If there is one thing I wish I had learned about earlier in my financial journey, it is the Balanced Money Formula. This budget helped me realize that it is ok to have fun money, regardless of your income. It served me well when I was single with student loan, car, and mortgage debt. It … Continue reading
“Where’s My Trust Fund” Manifesto Define enough. Be generous. Find your WHY. Create your own trust fund. Math is not hard. Start investing early, now is as good of time as any. Keep it simple. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. It’s ok to talk about it. Save when you can … Continue reading
It’s the beginning of the year, and likely you made some resolutions for 2013. If your resolutions included getting your finances in order, consider joining me in a spending cleanse. For full disclosure, this is actually something we started in our house a couple of months ago. Ever since baby #2 arrived over a year … Continue reading
Interest rates are paltry, and most brick and mortar banks have been effectively offering 0% yields on savings accounts for years. In the last couple of months, even rates on high yield savings accounts have really taken a tumble. However, if you look you can still find rates just under 1%. While not a lot, … Continue reading
Nothing gives me more financial peace of mind than having a solid emergency fund. Knowing we have money set aside to cover any unforeseen expenses and our basic expenses for several months helps me sleep better at night. An emergency fund is money that you set aside in a safe place, that can be used … Continue reading
It is still early in the month and the beginning of the year, now is a great time to start tracking your expenses. You don’t need to do this for the rest of your life, although you may want to once you start. Commit to tracking everything you spend for a month or two. … Continue reading
Calculating your net worth is kind of like stepping on the scale, you may not always like what you see, but it something you should do at least once a year. If you are working hard to get out of debt, or increase your net worth, you may find it inspirational to calculate your net … Continue reading
Almost everyone has some form of debt. Credit card debt, as well as debt from buying a house or goimg to school. If you have a lot of debt, it is easy to keep making minimum payments, never really thinking about how much you owe in total. Take a few minutes today and add up … Continue reading
Do you know how much money you made last year? If not, I can guarantee you are not alone. However, knowing your income can help you to earn more money and, most importantly, spend less than you earn. Knowing your income can be as easy as checking on you salary, or as complicated as having … Continue reading
If one of your goals for 2012 is to improve your finances, you are in luck! For the month of January I will be posting daily tips on how to get your finances in order. The inspiration for this project came from a reader. Someone who is looking for some financial guidance but has not … Continue reading
Everyone needs a budget, but the same type of budget is not right for everyone. I have always had a tough time with the classic budget where you have a monthly allotment for clothes, groceries, housing, and everything else you spend money on. In the same way that I’ll never be a calorie counter I’ll … Continue reading
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