Happy Friday, friends!

Today's edition is about one of my favorite topics: Finance! As educators, we are underpaid as a profession. I remember my very first years as a young teacher, especially when I moved out, and at some points, the struggle was real. Eventually, the struggle turned into a hustle: my DJ business. Then, I started moving up the pay scale and the degree ladder and am now approaching 20 years with a doctorate. So, I'm doing ok. But even if you do have longevity and all of the degrees in the world, you're probably not in the same ballpark as someone with the same credentials in a different field.

That's wack, but it is where we are right now. I am hopeful that one day, educators will be paid fairly.

In the meantime, whether or not you're an educator, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to invest. I began investing a little into a 403(b) in that very first year of teaching. Eventually, when investing apps like Stash, Robinhood, and Webull came out, I started using those to invest a little more. Nowadays, it's accessible to anyone (you can start with just $1). I got really into it and learned a ton.

This edition will talk about ways that you can get started with investing. As we prepare to start a new school year, this is a good goal that you can set for yourself and see it through for the entire year. If you take my challenge, please keep me posted on how it goes!

The WHY: ‘Financial Literacy in Education’ (2019)

In a 2019 episode of EduMatch Tweet and Talk, the focus was on the essential topic of financial literacy and education. Our panelists, Dr. Will Deyamport, an instructional technology expert, LaTezeon Humphrey Ballentine, a committed English teacher, and Marcus "Emjay" Smith, an educator and financial service provider, navigated the conversation expertly.

The panelists unpacked the meaning of financial literacy - the crucial knowledge that empowers us to make informed decisions about money, banking, credit cards, and investments. They highlighted a key concern: financial literacy is not a mandatory part of the high school curriculum.

A highlight of the discussion was the unanimous agreement about the role of financial education and business skills in wealth creation - it's about more than just making money, it's about building assets.

As they wrapped up, the panelists shared resources and strategies to bolster financial literacy. Their advice? Invest in your financial education, and deepen your understanding of money, economics, and finance. This 2019 episode remains a strong reminder of the importance of financial literacy.

The HOW: FREE Course on Investing

So how do you get started? This course will give you everything you need to know. I recorded this course back in 2020, but the info is still good! Disregard whatever I said about Tesla (spoiler alert: I was right lol, but I will hold my tongue based on everything that has happened in 2023).

Click the image to begin your journey!

The WHAT: EduMatch Bond Offering Round 2!

It's time to put your money where your mouth is! Here's a win-win opportunity for you to try this out, starting at $10. (And, I understand if this is not accessible to you at this time...remember, as I said, I've been there too! However, if it is, I highly encourage you to jump onboard.)

EduMatch, my organization, is raising funds by selling bonds. They go live next Tuesday. Why fundraise? We recently started scaling our professional learning branch. Since January, we've been awarded contracts in seven school districts, partnered with three amazing organizations, and are in the process of building a team of dynamic Professional Learning Facilitators, covering almost every educational topic under the sun (in nearly every location across the United States). In other words, we have a ton of kinetic energy. I think of it like sitting on a powder keg, holding a match.

Our goal is to connect with even more amazing schools, districts, educators, and organizations. Our fundraising efforts will continue to bolster our presence across the United States and beyond, so we can continue to deliver dynamic professional learning for educators by educators.

What's in it for you? For each bond you buy, you get an 11% return over two years! That's better than most savings accounts. This is all facilitated through the amazing people at The SMBX. Through them, we were able to raise $25k in January, which allowed us to sponsor karaoke at ISTE with Teq and Educator Alexander, and also get our booth at NAESP (and reserve a booth for AMLE in the fall). In addition, we brought on a new team member, Dr. Jacie Maslyk, who has been pivotal in our outreach and partnerships with districts.

Here is a video explaining more about the offering, and you can click on the image below to see our offering from January. Jump on this when it drops, fam…last time it sold out an hour after they released it to their mailing list. I’ll try and send an update as soon as I have it, but also keep an eye out.

SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 8

Alright folks, that does it for me. Thanks so much for reading!

Have a video to share or interested in being a guest blogger? Email me at [email protected].

Stay connected, stay curious, and let the sharing begin!

Best,

Sarah

P.S. We will try to move our EduMatch newsletter over to Beehiiv to see if it’s a good fit. Please subscribe above if you want to join us there. Even if we go back to our usual service, we will add you there.

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