Your First Meeting

September has just begun!

Back to school means back to an actual schedule and is a FANTASTIC time to start shaping up financially. (Another perk, kids are in school.  Therefore background noise, whining, and interruptions are decreased by 1/2 for your finance meetings.  You may think you are in heaven instead of at a kitchen table!  Enjoy it.)

So, call some of your friends and invite them to join you in becoming the hottest coupon shopping, college-saving, stock investing, organized, DIY ladies in town.

Keeping your lovely group to about a 7 person max, you will want to have your charter meeting and lay it all out.

Here is an example of what we discussed at our charter meeting.  (Quick sidebar- you may soon realize that your drive to become the best looking billionaire in Forbes magazine may not be the same drive as many of the ladies you spoke to.  Therefore, remind them to come to your first meeting and keep smiling when only one shows up.  It will get better.)

Agenda:

Welcome Everyone!  What were the best and worst financial events that happened to you last month? (This is the time that friends can cheer on successes and sympathize with one another for our failures.)
 Example:

• Best- I did not buy the Crate and Barrel outdoor chaise lounge that was on sale for $999, instead found an entire set of clearance Home Depot outdoor furniture for only $400!
• Worst-  I took that $400 out of my grocery cash budget and therefore only have $300 to last me the entire month of September. 

What are some topics we want to cover in our meetings?
Some of our Favorites:

• Organizing financial paperwork (annoying but so super important)
• Happiness and Money
• Wills and Trusts
• College Savings Plans
• Negotiating (with sales people, bosses, yard sale attendees, etc.)
• Real Estate
• Savings Tips
• Debt
•  Women and Business
• To coupon or not to coupon
• Review a great book!  Check out the Books We Reviewed link at the top of the page, there are a ton of goodies and I still need to add more.

What should we name our group?

What are some ground rules?
Some of ours:

• We only share the personal financial information our spouses would be comfortable with us sharing.
• We do not share our group members financial woes with people outside of the group. 
• We only meet at zero cost locations.
• If you host a meeting, you can not buy refreshments for the group that day- you have to already have it in your pantry.

What should we cover next month?

What 3 goals will you set this month? Make them small and easily reachable.
Examples:

• Keep track of all of my spending.
• Buy a file box to start organizing my paperwork.
• Put $50 in my kids savings account.

When should we meet next month?

Adjourned.

You now have popcorn strewn across your home, toys on the floor by every toy box and possible crayon on your walls, but no matter.  You have just burned hundreds of financial calories by taking the first big step in changing your fiscally fit future.  You are awesome and you have awesome friends.