Hiya,

We've just released a new course over at the New Jediism Order about how to stay in control of your finances and understand what's going on with your money. The course takes the form of an interactive game using fake e-money, which students have to manage, spend and invest accordingly, writing essays and taking part in intermittent challenges to ensure techniques are being learned and understood.

Not only did I want to give you all the heads up, but I wanted to see if anyone knew of any similar courses available at other Jediism or Buddhist communities? It would be interesting to see their take on this topic as well as yours.

MTFBWY

BF

I've actually been a follower of Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University. It has easily changed my spending habits and I actually am now saving more money than I used to, and am finally getting ahead on paying off my student loans.

It's not a "free" course (it's a 13 week course) unless you sign up through a church or financial institution, and it does have Christian themes in it as he is a Christian, but many people of all faiths have gone through it and loved it. So just wanted to put that out there. It's not an easy course and you do have to make some adjustments to suit your life (I was way below the poverty line but am now able to do all the things he teaches instead of changing them up to suit my situation).

But anyway, just wanted to put that out there. He's on the radio so you can get free advice and lessons from there. You'll have to check his site and station guide, but he broadcasts over the nation.

As far as any free help, I haven't really found anything yet that really hit me, but i'll check out what you were talking about.

Dave Ramsey is great. I'm actually from the town he holds his radio show. It's really too bad we can't have him just teach the course, lol. Anyways, if you happen to be over at NJO and are looking to join in on the course-it's basically a game with testing at the end. Just the very basics-not up to par for Ramsey.

Though, I have to make one comment, since he was brought up-I don't agree with him on the whole "You should be debt free, to include buying your house outright", it just isn't feasible for most people.

Also, for the record, the 13 week course is just north of $1000-but this covers the entire household to attend.

WHAT?! Holy crap, lol. Didn't know that. The first time I took the class, my ex-wife and I got it for free by opening an account at a local bank. The second time, I got it for free again (didn't finish the first time I went) because it would through a church and I already had the supplies. But still, even then, the supplies and membership was only $100.

But yeah, i'm with you on his views about buying a house. That's the only thing I won't save up for to pay for full in cash. A car? Yes. An expensive computer? Yes. A vacation? Yes. A house? Hell-to-the-no, lol. I am against credit cards, though. My parents have always raised me with "if you can't physically hold the money for it in your hand, you can't afford it. Therefore, you don't need it."

I also know that if you make payments on a car, or rent to own something (like furniture, a tv, etc etc) that you end up paying more for that item, so I don't do that. I'd rather save up $6000 for that used car I want, and pay 6000, than get it now, make payments on it and end up paying $7000 or more because I chose to take the payments route (stupid, stupid interest, lol).

My 2 cent advice on finance would be;

Learn to be satisfied living in a tent, and then anything better then that will feel like luxury.
Live within the means to maximise savings.
Favour job security even at the expense of salary (to an extent).
Watch markets for trends, play safe, avoid risk, play the long game and did I mentioned avoid risks.
Find a partner who is a realist or rich.
Budget to maintain awareness and allow adjustments to be smart and inline with your financial philosophy.

The ideal basic goal of the game is to own your house, and own investments which generate income to exceed all your living costs - eventually. Then you do not have to work to survive.

Avoid comparisons with other peoples wealth... most of the time the bank owns most everything they have, unless they are old or born into money.

Many people are born into money and have completely different lifestyles, but money can make money and more money can make more money - starting small doesnt mean staying small though, remember risk avoidance, it remains the same throughout.

Money is easier to lose then to make.

Never give a thousand bucks to a guy if you dont know what your getting and if you've got a spare grand, donate it to the Temple of the Jedi Order instead!