Imagine you’re about to set out on a road trip. You would absolutely need to have an idea of where you wanted to go – north, south, east, or west. You would have to work within the confines of how much time you had for this trip – that would determine how far you could go. Your financial goals are no different than that road trip; failing to plan means planning to fail. Even if you haven’t given retirement much thought, in terms of what it looks like and feels like, chances are Read on...
Life’s Unpleasantries
My husband was up to something. He was pounding away at the computer and printing like a madman. When I didn’t hear the whir of the printer, there was the distinct sound of the three-hole punch chewing its way through paper. “I’m working on something,” is all he would say. It seemed to excite him, this project. I wondered what it was. When “it” appeared, it wasn’t impressive looking. It was a plain white three-ring binder. “Open it,” is all he said, smiling. I wondered if it was Read on...
Making Your Own Luck
"What's your goal?" My husband's question was simple, but I didn't know if I should bother to share my complete answer, because it seemed unreasonable. We hadn't started our family yet, which was a goal of ours. But I wondered if winning Lotto was the only ticket to my other dream: to be able to stay home with our kids for as long (or short a time) as I wanted. Back then, my earnings were almost five times his salary and I doubted we could sustain ourselves on his take home pay alone, Read on...
Setting the Right Example
If there’s one thing that parenthood has bestowed on us, it’s the desire to be a better person. Suddenly with a pair (or pairs) of little eyes watching you closely, you become more aware of your habits (good and bad), your diet, your manners, and your temper – because someone is learning from you. Well, there’s a biggie that most of us haven’t given much thought to: money. For those of you with small ones, consider this time as good behavior training because even if your kids are too little Read on...