When my husband and I had the crazy idea to plan a wedding in three weeks, the only thing we knew for sure was that we were flat broke. I probably had a few thousand in savings and my husband had none. We were broke and in love and hell bent on getting married.
An elopement wasn’t an option for us...
As I start to approach 30, the idea of starting a family has been a reoccurring topic in our household. Of course, all the inevitable questions start to pop up as we prepare for this new stage of our life: Are we financially stable? Are we emotionally ready? Can we afford it? How much will a baby add...
For those that have graduated college in the past five-ten years, chances are you’re still paying off student loans. Six years after college, and I am still faced with approximately $20,000 in loans, even though I’ve already paid down more than $10,000. I often wonder how people my age, the...
When you picture who typically files for bankruptcy, you may envision people in their 20′s who spent recklessly or people in middle age who suffered job loss or high medical bills that made their debt soar out of control. Likely the last image in your mind is senior citizens, but surprisingly,...
When you retire, it becomes important to have reliable sources of income. As many people found out during the recession following the financial crisis, relying solely on what’s in your retirement investment account can be a scary thing. And, while Social Security is around for now, what happens...
As someone who has been the primary breadwinner throughout our marriage, I am facing a new hurdle. Supporting my spouse through school, both emotionally and financially. I often wonder how other couples handle a situation when it seems to be so one-sided for such a long period of time.
Back when I was...
When my grandparents retired 40 years ago, many retirees headed to Florida or Arizona. Those are still popular destinations, but today’s retirees have many more options to choose from. As retirees change, so to do their choice of retirement options.
If you have your sights on retirement in the...
It seems that from every nook of the internet, the voices of Generation X echo: “Follow your passion.” Don’t get swept up in a desk job, don’t settle, find something that makes you feel alive. The best stories of success involve multi-millionaires working from home–or even...
There’s been a lot of talk lately about how far women have come and how far we have yet to go. On the one hand, women are now having full-fledged careers and are seeing opportunities not available to our grandmothers 50 some years ago. On the other hand, we seem to be more stressed than ever,...
This fall, my husband and I will both be going back to school. I’ll be working on getting my Master’s of Public Administration while my husband will be finishing his bachelor’s degree. Making this decision has led to the big question: How do we choose which student loans are right for...
Does your money seem to just slip right through your fingers?
If so, you are not alone. Between the economy and the high cost of goods as well as our consumer driven American culture, getting ahead financially can seem difficult.
However, the best way to grow your wealth is to make a financial plan...
I make more money than my husband. And according to 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, I’m not alone. Almost 40 percent of U.S. working wives are out-earning their husbands.But what happens to the dynamics in a marriage when a wife makes more money than her husband?
For years, it’s...
Where do women learn about money? Some are fortunate to understand the value of a dollar from their parents. Others gleam words of wisdom from the media and personal finance experts. But all too often, we’re sheltered from finances and stumble along the way as we try to learn how to manage our...
No one enters into marriage expecting to get divorced but statistics show it happens more than any of us want to realize. In today’s world of failed marriages it is important to keep this thought in the back of your head regardless of your overwhelming love for your partner, “We may not always be...
We all know how fairy tales are supposed to end. You find the person of your dreams, get married, and live happily ever after. For some people, this really does happen, but for millions of others, this fantasy is cut short. So many marriages end in divorce these days, and along with the pain that comes...
The cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 for a middle-income, two-parent family averaged $226,920 in 2010 (not including college), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Add college into the mix, and you’re looking at a very steep price tag. Wouldn’t you want some great rate...