If there is anything more beautiful than the sight of a mother holding her newborn, I don’t know what it is.  For many years I worked as a labor and delivery coach, and one thing I heard all the time was “How do I manage all the diapers and baby supplies without spending a fortune?”
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There are a ton of things going on with my business, and people are often surprised to find that I’m still doing practically everything by myself. A question I often get asked is “How do you do it all?”

The Secret is Written on the Wall

There is no secret. I get more done because I work longer hours than most of you. Everyone sees me out and about during the week and people are always jealous, but they never realize the time I put in every single night when they are watching TV, and all the hours I put in during every single weekend when everyone else is doing anything but work.

Productivity is Still Important

Having said that, there are a few little things I learned along the way that makes me more efficient. After all, when I get more done with less time, I can choose to a) relax more or b) make more money by taking on more. Let me share them with you today.
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wife invest moneyDo you find that your money philosophy is different than your wife’s (significant other)? Well, I do.

Steve recently sent in an email with the following question:

I recently got married. My wife and I are working on our future finances. I am aggressive and she is conservative when it comes to investing.

Example: Her money is in a savings account and her 401k is making nothing (also not losing anything). My money is in stocks and my 401k is in stocks (fluctuating).

We do not have plans to co mingle our money at this time which I feel is best. However, I want to get her money working for her even if it is more conservative than mine. What do you think?

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When you are trying to make a financial plan, or reach a certain financial goal, it is important to have an idea of your financial priorities. After all, without priorities, it is impossible to decide what you should do with your money — not to mention figure out what actions you need to take to reach your financial goals. Determining your financial priorities can take a little bit of time, and it requires some introspection. The good news is that once you figure out what your priorities are, it is a little easier get your finances on track.
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The announcements of economic indicators like the Consumer Confidence Index and Personal Income were blamed for market ups and downs in the past week. Economists at large institutional investment firms such as hedge funds keenly watch these indicators and act upon them. Indicators are very important data to them because they act as guideposts in developing and testing their “macroeconomic thesis”, a fancy term for their view of where the economy is headed. It is essential for such large investors to get their macroeconomic thesis right, because it is the foundation for their investment strategy.

As an individual investor, you do not have a professional economist guiding your investments but luckily, economic indicators are available to you easily and for free. Here is a list of a few highly-followed indicators and what they mean for you:
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Time seems to speed up as you age.

Emma is already five months pregnant and before you know it, we will be watching her grow into an individual with her own thoughts and desires. This is the biggest news of our family by far and also the biggest step I’ve taken in my life. I’m happy that you you are here for me to share all the good news with you and once again, thank you for your support.
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Lately, it seems like even stock brokers are getting into the holiday spirit because like a retailer, they are having their version of a sales event in all those sign up bonuses.

  1. TradeKing is giving everyone who signs up through a special link $50 if they fund their account with $2,500 and make at least one trade
  2. OptionsHouse is giving out 100 commission free trades for any new account owner.

However, unlike buying a product, most of us already use an online broker and have no reason to sign up for another. Is it really worth the hassle?
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Can You Save Money While Skiing?

by Guest Contributor

Skiing is one of the most expensive winter sports available. It may seem like there would be no way to save money and still enjoy a season’s skiing, but believe it or not, with a little planning you can hit the slopes in style and still save yourself some serious dough.
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Yours truly recently incorporated.

I’ve often mentioned how much I believe in taking action, but now that’s proof – I named my company Astute Actions Inc. (Now on to something I really want to tell you.)

  • Thank you for your early support that led me to jumping into this full time.
  • Thank you for pointing out my mistakes and teaching me how to be better.
  • Thank you for sticking around to continue our journey to financial freedom.
  • Thank you for helping me realize how important taking action is. Now it’s my turn to remind everyone else…

Stop sitting around the TV and TAKE ACTION.

Your finances, career and relationships are all waiting for you to take the next step. We hate to fail but don’t stop trying because you will eventually get it right as long as you never give up. Don’t worry about failure. We are all trying and falling down too.

So. How are you going to spend the rest of the week? If you ask me, I will be picking myself back up to try again.

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Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Early

by Guest Contributor

Everyone should be asking themselves at one point or another – “Should I Pay Off My Mortgages Early”?
When choosing whether to pay down debt or invest, the primary factors are the interest rate on the debt and what rate of return you think you could safely achieve by investing. Sometimes, however, this calculation isn’t as straightforward as it appears.

For example, even your after tax interest rate on a fixed-rate mortgage can change over time. Let me explain.
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No Career Path is for Everyone

by Guest Contributor

David’s Note: There’s a recession and people are still afraid of losing their job, yet my friend recently found the courage to resign and couldn’t be happier. Freelance or owning your business is definitely not for everyone. The uncertainly and instability of income presents a different kind of stress, but it could also change your life for the better if you are willing to put in hard work. We all fear the unknown, but access YOUR situation and if the writing is on the wall to leave the nine to five, please read it and do something. Read an unedited version of what my friend had to say about his decision to venture into the unknown.

To many, working the banker’s hours of nine to five is a dream come true. Waking up late enough in the morning not to be grumpy and getting home from work with plenty of time to spend with the loved ones (Including your T.V.) is certainly a pretty picture for most. Until recently, I was stuck at a job I was good at but hated, living this very life and thinking I had it pretty good, even though the work was really boring. After mulling over a decision to leave my job for the unforgiving and unemployed world, I decided to go against my better judgment and resigned. My only regret is not doing this sooner. (Cliché I know)
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What I love about personal finance is that everyone is in an unique situation. Yet, the more they are different, the more they stay the same.

What’s more interesting is that even though the majority of us struggle to achieve financial freedom, the methods are simple and for the most part, we already know them.
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If you have ever received advice on investing your money, chances are you’ve had the benefits of diversification drilled into your brain. “Diversify and rule” was my college economics professor’s one-line strategy for managing his retirement portfolio. Corny but true. The virtues of diversifying your investments have been borne out by mathematics, finance and plain old personal experience.
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As is usually the case in big ticket purchases, the best way to save money buying a new computer is not to buy one.  The statement is obvious but it’s worth mentioning. If your current computer works fine, it can be much cheaper to spend money on upgrades than on a completely new machine.  If you are still determined to purchase a new machine though, here are some things to help you minimize the impact on your budget.
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