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Many of us could use the advice of a financial advisor when it comes to areas like investing, consolidating debt, and planning for retirement. Some of us need more than financial knowledge or advice that only addresses the number side of the equation though. We also need help addressing our emotional relationship with money. This task isn’t as well-suited for a financial planner as it is for a financial therapist.
Financial therapy is a rather new field, as the Financial Therapy Association has only been around since 2010. The concept of therapy isn’t new at all though. Just as someone might need a therapist’s help to deal with thought patterns and emotions surrounding their relationships with family, spouses, or friends, we all have a very real relationship with money that might need similar attention.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, it might be time to see a financial therapist:
Recently I joined a Facebook Group called Buy Nothing. At first, I thought maybe it was a type of bartering platform or re-sell market like Offer Up. Maybe it even had something to do with Buy Nothing Day, Buy Nothing Month, or No Spend November. But, as I read more, I realized the group wasn’t about any of these.
The Buy Nothing Project (buynothingproject.org) was started in 2013 by a few ladies from Washington state who wanted to help people reduce their consumption of new merchandise and lengthen the life of used goods already out there—and might otherwise end up in landfills. While this concept is shared by groups like The Freecycle Network and the free section on Craigslist, Buy Nothing groups center them around the local neighborhood.
Members of Buy Nothing groups are invited to both request and gift, lend or share items, services, time or help: selling or bartering are strictly forbidden. The possibilities are endless, and so are the advantages for those who participate.
Here are four reasons to consider joining a “Buy Nothing” Facebook Group. [ continue reading… ]
Summer isn’t that far away. One thing we have to look forward to is the yearly summer vacation. White sandy beaches and tropical weather sounds like a dream and to many, it might just be.
The average cost of vacation for a family of four is $4,000. That’s a large sum to spend on a trip and not everyone can afford the expense.
Vacations seem to get more lavish every year, but you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg just to have a nice family vacation. It’s entirely possible to vacation on a budget and still have an amazing time.
Here are 5 vacations hacks you need to know for your next trip:
A popular trend in the health community is cleansing – setting aside a week to 30-days dedicated to reigning in bad eating habits, losing weight, finding energy, or maybe just feeling better. Cleanses can help people reach short-term health goals faster, change their eating habits, and find new motivation to turn short-term discipline into a long-term lifestyle.
Imagine what could be done if more people applied this concept to purging out the bad things “feeding” their finances – a financial cleanse, if you will. Setting aside time to focus on money habits can make a huge impact on short-term financial health and provide just the motivation to kick bad habits, get your finances in order, and keep them that way. Here are a few tips you might want to try if you’re considering taking a summer financial cleanse. [ continue reading… ]
The cost of even a small repair makes car insurance nice to have. When we start adding in the medical expenses that can go with a car accident, insurance becomes downright necessary. In many states, insurance is even a legal requirement before you can drive your car out on the road.
But a wide variety of options are available when it comes to insurance—there are actually seven different types of car insurance you can choose from—and it can be difficult to decide just what type of auto insurance is the best choice for you, your vehicle and your budget. Here is a list of the seven types and what you need to know about each one.
There are dozens of choices when it comes to budget plans. If you’re still looking, or are completely new to the concept of budgeting, let me re-introduce you to an age-old budgeting guideline: the 50/20/30 rule. Even though it’s a classic, it bears a fresh look, especially through the lens of the modern American’s financial outlook.
Three Categories and What They Contain
The 50/20/30 rule splits up take-home pay into three large spending categories — fixed costs, financial goals, and flexible spending. Here’s a list of what each contains.
Fixed Costs (50%) – These are the expenses most vital to your survival, which don’t vary from month to month: mortgage, rent, vehicle payment and utilities. Some versions also include non-essential monthly subscriptions, since they require a monthly commitment and the amount doesn’t vary unless you choose to discontinue them.
Financial Goals (20%) – This category includes any monthly payments and contributions toward improved financial health: 401K and other retirement accounts (from post-taxed income), extra payments on credit card debt or student loans, building an emergency fund, and savings goals such as a down payment for a home or funding an education.
Flexible Spending (30%) – This category includes expenses that vary from month to month: groceries, gas, eating out, shopping, hobbies and entertainment.
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