Julie H., 20 Minneapolis, MN
“The Bootcamp process has inspired me to be more accountable for my checking account. As a college student, a checking account is my only financial ledger at the moment. I used to just look at the big picture and summary at the top of the bill to see how much money I spent this month. Day 1 of the Bootcamp taught me to break this habit. I am starting to look line by line at my bills. Regardless if I ever discover a mistake by my bank, I am satisfied simply because now I also have greater visibility over my expenses.” Financial goal of the year: “To take advantage of the costs-cutting websites that LearnVest promotes, such as lala.com.”
Elena D., 21 Princeton, NJ
“I have begun to keep a ledger of both my fixed and variable expenses, which has really helped me see where I could afford to save more. I also learned that I haven’t devoted enough attention to my savings. Given that time is the greatest asset in being financially responsible down the road, now is the time to start opening longer term savings account and a Roth IRA.” Financial goal of the year: “To open a savings account that has greater returns, such as a CD, and maintain a ledger of my expenses.”
Stephanie, 40 Atlanta, GA
“I used to think I was good at money and budgeting but that was until the economy tanked and I lost my money and savings. I am now starting over and Bootcamp has been a great tool to refresh me and give me all the latest details, programs and help to make this so much easier.”
Jenn, 23 San Francisco, CA
“Bootcamp has helped me to get motivated about my personal finance. While I know that I should use paperless statements and keep better track of my expenses, these daily emails give me the inspiration to finally follow through on those tasks. I really enjoy how the emails are accessible, give you a realistic timeframe of how long the task will take to complete, and explain in basic terms why the action is important.” Financial goal of the year: “Finally track expenses and stick to a budget. Anticipate big ticket items (vacations, birthday dinners, a new dress for a wedding), and cut costs in the meantime to enjoy them guilt-free!”
Erin B., 32 Waterloo, IA
“So far, Bootcamp has been a good reminder of what I could do without when considering my budget and it also has me doing some actual retirement planning. The biggest budget issue for me is getting a handle on all of the little expenses that add up and Learnvest’s tools have really helped me!”
Crystal R., 23 Los Angeles, CA
“After college I was one of the lucky few who landed a good job immediately, and yet I still managed to rack up debt and muddle through confusing acronyms (APR? 401K? CD). I wish more than anything college had provided a “Life 101″ type class where they teach you basic financial and sound life skills regarding loans, insurance, retirement, etc. Thanks to LearnVest and Bootcamp, in just a couple weeks I’ve figured out my exact debt, calculated a livable budget, have a plan to pay it off, and am searching for good balance transfer options. I feel confident and empowered in handling my own personal financial affairs, and that is an invaluable feeling!”
Molly, 21 Washington D.C.
“Through Bootcamp, I learned that my daily coffee habit is costing me quite a bit; over $15 a week! And a lot of my purchases are impulse, ones that I now see I could avoid if I took the time to really think if I actually need the item at hand.” Financial goal of the year: “Thanks to LearnVest, I opened an IRA in 2009. Now, I want to make my second contribution to my IRA and cut down on my variable expenses. I also want to open a portfolio, in conjunction with my IRA account.”
Cathy, 20 New York, NY
“How to make and stick to a budget has been my favorite piece of advice so far. I often found myself placing my financial life on the back burner because I thought I was too busy with classwork and other obligations. Bootcamp has taught me that managing my personal finances is not all that hard to do and saves time and money if I do so consistently.” Financial goal of the year: “Putting aside enough money to contribute to a Roth IRA is my financial goal for the year.”
Hannah P., 20 Ewing, NJ
“Since I’ve started Bootcamp, it’s one of the most frequent topics of my conversations with people. I’m starting to understand how much I need to work to make my ends meet, and where I need to adjust my cash flow to make sure that I am effectively saving, spending, and getting my credit card debt down, especially since I’ll be abroad next semester, and without work, I can’t pay off the bills. I already feel a lot more confident in the abilities that I already had that LearnVest has been unlocking for me to be able to get my finances under control so I can tackle graduate school and student loans effectively and powerfully. Thanks so much, LearnVest!!!”
Nikki, 20 Newport Beach, CA
“I’m taking a semester off to work full-time at a law firm, getting my first paychecks without any understanding of how to budget or save for graduation was incredibly daunting. I didn’t know if I even had a credit score (which I now know I don’t because I’ve never taken out a loan/credit card) or how to go about building one, so that when I do graduate I can make those big purchases at a half decent interest rate. I am currently using LearnVest’s Bootcamp to learn and plan my budget for post-graduation as well as a tool to build my credit throughout my last year of school. I don’t want to be ill- prepared to handle my finances when I graduate and find myself sinking into credit card debt while trying to figure it all out. LearnVest’s Bootcamp is a way for me to educate myself on personal finances so that when the practice wheels come off I’m prepared for it.”
Eleanor, 24
“I now save $50/month in a savings account thanks to LearnVest!”
Alison, 31 Denver, CO
“The LearnVest Bootcamp has helped take charge of my finances. It has motivated me to finally roll over my 401K that I’ve put off for over a year and a half. I’m now learning how to decrease my credit card debt and start saving for a house and baby next year.”
