Are Coaches Charging Too Much (for Too Little?) A Response to Patty Lennon’s Intriguing Post as a Prompt about Other Woes: A Lack of Financial Literacy

There is a lack of financial literacy in our country, the US of A-Miracle..and constant advertising for buying happiness, delaying payments and all manner of quick fixes and dreams one deserves (not necessarily earns or are on scale with something reasonable.)

This dearth of essential education on a topic many youth and adults are eager to learn is ridiculous and criminal at this point in time. People are thrown into a game of “afford a living” with few basic math or financial skills.

With programs like You Need A Budget or Mint.com or others that are free, possibly through the federal education sites, people could develop a ‘common language’ and promote a public education campaign.

The types of student loans college hopefuls take on is again a huge reason for ‘regret and wish I’d known better or researched the colleges, terms and legitimacy of all said players.’ If students can’t or don’t succeed in their studies..guess what, The Loans Are Still Due!

I did learn of something called Tuition Insurance which was reasonable (a hundred or so for 10K worth of tuition that would be due after loans..and not all grants would need to be repaid if the student didn’t complete a term for an acceptable reason..

Don’t quote me but it’s was a ray of hope.) I found even dedicated high school college counselors were not insisting every student have a responsible parent or other adult on board overseeing and double-checking deadlines.

When I asked why that was, I was told ‘it wasn’t their job as counselors to set standards and insure the students followed them..or the family.” I offered that a clear communication to parents and information on a website or in an email would not be too much to ask.

I try to cover many such points on my blog www.livfully.org. There’s a big mix of ideas and it’s not the polished blog I’d like to have someday…but better to let the ideas flow than not and connect information as I can then not in case it leads to something worthwhile..which if often does.

I will copy this comment and put it on my other site here too, medium.com/@livfully. I have been appreciating much of what Patty Lennon offers and am very impressed she found the time and wherewithall to spill the beans on this ‘dirty not-so-little secret’ to help the clarify what needs bursting and what needs reinforcing.

Thanks again, Patty Lennon (who let’s face it has that ‘John Lennon kind of Imagine and appeal to the greater values and makes us remember simpler times..even if not related… we are all related on some level.

Thanks also to all who are in business for the ethical reasons that help move us toward a more competent, creative and caring world with room to celebrate one another and let the dollars flow to where they need and deserve to go, in that order…

HugEnergy and Not Getting Scammed Is Always an Important Mindset whether kids are asking for help for their basketball team on the street corner (Yes, kind of fishy but a rather common scam I’m hearing and learned of the hard way just Wanting to Help..’aka wanting to get scammed?’

Not that I knew of but that got me thinking more community groups could vet legitimate needs and then people could donate more confidently to worthy small causes. Not everyone is great at grant proposals or even fundraising events.

Those could be put in place so more people could assist with those (people with low incomes wanting to help but also the recipients actually showing up first and then getting the support.)

The idea of credit, micro loans and more could also be explored perhaps After someone has been working with a program and been found to be pursuing legitimate goals for support. On the other hand, if youth are in a vulnerable state hopefully those signals could be followed up to see that they are safe and not being coached into criminal or dangerous lifestyles.

I have heard of plenty of dire situations playing out amidst the hustle and bustle of the world. Someone asking for help may really need it and deserve it, so a community resource such as 211.org or in NYC, 311.org or calling those numbers can get someone help for basics or prevent a downward spiral.