Blogging for Change

Financial soundbites

by Kim McGrigg on
8/29/2008
in Personal Finance

My organization is often asked to serve as a resource for news media stories related to money management. Occasionally, I am asked to serve as our agency spokesperson. One of the greatest challenges I face as a spokesperson is how to effectively communicate an educational message in the very short time we are in the spotlight.

As I am sure you have noticed, television news is moving at a faster pace than it did in the past. In fact, in 1960, the average television soundbite lasted 40 seconds. Today, the average soundbite lasts less than 15 seconds. As you might imagine, 15 seconds doesn’t leave a lot of time for "ums" and "ahs"—this is particularly true if the interview is live.

In attempt to make the most of my interview time, I have collected and created a list of very short phrases that I hope are both educational and media-worthy. Here are some examples:

-The best place to vacation is somewhere near your budget.
-Far too many budgets are haunted by the ghosts of Christmases past.
-You can’t borrow your way out of debt.
-Credit is a privilege to be protected, not a right to be expected.
-Most consumers would rather have piece of mind than a piece of furniture.

Because I think it is important not to repeat myself, I would like to add to my existing list of financial education soundbites. If you have short, colorful educational messages that you are willing to share with a larger audience, I would love to hear them! Please share your “quotable quotes” through the comments section.

Kim McGrigg is the former Manager of Community and Media Relations for MMI.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.