http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/
List what you are willing to commit to and your progress here!!!!!!
Below is my list. Let's support each other in moving forward!!!!
SPIRITUAL
My commitment - Increase my involvement in my church's vision along with my son's and my personal spiritual development.
Here's an interesting article and a few links for Christian development.
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Christian_Education_Why_Are_We_So_Biblically_Illiterate.html
http://www.danacarsonministries.com/cki/
http://www.blueletterbible.org/
www.crosswalk.com
PARENTAL
My commitment - Increase my involvement in my son's education, making sure I check his agenda for homework (not just take his word for it) daily and that he has the resources he needs to excel in his current grade to be on track graduate in 2015 or before.
Fox News reported that in 17 of our 50 major cities in the USA less than 50% of our kids graduated high school in 2008, whaaaaaa???!!! Let's just do what we can to make sure our kids not only graduate but move on to college and/or develop skills and certifications they can use to be productive members of society!!!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344190,00.html
Listed below are some sites you can use to help your child and/or get involved in the life of one.
http://www.americaspromise.org/APA.htm (Colin Powell's non-profit)
www.education.com
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer? pagename=research_state_information_children_in_the_states (Gives droppout rates state by state)
http://scotthochberg.com/taas.html (Has taks test helps for all grades)
http://www.boostup.org/ (Created to help combat the dropout rate)
http://www.childadvocates.org/ (Way to volunteer and help be an advocate for a child in court)
PERSONAL FINANCE
My commitment - Use a budget calculator, live beneath my means (not just at) and pay off at least one debt in 2009!!! (Join me)
According to the Federal Reserve as of November 2008 our consumer debt is at 2.57 trillion dollars ($2,570,000,000,000) how many zeros is that? Anyway, this doesn’t even include the debt that is "secured" by real estate. It’s our credit cards, cars, student loans etc. etc.
(I know I've made my own personal contribution to that number, IT REALLY DOES ADD UP!!!).
What a hot mess!!
Sources
http://www.money-zine.com/Financial-Planning/Debt-Consolidation/Consumer-Debt-Statistics/
http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/G19/Current/
Listed below are a few sites we can use to aid us in getting ourselves back on track. If you know of others let me know!!!
http://online.wsj.com/ad/article/ameriprise_fpa_answers.html (How to choose a financial advisor)
http://www.cfp.net/learn/knowledgebase.asp?id=6#link12 (10 questions to ask a potential financial advisor, please choose one carefully it's serious business)
http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2008/12/best-online-budgeting-sites.html
(6 budgeting sites)
www.quickenonline.com (One of my personal favorite budgeting sites)
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/results.aspx?qu=budget&av=TPL000 (If you prefer not to connect your finances to the internet, these are some great spreadsheets)
www.mycreditkeeper.com (Great site to monitor all 3 credit reports at a reasonable cost)
http://money.cnn.com/pf/
http://www.kiplinger.com/
