Want to Live a Happier Financial Life?

February 19, 2015

Very rarely do I find a personal finance article that resonates me as much as one I recently read called “How to Live a Happier Financial Life.” First, I love the title. When it comes to finances, sometimes we get so caught up in the numbers that we forgot the whole point is is about maximizing happiness not money. Sometimes that means spending more money on certain things but often it actually means spending less. The article’s following points do a good job of differentiating which is which: Continue reading “Want to Live a Happier Financial Life?”

Why Spending Less Can Mean Living More

June 06, 2012

This morning on the radio, I heard an ad for refinancing your home mortgage, targeting us listeners by explaining that the savings that come from a lower interest rate could be used to buy a new car or take a luxury vacation.  But there was nothing about using the savings to actually, well, save!  Ads like this remind me that we live in a society where other people often judge your quality of life based on the amount you spend, while the amount you save is seen as painful deprivation, belittled as “cutting back.”  But if spending less in order to save more is seen as something that limits your life rather than enhances it, something to be suffered rather than celebrated, it’s no wonder that it becomes so difficult for so many people to do. Continue reading “Why Spending Less Can Mean Living More”

How Much Money Do You Really Need to Be Happy?

March 07, 2012

For some people, the grass is always greener.  I recently read an article about a banker living in New York who earns a  $350,000 annual salary, which covers private school tuition for his two children, a summer home in Connecticut, and a duplex apartment for his family in a very desirable neighborhood.  Yet he still feels it isn’t enough.  “I feel stuck,” he lamented.  “The New York that I wanted to have is still just beyond my reach.” Continue reading “How Much Money Do You Really Need to Be Happy?”

What Would You Do With 19 More Hours of Free Time During the Week?

January 31, 2012

That’s the question I asked myself after recently reading an article suggesting that we shorten the standard work week from 40 hours to 21. With nineteen more hours during the week, I know there would be a lot more things I would do.  I’d spend more time outdoors, enjoying fresh air and walks in the park.  I’d learn new skills, like a new language and woodworking.  And I’d spend more time with my family and friends, the people that make life worth living. Whatever you can imagine doing with more free time, it’s likely something that would make your life better and happier. Continue reading “What Would You Do With 19 More Hours of Free Time During the Week?”

Does Your Wellness Program Include a Wealth Factor?

July 13, 2010

I just got off the phone today with an employee who remembered a quote I had made during a recent Retirement Readiness workshop he had attended where I talked about the 3 ingredients to a secure retirement – Health, Wealth, and Happiness. I was so amazed he remembered it, but he said he had never thought about how his health could impact his retirement, and it had really struck a chord with him. Our health is very important, since all the money in the world can’t buy back our physical well-being. However, our finances DO have an impact: money problems are the number one cause of stress and stress-related illness.

Continue reading “Does Your Wellness Program Include a Wealth Factor?”