I am not worthless because I still have something powerful to give: choice. As long as I can make decisions that protect my future, I still hold the shield. ,As long as my actions—no matter how small—move me toward stability, freedom, or clarity, I am not worthless. If my life impacts even one person for the better, I matter.And if that one person is me, that still counts.Especially in this journey. If I can offer love, patience, understanding, encouragement, or even a quiet moment of strength, I’m not worthless. If I can show up one more day, try one more time, or take one more step, then I have worth. If I can trust my own judgment, respect my growing wisdom, and honor the battles I’ve survived, I’m not worthless.If others see that value too, that’s a bonus—but my self-respect is the real credit score that counts. I am not worthless. I am a work in progress. I am rebuilding. I am rising. I am a Credit Avenger.

I had a wonderful conversation with @Amy May. She told me a story about the notepad method. She would place a notebook on the dinning table or counter, where everyone could write down daily what they spent money on. Soda, coffee, doughnut, ice cream (gotta stop getting hungry now). Anyway it allowed her family to see what small transactions were eating away at their paychecks. Big change that @Amy May did was to buy sodas in 24 packs and grab and go. What would your notebook show you spending money on every day?

I wasn’t always the Credit Avenger. In fact, my whole philosophy was born the day I realized I wasn’t working for myself anymore—I was working as a slave for a credit card company. Back in my days in the US Navy, one of my first credit cards was a MasterCard. I used it for everything and thought I was being “responsible” because I kept my spending under $1,000 a month and paid it off. Every time I did that, the company rewarded me with a higher credit limit. $2K… $5K… $7,500… eventually $10,000. I was 25. I wasn’t taught about money. I trusted the system. And like most people do, I fell into the trap. Slowly, little by little, I maxed out that $10,000 limit. And for the first time ever, I stopped and looked at the finance charges. $600. In one month. Just in interest. That’s when the truth hit me like a lightning bolt: I wasn’t paying off debt. I wasn’t building anything. I was working for them. My paycheck wasn’t mine anymore—it belonged to MasterCard. That Day I Realized I Was a Slave to the Credit Companies. That was the moment everything changed. That’s the moment The Credit Avenger was born. Because the game is rigged. Because nobody is teaching us this stuff. Because if you don’t control your money, someone else will—and they will happily keep you on the hamster wheel for decades. I share this because so many of you are living this exact story right now. And I’m here to help you break the chains faster than I did. If any part of this hit home, drop a comment. Tell me where you are in your journey. We’re going to get out of this together. Credit Avenger Out.

@Ken Brown is our newest Avenger. The all give him a warm welcome.

Nice Idea. Where’s the Training? I saw the Wells Fargo Clear Access Checking commercial where they talk about how it’s a great account to teach your kids about finances… And I’ll give them this: It can be a solid starter account. But here’s what they don’t say out loud: It doesn’t actually TEACH your teen anything. It doesn’t come with a “money habits starter kit.” It doesn’t come with coaching. It doesn’t walk your kid through budgeting, saving, or building discipline. What it DOES come with is: Overdraft protection (aka: the card gets declined if the money isn’t there) And honestly… that’s not financial education. That’s just a guardrail. A guardrail is great… …but it won’t teach your kid how to drive. This Happens Everywhere (Great Idea, No Follow-Through) Companies love selling you the idea of success: ✅ “This will teach your kid money!” ✅ “This will help you get out of debt!” ✅ “This program will change your life!” But then you get inside and it’s like… “…good luck out there, champ.” 🥴 That reminds me of my 20’s… I had racked up $10,000 in credit card debt. I finally got a debt consolidation loan… …and the ONLY advice I got was: 👉 “Don’t do that again.” That’s it. No plan. No system. No habits. No “here’s how to avoid this forever.” Just vibes. 😐 Credit Avenger Truth Bomb Protection isn’t the same as training. Overdraft protection keeps you from falling off the cliff… But it doesn’t teach you how to build a road. Teaching financial habits takes: ✅ repetition ✅ a simple system ✅ weekly check-ins ✅ saving goals ✅ spending boundaries ✅ a plan for mistakes Not shame. Not lectures. Not “don’t do it again.” If You’re Teaching Your Teen Money… Here’s the REAL Playbook Try this simple 3-bucket system: Spend (fun + life) Save (goals) Give (helping others) And do 5 minutes per week reviewing their transactions like a coach, not a cop: “Was that a want or a need?” That alone builds more money discipline than any commercial ever will.