Your economic stimulus check should have landed in your mailbox / bank account by now. I’d like to suggest that you invest it in your future.

For young people, financial investing may seem distant, something to do later when you have more money to work with. Especially during this economic downturn, you might be tempted to tune out of the stock market. Don’t.

My wife and I have enjoyed the Traction events we’ve attended: “Eyes on the Prize,” a tour of Piedmont Biofuels, and a Shirley Chisholm documentary. Each event was as unique as the people in attendance. I believe that sharing is a two-way street. Since part of my calling is to help people choose investments that work in their favor, I’d like to invite you to an investing workshop with me.

WHAT: Investing During a Slowing Economy: Tools and Tips
WHEN: June 12th, 7pm
WHERE: Downtown Durham (RSVP for specifics)
RSVP: investing@getTraction.org
Brush-up Reading: Money Guide for 20-somethings

We’ll talk about why you as a Tractivist should invest and how to do it, and we’ll discuss socially responsible investment options so that your money can work for both your financial goals and your values.

I got into investing because of my parents, who came to the U.S. from Panama and who both worked at Chase Manhattan Bank. I was hooked by their stories of how investing gave their clients financial freedom and protection, leading me to study economics at Wharton, get a Master’s Degree in Finance, and work for a Wall Street firm as a financial advisor.

Don’t worry!! You do not need to have a large sum of money to begin investing. Your economic stimulus check would be great, or you can begin with even less. The earlier you get started, the sooner you can make your money work for you, and the earlier you’ll build the knowledge and financial freedom to meet your goals (like owning a home, starting a business, or saving the world). Further, over the many years before you retire, you’ll earn interest on your interest, so an investment now will multiply its value many times over ten, twenty, or thirty years.

I look forward to sharing my expertise in helping people manage their finances and to learning your interests so that together all of our worlds can get a little bigger.

Gregory Davis
Investment Planner, Writer, & Consultant; Board member of StoriesWork; Tractivist

P.S. From the thrift-o-rama team (Lisa, Melissa, Lanya):

We need YOU to help sort, clean, and test all the really good (and in some cases, brand new) re-usable goods coming in for the 6/14 thrift-o-rama. Come to Traction’s Caddy Shack (at Geer and Rigsbee) this Tuesday 5-7pm to volunteer and/or drop off your own good quality stuff for reuse. Write reuse@getTraction.org so we know you’re coming.