Blog Posts

Mar 15

Two common budgeting hurdles (and how to clear them)

There are two, very common, hurdles people face when attempting to budget. Unfortunately, these hurdles often go unacknowledged, setting a lot of people up for failure, almost before they even get started. Quite simply, there are two hurdles or speed bumps people encounter with the process: The first challenge is the... read more →
Jan 28

Needs and Wants: The Difference

For some people, it can be incredibly difficult to discern the difference between what they want and what they need. Here is just one practical example: Let's say someone goes to a mall to replace a broken dish. Walking through the mall, they see a shirt in the window that... read more →
Dec 20

Unexpected Expenses, Your Budget’s Worst Nightmare

Unexpected expenses are, hands down, usually the biggest budget breakers out there. (An unexpected expense is anything that you did not foresee or plan for in your budget.) A clinical look at all cash flow for three full months, including all income and expenses, is one of the first exercises... read more →
Nov 20

Savers versus Spenders: A Matter of Perspective

Why are some of us natural savers, while others are spenders? In a way, it's a matter of perspective. The main difference is that savers take in the big picture, while spenders only see things as they are, or as they appear to be at that moment in time. We... read more →
Aug 15

Emotion: Where Budgeting Misses the Point

A lot of people are under the impression that having a budget, or being able to create a budget, is all they need in order to get ahead of their finances. In reality, this is not the case for most of us. People fail with their finances because money is... read more →
Jun 20

A good income doesn’t always lead to a good outcome

A lot of us have the pre-conceived notion that the more money we make, the better off we will be. This is so engrained in us, we assume this cause and effect will be automatic and guaranteed. In reality, this is an illusion, albeit a very powerful one, that people... read more →
May 17

Consolidation and the Never Ending Mortgage

In this time of historically low interest rates, you would think people must be paying off their mortgages at lightning speed. Why? When interest rates are low, less money from each payment goes towards paying interest and more money is applied against the principal of the loan. This means homes... read more →
Mar 22

Adult Children and Money: Not Too Old to Learn New Tricks

It feels rewarding to help your children. When your adult children ask for help, they can, no doubt, be difficult to refuse. It might seem natural that you would or should help them reach certain financial goals, but when they approach you for money, you need to be careful. Obviously,... read more →
Feb 23

This Thing Called Normal

I was told recently about a successful lawyer who wanted to write a book called Broke on Any Budget. He selected this title because, he was broke as a law student; broke as a junior lawyer, and even after he made partner in his law firm, he was still broke.... read more →
Jan 16

Blame Someone Else Day

According to Yahoo News, the first Friday the 13th of each year is officially “Blame Someone Else Day.” First started by Anne Moeller of Clio, Michigan in 1982, it’s said that Anne's alarm clock did not go off, and she overslept. As a result, she was late for appointments all... read more →