My Personal Financial Journey
How I learned to manage money and why I built DIY Money
February 13, 2023 • Personal Story
← Back to ResourcesPeople often ask me how I learned to manage money and what qualifies me to teach others about DIY investing. Here's my story - the education, experience, and mistakes that led me to build the DIY Money system.
Financial Education and Experience
I graduated in 2021 from the University of Georgia with a Masters in Financial Planning. This wasn't just theoretical education - it was comprehensive training in portfolio theory, tax planning, retirement strategies, and fiduciary responsibility.
But my real financial education started much earlier. I have been doing the accounting and bookkeeping for Southern Fabric for almost twenty years. This hands-on experience taught me how money flows through a business, the importance of cash flow management, and how to make data-driven financial decisions.
Most importantly, I have been managing my own portfolio and personal finances my entire adult life. I've made mistakes, learned from them, and developed systems that actually work in the real world.
The Academic Foundation
My Masters in Financial Planning covered everything financial advisors learn, including:
- Investment Theory: Modern Portfolio Theory, asset allocation, and risk management
- Tax Planning: Understanding how taxes impact investment returns and strategies
- Retirement Planning: 401k optimization, IRA strategies, and withdrawal planning
- Estate Planning: Wills, trusts, and wealth transfer strategies
- Insurance Analysis: Life, disability, and property insurance needs
- Behavioral Finance: Understanding how emotions impact financial decisions
The Fiduciary Standard
One of the most important things I learned was the fiduciary standard - the legal and ethical obligation to act in the client's best interest. This principle guides everything I do with DIY Money: providing tools and education that genuinely help people build wealth, not just generate fees.
Real-World Business Experience
Managing the finances for Southern Fabric for two decades taught me lessons you can't learn in school:
Cash Flow Management
Understanding when money comes in, when it goes out, and how to maintain liquidity during volatile periods.
Tax Optimization
Practical strategies for minimizing tax burden through timing, deductions, and business structure decisions.
Financial Systems
Building processes and systems that scale, provide accurate reporting, and support decision-making.
Performance Analysis
Using data to understand what's working, what isn't, and how to improve financial outcomes.
Personal Portfolio Management
I've been managing my own investments since I started working. This isn't theoretical knowledge - it's practical experience gained through:
- Market Cycles: I've invested through the dot-com crash, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 market volatility
- Asset Allocation: Developing and adjusting portfolios based on age, risk tolerance, and goals
- Tax-Advantaged Accounts: Maximizing 401k, IRA, and HSA contributions and strategies
- Rebalancing: Maintaining target allocations through systematic rebalancing
- Cost Management: Understanding how fees and taxes impact long-term returns
What I Learned About Financial Advisors
During my graduate studies and through working with clients, I discovered some uncomfortable truths about the financial services industry:
The Fee Problem
Most advisors charge 1% annually on assets under management. For someone with $1 million invested, that's $10,000 per year - whether the market goes up or down.
The Service Reality
The majority of advisors use simple asset allocation models (like 60% stocks, 40% bonds) and recommend the same basic index funds anyone can buy themselves.
I realized that with the right tools and education, most people could manage their own portfolios more effectively than paying ongoing advisor fees.
Why I Built DIY Money
After seeing how much people pay for basic financial services they could handle themselves, I decided to build the system I wished existed:
- Professional-grade tools without ongoing fees
- Complete transparency - you own your data and understand every decision
- Education-focused - teaching principles so you can make informed choices
- Comprehensive tracking - every account, every transaction, every fee
- Real performance analysis - inflation-adjusted returns and honest reporting
My Investment Philosophy
Through education and experience, I've developed a clear investment philosophy:
Keep It Simple
Complex strategies usually benefit the advisor more than the investor. Low-cost index funds and consistent contributions beat exotic investments.
Focus on What You Can Control
You can't control market returns, but you can control fees, taxes, asset allocation, and savings rate.
Time in Market Beats Timing the Market
Consistent investing through all market conditions builds more wealth than trying to predict market movements.
The Results
This approach has worked. I've built substantial wealth through consistent investing, cost management, and systematic portfolio management. More importantly, I understand exactly how every dollar is invested and why.
That's what DIY Money gives you - the knowledge, tools, and confidence to manage your own financial future without paying ongoing advisor fees.
Ready to Start Your Own Journey?
You don't need an advanced degree to manage your money effectively. You need the right tools, proven strategies, and the discipline to follow through. DIY Money provides everything else.