5 Ways to Make the Most of Eating Out

February 25, 2016

Over the last few weeks, I’ve written about ways to save money on “fixed” expenses as well as discretionary expenses like travel. Another big discretionary expense for many people (me included) is dining out. Yes, we can prepare food at home more often (which is also healthier) but what about for those times that we want to eat out? Here are some ways to reduce the cost and make the most of the money you do spend: Continue reading “5 Ways to Make the Most of Eating Out”

Roth IRA or Roth 401(k)?

February 18, 2016

We’ve recently received several calls on our Financial Helpline from people who entered their Roth 401(k) contributions as Roth IRA contributions in tax software and were told that they had over-contributed. Since Roth 401(k) plans are relatively new, it’s easy to get these mixed up but the differences are important and not just when filing your taxes. Let’s start with the similarities. Both accounts allow you to contribute after-tax dollars that can grow to be tax-free after age 59 ½ as long as you’ve had the account for at least 5 years. Now let’s look at the differences: Continue reading “Roth IRA or Roth 401(k)?”

How to Save Money On Your Travel Bookings

February 11, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about ways to reduce “fixed” expenses to free up money for goals like paying down debt or saving for a home purchase or retirement. But of course, it’s generally easier to reduce discretionary expenses that we have more control over like eating out and travel. The challenge is doing that without feeling like we’re depriving ourselves. Continue reading “How to Save Money On Your Travel Bookings”

5 Reasons Not to Put Off Your Taxes

February 04, 2016

By now, you should have received the documents you need to file your taxes. I know it’s easy to procrastinate though. After all, I’ve had my share of late night runs to the post office on April 15th. (You actually have until April 18th to file your taxes this year because the IRS will be shut down on April 15th for “Emancipation Day.”) But there are some very good reasons not to put off filing your taxes: Continue reading “5 Reasons Not to Put Off Your Taxes”

Fix These Expenses Before They’re Fixed For You

January 28, 2016

Last week, I wrote about the importance of reducing so-called “fixed” expenses and not just discretionary ones like that morning coffee at Starbucks.The important thing is to reduce them before they become fixed. Here are some of the key decision points in which you can make that happen: Continue reading “Fix These Expenses Before They’re Fixed For You”

How Would You Take the Powerball Winnings?

January 14, 2016

What would you do if you won yesterday’s $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot? Before you start thinking about how to spend a billion and a half dollars, understand that you won’t get it all at once. Instead, it’s paid out in 30 installments over 29 years. If you want the money now, you only get $930 million. Then there’s taxes. Continue reading “How Would You Take the Powerball Winnings?”

Happy New Year!

December 31, 2015

Financial Finesse would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy and prosperous New Year!

Happy Holidays!

December 24, 2015

Financial Finesse wishes you and your family a happy and prosperous holiday season! (If you’re still looking for a truly last-minute gift, consider giving the gift of financial wellness with one of these books recommended by our own Dr. Scott Spann.)

 

The Less Than 2 Hours a Week Money Prescription

December 17, 2015

Our newest blogger, Cynthia Meyer, wrote an excellent blog post on Monday about a “two hour a week money prescription.” While I think her suggestions can work perfectly for many people, others may find that even two hours a week seems like an unrealistic amount of time to be spent on finances. If you’re in that camp, don’t worry! Continue reading “The Less Than 2 Hours a Week Money Prescription”

The Five Biggest Myths About Saving Money?

December 10, 2015

When one of my colleagues recently sent me an article titled “The Five Biggest Myths About Saving Money, According to a Millennial,” I was intrigued. After all, it can be fun to bust myths, especially about something as important as saving money, and hearing a Millennial perspective is interesting, both because I might be one myself (I was born in 1979 and Millennials are sometimes described as being born in the late 70s and other times in the early 80s so maybe I’m actually something called an Xennial) and because they (or we) are the future. The article features the views of Ethan Bloch, the 30-yr old founder of Digit, an online financial company. Here are the “myths” about saving that Bloch aims to correct: Continue reading “The Five Biggest Myths About Saving Money?”

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2015

Financial Finesse wishes you and your family a happy Thanksgiving!

How To Save For Retirement Without Your Employer’s Help

November 05, 2015

At Financial Finesse, we help people make the most of their employer’s benefits to improve their retirement preparedness. But we recently received a comment on one of our Facebook posts from someone whose company doesn’t offer retirement benefits. If you’re in a similar situation, what can you do? Here are some options: Continue reading “How To Save For Retirement Without Your Employer’s Help”

3 Places To Find Free Checking Accounts

October 22, 2015

We talk a lot about ways to save money at Financial Finesse. One of the easiest ways to do that is to avoid paying bank fees. After all, it doesn’t require you to give up your morning Starbucks or bring lunch to work. All you have to do is a little paperwork. Here are some options to consider: Continue reading “3 Places To Find Free Checking Accounts”

How To Get Free Help With Your Finances

October 08, 2015

Want free help with your finances? From the beginning of Oct to the beginning of Nov, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING™ Board of Standards, the Financial Planning Association®, the Foundation of Financial Planning, and the US Conference of Mayors are offering Financial Planning Days in cities all across the country. At each event, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals will be volunteering to provide free one-on-one financial counseling and education sessions to members of the public without selling products, giving out business cards, or collecting contact information. Continue reading “How To Get Free Help With Your Finances”