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My ex-husband and I had a “big pot” financial management style when we were married back in the day. We tied the knot young, when neither of us had anything, and it was easy to combine finances. Later, I added a retirement account and a taxable investment account, as well as a savings account and a Health Savings Account (HSA).
I tried to get him interested in our shared finances and to share some of these accounts, but he never wanted to be bothered. He eventually got a retirement account through his work and set up his own HSA. This turned out to be fortunate since we eventually went our separate ways. We still had to manage the “big pot,” but it was remarkably easy to divvy everything up because our other finances grew separately.
Turns out the fact that we didn’t share everything was a good thing – as was the fact that my ex and I didn’t try to ruin each other during the divorce. Mikel Van Cleve, CFP and director of personal finance advice at USAA, points out that some things are better separate, such as: [ continue reading… ]
Finding practical ways to save money over the long haul can be something that escapes our attention.
It’s easy to look for the best price on an item when shopping, or add money to your savings account every week, but thinking long-term is an intentional action that takes thought and planning.
Here are 20 easy-to-implement ways to save money long term — that you can start today. [ continue reading… ]
The Department of Labor reports that job openings and unemployment numbers continue to be very healthy. Still, there are still 6.4 million people who aren’t able to find work and millions more who only work part-time. Being unhappily unemployed or only working part-time isn’t ideal, but reports show that the majority ‘not in the workforce’ are retirees, students, and stay-at-home parents (it may be their choice). The increase in part-time employment may also have more to do with the trend toward a ‘gig economy’ than the availability of full-time work.
Are you among those avoiding a full-time job because of your stage in life or bucking the traditional workplace? In either case, you might be considering a part-time job.
I’ve noticed that people tend to have a more casual attitude toward part-time work than full-time work. They don’t take it nearly as seriously. Why is this? In my opinion, unless you need to grab the first job you come across just to make ends meet, you should put just as much care into choosing a part time gig as you do a full time one. Any job has a tremendous impact on your life, your finances, and your long-term career goals. With that in mind, here are three questions I recommend you ask yourself when considering a part time gig. [ continue reading… ]
Aside from rent, food is one of the biggest expenses in our budgets. From celebratory dinners to hosting guests, a big part of our lives center around eating. Add it all up and the money you spend on food can easily be 20% of your income. That can be as much as the money you spend on rent. Plus, it’s a double whammy that inflation seems to be so much higher on food and rent. We will talk about rent another time, but let’s focus on what we eat today. How exactly do you cut back on food expenses? The obvious answer is cooking more at home, but that’s only half of it. Making homemade meals can still be quite expensive if you’re getting all your groceries at Whole Foods. So, what is the one thing you can do that will cut your food budget in half?
Simply, it’s meal planning.
Many people I know laugh at the idea of meal planning. At one point, I did too. I thought it was such a tedious task that would only save me pennies. But let me be happy to tell you that I was completely wrong. I decided to give meal planning a try and while it’s taken some time to get use to the routine, it’s literally cut my food expenses in half. If you want to save money too, take a look at these tips to help you effectively meal plan: [ continue reading… ]
The holiday shopping season is almost here again, and identity thieves are on the lookout for careless customers who either misplace vulnerable personal information or leave it unattended in a cart.
More than any time of year, this season is a prime time for stolen credit cards and swiped bank information. Why? Because your numbers and sensitive information is being used more than normal.
While you shouldn’t obsess about circumstances you can’t control, most of us have lost a card or an entire wallet at some point in our lives, there are ways you can avoid becoming a victim even if someone attempts to steal your financial information. The most important way you can do this is to be very careful about what information you carry around on a daily basis.
If you looked in your wallet or purse right now, would you find any of these things? [ continue reading… ]
Saving for retirement is important – we all know that. But, according to most nationwide reports and surveys, we still aren’t doing it: the Employee Benefit Research Institute reports that one out of every four Americans currently has less than $1,000 saved for retirement. What will it take to make more of us save for the future?
More financial education?
Eliminating excuses?
Making it easier?
Making it mandatory?
California’s lawmakers have made it mandatory. Businesses with at least five employees who don’t offer their own retirement programs will be required to enroll them in the state’s retirement program. Even though enrollment will be automatic, workers can opt out at any time (basically the reverse scenario of deciding whether to enroll in the first place). California’s plan is turning heads, but the idea isn’t new. Many other nations including Australia and the U.K. have similar programs, a few other U.S. states are already doing it, and many more are watching to see how it plays out. [ continue reading… ]
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