How to Support a Family on a Single IncomeI often get asked the question – “How can my family live comfortably off of a single income?”. In my response, I always let people know that it is possible and is not that hard. My wife and I have chosen to support our family on one income (by me) and have her stay at [...]
How To Find More Money for Your Retirement AccountOne of my financial goals for this year was to increase the amount of money I put into my retirement account. Some day I would like to max out as many retirement accounts as possible, but for now I’m just happy to increase my regular contributions. In this economic climate, many are seeing that it [...]
There are two fundamentally different ways to approach a college experience. The first is to use your time at school for self-discovery, taking varied classes and studying subjects that allow you to grow spiritually and philosophically, such as art, music and philosophy. The second way to approach college is to see the money you spend [...]
7 Great Financial Resources For Beginning InvestorsHave you recently started investing and would like to learn more about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds? If so, you have come to the right place. You can find a lot of information about investing for free right on the Internet. Here is a list of 7 of the best financial sites for investors that are [...]
You Need An Emergency Fund: Expect the UnexpectedNo matter how much solid financial planning we put in, life cannot be reduced down to complete predictability. Indeed, there are always unexpected expenses, large and small, that can crop up. And, you never know when something catastrophic, like a major illness or a job loss, will happen. The reality of unexpected financial situations should [...]
Budget Once, Spend (or Save) Twice!Since passing my CFP® exam, more and more of my friends are coming to me for financial advice. Sometimes they have a specific question, sometimes they want to create a plan to get out of debt, and sometimes they just want some advice on how to manage their finances going forward. No matter what they [...]
10 Characteristics Necessary For Success (Mr. Rogers Style)We are currently in a time when too much emphasis is placed on grades. Far too many graduating seniors believe that good grades lead to good jobs which leads to a good life. However, there are many other attributes necessary for success. What is success? This post isn’t about equating $200,000 a year and success. [...]
Automate Your Savings AccountsOne of the best ways to avoid dipping your fingers into your savings (especially your emergency fund for non-emergencies) is to automate your savings accounts so that your money flows through your personal economy without much interference from you. When you automate your savings accounts, you can force yourself to practice financial discipline — and [...]
5 Business Tips to Help Your Small Business SucceedLike anything else in life, business ownership comes with ups and downs. But an entrepreneurial spirit can help you see ways around obstacles and reduce downsides of owning your own business. Entrepreneurs see opportunity where others see risk — often because they take steps to manage risk or because they define risk in different ways. [...]
How To Change Your Life By Setting Financial GoalsSo how are you getting on with your New Year’s resolutions? Yes that’s right, all those promises that you made to yourself back in January about doing more exercise, eating healthier food and cutting back on spending. We are now more than half-way through the year and for many, those good intentions are long forgotten [...]