WIFE.org Launches Money Clubs,® Free Online Community to Help Women Take Charge of Family Finances

Aug. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- San Diego, CA: It’s free, non-fattening and fun – and, it can help educate the critical mass of women who are now assuming more powerful roles in personal and family investing and decision making.  According to a recent survey conducted by LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer* and investment firm in the United States, most women will ultimately fend for themselves financially, as a result of divorce or widowhood.

Women are working and earning more than ever before and controlling increasing amounts of wealth in our country.   Yet, only slightly more than half of the women surveyed by LPL know the likely amount of their retirement income, and only 44% have calculated the amount of their essential expenses.

Welcome to The Money Clubs, an online curriculum created by Bahr and Wall to address the issues by helping women create lifelong financial stability, leveraging the fact that women love to learn and share information in groups.  As pioneers in the area of women and money, it was BLANK years ago that the pair created the original, “in-person” Money Clubs.  The success of the physical clubs coupled with the increasing financial roles women face today inspired them to launch the new Facebook online group.  The free, non-biased group content leads women step-by-step through the 360 degrees of finances, from budgeting, getting out of debt, money and relationships, taxes, divorce, retirement and everything in-between.

It doesn’t take a wealth expert to run a Money Club – in fact, about 90% of in-person clubs that have cropped up around the country are led by everyday women.

WIFE’s new online group is being led by “Coach Shelley” Murasko, an engineer/mom with a passion for taking the mystery out of money while making it fun.  After starting her own Money Club in 2010 called “The Frugalista$,” Shelley and her group discovered the huge value in socializing around financial goals.  Now, she has joined the WIFE.org team to help build out Money Clubs Online Groups nationwide in order to help women by serving their financial dreams. Shelley will lead lively discussions on a variety of topics that follow the curriculum and also help respond to group questions.  For Shelley, “Leading discussions at Money Clubs Online is quite inspiring.  Whether the topic is budgeting, retirement planning or what to do if you win a million dollars, responses offer great insight, education and a breadth of perspective.”  As recognized leaders in areas of finance, Bahr and Wall will also be on hand to moderate with valuable, non-biased input.

It has been nearly one quarter century since Bahr and Wall founded WIFE.org, after realizing that there were a staggering number of women in desperate need of a place to go for financial education.  With a career spanning over three decades, Bahr is known nationally as an advocate for women’s financial independence.  She is co-founder of Bahr Investment Group and a CEA (Certified Estate Adviser), as well as a CDFA (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst). Wall is a nationally recognized expert and columnist on the subject of women and money.  As a forensic accountant, her credentials include CPA, CFP®, and CDFA. She has authored eight books on personal finance and was named one of the 250 top financial advisors in the country by Worth Magazine eight years in a row.

For Bahr, “Women are all about connection and being together. The support of other Money Club members provides a sense of community and belonging. With the help of friends to keep them on track, women can help each other change their financial lives forever in a very powerful way. Like having a diet buddy to help lose weight, friends in the Money Club provide the encouragement that each member needs to succeed.” To join the group and the fun, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/moneyclubsgroup/. To start your own in-person Money Club, visit http://www.wife.org/moneyclubs.htm.

Bahr and Wall have been speaking nationally on behalf of WIFE.org since 1988, offering workshops and making media appearances on shows like NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, CBS This Morning, CNNfn, PBS and National Public Radio. They also keynote women’s conferences sponsored by State Treasurers and Governors around the country, educating women about financial issues and spreading the word about the help their organization provides.  All proceeds from their speaking engagements go back into WIFE.org to support new and existing programs.

ABOUT WIFE.ORG

The Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE.org) is the oldest non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial education to women in their quest for financial independence. It was founded by wealth management experts Candace Bahr and Ginita Wall, who have a lifelong mission of helping women connect with resources that help them prosper and grow financially.

Under the guidance of Bahr and Wall, WIFE.org has gained national prominence.  It was recently named one of the top 500 financial sites by “Online Investor,” capturing the interest of women and the press seeking non-biased financial advice and information for women.  For more information, visit www.WIFE.org.

*As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2011, based on total revenue