Personal Finance Workgroup

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We agree that people and households that are financially secure are more resilient, and our community will be more resilient if its members are more financially secure.

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Initiative to start a public Washington state bank gets some press

Started by Rob Olason. Last reply by Shirley Jacobson Dec 29, 2011. 2 Replies 0 Likes

Thought this article by Ellen Brown of Truth Out might be of interest to this group. "Bills were introduced on January 18, in both the House and Senate of the Washington State Legislature, that add…Continue

Legalize Local Investing

Started by David MacLeod. Last reply by Patricia Herlevi Dec 7, 2011. 1 Reply 1 Like

See my cross-post of Asher Miller's "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to…Continue

Move Your Money Campaign

Started by Shirley Jacobson. Last reply by Maxine Walker Oct 17, 2011. 23 Replies 0 Likes

I am copying Katie's comment here first so that all comments related to this discussion will be together.Continue

Poverty/Unemployment and Sustainable Economics

Started by Behrouz. Last reply by Behrouz Aug 31, 2011. 4 Replies 0 Likes

Optimal personal finance management requires knowledge of the short and long-term economic trend. How we allocate our life energy and resources individually and collectively will affect our quality…Continue

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Comment by Patricia Herlevi on December 25, 2011 at 10:39am: I'm not sure if this what if scenario fits in here, but I found this article on Yahoo about online technology revamping traditional professions and creating new ones. My what if scenario combines the do-it-yourself craft and backyard farming with the ideas in this article

http://shine.yahoo.com/power-your-future/earn-more-work-less-8-grea...

Comment by Patricia Herlevi on December 7, 2011 at 10:04am: Are any members from this group on Linked-In? There is a dangerous conversation going on about bringing the port at Cherry Point/coal trains on the Bellinghamster Group. If you are Linked-In please join the Bellinghamster group and lend your expertise. Your voices are needed in this debate.

Comment by David MacLeod on October 20, 2011 at 5:40pm: Next Move your money day is Nov. 5th:

http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/events/bank-to-credit-union-trans...

Comment by Caitlin Quigley on October 3, 2011 at 4:34pm: Next Personal Finance meeting is Oct 16th 11am-1pm, find it on the events page!

Comment by Judith Culver on September 27, 2011 at 11:53am: Whatcom Investing Network is having a social this Wed (9/28) at 7pm at Sustainable Connections. Since we will not be discussing any confidential business plans, it is open to the public. See more details on the TW event page.

Also the owners of Twin Brook Creamery are still accepting private investors for their promissory note. They offered an excellent return, recognizing the inherent risk in private investments. Contact me if you want some details...or come to the social.

Comment by Judith Culver on September 17, 2011 at 9:53am: Caitlin, thanks. The notes were very interesting. We're hearing about innovative people developing local investment clubs, local stock exchanges, co-op food funds that accept investment as well as donations. The options for local investment are endless.

On the Whatcom Investing Network front...we have closed our first deal and it feels great. We're having a social on Sept 28 to get to know potential members and people who will be looking for financing in the future. Details are on the TW Event page.

Comment by Caitlin Quigley on September 16, 2011 at 3:49pm

Call notes from CommunityMatters Conference Call on Local Finance with:

Susan Witt, Co-Founder of BerkShares and Education Director of the New Economics Institute
Trexler Proffitt, Developer of LanX: A Sustainable Exchange and Assistant Professor of Organization Studies at Franklin & Marshall College

Comment by Patricia Herlevi on August 22, 2011 at 8:15pm: I've met a lot of Bellinghamsters while searching for sustainable housing and employment in Bellingham. And one of the topics that comes up is high unemployment and many people not able to find work in Bellingham. I agree that sustainable jobs are needed and perhaps that take investing locally or fair trade cooperatives with the crafts and farms.

It's hard to talk about sustainability with people who have been unemployed for many months or years (since 2009 for some people) because they'll take any job even if that job is not balanced with the environment. You can't really blame them. They have families to feed. Low income housing is a a premium now (hard to get), and charities are overspent and unable to help anyone out besides people in the worst kind of trouble (addiction, single mothers who are pregnant, drug users and mentally ill people).

I would love to see these problems addressed through the creation of sustainable jobs and holistic healing, knowing that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, meaning some people don't want a leg up, they only want a hand out. Frustrating.

Comment by Judith Culver on July 28, 2011 at 3:51pm: Welcome, Micah and Bonnie! We started out doing a lot of discussions and research and now we are doing more action. We had a big Move Your Money Action Day in the spring. Now we are spinning off Whatcom Investing Network, a local investing group modeled on Port Townsend's Local Investing Opportunity Network (LION). Check WIN out at www.whatcominvesting.org.

If you have particular personal finance interests, let us know. Welcome, again!