Living on the East Coast but working for a California based company, I get to hear about things that are newsworthy on both coasts. One of the more recent news items that I talked about with my CA coworkers was the drought that they are currently experiencing. This article talks about the drought and what it has done to the price of water in California. Continue reading “Are You in a Cash Flow Drought?”
Would you like the thrill of gambling without the out-of-pocket cost? Now you can combine the good habits of saving and paying down debt with the ability to win entries to prizes from SaveUp.com ranging from gift cards to the chance of winning the $2 million jackpot. I learned about this prize-linked savings incentive by reading an article in the July issue of Kiplinger’s and signed up a few weeks ago to check it out. So far, the only thing I have won is a 1 year subscription to Prevention Magazine, but it is fun and motivating to earn credits to play online card games to win prizes like a $5,000 savings deposit or your bills paid for a year. Credits can also be used towards entries to the $2 million drawing, called the SaveUp Super Jackpot. (Pick 6 numbers and the next jackpot numbers will be announced on August 1.) Continue reading “Here’s a $2 Million Jackpot Worth Playing For”
For centuries, June has been the most popular month for weddings. The idea of two people vowing to share the rest of their lives together always puts a smile on my face, but are these two souls that have now been joined as one fully prepared for what lies ahead? I should think that a person that says “I do” does so with no thought of some day thinking “I don’t,” but the reality is that many of these newlyweds won’t be together in 20 years. Continue reading “When the Wedding Bells Stop Ringing”
I have heard a lot of people say jokingly that they wish they had the financial resources of a random famous person. Take Michael Jackson. Houses, cars, amusement parks in his backyard, animals galore…he seemingly had it all from a financial wherewithal standpoint. Continue reading “Is Your Financial Life a Thriller?”
I’ve played one sport or another virtually my entire life. And, along with playing, I enjoy watching as well. One of the many things I love about sports is that it is just so unpredictable. Continue reading “Going Against the Odds”
I just got a new laptop and had to figure out what to do with all of my old files, work and personal, along with music, photos, and video. It was a chaotic mess. There was my old personal laptop, my old work laptop, an old desktop and an iPad all in one corner. It was like the land where technology goes to die. I wasn’t totally sure how to manage the craziness that had become my tech life. Continue reading “I Don’t Even Know Where to Start!”
Have you ever cheated or lied to your spouse or significant other regarding a financial matter? Amazingly, 1/3rd of adults who combine their finances with a partner admit to committing financial infidelity, according to the June edition of Kiplinger’s Magazine. The article highlights a recent survey that found that of those who reported a financial deception, 3 in ten had hid cash, a purchase, a bill, or even a bank account from their significant other, while 13% reported more significant lies such as how much they earned or how much they owed. Continue reading “Are You Committing Financial Infidelity?”
In last week’s blog post, we took a look at some important factors that are often inherent in financially successful people. This list is by no means perfect, but these traits are characteristic of some of the most financially confident people that I’ve worked with in my career as a financial planner. (As a review, the first six traits that I discussed in the previous post were 1) purpose, 2 ) creativity, 3) courage, 4) willingness to act, 5) commitment, and 6) integrity.) Here are some additional traits that are important to possess along the journey to improve personal financial wellness: Continue reading “Common Traits of Financial Success (Part II)”
Do you have someone special in your life that you’d like to give a financial planning shout out to? No, I’m not talking about someone you think could seriously use some financial planning help to get their money train back on the right tracks. I’m talking about a shout out to someone that helped shape your financial future in a positive way. It could be your parents, a friend, a teacher, or maybe even that special financial counselor or planner that was there for you when you needed some guidance. Continue reading “6 Common Traits of Financial Success (Part I)”
Last week, I wrote about signs that you might have an issue with credit cards and potentially even be a credit card addict. Do any of those behaviors ring true with you? If so, you might want to make some serious tweaks to the way you manage your financial life. Continue reading “You Might Be a Credit Card Addict If… (Part II)”
Did you know that the entire month of April has been designated Financial Literacy Month? The month may be coming to an end soon but that doesn’t mean that the quest to improve our own financial knowledge should ever stop. As the financial world appears to get more and more complex, the concept of financial literacy becomes increasingly important when it comes to making decisions about money. Here are some assessments you can use to test your own financial literacy: Continue reading “Put Your Financial Knowledge to the Test”
When I sit down to talk with someone about their finances, I get the basic information about how they are positioned in various areas of life such as age, kids, income, 401k contribution percentage and balance, other investments, rent/mortgage, other debts, etc…the standard questions a financial planner asks to quickly assess a situation. Something that is more common than I’d like it to be is hearing about the way people “manage” their debt load. When I read this article about credit card addiction, it really struck a chord with me. I have heard each of the 10 behaviors that indicate a potential problem with credit cards…recently. Actually, I’ve heard all of them in just the last week. Continue reading “You Might Be A Credit Card Addict If…”
The tax filing season has come and gone for everyone that didn’t already file an extension. Even if you filed an extension, you still have the obligation to pay your taxes by the filing deadline of April 15. If you were unable to pay off your tax bill in full then IRS tax debt concerns may linger longer than necessary and at a significant cost. Continue reading “How to Take Action If You Cannot Pay Your Taxes”
As of this spring, it has been exactly two years since our family moved into our home after a cross-town move to be closer to our children’s school and their GiGi and PopPop. It’s amazing how fast time flies but it’s also disturbing how much junk we have accumulated in that short amount of time. (For the most part, when I say junk. I am referring to toys and gadgets for the kids and our dog.) Continue reading “Clean Up More Than Your House This Spring”
Have you completed your tax return yet? The tax deadline is just a few days away so if you haven’t filed, it’s time to gather your documents and prep your return. If filing your income taxes stresses you out, you can keep your stress level in check with a few simple tricks. Use these six strategies to file your tax return accurately and effectively. Continue reading “How to Prepare Your Tax Return Stress Free”
Each year, Financial Finesse releases a research report on Trends in Employee Financial Stress Research. Last year’s report identified that 83% of employees report some financial stress. If you are experiencing overwhelming financial stress and anxiety you should take action immediately. Check out this list of ways to deal with financial stress and anxiety. Continue reading “Ways to Cope with Financial Stress and Anxiety”
How high is your financial anxiety? Hopefully, it is low or at least manageable. Last month, my anxiety level went up briefly as financial stress crept into our family’s financial plan in the form of unexpected but thankfully minor surgery for our son, an emergency vet visit for our dog, and tuition bills for grad school (for me) and pre-school (not for me). Thank goodness we have an emergency fund and health savings account to offset some of the costs! Expected and unexpected expenses like these can wreak havoc on our financial plans if we don’t maintain some flexibility and adapt our plans as those “surely this won’t happen to me” events occur. Continue reading “Are Money Issues Causing Stress and Anxiety?”
It’s stressful enough being contacted by a debt collector. It can be an absolute nightmare when you’re dealing with one that’s breaking the law. Unfortunately, many people do not know the difference. Unaware of their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, consumers are unnecessarily victimized by illegal tactics that shady debt collectors count on being able to get away with. Don’t let them. Continue reading “Debt Collector Rules of Contact: Do You Know Your Rights?”
Call me what you may, but I love stories about lousy customer service. Maybe because I’ve seen so much of it, seeing stories about it lets me know that I’m not alone in the world. So when I saw this article about companies with the worst customer service reputations, it made me smile. I can’t explain why, but that’s my reaction. And the thing that makes me laugh is that it doesn’t take that much effort to change the perception of lousy vs. great customer service. Continue reading “Little Things Can Make A Big Difference”
The old expression “keeping up with the Joneses” has led far too many people into living a lifestyle based on consumerism, having a nice house, nice car, nice clothing, and nice vacations, but a not-so-nice balance sheet. I have seen this happen more times than I care to remember with clients, friends and family. In fact, early in my married life, I fell into the same trap. We lived a very nice lifestyle and had a lot of “stuff” in our lives. Fortunately, I was able to put together a savings plan that came first, so we didn’t become fully immersed in that kind of lifestyle. Continue reading “Less Can Be More”
