Spring is in the air! The birds are chirping. Baseball season has begun. Oh, and it’s time to fulfill your annual ritual of complying with the United States Tax Code…. Boo!!! Who would have figured that a former IRS Tax Examiner (me!) would get to host the Carnival of Personal Finance on April 15th? Well, it’s always a joy to host this wonderful gathering of thought-provoking personal finance articles. I hope… Click To Continue
What’s In Your Credit Score and What Actions Affect It?
Oh the wonderful credit score. I am not “in love” with the credit score and what it stands for. However, I realize that it’s something that affects some of the most major financial decisions that we make in life. In that light, it means that everyone should know how it is calculated and what things can affect the score itself. Before we get into the details, you should have a… Click To Continue
What Your Trash (or Your Dog’s Weight) Can Tell You About Your Grocery Budget
9 Awesome Ways To Reduce Your Food Waste and Save a Ton of Money!… Click To Continue
Avoid These Budget Busting Bank Fees
During my day job, I periodically review client’s bank and credit card statements. Most of these review sessions end with the same items sticking out no matter whose account I am looking at. Those items are bank fees. Fees (overdraft, credit card interest, etc.) are fairly easy to overlook as they are often small and typically debited right from your account (how convenient). They also consistently erode your income available… Click To Continue
Starting This Early Can Make You Filthy Rich
“If you could only give one piece of financial advice to a person, what advice would you give them?” I get asked this question a lot, and it’s a pretty easy answer for me. I always say, spend less than you earn. Ask that exact question to any personal finance expert and I bet that 9 times out of 10, they answer the same way. However, I always want to… Click To Continue
Sharing Expenses In a Relationship
The other day, I received a question from Tiffany regarding sharing expenses with her significant other. Here is what she asked: “I graduated from college about a year and a half ago. I got my degree in engineering, so my income is pretty substantial. I don’t have any consumer debt or a mortgage, but I have a ton of student loan debt…about $95K. My boyfriend and I have been in… Click To Continue
Review Your Income and Expenses With a Calendar
Do you remember back in high school when your finances were easy? You more than likely didn’t have any financial obligations (i.e. bills). It was typical to just get a part-time job, collect a small paycheck and blow the money on whatever your heart desired. Your financial life was good. Now, we live in a world where dozens of fixed expenses are the norm. You have a mortgage (maybe two)… Click To Continue
The 3-Step Guide to Creating a Financial Mission Statement
Staying focused on your financial goals can be difficult. You know what they are. You know that you will be better off if you stick to them. However, you have a lot going on and it can be hard to remain dedicated to something that is just floating around in your head. You are not the only one that struggles with this lack of focus. Many people come to me… Click To Continue
What Does Financial Freedom Mean To You?
The tagline for this site is “Financial Freedom – One Step At A Time”. I’m not sure how that line came to me, but I sure do love it. Some of you may be thinking, well, what is financial freedom? Unfortunately, there is often this misconception that having an abundance of money gives you said freedom. I say misconception because I can give you several real life examples where people… Click To Continue
Carnival of Personal Finance #396
Welcome to the 396th edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance! I’m very excited to host this prestigious blog carnival for the 4th time! It’s always wonderful reading all of the great contributions. Without further ado, let’s get to the articles! My Favorites Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents presents 70 Ways to Save Money, and says, “The truth is, there are always ways to pinch a penny, particularly if you’re… Click To Continue
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