Welcome to The Money Roadmap! My name is Amy and I’m just an average gal trying to get along in this world. Kind of like a lot of people I know. But I have a secret . . . I use a money management system that’s designed to let ME be the driver.

When I was starting out on my own (in Arizona, no less!) I needed a way to make sure I paid my rent, utilities, and all my necessary expenses – including food! My dad showed me how to set up my own plan and how to use it so I had a place to sleep and something to eat. Guess what? It worked. I didn’t have a lot of extra money, but I didn’t go hungry or lose my apartment! (And I never had to ask my parents for a dime.) When I returned to Illinois, I got a job as a junior high school Spanish teacher. I also had to buy a reliable car to get me to and from work. But with my Roadmap at the ready, I was able to do it. I also met my future husband and less than a year later we were engaged. When we got married, money wasn’t an issue. We had plenty. But we wanted to get out of the townhouse we were in, so we used our Roadmap to save for a down payment and moved out eight months later. Even though we didn’t really need to manage our finances too much, we did it anyway, knowing that someday we wanted to have children. Then (holy cow!) we had triplets. Gasp! But guess what? All those years of using our Roadmap paid off and I was able to stay home with them until they went off to first grade. Since then I’ve been working part-time as a substitute teacher. It allows me great flexibility and helps with the family income.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to a lot of people about finances, in general, and budgeting. I’ve been shocked to discover that, while some seemed to have a handle on the situation, others had no clue how much was in the bank or where it went every month. I’ve even talked with some who knew exactly how much they had – but only because it wasn’t going to cover the rent. And it broke my heart. Many have asked me how my family and I got along and I’ve told them about my system, its simplicity, all its benefits, and what we’ve been able to accomplish as a result of using it. I’ve seen, first-hand, how it can turn things around for those who are up to their eyeballs in debt, and how it can ease stress for others who are simply trying to get ahead or get things under control. And in this economy, we “ordinary” people can’t afford NOT to have a method for managing our finances.

Soooo, after much encouragement, and a LOT of careful consideration, I’ve written a book about it: The Money Roadmap (You choose the destination AND the way!)

With this book you’ll learn how to manage your money no matter what your situation may be. This isn’t just for people who are having financial difficulty. It’s for anyone who wants to have more control over their money. It’s for young and old, single or married, kids or no kids, working or retired, with one income or two. If you want to get in the driver’s seat and create your own Roadmap that leads to where you want to go, then this is the place for you. Make sure you visit the page titled “The Book” to learn more details and information about the book.

As for the website, I’ll be posting on tips and tricks to saving money, notifying you of great deals I’ve found, and giving you ideas for some good reading. Please be patient, though. It’s a work in progress and I’ll do everything I can to improve things as I go along. Thanks.

I’d also like to hear from you — have you tried The Money Roadmap? If so, how’s it going? Do you have any questions? Or do you have a great money-saving tip you’d like to share? Visit the “Contact” page and let me know.

So, are you ready to take control of the wheel? Hop in and let’s go for a ride . . .