Jerm, the Finance Coach

07/29/2026

💰 What Does True Financial Peace Really Mean?

Most people think financial peace means having a million dollars in the bank.

It doesn't.

True financial peace is:
✅ Living on less than you make.
✅ Being content with what God has already provided.
✅ Managing money wisely instead of letting it manage you.
✅ Trusting God more than your bank account.

The truth is, you can have a modest income and experience incredible peace... or have millions of dollars and constantly worry about losing it.

As followers of Christ, we must remember that we don't actually own anything. Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God. We are simply stewards—called to manage His blessings faithfully.

When we stop chasing "more" and start being grateful for what we already have, our perspective changes. Contentment becomes greater than comparison, and peace replaces anxiety.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" — Hebrews 13:5

Financial peace isn't found in a dollar amount.

It's found in faithful stewardship, wise decisions, contentment, and trusting God every step of the way.

What does financial peace mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments!

07/20/2026

Take a minute and really think about it...

Five years from now, do you want to:
✅ Be completely debt-free?
✅ Have a fully funded emergency fund?
✅ Own your home outright?
✅ Be investing consistently for retirement?
✅ Take vacations without using a credit card?
✅ Have financial peace instead of financial stress?

Now ask yourself an even more important question...

What are you doing TODAY to make that happen?

Five years will pass whether you have a plan or not. The small decisions you make today—creating a budget, paying off debt, avoiding unnecessary purchases, and investing consistently—can completely change where you'll be.

📈 Financial freedom isn't built overnight. It's built one intentional decision at a time.

👇 I'd love to hear from you!

Where do you want to be financially 5 years from now? Share your goal in the comments. Writing it down is the first step toward making it happen!

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty." — Proverbs 21:5

06/25/2026

"Compound interest has been called the eighth wonder of the world."

Whether or not those exact words came from Albert Einstein, the principle is undeniable:

The earlier you start, the less money you have to invest to build wealth.

Let's look at 5 different scenarios. Assuming a 10% average annual return and investing until age 65:

🟢 Start at Age 18
💵 Invest: $100/month
✅ Total Contributions: $56,400
📈 Value at 65: ≈ $1,281,920

🟢 Start at Age 28
💵 Invest: $200/month
✅ Total Contributions: $88,800
📈 Value at 65: ≈ $931,966

🟢 Start at Age 38
💵 Invest: $400/month
✅ Total Contributions: $129,600
📈 Value at 65: ≈ $658,281

🟢 Start at Age 48
💵 Invest: $800/month
✅ Total Contributions: $163,200
📈 Value at 65: ≈ $425,810

🟢 Start at Age 58
💵 Invest: $1,600/month
✅ Total Contributions: $134,400
📈 Value at 65: ≈ $193,521

🤯 Think About That...

The person who started at 18, invested only $56,400 over their lifetime and ended up with over $1.28 million!

Meanwhile, someone starting at 58 invested well over twice as much ($134,400) but still accumulated less than $200,000 because they simply didn't have enough time.

⏳ Time Is the Secret Ingredient

You can always invest more money.

You can never invest more time.

The best time to start was years ago.

The second-best time is today.

Start with what you can. Stay consistent. Let compound growth do the heavy lifting.

06/24/2026

Choose Your Hard

Life is hard.

Being broke is hard.
Sticking to a budget is hard.

Having debt is hard.
Making sacrifices to get out of debt is hard.

Living paycheck to paycheck is hard.
Building an emergency fund is hard.

Worrying about money is hard.
Changing your financial habits is hard.

The truth is, there is no easy path.

The question is:

Which hard are you going to choose?

Time is going to pass either way.

One year from now, you can still be dealing with the same financial stress, the same debt, and the same frustration...

Or you can look back and be thankful you made some difficult choices today.

Every financial decision you make today is either helping or hurting the person you'll be five years from now.

Choose your hard.

Choose discipline over regret.

Choose sacrifice over struggle.

Choose the future you want.

06/17/2026

Money stress is REAL. Maybe you’re struggling with debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or feeling like you’ll never get ahead. I’ve been there. BUT, there’s a proven plan that works to turn things around. It's called the 7 Baby Steps.

These work 100% of the time when you follow them in order. No shortcuts.

Baby Step 1: Save $1,000 for your starter emergency fund.
You can’t build wealth if you’re constantly borrowing money every time life throws you a curveball. Get this quick win under your belt ASAP.

Baby Step 2: Pay off all debt (except the house) using the debt snowball.
List your debts smallest to largest, attack the smallest one with a vengeance, and roll those payments into the next debt. Keep the momentum going until you’re debt-free!

Baby Step 3: Save 3–6 months of expenses in a fully funded emergency fund.
This is your cushion for when (not if) life happens. With this fund, a job loss, medical emergency, or car repair won’t send you back into debt. (A lot of people continue the savings momentum right after completing this step to save up a down payment on a home.)

Baby Step 4: Invest 15% of your household income in retirement.
You’re out of debt and have a safety net... now it’s time to build wealth! Max out your 401(k) match and invest consistently in good, growth stock mutual funds.

Baby Step 5: Save for your kids’ college fund.
You don’t have to take out student loans or saddle your kids with debt. Save early and let compound interest work for you!

Baby Step 6: Pay off your house early.
Imagine life without a mortgage payment. That’s financial freedom! Every extra dollar you throw at your mortgage gets you closer to complete ownership.

Baby Step 7: Build wealth and give generously.
This is where the real fun begins! You have no payments, no debt, and no financial stress. Now you can live and give like no one else!

06/17/2026

📖 Proverbs 17:18 📖

"A man lacking in judgement strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor."

That's a pretty direct warning.

In today's language, we would call it co-signing a loan.

When you co-sign, you're telling the lender: "If they don't pay, I will."

Many people co-sign because they want to help a friend or family member. Their intentions are good, but good intentions don't change financial reality.

If the borrower misses payments, the debt becomes your responsibility.

💡 A Better Question 💡

Before co-signing, ask yourself:

"If the bank doesn't trust them with this loan, why should I risk my financial future?"

That's not being selfish—it's being wise.

God calls us to be generous and help others, but He also calls us to be wise stewards of the resources He has entrusted to us.

Send a message to learn more

06/11/2026

📖 Proverbs 11:24-25

"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will be refreshed."

God's economy often works differently than the world's.

The world says, "Hold on tightly to what you have."

God says, "Be generous."

Giving isn't just about money—it's about having a heart that is willing to bless others. When we live with open hands instead of clenched fists, we become better stewards of the blessings God has entrusted to us.

Generosity doesn't make us poorer. It reminds us that God is our provider, not our bank account.

06/10/2026

📖 "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." — Proverbs 10:4

This verse teaches an important financial truth: Wealth is usually built through consistent hard work, not shortcuts.

In a world that promotes get-rich-quick schemes and overnight success, Proverbs reminds us that diligence matters. Showing up every day, working hard, developing skills, and being faithful with what you've been given are often the real keys to building wealth.

But here's the part many people miss...

💰 Making Money Isn't Enough

I've met people who earn $40,000 a year and are building wealth.

I've also met people who earn $150,000 a year and are living paycheck to paycheck.

Why?

Because earning money and managing money are two different skills.

You can work hard and build income, but if you don't have a plan for that income, it can disappear just as quickly as it comes in.

🔑 Wealth Requires Both

✔️ Work hard to increase your income
✔️ Budget every dollar you earn
✔️ Save consistently
✔️ Avoid unnecessary debt
✔️ Invest for the future

Hard work creates opportunity.

A budget turns opportunity into wealth.

💬 Final Thought

Proverbs 10:4 teaches us that diligence leads to wealth. A budget helps ensure that wealth stays around long enough to accomplish your goals.

Work hard. Spend wisely. Build intentionally.