I’m trying to wrap my head around how I feel about crowdsourcing the funding of personal financial goals.  Every once in a while I find myself giving money to a friend who is trying to fund a personal goal that they otherwise couldn’t afford.  Record a CD.  Buy hockey lessons for their child.  Finance classes that will help with their career.  Save their home from the tightening grasp of foreclosure.  I’ve gladly sent money to friends for all of these reasons and several more.  And I’m happy to be in a position that I can help with these things.  But if it came right down to it, would I do this myself?

I don’t think I would.  I’ve worked hard (and pinched some pennies) to put myself in a comfortable position financially.  I don’t have everything I want.  But I’m very content with what I have.  Would I be happy to have more?  Absolutely. Am I willing to ask my friends to help fund that something more?  Not right now.  Maybe if I were in a different position, I would feel differently about it.  I’m not losing my house.  I don’t have kids begging for hockey lessons.  And I’m a long way from ready to record a CD.  I’m hopeful that the day never comes when I have no better place to turn than a crowdfunding website.  Yet at the same time it’s kind of comforting to know the option is out there.

So…I’m still trying to wrap my head around how I feel about crowdsourcing the funding of personal financial goals.  And I’m grateful that I don’t have to think about it too hard right now.