Oh, holiday season, how we love you. We love the noise, the crowds, the children’s smiles, the shopping. We love it all, and it almost seems that for one short period every year we can spend without worry. Now is the time to be happy, to give happiness—which often involves spending—gift wrap, party, and celebrate the season. We'll worry about the financial issues next month. Does this Sound Familiar While we're busily distracted by pretty lights, too many of us can get caught up in …
How to be Financially Fit at Any Age
I’m going to start out by saying that I am historically not good with money. I’ve always had trouble keeping track of payments and looking at my finances with both eyes open, instead of the normal cringing I do. Given my druthers, I would much prefer to stick my head in the sand and pretend someone else is handling my finances, despite that being nowhere near the truth. In fact, when I hit rock bottom, I wasn’t even opening my monthly account statements or credit card bills. I took a wild guess …
Holiday Shopping Tips to Plug the Wallet Drain
“Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. “ ~Bo Derek Tis the season to do a lot of things, and one of those things is to shop. Of course the goal for anyone hitting the stores this season is to shop for others and find them the best gift; something that will be a huge hit on Christmas morning. The problem lies with temptation. It’s hard to resist and I’m not the only one who finds herself picking up items that catch my eye when the intention was to …
Don’t Panic, We’ve Done this Before. How to Cope with Market Crashes.
Stay calm. Breathe in, aaaand breathe out. You've likely been hearing through the media that the stock markets are falling. We are in crisis, recession, dark clouds etc., etc. According to the media, it's the end of the world as we know it. Not so fast! Remember that this has happened before, most recently in 2000 and 2007-08. It is simply the nature and history of the stock market. It may (or may not depending who you ask) be happening now—and it will happen again. History …
9 Tips to Avoid the Back-To-School Money Pit
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for parents of school-aged children! But is it really? With the happiness of sending kids back to school comes the concern about the cost of it all. Each year the cost of clothing and school supplies goes up as schools put more and more of the cost back onto the parents. And those school supplies lists aren't getting any shorter! Janet Gray — Financial Planner and Money Coach — offers up a few great money-saving tips we can all apply …
