Getting the kittens on the conveyor belt
over 5 years ago – Thu, Jun 27, 2019 at 12:00:25 AM

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28 hours left to go <3 You're meowvalous!
over 5 years ago – Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 11:42:41 PM

Thank you all so much, from the bottom of my freaking heart. 

We have reached over $17,000 with 28 hours left in the campaign. 

Here's my level of excitement this morning

In case you were wondering what the current budget is with all that money coming in, here's how it currently scales out explained in emojis. Some things are estimates, of course: 

Should you still share the campaign? 

Heck yes!  We have so many reasons that getting more backers is helpful, but the one that's nearest and dearest to my heart is getting the train-the-trainer program up and running for GLBTQ+ youth to get financial literacy training all across the US. 

This will involve paying for help from a consultant to set the program up sustainably and with the best practices. Why do GLBTQ+ youth need special financial literacy training? Well, here's a few reasons (I shared some on this week's episode State of Queer Money).

• Queer + trans* youth are 20 times more likely to be kicked out of their home than their straight or cis peers 
• 1/3 of homeless youth identify as queer or trans* 
• GLBTQ+ youth carry $16K more student loans on average
• Many GLBTQ+ youth under the age of 24 cannot get access to federal Pell grants and other aid despite having low incomes because their family of origin refuses to fill out the FAFSA  
• People who identify as queer are more likely to have no emergency savings
• LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth

This cat finance stuff matters. I'm honored to have come out the other side of a tough teenage coming out with glitter, cats, and the kind of things that make learning about financial wellness approachable when everything in life seems scary. I love helping these kids with their money and want to do way more than one person can physically do. 

That's why this stuff matters.

Yes, it's just cat books and sticker sheets about budgeting. But it really, really does help change lives.

If you can share, here are the links:

• Click to tweet
• Click to share on Facebook
• The url to share or post on an instagram story is: http://www.ohmydollar.com/cats/  

<3 With budgets, glitter, and a lot of freaking love,

Lillian

AKA Ziggy Starbudget

We did it - $10,000!! Planners unlocked. With 8 days to go, what's left?
over 5 years ago – Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 03:36:53 PM

We reached 10Kittens!

We freaking did it! We hit our first stretch goal yesterday of $10,000! That means I’ll be able to produce the pocket budget planners, which lots of listeners have been requesting! I’m so excited to produce these through a local printer + binder in Portland and deliver them to you.

The planner will be automatically added to all pledge levels from $40 and up (the everything! package, your cat included, and all classroom Spons-purr-ships) for no additional money. 

If you pledged below $40, and want to grab the planner, it will be available for $10 as an add-on after the campaign! (You’ll even be able to switch your pledge to just the planner if you want to trade out.) 

Shares really help the campaign

About one third of our overall pledges have come from your shares on social media. Even if you have 10 followers, it really helps! During the last kickstarter, 40% of our total raised came in during the last 48 hours of the campaign, so this last week really matters!

• Click to tweet
• Click to share on Facebook
• The url to share or post on an instagram story is: http://www.ohmydollar.com/cats/  

Thanks, you're stu-purr-deous! 

Purrs and Glitter,

Lillian

Where does $11,001 go?

You know I love a budget! With just 8 days until the end of the campaign and the current total at $11,001, I thought I’d share what what current budget looks like in case you’re interested:

• $4,599 book printing 
• $1,160 freight for books
• $940 sticker sheet printing
• $560 clear sticker printing
• $780 Shipping costs to backers 
• $700 pocket planner printing
• $250 packaging for books
• $115 Printing for Wall Calendars
• $500 New Illustration
• $880 credit card + kickstarter fees 
• $800 Payroll (before taxes)

What’s the next stretch goal?

I’m not creating any more stretch goals since I don’t want to overwhelm anyone. But since you've already backed the campaign, here are the things I need more resources to complete that I hope to do in the next 6 months of Oh My Dollar! If we get to $15,000 I'll be able to do both of these things!

Production costs for a free 4-part video series on budgeting and saving 

This will cost about $900 to pay for 2 weeks of my time in video scripting, shooting, and editing. This will ideally come out in September when school starts! 

Creating a “train the trainer” program

This will expand the in-person free workshops for youth beyond what I’m able to physically go to. The goal is to facilitate conversations about money with youth - for social workers and GLBTQ+ youth group leaders already working with them.

Many group leaders have asked me to come teach in their local community but don’t have the financial resources to get me out there. Plus, these conversations are even better when led by adults that the youth already trust.

Altogether, creating this is part of my roadmap and help from a consultant ($4000) will help me make it in the best, most sustainable way possible.   Creating this program will help me put together the training + resources for trusted adults to talk about money, credit, and more with these teens - and of course, making it fun, approachable (and a little fuzzy!)

WE DID IT!!!! Now on to the stretch goals!
over 5 years ago – Wed, Jun 05, 2019 at 11:51:10 PM

You all are meownificant! 

Yesterday we reached our goal of $6,000, and we're now fully funded just 5 days into the campaign. Our Chief Box Inspector, Dora, tried to cracked open some champagne to celebrate.

Thanks to your generous Pay it Fur-ward contributions, 88 books will be donated through our non-profit partners (along with free financial workshops)! Keep on purring it forward, this is amazing.

Even though we're fully funded, the campaign goal was set to break exactly even for the expenses for one print run, so I'll still be covering the rests of the sticker and shipping costs out of pocket. BUT if we hit our stretch goal of $10,000, not only will I be able to cover all those costs and get more cat-filled purrsonal finance out in the hands of those that need it-  I'll also be able to unlock the Pocket Budget Planner! I really want this to exist in the world, so I hope we get to this goal. <3 

Shares really help the campaign - more than 50% of our total backers have come from your shares - so if paw-sible, please share on your fav social media. 

- Click to tweet!  

- Click to share on facebook

- Click to download an image to share on instagram (feel free to include our short url: ohmydollar.com/cats/ )

Lillian

You're purr-fect! We're over 50% there!
over 5 years ago – Fri, May 24, 2019 at 10:03:58 AM

My Meownificant Friends,

Thank you so much for the amazing support this first day of the Kickstarter. We managed to raise over 50% of the project goal in the first 26 hours of the campaign! <3 <3 That's some real scratch!

I made this book because I genuinely just want to see more accessible, fun fur-nancial education in the world. It means so much to me that you believe in that too! 

You all are helping me make that possible. Not only that, we've already had 68 books donated to the Pay It Fur-Ward program which means I'm going to be able to deliver in-personal financial education with FREE books to low-income young adults this fall. You make my heart grow 10 times, in a non-cardiac-health-scary-way.

If you have a chance, and you know someone who could use this project, please share it directly or on social media.  Most backers come from YOUR shares. You can just press the "Share" button on the main page, or tweet this link: http://www.ohmydollar.com/cats/

Especially as the initial furvor wains, the shares really help keep the project in mind. Remember, funding is all-or-nothing, and we still have a ways to go!

Any questions or concerns, feel free to drop me a line through Kickstarter or via email at [email protected]

❤️😻   Lillian