My Money Story

What you experienced growing up impacts how you make financial decisions today. My first solid memory of money discussions was on Saturday mornings when my parents would sit at the kitchen table. They would talk about the bills they were paying and balancing the checkbook. My mom was more of a saver and my dad was more of a spender; but they both believed in being honest, paying their bills on time, and having as little debt as possible. My parents were depression babies, they were the first in their families to have college degrees, and they both had strong work ethics. My dad lost his job in one of the first white-collar "downsizing" events in the mid-70's. Back then, that was a new term. At the time, I was a sophomore in high school and from that point on my perspective of money changed. For my dad it was demoralizing, and he felt ashamed. Psychologically, he never got over it. My mom continued working full-time until she was 70.

I took an unexpected turn while I was pursuing a degree in Education and Psychology at Bowling Green State University. Prior to leaving for London, England, where I did my student teaching, I had to complete an elective. The only course available was Personal Finance. To my amazement, I found it fascinating. After teaching a few years, I started working toward my calling. First at Merrill Lynch, next at a small money management firm in Dublin and then at a financial planning firm in Upper Arlington. In my quest to be a financial planner, no one seemed to be providing this service in the manner in which I felt it should be done. I wanted to help people who had a vested interest in achieving their dreams and to conduct this in a personable and relaxed environment. So, as one of the few women in this profession at that time, I founded Alexander Financial Planning. It was my background in education and psychology combined with my passion for personal finance that has led me to this vocation.

We are all a product of our past. No two stories are alike. We have pre-conceived notions about money based on where we have come from. Appreciate where you are; value where you have been; allow yourself the understanding to build a bridge between these two.

About Me

I have been a resident of Grandview Heights since 1980. I enjoy spending time with my best friend, Gene, my 3 children and 4 grandchildren who live in Columbus. My passions are running, hiking, traveling, cooking, and music. I am active in my community, in several professional organizations and have served on several non-profit boards.

My Money Story

I grew up the second of five children. My Dad worked in commercial construction as a plumber and my Mom stayed home raising the five of us. During my childhood we never went without, although we certainly never had the latest (or even oldest) gadgets or clothes. Each dollar had a purpose and was accounted for.

My first opportunity to make money was by taking a paper route at the age of 13. I delivered The Newark Advocate for several years, making little more than a dollar or two per day. This first job was important to me because I was able to earn money to pay for trips to Cedar Pointe with my church youth group, or new shoes before basketball season. A few weeks after my 16th birthday I started my first “real” job at McDonalds ($5.15 an hour!) and that summer spent 40 hours a week making Big Macs and cheeseburgers.

As time went on, I worked at other fast-food establishments, vending companies, and home improvement stores. I learned the value of hard work not only by working myself, but also by watching my parents, especially my dad, work hard every day. Whether in the heat of summer, or snow and ice of winter, my dad was off to work before we got up.

Meanwhile, my mom made sure we were taken care of and provided for. I was able to work my way through college (twice!) and also obtain various licensing and professional designations, including the CFP® designation. I learned through experience the first step to financial freedom is living well within my means. I’m fortunate that I have been able to work hard for the things that I have accomplished.

Becoming a Financial Planner has been a bit of a DIY process for me. I became a Financial Planner for a couple of main reasons. One was because I wanted money to be a positive force in my own life. The second was the hope that my experience could help others in the same way. Everyone has a unique relationship with money, and as it does for everyone, my experiences growing up have shaped my relationship with money as an adult. Money was a scarce resource growing up, and it seemed to be a limiting factor for much of our lives. My goal as a Financial Planner is to help others use money as a positive force in their lives.

About Me

I currently live in Canal Winchester with my wife, Lisa, and our two daughters, Ellie and Ainsley. We enjoy going on hikes, playing board games, and visiting the zoo. We are also currently working on filling our refrigerator door with magnets from the places we have visited.

My Money Story

I was raised by adoptive parents with a 17-year age difference between them. Mom was the older spouse, born in 1917, and despite working for a stockbroker, she invested solely in real estate. Dad, on the other hand, was a liberal spender. Together they owned and operated a sole proprietorship where dad was a veterinarian and mom kept the books. I never knew it growing up, but later learned they struggled to balance income and overhead of the business with the needs (and wants) of the family. I’ve tried to live “within my means” because failing to maintain this balance can be stressful.

I am a creative soul and attended cosmetology school to fill a year after graduating from high school as a junior. I wanted to become an interior designer and earned an associate degree before getting married. Plans to begin a home renovation business with my husband were thwarted by news that we were instead to be parents. My husband took a company job with benefits and I spent the next 10 years at home. During that time, I became a Licensed Real Estate Sales Agent in the State of Ohio but learned that I did not enjoy relying on commission sales.

When choosing to re-enter the work force, I was seeking a part-time job with minimal travel and overhead that would permit me to maintain a presence at home. I took a position with Alexander Financial Planning in November 2001 to learn about money, but I’ve experienced more growth and fulfillment than I ever anticipated. Working to help our clients find and maintain their own balance is personally rewarding for me.

About Me

I currently live in Upper Arlington. My husband and I have three children and a dog. I enjoy music, sports, and RV camping with my family. I was a volunteer Girl Scout troop leader for 12 years and I have volunteered with local youth sport organizations.

Pavla's Story

We are working with Pavla through an organization called Financial Services Outsourcing Solutions, based in Ohio.

Pavla grew up in Czechia and moved to the United States in her teens. She holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary arts and sciences from the University of Washington.

Pavla spent 15 years working in municipal government providing customer service to residents of Bellevue, WA. For the last 6 years, she has been a paraplanner for financial professionals.

Pavla currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, son, and their dachshund. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and photography.

About Me

Tucker is our part-time employee that only comes in when he wants to. He mostly lays around the office and doesn’t do much at all.

He does, however, provide strong barks when mail carriers or delivery trucks are near and is often seen in the windows as people walk by or stop to smile and wave at him.

He also provides comfort and expects some level of affection from those in the office as he occasionally makes his rounds to receive some much-desired attention.

My Money Story

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household where money was never much of an issue. We weren’t wealthy, but we were fairly well-off. My dad had a small town, middle-class upbringing, but my mom’s family often struggled to make ends meet. As a result, she made sure to impress upon me how lucky we were to be able to live comfortably.

When I was nine years old, my parents started giving me a weekly allowance in order to help teach me the value of a dollar. At first I was pretty frivolous with my money, spending it mostly on candy or sugary drinks. But after a few weeks of this, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to buy some of the things I really wanted if I kept spending my money on junk. From then on, I began saving up and really did start to understand the value of money.

After graduating from OSU, I ended up spending a couple years working in auto sales. This proved to be a real eye opening experience for me. While I had some familiarity with loans, having racked up some student debt while attending school, it was the first time I ever had a close up look at how finance actually worked. Getting to see the behind the scenes process and also having a window into other people’s financial affairs taught me a lot about the importance of money management.

About Me

I currently live on the south side of Columbus. I’m an avid sports fan and enjoy watching the Blue Jackets, Ohio State football/basketball, and the Cincinnati Reds. I also like to play table top games with friends, play with my dog, and spend time with my family.