"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

"Has anyone seen the gas prices?"

I'm sure we all have! Even pedestrians are aware of the recent hike in prices at the pump. The pain at the pump is a national issue which stems from an international source. Anytime there's an uproar in the middle east we can guarantee that the United States will feel the pressure. Is this not yet another opportunity for us to design a plan in which we learn how to sustain ourselves with our own natural resources. Wind, Water, Electricity and even oil are all available on US soil. Its time for America to use it or lose it. Many automakers have taken the time to make more fuel efficient vehicles and communities are now thinking green. Step up America and fight! Say no to higher gas prices and yes to new technology which will empower our country for generations to come.

> Until next this is Your Money Your Future, I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation Please check us out at the Katieablefoundation.org and remember do something to justify your existence, together we can create the Future.

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

“School Budget Cuts ”

A few weeks back we discussed the importance of maintaining a household budget. If only law makers and lobbyists could use the same simple tactics when balancing the budget for their respective state, town or city. The fact of the matter is that in a country rooted in democracy we'll never all agree on the same issues. We'll have differences in opinions and professional dislikes but we can't allow our disagreements to get us off track.

Recently, my foundation sent a group of students from a local high-school to our capitol in Annapolis to speak with delegates about the budget cuts and how the educational system in Prince Georges County would be negatively impacted. No physical education, less guidance counselors, larger classroom sizes and no ROTC. These are just a few of the items on the table.

As parents, we have to always remember we are responsible for our children. Yes, we want to protest and demand a better educational system but it all starts at home. I encourage you to buy your kids more books to enhance their studies and reading skills. I encourage you to take them to museums and music halls to tap into their artistic minds. Even with budget short falls we can still have great, successful and smart kids. It is time we as parents stand up and make sure we are doing everything we can to teach our kids how to be better students which make better adults for tomorrow.


Until next week this is Your Money Your Future,

I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation. Please check us out at the KatieAbleFoundation.org and remember do something to justify your existence, together we can create the Future!

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

Today's Reality on Student Loans

This is it! The day you have been waiting for. Your eighteen year old has graduated from high school and is headed to college. You couldn’t be more proud. Sure, you and your spouse have saved a few dollars here and there just for this occasion only to learn that what you had been holding on to isn’t nearly enough to even cover books.

Still excited and determined your child runs home with a FAFSA form. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form, for some, can be the beginning of the end. Basically, after completing the application and submitting it back to your child’s school of choice your information is shopped around to different banks until funding is approved. Note! I said YOUR information.

What most parents don’t know or even expect is that they may have to co-sign or become the primary signer for their child’s student loan. Reason, the economy has changed and the days of bank lending money to persons with no or limited credit history is over.

So what’s the solution? That’s something that you have to decide. Are you and your spouse in a financial position where you can take on more debt? What are the long term effects that this can have on your credit? Is your credit even up to par to act as a co-signer on a student loan? What other loan or funding options are available for your child? These are all questions that you can consider. I know we love our children but going in to debt for them may not be the answer.

Until next week this is Your money, Your future, I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation.

Please check us out at Katieablefoundation.org and remember, Do something to justify your Existence, TOGETHER we can create the future!

The Katie Able Foundation donates $1000 to 6th Graders

The Katie Able Foundation (KAF) recently donated $1000 to 6th graders at Robert Frost Elementary School, located in Lanham, MD, to use to trade stocks. The students started trading stocks in September 2010 with the help and guidance of their teacher, Mr. William Hughes.

“I must admit when Mr. Hughes came to me and said, ‘Mr. Parker ask the students about them trading stocks,’ you should have seen their faces light up with joy as they shared their stories with me,” said Charles Parker, Vice-President of the Katie Able Foundation. “I learned that these students really understood their stock portfolio and why they selected a particular company over others. This has gone beyond stock trading, it has entered the realm of real life financial experience for these students,” Parker continued.

The students were trading through a program called TeenBiz3000 which is an internet-based, individualized reading and writing teaching solution for grades 6-8. Using $100,000 in their DEMO account they selected companies of their choice; McDonalds, Nike, and Target to name a few.

“I’m really excited about trading. I made a lot of money on the fake account so hopefully I’ll make more on the real one.” said young Neville, 6th grader at Robert Frost Elementary School.

Carmen Johnson, founder of the Katie Able Foundation said, “We wanted to do what we could to help them to continue trading and use the money they earn to make improvements and buy things their school may need throughout the year.”

With the $1000 the students received, they are now able to trade on a LIVE trading account. For more information about how you can donate to the Katie Able Foundation so they can continue to help students in this manner, please visit http://www.katieablefoundation.org/ or call 301-352-5855

"Your Money,Your Future" with Financial Educator Carmen Johnson

Cutting Back

As we settle into January and we start reflecting on our past 12 months, some of us may be thinking “I believe I may have spent too much.” This is the time to do an assessment on what are some things you can cut back on: Are you eating out too much? Are you spending too much money on unnecessary things? Just think what can you cut back on. How can you make this adjustment? These are things we should consider as we live through this recession. The reality is, it probably won’t get any better. I know you hear the housing market is going to get better or the dollar will regain its value, but the fact of the matter is you need to be prepared if it does not. So let’s take the time this year to cut back on all unnecessary things. You will be surprised how much you can save.

Carmen Johnson is the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation.

To find out more about Carmen Johnson visit http://www.katieablefoundation.org/

"Your Money,Your Future" with Financial Educator Carmen Johnson

The After the Holiday Blues

The tree has come down, the lights outside are dim and all of your relatives have gone home. However you hear a constant whining, a whimpering if you will but you can’t identify the source.

You scramble and run all around the house frantically as the soft cry turns into a loud wail. Finally! You stop and realize that the noise is coming from your wallet. That’s right, YOUR wallet. It’s been abused and misused this past holiday season.

You’ve taken it through some un-expected changes; over-spending on holiday items, using your credit card way too much and now your wallet has nothing left to give. What do you do? How can you mend your broken relationship?

Start by giving your wallet a break… Let you wallet fall in love with having money inside of it at least for a little while…

The extra money that you spent, pay it back to yourself. Subtract the amount of what you actually spent from your original budget. Whatever the difference is, that’s the amount that you should save.

Make A Vow to Your Wallet… that this will never happen again. That you won’t leave it empty or forget the loud cry it makes when it’s neglected.

Carmen Johnson is the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation.
To find out more about Carmen Johnson visit http://www.katieablefoundation.org/