When I first heard about SUM 180, I was intrigued. The basic idea was great – get a financial check up and talk with an adviser. I certainly needed to tidy up my retirement accounts and tune up my daily spending habits. That part was a no-brainer.
What really got me to create an account and discuss my finances with a stranger was the fact that the stranger was a woman. I was not worried about being judged or being talked down to. I also was confident that the conversation about my money would not be a lecture. It’s one thing to admit that you need help, it’s something else to set yourself up for a “you’re doing it wrong” conversation.
My gut feeling about this experience was right. I felt confident about the next steps that the SUM 180 analysis had identified for me. I felt fine talking about my credit card debt with my adviser. She was matter of fact and encouraging. She encouraged me to focus on what changes I could make moving forward. She did not make me feel bad about what I had or hadn’t done in the past.
The entire experience built my confidence and gave me new tools to use to manage my finances.
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