My Financial Awareness - About This Site

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Goal of This Site

Mission

To help you achieve a more abundant life through increased financial awareness of your beliefs and emotions about money. To help you take control of your finances instead of letting money control you.

Personal Growth

Even though the website is set up so that you can focus on obtaining a financial education, developing a good financial plan is dependent on looking at your personal beliefs about money as well. It is like a good diet plan - to be successful, in addition to counting calories you also need to look at the emotional side of dieting (e.g., motivation to stick with a diet and reasons why you may overindulge).

A good financial plan should look at the emotional side of spending and saving. What is marketing all about? It is about appealing to our emotions, to convince us that we "need" a particular product. Financial institutions and insurance companies also use fear to get us to feel that we need their products.

For example, companies try to sell disability insurance for mortgages or credit card payments and life insurance for home mortgages because these policies have some of the highest profit margins. They market these products at the expense of the consumers. They do this by playing on our fear of being disabled or dying prematurely. I am not saying disability insurance or life insurance is wrong, but you should look at the whole picture instead of the companies' emotional pitch. Instead of buying insurance to pay off your home, look at your entire financial picture. You may not need any insurance or can buy cheaper term insurance from an insurance company. For example, if you are single you may not need insurance because your heirs can sell the house and will be able to get the equity that you built up. If you are married, you may need additional insurance (e.g., to fund your child's education). In this case, it is probably cheaper to buy a single policy from an insurance company instead of two seperate policies.

Big businesses have learned that money and emotions go hand in hand. It is time that the consumer learn this as well. This website blends financial education with an understanding of personal beliefs about money.

About the Author

I bring a unique blend of finance and personal growth to my coaching experience. I have a B.S. in Actuarial Science from Butler University and an M.B.A. from Baldwin Wallace. Having worked over 15 years as an actuary, I have extensive experience in retirement and pension plans with additional experience in insurance and investments. I have also completed Florida State University’s Certificate in Financial Planning program and have passed the Certified Financial Planner’s™ exam. To complement my financial experience, I have trained at the Gestalt Institute and have used that training assisting and leading personal growth workshops over the past 10 years. I strongly believe in the power of self-awareness in both personal finance and life in general. With this background I bring a unique gift and perspective to those who either visit this website or come for my individual coaching sessions in Cleveland, Ohio.

You can contact me at:

Peter Smith
pete @ myfinancialawareness.com

Independent Advice

Today, most financial websites ask for a monthly membership fee or inundate you with advertisements. This site is set up to provide free access to information without annoying advertisements. If you find the information on this website helpful, consider providing a donation. This is based on a giving and receiving principle that is a key point of my prosperity teachings. To receive abundance, one must be willing to give it as well. This website is one of my gifts to the world. If you want to give back, feel free to make a donation on this site or pay it forward by giving a gift to a charitable enterprise.

Educational Menu

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of any material presented on this website. This website is not a substitute for individual financial or counseling advice. You should seek the advice of a professional regarding your particular situation. My Financial Awareness is not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your financial decisions.