What do you really want from life? What kind of lifestyle do you seek? What are your life goals? What do you want to do, have or be? Does your spending reflect those things? When most of your money goes toward providing what’s important to you, you tend to live a more fulfilled life and feel satisfied with the way you spend your money. It’s also easier to stick to your personal finance plan … Read More
Deciding if a parent should work outside the home is never easy. There are many potential cost savings that can be gained by a parent staying home to care for the children. On the other hand, there is also a loss of income. Typically, couples have more options when one spouse has a significantly higher paying job or more work flexibility than the other. Some people believe a couple can afford to live on … Read More
Q: I just got engaged and while I’m really excited about it, my fiancé and I haven’t really discussed money issues. For the most part, we’ve kept our finances to ourselves. At first, I thought we would talk about it when the time was right, but now that we’re engaged, I’m not sure how to approach it. Shouldn’t I know something about how he handles his money before we say, “I do?” What exactly … Read More
Welcome to 2018! If the new year has you thinking that you need to improve your money skills, I have some suggestions for you. First, I recommend that you take a look at my post on how to set meaningful goals. Second, I suggest you start with some simple ways to create better money habits, which is what this post is all about. Here’s the thing — as much goal planning and resolution setting … Read More
JOIN ME IN THIS FREE 16 DAY CHALLENGE WHERE I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE KEY STEPS TO MAKING WISE FINANCIAL DECISIONS SO YOU CAN GET MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. Each day during the challenge, I’ll host a Facebook Live session to give you an action item to focus on. If you can’t join us live, not to worry. The sessions will be recorded and posted on Facebook for watching later during the challenge. When … Read More
It’s back to school season and a time for fresh starts and new habits. It can be a perfect time, too, for setting expectations with your children and establishing rules for receiving allowances. In this podcast episode, I’m sharing shares ideas on a few different ways you can approach allowances to come up with a system that works best for your family. [tweetthis]Back to school season is a great time to talk money … Read More
My family has a new puppy, Biscuit. Of course, as a financial planner, this made me think about how similar managing money is to training a puppy. So in this pocast episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on what you can learn about personal finance from the canine world. And, yes, that’s Biscuit in the photo. I also answer an “Ask Mary” question from a follower that is getting ready to start her own legal … Read More
With the stock market taking a rollercoaster ride after the Brexit vote, Mary explains 6 common behavioral finance issues that can cause financial damage and why following your gut with investing can get you in trouble. Have questions or comments for this episode? Share them below.
No matter how financially responsible you may try to be, financial slip-ups can happen. A common one is when you blow your budget. Unfortunately, once you blow your budget, it gets easier to lose focus. It’s like being on a diet and having a piece of cake. Many people will think, “Heck, I’ve already blown my diet. I may as well have two pieces of cake.” It’s a reason why many people don’t even bother … Read More
I get it. Your life is busy and it can be tempting to let financial organization fall to the side. The truth is, though, being disorganized can hurt you! Late payments can cost substantial fees and finance charges. Overlooked information can jeopardize your security and cause you to miss important deadlines. Not to worry, though. You’ll find that you can easily make progress by taking some simple steps to rid yourself of the clutter and … Read More