Financial Peace Will Save My Marriage

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Peace. It’s a word that’s been stuck my head. It all started with a post I read last week in which the author described how budgeting brought peace to her marriage. The title stirred something inside me.  A simple, but powerful word, that for some reason seemed to continuously pop into my mind over the weekend. Friday evening we were trying to decide what to do for dinner. None of the options left on our meal planning list sounded very good to the family. In a moment of frustration as my stomach growled, I suggested we go out to eat. […] Read more »

It’s a Win-Win: Get Rewarded for Saving

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I recently heard about a really cool concept that started abroad and is making its way to the US—prize linked savings accounts. Just for doing what you’re already (hopefully, should be) doing, you are automatically entered to win a prize. Yes, adults like prizes and anything that is free just like kids do.; a novel idea that has more people thinking about saving for their future. This comes at just the right time, with the rate of savings in America at an all time low. A report issued by the non-profit Corporation for Enterprise Development, found almost one third of […] Read more »

How To Have an Inexpensive Mid-Winter Getaway

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The weather forecast says that we may not break zero degrees today, and the wind chill will make it feel like -15F to -30F outside.  That’s the kind of cold that makes your teeth HURT. You can also do this really neat trick where you can watch boiling water turn to ice crystals instantaneously.  While it hasn’t been a very harsh winter, today is the kind of day that makes me long for the warm days of summer.  It’s for days like this that several months ago we began planning a little outing. Later this week a we’ll be heading […] Read more »

The Financial Pothole: Temporary Tax Cuts

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In the opening days of 2013 congress pushed through legislation to avoid the so called “fiscal cliff” preventing the taxes of the vast majority of Americans from going up, and automatic massive spending cuts  from kicking in. The news wasn’t all good, however, as the payroll tax decrease was not extended. This means everyone’s paychecks would be reduced by 2% effective immediately. This is a double whammy for me, as it most likely is with many people, since the first of the year is also when the new rates for my medical insurance kicks in. I received my first pay […] Read more »

This is Why Your Budget Isn’t Working

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how do you budget

  A few months ago, I wrote a few articles about how to budget.  But only recently, I realized that there was something I left out of those articles. I discovered that when I speak to people about their finances and how to make a budget, there is inevitable that person that tells me, “I tried to do a budget, but it just didn’t work for me”. When they express that to me, they seriously believe that doing a written budget just doesn’t work and that there has to be a better way of doing things.  But there is one […] Read more »

“No More Frivolous Spending!”

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I have a confession to make…It’s been over a year since I tracked my household’s expenses. Yes I know better, yes that is horrible, and yes unfortunately, it’s the truth. My boyfriend and I have been living together for about a year and a half. Prior to his “moving in” we tracked both of our expenses and built a household budget that was fair and worked for both of us. We haven’t looked at it since. In fact, I pay all of our household bills and manage the finances for his business. He has NO idea where his money is […] Read more »

Make 2013 Debt Free…Join the Debt Movement

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Did you ever wonder why New Year’s resolutions never last? Each year as I resolve to quit all the bad habits I developed over the previous year, I always do. But if you take the right approach to a resolution such as “getting out of debt”, there’s no reason you can’t be successful. If you’ve been working to get out of debt with little success and need a kick start, consider joining the Debt Movement! We all need a little help from time to time whether it’s a debt relief plan that makes the process easier, a nudge in the […] Read more »

Holiday Shopping: Hook Line and Sinker

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The holidays are expensive there is no doubt about that. Just how much are we spending? According to the National Retail Federation an average of $423 compared to $398 last year. Shoppers lured by deals often fall prey to opening credit cards to get an extra discount or delay payments. Card Hub’s latest study shows eight out of ten retailers offer financing to consumers, but more than 60% of them provide mind boggling terms, such as an offer of an initial zero percent term with backdated interest if the entire balance is not paid off during the offer period. So […] Read more »

There Is No Magic Pill for Debt Freedom

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I can’t tell you the countless times I have been tempted by the magic pill. You know the one I am talking about; the one that claims you can lose 20 pounds in one month without exercising, get rich working just four hours a day, or the one you can take to get rid of your debt. The magic pill seems like an answer to your problems and the best part is you don’t have to do anything except swallow. Who wouldn’t be tempted? The problem with magic pills is that they are missing the key component to accomplishing any […] Read more »

Credit Card Negotiator

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No it’s not William Shatner the Priceline negotiator, it’s you the credit card negotiator! You’ve got credit card debt that is starting to get out of control and you’ve decided it’s time to take the preverbal “bull by the horns”. So how do you get started? Who do you talk to? Where can you turn for help? Understanding how to negotiate credit card debt just may be the first step for getting your finances back in order. But first things first there are a few cardinal rules when it comes to negotiating with your creditors. 1. Know what you want. […] Read more »

What Kind Of People Live Without Credit Cards?

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Businesses have stopped taking checks, and we’re constantly being bombarded with offers for credit cards that offer low introductory interest rates and rewards point programs of some sort. Some experts even tell us jumping on the credit bandwagon to build up a healthy credit score is a necessity. It seems as if we are being pushed towards swiping a card to make our purchases. But is it possible to ignore all of this and live a credit card free life? My friend Brad Chaffee, founder of this site, is dedicated to living a credit free, cash only lifestyle. While he […] Read more »

7 Habits of Debt-Free People

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As an indebted individual I always admire those that live a completely debt-free lifestyle. My in-debtedness is for the most part to what most consider “good” debt; a mortgage and a few outstanding medical bills. My goal is to set up a payment plan for them and pay them all off by this time next year. I cut credit card debt out of my life in my late twenty’s only using credit cards to my advantage and paying the balances in full each month. Living debt free is a lifestyle choice that requires hard work and an affirmation for saying […] Read more »

I Dare You to Move

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I just finished moving for the fifth time in five years. Not only is moving not fun, it’s expensive! I have moved for various reasons over this time frame, divorce, a brief second marriage and a crazy landlord. People move for many other reasons, a change in jobs, to be closer to family, the list goes on and on. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17 percent of the U.S. population moves each year. The reality is moving is just part of life’s adventures and whether you do it once in your life or twenty times there are ways you […] Read more »

“Back to School” Make Every Dollar Count

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As much as we wish to preserve their innocence and keep them young forever, kids grow up before our eyes and their expenses often grow with them. “Back to school” season is upon us and added expenses ranging from new clothes, supplies for the classroom and extracurricular activities can throw a monkey wrench in your finances if you are not prepared. The National Retail Federation’s 2012 Back-to-School spending survey found that the average person with kids in grades K-12 will spend $688.62 on their children, up from $603.63 last year. If you have school age children, “back to school” can […] Read more »