In case you weren’t aware, there has been an increase in the number of people interested in living more simply. This is not a result of the recession, although that may have been the springboard for a few of the more recent converts. The simplicity movement has been growing quietly over the last 20-30 […]
Shift Happens
I found a quote about ten years ago that I have since shared with family and friends when they were facing hard times; it goes like this: “sometimes good luck comes disguised as disaster.” Meaning that once you go through a difficult situation, whether it be financial, health-related, marital, or personal, with hindsight you […]
Money for Food
Food is the third largest expense in a budget, after housing and transportation. It stands to reason that spending less on food every week would free up some extra money for you. Yet, there’s a nutrition-related concern as consumers seek to shrink their grocery bill, states Roberta Duyff of the Canned Food Alliance. Currently, 81% […]
Make a “Money” Bucket List
When I meet with unemployed clients at the Job Store or participants at a bankruptcy class, there is a general feeling of disappointment, maybe even depression, about where they are in their lives at that point in time. Money issues seem overwhelming and most people feel like they are never going to have, or accomplish, […]
Shopping Returns: A Retail Perspective
Many people use “retail therapy” as an emotional tool to make themselves feel better. Later, they may experience buyer’s remorse when they see how much they have spent, so they go back to the store to return the items they just purchased. I don’t return things very often, so I wasn’t aware what a growing […]
Are You Fine with a 529?
I’ve been thinking about starting a 529 plan for my granddaughter. In case you’ve never heard of a 529, it is an education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution to help families set aside funds for future college costs. It is named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. Why do […]