Tehachapi News

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Seeking financial freedom isn't a new goal. But where do you start? And, as times get tougher financially, changes in how we spend our money and even how we think about money need to take place.

Coming up on the (sensible) heels of Women’s History Month, Kathleen Ryan and Carla Cook have put their financial knowledge (financing, planning, and mortgage advisor) where their mouths are, and recently joined together to create “Pennywise Productions” to promote financial literacy for kids, teens and adults, and in particular, women.

“Most women don't learn about financial matters from their mothers,” Ryan and Cook shared. “Most of our mothers didn't have a clue about money issues because their mothers didn't know either and couldn't teach what they didn't know.  And often times a woman's first financial experience is either when family finances are in dire straights or when they lose their husband and discover the hard way that their financial well-being is virtually non-existent.”

Ryan and Cook believe that it is imperative not only for women to become well-versed in money matters, but that this skill be handed on to our children.
“It's never too late to start saving,” says Cook. “Women need to be more proactive in their financial affairs,” she added.  “Believe me, it's the woman who stays awake at night worrying about the financial mess her family is in and has no idea what to do to fix it.”

Creative Wealth for Women is a weekend long seminar designed to lift the financial fog and empower those attending. “We'll touch on stocks, business and real estate,” Ryan said, “but primarily we'll be teaching how we need to take a psychological look at how we view money - hopefully adjusting attitudes and beliefs along the way. Our guest presenter is Elisabeth Donati, founder and executive director of Creative Wealth International. She's dynamic and she knows what she's talking about.”

The seminar requires a commitment of time (Friday night, Saturday and Sunday) and money ($179 plus a $15 Parks and Recreation registration fee). “It's not a Power Point presentation,” cautioned Ryan. “It's interactive. It's fun. It's an educational experience which empowers us with the ability to make changes which ultimately can change our futures. This is our first event, and we are looking forward to doing a Money Camp for Kids, if not this summer then summer 2009, and other seminars as well.”

This seminar will take place the weekend of April 4 - 6 at the Central Park Scout Hut, 311 East “D” Street, behind the playground area of the park. For more information call Kathleen Ryan at (661) 822-3861 or Carla Cook at (661) 300-0325, or check out their website at www.PennywiseProductions.org.