze. We had the pleasure of seeing her speak in person and feel she is a wealth of knowledge. Last time we checked the course was $54. An amount that is easily manageable. Learn what’s keeping you from being more and having more and the fastest way to get out of debt. She will share how to be smart about which debt to pay first and what you need to know about Student Loan debt. You will learn the most important factor in having money in retirement and why a 401k may not be the best option. You will understand how to avoid fees on your stocks and bonds and learn a simple solution to predict percentages to invest. Learn what you can afford before purchasing a car and four tips to prepare for buying a home. You will learn how to talk to your kids about money and review the best ways to save for a college education and much more!
Dave Ramsey
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/get-started
Ramsey Solutions provides biblically based, commonsense education and empowerment that give HOPE to everyone in every walk of life. It is affordable, they have a free app you can use to get started, along with other free services. They also have a membership program we highly recommend. Many companies define success based on the dollars coming in, but at Ramsey Solutions, they define their success by the number of lives changed: listeners getting out of debt, readers taking their first Baby Step and saving $1,000, Financial Peace University graduates investing for their future.
The Penny Hoarder
https://www.thepennyhoarder.com
Founded in 2010, The Penny Hoarder is one of the nation’s largest personal finance websites. Its purpose is to help people take control of their personal finances and make smart money decisions by sharing actionable articles and resources on how to earn, save and manage money. The Penny Hoarder envisions a world where there is less money stress. The Penny Hoarder’s mission is to empower people to make smart choices with their money.
Here is a list that has other free courses and classes (some paid) on finance.
https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/worthwhile-online-personal-finance-courses
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
― Maya Angelou
― Maya Angelou
Best Apps For Managing Finances
Everydollar
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/everydollar
Getting rid of money stress starts with a budgeting app that puts you in control of your money. EveryDollar is built to be the simple and easy way to manage your finances and your life.
Mint
https://mint.intuit.com/
Easily connect all your accounts. From cash and credit to loans and investments, you can see your complete financial picture in Mint.
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/everydollar
Getting rid of money stress starts with a budgeting app that puts you in control of your money. EveryDollar is built to be the simple and easy way to manage your finances and your life.
Mint
https://mint.intuit.com/
Easily connect all your accounts. From cash and credit to loans and investments, you can see your complete financial picture in Mint.
“Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
― Oprah Winfrey
― Oprah Winfrey
