About Ruth
Business Mission
It is my mission to help you master your money and create and abundant life.
Too many lives, marriages, families, are short-changed and even destroyed by financial chaos. This is intolerable to me. From a very young age, I have felt called to help people understand and master their money so that they can have the freedom to pursue their passions and have more time for the people they love.
It's cheesy, but I aim to bring world peace one personal budget at a time.
Too many lives, marriages, families, are short-changed and even destroyed by financial chaos. This is intolerable to me. From a very young age, I have felt called to help people understand and master their money so that they can have the freedom to pursue their passions and have more time for the people they love.
It's cheesy, but I aim to bring world peace one personal budget at a time.
Formal Education and Training
I earned my bachelor's degree from Utah State University in Family, Consumer, and Human Development--Family Finance Emphasis. I never incurred debt. I did an internship with LDS Employment Services and a financial counseling practicum at the USU Marriage and Financial Counseling House in Logan, Utah. I also worked and trained with Head Start programs, HUD programs, domestic violence shelters, and churches to educate and empower those they serve.
I completed the Ramsey Financial Coaching Master Training and was a Ramsey Preferred Coach the first couple years of my coaching business.
I am a *YNAB Certified Budget Coach.
I actively seek continued learning from wise, talented professionals, and I am a junkie for TedTalks, podcasts, seminars, and audiobooks.
Life
I received my most impactful training in the first 17 years of my life.
My father, a UPS driver and entrepreneur, taught me and my five siblings to creatively generate income and to wisely manage money. He taught me the importance of tracking my money and the power of awareness; to understand the power of compound interest and the value of time as money; and to see work as a blessing and a joy. He even gave me my first job: hunting and counting nightcrawlers for fishermen.
My mother, a home-economist, showed me how to bring huge financial value to the home, be resourceful, and live with contentment. She brought life to the adage, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Old clothes made new quilts, and leftover rice made great pancakes . . .maybe just edible pancakes.
Both of my parents were examples of generosity in all stages.
My father, a UPS driver and entrepreneur, taught me and my five siblings to creatively generate income and to wisely manage money. He taught me the importance of tracking my money and the power of awareness; to understand the power of compound interest and the value of time as money; and to see work as a blessing and a joy. He even gave me my first job: hunting and counting nightcrawlers for fishermen.
My mother, a home-economist, showed me how to bring huge financial value to the home, be resourceful, and live with contentment. She brought life to the adage, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Old clothes made new quilts, and leftover rice made great pancakes . . .maybe just edible pancakes.
Both of my parents were examples of generosity in all stages.
Adulthood has been my true qualifier.
My husband was raised in a very different financial and social climate than I was. We also have very polarizing dreams. He dreams of being a trauma surgeon, a soldier, and owning a gentleman's farm; I dream of being a millionaire before age 40 and owning a studio apartment next to an international airport so I can back-pack across the globe.
It has been a challenge to create our own financial and social methodology, and chase our dreams in harmony with the other things that are important.
While my husband met the insane demands of becoming a trauma surgeon, I became a stay-at-home/homeschool-mom of our growing family while running the household on our VERY tight budget – $2-3k BEFORE tithing and insurance. Our pursuits to make and save money could certainly fill a book–maybe I will write one someday–and I was GREAT at budgeting and frugality. In fact, I was so good that family could not believe we operated on such small numbers because our home was pleasant and we participated in everything important. However, I personally suffered because of an intense scarcity mindset and a life-time of poor boundaries.
While my husband met the insane demands of becoming a trauma surgeon, I became a stay-at-home/homeschool-mom of our growing family while running the household on our VERY tight budget – $2-3k BEFORE tithing and insurance. Our pursuits to make and save money could certainly fill a book–maybe I will write one someday–and I was GREAT at budgeting and frugality. In fact, I was so good that family could not believe we operated on such small numbers because our home was pleasant and we participated in everything important. However, I personally suffered because of an intense scarcity mindset and a life-time of poor boundaries.
Wrestling through times that felt intent on breaking me has magnified my empathy for other people’s pains and shames. The first decade of marriage was dark and complicated for me until I couldn’t/wouldn’t live with status quo anymore and began a huge “personal revolution.” I spent two years facing demons, learning how to maintain healthy boundaries, and changing my toxic patterns with money, marriage, family, and church. I blossomed as a person and felt able to step back into the world as a financial coach.
The years were ROUGH, but they gave me a ROBUST toolbox for the money stuff and a more powerful ability to help my clients trade in their own shame and toxic money patterns for a life of abundance.
Human resiliency, resourcefulness, and our ability to supersede anything is amazing. Taming my intense DIY spirit to practice vulnerability and collaboration with wise people has created a joy and liberation that is truly miraculous. Also, the total trust and unity in our marriage and partnership is something I wouldn't trade for anything.
I know "good debt" does NOT feel good; vulnerability is scary; healthy boundaries are the difference between joy and hell; and having somewhere safe to process your thoughts and options is a total game-changer.
I love my work, and I am so honored to pay forward the wisdom and skills I have gleaned from so many gifted and loving people.
The years were ROUGH, but they gave me a ROBUST toolbox for the money stuff and a more powerful ability to help my clients trade in their own shame and toxic money patterns for a life of abundance.
Human resiliency, resourcefulness, and our ability to supersede anything is amazing. Taming my intense DIY spirit to practice vulnerability and collaboration with wise people has created a joy and liberation that is truly miraculous. Also, the total trust and unity in our marriage and partnership is something I wouldn't trade for anything.
I know "good debt" does NOT feel good; vulnerability is scary; healthy boundaries are the difference between joy and hell; and having somewhere safe to process your thoughts and options is a total game-changer.
I love my work, and I am so honored to pay forward the wisdom and skills I have gleaned from so many gifted and loving people.
What can I help you accomplish today?
* Disclaimer--I am a YNAB Certified Budgeting Coach, which means that I have been trained to coach people on using YNAB software and the YNAB budgeting method. I have met select requirements of You Need a Budget LLC in order to receive this certification, which means that I have the ability to competently coach YNAB to others. I am not an employee of YNAB, and all non-YNAB related opinions and recommendations are my own. My views do not reflect the views of YNAB and its employees or its affiliates
