When I started budgeting for the first time, I would get so frustrated because I felt like I was doing really well. But then one big expense would come up and throw off my entire budget for the month. Sometimes it was unexpected car repairs or a medical bill I didn’t plan for. But other …
Sinking Fund vs. Emergency Fund: What’s the Difference? Read More »
We need to talk. More specifically, we need to talk about one of the most common myths I see making its way around the personal finance world. That myth is: “Renting is throwing away money.” Multiple times per week I hear from people who want to buy a home because they’re worried they’re throwing …
Are you a millennial? Then we need to talk about why you should be investing and how you can start today. Millennials are those born between the early-1980s and mid-1990s. Made up of about 83 million people, our generation is the best-educated and most diverse, but we’ve gotten a tumultuous start to our financial …
When my husband and I got married, we had six figures of student loan debt. And unfortunately, we definitely aren’t alone. The average student loan balance is nearly $38,000. And when you throw in credit cards, car loans, and other debts, most people are paying off debt the majority of their adult lives. I …
Do you know what you’ll be doing with your money five years from now? Chances are, no. Five years seems so far away, and it’s hard enough to figure out what you’re going to do with your money next month, let alone years from now. But data consistently shows that those with a written …
You wanna know one of the most common complaints I hear from money coaching clients? “I can’t help but look at my friends and feel like they’re doing better than I am.” People tend to feel that their friends are making more money, don’t have as much debt, or aren’t facing the same financial …
How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others Financially Read More »
Have you ever added up how much time you spend each month on your finances? Or, separate from the time you spend working on your finances, how much time you spend stressing about your finances? When I first decided to change my financial situation, it felt like hours per week. Hours per week, and …
Tax season is always bittersweet. You dread collecting all of your tax forms and going through the actual labor of preparing your tax return. But it often ends with a tax return, which is something to get excited about. I remember how excited I was to get my tax returns in my early twenties. …
12 Things to Do With Your Tax Return (and 3 to Avoid) Read More »
Hiring a financial professional is one of the best ways to turn your financial situation around and reach all of your biggest money goals. But many people tell me that they’ve procrastinated hiring someone because they aren’t sure what type of professional to work with. They’ve been DIYing their finances with much success, and …
Financial Coach vs. Financial Advisor: What’s the Difference? Read More »
When I started my career after college, retirement was the last thing on my mind. I was 22, and it hardly seemed important. Luckily my employer (the state government) required that I contribute to my retirement account — otherwise I probably wouldn’t! As I learned more about finance, I began to see the importance …
How to Save for Retirement When You’re Self-Employed Read More »
