Sara Money was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1992, she graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Communications from the University of New Mexico (UNM). In 1998, she graduated with a Masters of Arts in Counseling from Webster University in Albuquerque. She has worked and volunteered in many places: Albuquerque Job Corps, NM Human Services Department (Income Support Division), Albuquerque Public Schools (Substance Abuse Prevention Program), UNM Agora Crisis Center, Albuquerque Shelter for Domestic Violence, and Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center. She worked as the Clearinghouse Coordinator for a nonprofit – Love INC (In the Name of Christ) of Albuquerque from 2008-2011, and was promoted to Executive Director from 2011-2016. She was also the Albuquerque City Coordinator for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI) located in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 2015-2016. She now works as the Director and Developer of Money & ME, LLC.
In July, 2011 Sara was challenged to teach low-income people how to manage their money. She looked at several money management curriculums and discovered that they were written for people who have money. Because of her background working with low-income people, she recognized the need for a customized curriculum. The language and culture for low-income people needed to be addressed for successful learning to take place. For example, in the middle income world, budget worksheets discuss “vacations,” “dry cleaning,” and “babysitting” as an expense (not an income). Even the word “debt” is not typically used by low-income people because the word debt implies having a credit card. Low-income people typically owe money to pay day loans, friends or family, student loans, etc. The Money & ME curriculum addresses “debt” as “money owed” and helps participants develop a plan to pay off ALL the places and people they owe money to. It also helps with basic life skills, organizing techniques, and self discipline. All of these simple and practical strategies lead to success. And…in case you were wondering, Sara Money is her real name. She was born with it!