Faithful With a Few - Khaleef Crumbley

Back in April of this year is the first time that I ‘met’ Khaleef Crumbley. He offered me the opportunity to guest post on his financial site Faithful With a Few. It was a difficult post to write because I had to really think through some negative things that had happened in my life which brought about such an interest in personal finance as a teen. At the same time it really helped me to understand myself a little better. Since that time I had the privilege of meeting Khaleef and his wife Sherrian in St. Louis at FinCon ’13. It was so nice to meet him and we cheered for him when his site won the Plutus Award for the Best Religious Personal Finance blog. Here’s a pic of Khaleef accepting his award:

Khaleef wins the Plutus Award!

In this interview Khaleef gives us a little personal background, shares his passion about how to handle finances biblically, and talks about how teens might be able to make money blogging in addition to some financial advice for teens. Here goes! Me: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Khaleef: I’m 34 years old. Married (7 years now) with no children. Although, many people tell me that I’m too young, I am a retired musician. I was born and raised in New Jersey, and I have never lived in another state, and I honestly can’t see myself moving away.

Me: When did you first become interested in blogging about personal finance as a career? Do you work a full time job?

Khaleef: I never really thought about blogging. In fact, I never heard of the word “blog” until I tried to create my website. At that time, a friend recommended I use a platform called “WordPress” instead of trying to code it from scratch. That was my first introduction to blogging.

It was probably 7 or 8 years ago that I dreamed of having a website where I could upload articles teaching people about various aspects of personal finance and also economics – both based on the bible. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I got started and about a year into blogging, I realized that it was possible to earn income from doing it. I see so many people who are now managing websites (and doing other freelance blog-related things) full time, so I know it’s very possible. Yes, I work as a Business Manager at a large research University.

Me: What led you to start your own website about personal finance?

Khaleef: I found myself answering the same questions and having the same discussions over and over, so I felt that a website was probably the easiest way to have access to a large amount of readers.

My thought was that if someone comes to me with a question that involves a detailed answer, I would just direct them to the appropriate section of my website, where many of their questions could be answered. Me: What do you focus on at Faithful With a Few (or your other websites)?

Khaleef: The name for the blog comes from the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25…verses 21 & 23 read: “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” There are several applications to this text, but I’ll just talk about the financial 😉

I want to show people how to apply biblical principles to their finances, so that we can all please God with how we handle our money. No matter what God has given us, we are to be faithful to Him with how we manage it. We are just stewards who have the responsibility of managing God’s money in alignment to His will, character, and commands. If we can prove faithful in managing God’s provision today, then He will bless us with great spiritual riches, and even a larger provision to manage in many cases! The great thing is that if we all were to apply these principles, even those who are not Christians would greatly benefit! So even though I don’t use scripture in all (or even most) of my articles, I do make sure that everything I write is in line with the bible. I also love to talk about big concepts concerning money. So, you may not read a post about how to find the best interest rate when purchasing a new home, but you may instead find posts challenging the importance of “owning” a home or even questioning the sustainability of the current housing market. My goal is to get people to think, examine their decisions/motivations, and to not simply fall in line with what the rest of society is doing based on conventional wisdom. At Fat Guy, Skinny Wallet, I talk specifically about my journey to pay off over $100k in debt and to lose over 100lbs! The posts are much more personal, light, and I try to add humor. I try to be as open as possible with my struggles, so that someone else could relate to them. I also have a YouTube channel connected with this site, and that is actually where I have the most engagement with those who support my goals.

Me: Who is best suited to blogging as a means to earn money? Do you think that teens should consider blogging as a way to earn extra money?

Khaleef: I’ll just stick to conventional blogs here (not considering niche or authority sites) with my answer. I think for someone to be successful over the long run with a blog, it will take passion (to keep the readers excited about coming back), commitment (especially in terms of keeping to a posting/commenting schedule), and the ability to build relationships (something I am HORRIBLE with). If one can develop these character traits, then they can go far – as long as they are willing to be patient, not compromise to earn a quick buck, and research the various monetization streams.

I definitely think blogging is a great way for teens to earn extra money. With social media being such a large part of most teenagers’ lives, it should be a very easy jump to write blog posts (they can just be considered “extended status updates” lol) that are funny/witty, personable, engaging, and even thought-provoking. This makes it easier to manage a blog without it taking over their lives or becoming a distraction from other priorities. With the extensive use of social media many teens already have a large network that can help to promote their posts! Having a strong reader base is a large part of earning money with a blog, so they would have a great advantage over many.

Me: What types of projects (like blogging) would you suggest for teens to get involved with in order to develop marketable skills?

Khaleef: I definitely think that blogging is one of the best projects that one can take on. You have to be a very good, communicator, administrator, researcher, networker, a decent accountant, and do it all with enthusiasm!

I think that getting involved in something that really causes you to evaluate things and become a critical thinker. Many people think they are, but I feel that very few actually possess that skill. I actually feel that what is missing from most people 50 and under is the ability to take control of our skills and develop businesses or at least ways to make side income. Most of us just sit around and wait for someone to give us a job, then we hope not to lose it. So I think that shadowing small business owners and really focusing on developing, focusing, and streamlining current skills and passions should be something that most teens try to do as much as possible.

Me: What are your earliest memories and perceptions about money?

Khaleef: My earliest memories about money all involve the struggles that my parents faced. It was a constant battle for them to make ends meet. My father had over an hour commute each way with the only car we had, and my mother worked full time, part time, and then went to school. It seemed like the large majority of the stress they faced revolved around money.

We focused much more on spending time together and having frugal fun, so I never had the desire to be rich or even chase easy money as I grew up into an adult.

So thankful to know this amazing couple!

Me: Did your parents teach you how to budget?

Khaleef: Sort of…

Me: How did they do that with you?

Khaleef: My mother would sit down to pay bills and move money around every 2 weeks (when they got paid). Most of the time I would sit with her and ask her questions about how she managed the money and came up with the budget. I was very much involved in their financial struggles from a young age, because I could see firsthand how hard it was for them to cover the basics.

I think that is part of the reason why I never wanted anything new, flashy, or expensive growing up. I didn’t care at all about having name brand clothing, or anything else that other kids drooled over. I think it was because I knew the burden that it would cause if my parents tried to get those things (and the grief it may cause for them to know that they couldn’t provide those things).

Me: What is the biggest mistake that teens make with money in your opinion?

Khaleef: They don’t understand the value of money. In general (and I think this is true of most Americans I observe), they spend it too easily on things that will only provide a very temporary pleasure, and they also aren’t willing to work hard for it and have a sense of entitlement.

This causes them to easily take on debt as they get older, and also fail to save, always assuming that prosperity is just around the corner.

Me: Can you tell us about your biggest success and/or failure with money when you were a teen?

Khaleef: I think my biggest success was the fact that I didn’t chase expensive things that other people felt were important. I didn’t try to keep up with video game systems, clothing, sneakers, jewelry, or any of the other things that teens were spending thousands of dollars (some theirs and some from their parents) on!

My biggest failure was that I did not try to consistently earn money earlier. I played sports and let that be the focus of my spare time, rather than earning money (or at least a mix of the two). I was not prepared to support myself when the time came.

Me: What did you do to earn money as a teen?

There are 3 jobs that stand out to me as a teen: First, I tried to go door-to-door and convince people that they needed their roof to be repaired (these were people who owned homes in an extremely poverty-stricken area). Next, I worked in Boston Market (a fast food chain). I also worked as a convenience store clerk (and I made sandwiches in the deli).

I probably held between 15-20 jobs before going back to school in my mid-20s!

Me: What is the best piece of advice you have for teens today who want to be responsible with their money?

Khaleef: Realize that you are neither invincible nor immune when it comes to financial problems. Be very wise with every penny (“faithful with a few”) and don’t have the mindset that you can “have fun” with your money now and then choose to be responsible later on. Talk to people who have made financial mistakes early in life and are still dealing with the fallout now (like me…I’m over $100k in debt)!

Save, invest, give, and educate yourself now and you’ll have an advantage over nearly everyone else in your peer group for the rest of your life!

Me: Thanks so much Khaleef. Great advice and I’m going to look into your advice about shadowing a small business owner. That sounds like it would be a great way to learn so much and really invest in your future as a teen! Be sure to visit Khaleef over at Faithful With a Few and Fat Guy Skinny Wallet. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter!