A reader of JosephSangl.com shared her story with me recently.  It sums up why I do what I do.  With her permission, here is her story …

I was OVERWHELMED with JOY as I dropped my oldest child off for college last weekend! NOT because I was happy to have her leave the house…she has been such BLESSING and a BIG part of my life since I was 17 years old and learned I was pregnant… but because I have PRAYED, PLANNED & PREPARED for this day for YEARS.

I made a lot of COSTLY mistakes. I turned my back on God and did things my way! I maxed out my first credit card at 15 YEARS OLD! That was the beginning of several bad financial decisions since I didn't put any thoughtful planning into them! They were "this will due 'til the next bill arrives" solutions which is NO solution at all!

I hit rock bottom and was in BONDAGE financially, spiritually & emotionally by my early 20s. After a divorce, I was living in an apartment I couldn't afford and my car was being repossessed so I swallowed my pride, went to D.S.S. and applied for assistance. I was denied for everything. I was told that my full time job paying minimum wage put me over the limit for any assistance for myself and two children. I was devastated. I asked the lady how anyone would qualify if the standards were so low. She advised me to lose my job and showed me that if I would stay home with my children instead of working then I would actually make MORE money on welfare. I left and never went back. I got sick of hot dogs, grilled cheese and pb&j sandwiches but kept working.

I EVENTUALLY came to the conclusion that this wasn't the life that I wanted for myself or my children!! I was raised in a Christian household and accepted Christ at seven years old. I KNEW that how I was living was wrong. I wasn't going to church, tithing, or budgeting my money. I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I made bad decisions whether they were moral or financial. God had more in store for me than I could ever imagine and I was cheating myself by cheating Him!

I began going to church, budgeting my money and planning for the future. I saved what I could… as often as I could. I got life insurance on myself and my children. I started a Future Scholar 529 College Savings plan (direct so I managed it myself and didn't pay anyone a fee) for both of my children. I started saving the minimum amount allowable. $50 per month. It was A LOT to me but I am so thankful that I did. I was able to raise the amount over the years and I am pleased to say that my daughter's first tuition payment was paid in full directly from that account!! AND she is driving a car that is completely paid for!! I think I was the happiest mom at the college last weekend. I literally found myself skipping with joy as I transported her belongings from the car to the dorm!!

If I could say anything to the moms & dads out there it would be this, "Don't let time get away from you! Start saving NOW!" Ideally, you should save $200 per month per child to plan for their college expenses but WHATEVER you save will help!! God has great things in store for you and your children!! I am still saving every month for college expenses because I know there are more tuition bills on the way.

My goal now is to help my daughter through college with NO student loan debt. I don't know what's in store for us over the next four years but I know that I will keep PRAYING, PLANNING and PREPARING every day!! 

THAT FIRES ME UP!

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Recently, my family loaded up the car and embarked on the longest vacation we have ever taken – for two weeks.

We journeyed through the following states:  South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota.

The first key stop was a week at a fishing cabin in northern Minnesota.  I won all of the big fish contests (pictures below to prove it).

Northern Pike 

Walleye (my biggest walleye ever)

Bass

After the week in northern Minnesota, the family traveled to a couple of family reunions in Iowa and then we traveled over to the western edge of South Dakota with the ultimate goal of visiting the Badlands, Custer State Park, and Mount Rushmore.  The vacation's top moment was the Independence Day Fireworks at Mount Rushmore.  Everyone needs to experience them at least once.

What a great vacation!  Lifetime memories were made.  Lots of time was spent with family.  We all got to rest.

Best of all – it was paid for in cash before we ever left.  There is NOTHING like a vacation that does not have debt following it home.  You can learn how to save for Known, Upcoming Expenses like vacation and Christmas HERE.

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I met with a couple back in November 2007 and helped them put together a spending plan that balanced to EXACTLY ZERO.  They left encouraged because they saw that they could pay all of their bills on time and start to get ahead with their finances.

Even more so, they clearly understood that INCOME – OUTGO = EXACTLY ZERO.  They went to work on the OUTGO, but one of them saw the power of additional INCOME and obtained a part-time second job that actually works really well with their family schedule.

A part-time job is a great way to catch up and launch a financial plan toward success!  Well, recently I had the opportunity to meet with them again and help them take the next steps toward financial freedom.  As I spoke with the couple, I asked if they had sought any pay raises lately.

They had not.  I told them that they should consider doing so.

The result?  He told me that he went to his manager and asked to set up a time to discuss his pay.  The manager did not want to set up a time.  Instead, he just gave him a 12% pay raise!!!

YAY!  That will help pay some bills and put some cash in savings!

So with that, I am launching a new series tomorrow called "Negotiate A Pay Raise".

This should be fun!

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Today is my anniversary.  Jenn and I have been married for ELEVEN years, and it has been incredible.

We have had a blast walking through life together!  So today, I wife-napped Jenn, and we are off to ?  Even she does not know where we are going, but trust me it will be focused on letting me know how much she means to me!

For all of you who have been married 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 years – you guys are great models for us.  It will be a very cool day when I can say that we have been married sixty years.  But for today, I will just say that it is a very cool to have been married for eleven years!

I love you, Jenn! 

I love seeing people become financially-free.  I love it.

Gone is the stress of paycheck-to-paycheck living.  Boundless opportunities that have always been present are now able to be seriously considered.

Let me share a little of my fuel of "WHY" I am so FIRED UP!

Because Jenn and I made the decision in December 2002 to become debt-free, we became debt-free in just fourteen months!  Just forty-three months later, I was able to fire myself from Corporate America and start up this crusade to help people accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances.

I have been at this crusade full-time since September 24, 2006, and I can not believe what has happened!

• My first book has been completed and published.  So many copies of this book have sold that I have been able to recover the printing costs and prepare for a 2nd round of printing!  Unbelievable!
• I have been able to provide FREE one-on-one financial counseling for over six hundred people.  If you live in (or will be traveling to) the Anderson, SC area, you too can receive free one-on-one financial counseling.  A meeting time needs to be scheduled, but you can sign up for this free counseling by clicking HERE.  How is this financial counseling able to be offered for free to anyone who asks?  Because the members of NewSpring Church give and because of awesome volunteers!
• From my book were born two classes – the Financial Learning Experience (two-hour abridged version of FFE) and the Financial Freedom Experience (six hours – entire class).  I have had the opportunity to teach these classes 23 times at 14 different places!  There are already 5 more of these classes on the schedule between now and May 4th!  Literally thousands of people have been through these classes and THAT FIRES ME UP!  If you are interested in bringing one of these classes to your organization, contact me HERE.
• I get to write a weekly newspaper column in the local newspaper, the Anderson Independent-Mail.  It is on the front page of the Business section of the Sunday paper.  Unreal.
• I have been able to meet and interview my hero, Dave Ramsey.  He had to put up with me for THREE HOURS.  Jenn and I got to sit in with him for the entire radio show.  It was awesome!  Dave Ramsey – you are my hero!
• A weekly "I Was Broke. Now I'm Not." podcast was started.  New episodes are released on Thursdays.  Click HERE to learn more.

To God be the glory!  I can't BELIEVE that I get to do this for a living!

Why do I share this?  Because I want YOU to know what can happen when you become financially-free!  If Jenn and I would have continued to manage our money poorly, I would still be STUCK in Corporate America and be miserable!  Have the last eighteen months been easy?  NO!  Has it been fun?  AB-SO-LUTE-LY!

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I love hearing the success stories of those who have had their IHHE Moment and began the journey to debt freedom!

In fact, there are over twenty success stories that have already been shared by clicking on the "Success Stories" link on the sidebar.

Would you take the time to inspire others with your success story?  Click the blue "Success Stories" box above and share your story.  While you are there, check out some of the other stories that have been shared!

We want to hear YOUR success story and celebrate with you – no matter how large or small!

Best story shared by next Wednesday receives a FREE copy of "I Was Broke. Now I'm Not." (available via PAYPAL or AMAZON)!

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When I taught the Financial Learning Experience at Revolution Church in Canton, GA (pastor is Gary Lamb), I knew that people left changed.

One couple took major action to change their financial future – and sent me pictures as proof!

NOTE:  They have even PAID OFF all of these credit cards!

Whatever it takes …  WHATEVER it takes! 

I can't wait to get the invitation to this couple's debt freedom party!

I'm proud of you, C&T!

Want to attend the weekend Financial Freedom Experience on January 25th & 26th, 2008?  You can sign up HERE!

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You have GOT to check out THIS LINK!

I spoke at Jeff's church in early December and taught the Financial Learning Experience!

There is NOTHING like having the pastor of the church lead the way to Debt Freedom!

I'm proud of you, Jeff and Michelle!

Anyone else want to share a success story? 

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I provide one-on-one financial counseling to over 450 people per year.  This helps me accomplish my passion which is "to help others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances".

Anyway, I met with a couple for the first time 42 days ago – just six weeks ago.

I met with them again for a follow-up meeting and here are some of their accomplishments – IN JUST SIX WEEKS!

• As you can see from the above picture, they have chopped up their credit cards!
• THEY have not used credit for the last six weeks!
• HE is taking his lunch to work every single day!
• THEY shut off their cell phones!
• THEY paid CASH for Christmas!!!
• THEY have put money into their ING SAVINGS ACCOUNT!
• THEY bought less!
• THEY put their house up for sale to get rid of their huge monthly payment!
• THEY have a written plan that is EZ to follow!
• THEY are going to win big time!

In just SIX WEEKS, they were able to accomplish all of this!!!

I am FIRED UP!!!  That is what this whole crusade is about!  Freeing up people to be able to go do EXACTLY what they have been put on this earth to do.

I LOVE IT!

Do YOU have a success story you want to share?  Click HERE to share your successes – both large and small – with the www.JosephSangl.com readers! 

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Today, I proudly introduce a new feature of www.JosephSangl.com – Success Stories!

Beginning today, there will be a link on the sidebar that links to this post.  Why?  Because this is THE SPOT where you can tell the entire www.JosephSangl.com community about your financial successes – both great and small!

Did you save money on car insurance?  We want to hear about it!

Did you try out cash envelopes and save money at the grocery store?  We want to hear about it!

Did you put together your first-ever monthly budget and actually follow it?  We want to hear about it!

I want to hear your stories!  We all want to hear your stories!  Let's see if we can get 1,000 success stories by the end of the year!

I am going to list one of my recent success stories first!  Who's next?

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