And so it begins...

He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads to.

- Harry Emerson Fosdick

Times where my action was delayed due to a discouraging comment from someone else have been few and far between. That's why the comment from Mr. Cents was so unique. "But why would you want to start a blog?" he asked, as if "blog" were from the newest generation of 4 letter words. "Everyone has a blog. Who is going to read it? What do you have to add to what's already out there?"

An interesting question which prompted a lot of insight and weeks of indecision. True, why would I spend my time writing something that could potentially never have any impact, yet be much more visible to the world than my Lisa Frank diary, complete with purple ballpoint pen and completely indispensable pad lock? What do I have to add? What kind of story do I want to tell?

I tried to rationalize my desire to write a blog, telling Mr. Cents that we live unique lives as young professionals yet have not succumbed to keeping up with the Jones'. We have solved the mystery of success through living beneath our means and it's time to share the figurative wealth of our knowledge. Bliss through personal finance!

Mr. Cents remained mysteriously unimpressed. "But all of that is common sense." Were I a cartoon character, a light bulb would have appeared above my head in response to sudden insight.

Actually, it isn't common at all. According to a June GFK Roper study of people's relationships with credit, the average American household has more than $9,000 in credit card debt. Further studies report over 50% of teens and 30% of adults regularly fail basic money aptitude questions. Although money management might be a simple concept, it is difficult to grasp, as evidenced by shelf after shelf of books still teaching the same basic concepts. Therefore, I do believe I have something to add to the ubiquitous financial information highway. And, I can say it in a way that's appealing to people our instant gratification generation. Nearly everyone has now been exposed to the incremental cost of a daily latte over thirty years but let's be honest - Starbucks isn't going out of business anytime soon, and even the frugal enjoy a Frappachino now and then. There has to be a different way to speak to people that makes sense.

Besides, I have always loved to write.