Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
Even for those of us who swear that money isn’t important, there’s no way to deny that whether we like it or not, dollars touches our lives in every way. If you’re reading this, you probably have a clear idea on how important money is to a well lived life, and how essential solid communication around the topic is to a happy, healthy marriage.
Unfortunately, money is one of the primary catalysts leading to couples fighting. It’s also one of the leading causes of divorce in this country. It’s easy to fight about money, and most couples occasionally find themselves on opposite sides of a financial dispute. Constant fighting is cancer to a marriage, creeping into every crevice of a couple’s lives, slowly eroding the way they interact with one another. This decay can be especially damaging when the topic is as core to a couple’s daily life as money.
And problems with money don’t have to be something “serious” like gambling or addiction to cause serious problems either. Poor habits or inept money management can degrade the health of an otherwise strong marriage. Learning a few simple strategies that make it easier to communicate, before little problems blow up to become big ones, can be the difference between a household filled with peace and quiet, and one that’s silent for an entirely different set of reasons.
Use the three following strategies to help you discuss money with your spouse, without any argument. [ continue reading… ]
Quitting your job is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s a big risk to leave the certainty of a consistent paycheck, for the uncertainty of the unknown. But quitting your job to start a business, stay at home with the kids, or salvage your health can be such a rewarding experience.
I know just how scary and rewarding quitting can be. I quit my job some time ago to be a full-time freelance writer, and it felt absolutely crazy at the time. I have gone through all the ups and downs – paralyzing fear and insecurity, jam packed months, losing clients, and more.
It’s a roller coaster for sure. But there are ways to lessen the financial risk of quitting your job by making swift and calculated actions for your future.
One of the cornerstones of good personal finances is to have some sort of backup plan available, just in case you run into unexpected financial problems. We often refer to this type of backup plan as an emergency fund or a rainy day fund.
For many of us, these are the same thing. However, it could be a smart thing to make a distinction between the different types of financial backstops.
“People organizing their money should think of a rainy day fund differently than an emergency fund,” says Stephanie Genkin, an independent fee-only financial advisor who teaches personal finance classes in Brooklyn, New York.
Being able to tell the difference between these types of funds, and understanding when it’s appropriate to dip into the money you’ve saved up, can go a long way toward making sure that you aren’t wasting your money or getting into deeper trouble. [ continue reading… ]
Job hunters often fixate on salary when looking for a job. Well duh right? If I don’t work for pay, then what’s the point? Income, after all, is a very important piece of your financial puzzle.
However, the reality is that salary isn’t everything. Sometimes good benefits are worth a little bit of a salary cut.
I recently signed on for a “real” job with a publishing company – my first such job in more than a decade.
Does it mean a slight pay cut for me to do this job? The answer was yes, but the benefits far outweigh what I’m giving up in income. [ continue reading… ]
We focus on stocks and bonds when we think of investing most of the time, but we often forget that it’s also possible to invest in ourselves. An investment in yourself can offer very good returns, as long as you are wise with your investment.
I’ve been in exploratory mode this year. I’m trying to decide what I want my life to look like for the near future (at least until my son finishes school), and I’m still tweaking my finances after the overhaul that came with change in family situation.
It’s been a good time to think about the investments I want to make in myself. Some of those investments include: [ continue reading… ]
I’m always looking for new ways to curb my spending, save money, earn freebies, and ultimately, live a more frugal lifestyle. This has especially meant becoming more careful about my purchases over the last few years. Looking back, I’m painfully aware of the money I’ve wasted:
Impulse purchases that weren’t accounted for in my budget
Multiples of items I barely use to begin with
“Great deals” that just weren’t what I wanted or needed, so they ended up in the donation pile
To avoid regretful purchases in the future, I’m more deliberate than ever about what, when, and why I buy things. Still, there’s plenty of opportunity for even better insights or angles that make this principle click a little better. Asking this question about potential purchases can do that:
How much does it cost… in my labor hours? If you’re an entrepreneur, you need to factor labor hours and production costs into the final price of your product or service. Otherwise, you’d be losing money. If you’re paying so-and-so a certain amount for a certain number of hours to make or sell your products, you need to earn more than that. This is a basic business principle. But, even if you’re not in business, this principle can help you weigh the value (not just the price) of your purchases more carefully. [ continue reading… ]
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