Meet Jacki Smith:
I’m a rule follower who went down the traditional school path and ended up with a GIANT pile of student loans. My husband and I live in North Carolina with our two kids. I love helping others take control of their money and find the right spending/savings balance for their life.
My traditional path: I earned good grades in high school, which led to ambitious dreams for college. When I got accepted into my dream school, I was sure it was my destiny and I felt like I would have been stupid to have turned down the opportunity. Little did I know that it would take me 7 years to pay off that debt. That being said, I loved my college, made great friends and got a great education, but the price was not worth it. Going into college I believed that I would come out of school and have a high paying job lined up. It’s really important for college students to know that in most cases, employers do not care what college you graduated from, just that you graduated.
My story is different because I knew. I made an educated decision when I took out my student loans and just truly believed that it would be worth it when I got that high paying job immediately after school. I learned about money very early on. I had a bank account and knew how to make deposits when I was in elementary school. I started working part time as soon as I turned 14 and I had already been babysitting for years. I worked at least 1 job throughout high school and college and have always been a hard worker. My parents had a college advisor meet with me to help with FAFSA paperwork and appeal financial aid packages when college application time came around and then when it came down to final decisions, he showed me the projection for how much my education would cost me over the cost of my loan terms. Again, I was not at all phased because I thought this was just what people do. I now realize that I had many other options.
By the time I graduated college in 2012, I had accumulated a whopping total of over $100,000 in student loans. Today I am student loan free and it feels so good.
Why I work 1-on-1 with individuals for financial coaching:
I know how stressful and sometimes hopeless it can be when your financial situation isn’t ideal. I know that sometimes it can feel impossible to make progress and change your life. I work with individuals all over the United States to provide virtual coaching so people just like you can understand where their finances are today and the plan for going forward so you can have confidence in your money. I help people create their individualized initial plan and then offer packages for ongoing accountability and support. Money is such a personal topic and I provide a judgment free space where you can learn how to take control of your money and create the life you want.
Why am I writing this blog:
I find it inspiring to read about other people’s journeys and I hope that sharing my story may help someone in some small way. Reading blogs and books, listening to podcasts, and just hearing other people’s stories really speaks to me whether it’s learning something new about budgeting, hearing someone’s story of debt and the escape, or beginning to start investing. I did not always take the easy path and definitely did not follow a good amount of typical personal finance advice, but I’ve done what is best for me and my family. I understand that no matter what your personal finance situation is, it is your own and there is no judgement as you evaluate where you are now and how to make a change to get where you want to go.
Motivation is hard. Especially when your big picture budget is a HUGE goal and no matter what you do, you don’t feel like you’re making any progress forward. And that’s why I’m here. When you keep that big picture budget goal in your mind, you know what you’re working towards and you have to just keep walking towards that goal doing the best you can.
