Featured Finance Blog: Money Crush

This week’s featured finance site is Money Crush.  Cool name huh?  Jackie Beck is the creator of this site and really has a passion to help people reach their financial goals.  Once you start reading her posts, you’ll quickly see her passion in her writing and understand why the site’s motto fits so perfectly: “Learn to love your financial life and reach your goals.”  What I love most about the site is how she really gives you practical tools to reach your goals.  Trust me, it’s not ‘fluff’ – her site really is a great resource to help you manage your finances .  In fact, you’ll read more about one of those resources in this interview! (It’s an iPhone app to help you manage debt!)

When you get the chance, spend some time on her site and get to know her a bit.  Some of her most popular articles include:

Making Money Online: Is It All That It’s Cracked Up To Be?

Budgeting Will Get You Everywhere

What Are Your REAL Priorities?

Why did you start Money Crush?

I originally started writing about personal finance because I wanted to accomplish two things: getting into the habit of writing every day, and improving my own money habits. A blog about money seemed like the perfect fit. Now, what drives me to continue to blog is the sense of community. I love sharing insights and inspiration, and interacting with readers and other bloggers. I want to make a difference by helping others learn to love their financial life and reach their goals.

Besides blogging, what other businesses or online ventures are you involved with?

I’ve created a debt snowball calculator for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch that’s helped thousands of people to organize their debts and watch their balances go down as they get out of debt. I created the app after becoming “debt-free but the house” (which we’re working on paying off now) to help motivate others. I figured I couldn’t be the only one obsessively checking my debt progress, and I know how great it feels to see progress.

Do you have a favorite quote about money?

I literally have a whole wall of quotes on a variety of topics that I look at for inspiration, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. But one that could be considered money-related is “The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.” It certainly applies to things like getting out of debt or making big career decisions.

Give us 2 truths and 1 lie about yourself: (answer is at the end)

1. I came in second place in a dressage competition as a teenager.

2. I once took off to spend a few months in Europe with just $20 and a suitcase.

3. I used to have social anxiety, so I had a terrible time doing things like ordering a pizza or saying hi to my coworkers.

What the first thing you’d buy if you had a million dollars?

Probably the tickets for the trip to New Zealand that we have planned, since that’s next on my list of things to buy anyway. (You don’t need a million dollars to do the things you want to do!)

What’s the latest book you’ve read? Any favorite books you’d recommend?

I tend to read mostly mysteries or fantasy. I recently finished “The Lost Gate” by Orson Scott Card. My favorite money-related book (by far!) is “Your Money Or Your Life” by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. It literally changed my life. I highly recommend it.

Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed getting to know another great finance blog and hope you take advantage of the resources she has on her site – especially the iphone app, debt snowball calculator. Oh, and if you guessed #1 to be the lie, you were correct. She was, however, still involved with dressage as a teenager, but never competed. (I didn’t even know what dressage was to be honest!)

Do you follow Money Crush? Be sure to check out Jackie’s site and use the resources she’s put together!  Thanks Jackie!