Money Musings

"Money won't make you happy; focus on what is most important in life." I get the intention behind this phrase, truly. However, I would venture a guess that m...

Drew and the girls were out of town last week, and though most of the time was spent working (tis the season for accountants...) and cleaning (it was rough),...

It's tax season, and one aspect of tax preparation that directly impacts my budgeting work with my clients is how much of a refund they get. It struck me the...

When we first started budgeting together, it was a struggle. There were fights. Drew wanted to curl up in the fetal position every time. Now he is a budgetin...

Giving to others is one of the greatest parts of the human experience. However, around Christmas in particular, it can be really overwhelming. Between partne...

This is part 3 of a 3 part series on the cash impact of buying vs renting. In this portion we focus on considerations for renting. I initially approached thi...

This is part 2 of a 3 part series on the cash impact of buying vs renting. In Part 1 we explored some of the factors that influence cash investment in home ...

This is part 1 of a 3 part series on the cash impact of buying vs renting. Barring unusually wild escapades from small children, part 2 will be posted tomorr...

One of the first steps I take with each of my clients is to simply pay attention to each transaction coming through their accounts. Without fail, we find sub...

Food cost is the #1 struggle for controlling spending that I hear from my clients. One strategy I use for myself is to calculate ballpark cost per person, pe...

When you find merchandise that is defective, rather than passing it over, ask for a discount. It reduces waste and saves money. I know many people who have ...

One topic that is constantly swirling through my mind is my big-picture career choice. There are so many jobs that I have done in the past or could do in the...

Don’t try to create a budget that will apply to every month of the year. Make your budget specific to the current month. When you approach it generally inste...

I often get complimented on my wardrobe. For the most part, I dress with style and, at work, professionalism. There are a few good ways to handle clothing pu...

Cars are a huge money pit for Americans. The rate at which they depreciate is pretty outrageous, not to mention insurance, gas, maintenance, parking fees, ta...

Child care is expensive (understatement of the year?!) and sometimes you have to get creative. This year we have put a lot of hours into doing projects for o...

The great fallacy: making more money will solve all of my financial problems. More income certainly means that you have more options, but it does NOT mean th...