Springtime is a wonderful season where millions of Americans spend money to make their home a better place to be. Whether that’s cleaning things up in anticipation of selling it, or just making home more enjoyable, rent or own, home improvement spending may exceed $400 billion this year. Making home improvements without breaking the bank is an art form. Here’s …
Tidying Up Our Spending Habits in 3 Easy Steps
It’s no secret: Marie Kondo’s “Tidying Up” on Netflix has inspired across the nation a wave of organizing, attacking clutter, and thanking items that no longer bring joy on their way to the thrift store. I can see why people have gravitated toward her and her methods. There is a sense of cleansing, of purifying the home and purifying oneself, …
Begin 2019 Right On the Money!
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are awesome times to get on social media, confess your sins, devote yourself to a holy and righteous existence and avow to sin no more. Yet by the end of January, over half of people have given up on their resolutions, and by the end of the year less than 8% actually make …
2018 Happened. 4 Ideas on Where We Go From Here
The economy continues to make substantial strides as consumer confidence and manufacturing grow in step. The House of Representatives flipped 40 seats to the Democrats along with a bevy of state governorships. Consistent policies of tightening interest rates are acted upon globally, led by our own Federal Reserve. Tariff talks have jostled stocks more than landing into O’Hare on a …
Give Yourself the Gift of Kicking Murphy Out For Good
Financial peace of mind is a gift truly worth to give yourself. This time of year, many people start considering vacation ideas and designs for the next year or a new TV or appliance for the home. It is understandable why people shop for these things this time of year. You’ve worked hard the whole year, there are holiday bonuses …
Your Holiday Emergency Preparedness Plan
Every year, millions of Americans prepare to celebrate the holidays with their families. From decorating our homes to preparing delicious food, making sure travel plans are solid and that everyone’s gifts are covered, we want to make sure everyone has a happy holiday season. And then January comes. And perhaps the bill that is associated with all that “cheer” …
21 Things You Borrow, Not Buy
Tool Shed or Money Pit? Invest wisely. Halloween candy is already adorning store shelves. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is in full force at a coffee vendor nearest you. Kids are (finally) going back to school. This is a signal that the holiday season is rapidly approaching. With retail more cutthroat each passing year, you can expect more sales, more …
How Often Should I Look?
It’s a lot more fun to peek through holes at this age . . . The 24-hour news cycle, compounded by social media, can be intimidating and draining. Short of entirely pulling the plug, it is incredibly difficult to avoid being bombarded by news. The headlines are designed to get you to click, and it can be hard to avoid …
Is Starbucks Sipping Away Your Savings?
Don’t let spending whip you! I love specialty coffee with a fierce passion. My license plate frame even says “Outta my way, I’m going to Starbucks!” I used to get coffee pretty much every day, which cost me after tip about $5.00 a day, and then I would buy some coffee for home too. I didn’t think much of it …
HSA’s are Powerful and Entirely Misunderstood
With health care costs on the rise, will you be able to keep up? Our health and the cost of health care are some of the greatest risks to building and maintaining wealth in this generation. Medical debt accounts for more bankruptcies than any other financial event. Moreover, according to recent data from the Social Security Administration, a married couple …