When we hear sales promotions that say that it will cost us pennies per day, or for just $1.00 a day we can have this or that, the idea is to keep us thinking in small numbers. But those small numbers add up and become big numbers over time. Well, it works the same way […]
Tag Archives: financial habits
We know that we should teach our children the “value of a dollar”, but the best way to go about it seems to escape us. Using an allowance may teach them to stretch a dollar, but in a pinch there’s more where that came from and they know it. Even when it’s tied to chores, […]
Since credit allows us to stretch out the cost of an item with payments over a period of time, this makes purchases on credit seem more affordable. Maybe I can’t afford $650.00 today, but I think that I can afford $65.00 a month for ten months, and so I buy the item using credit. I […]
The most popular approaches to debt elimination are: paying off the largest debt first, paying off the smallest debt first, paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first, and loan consolidation. In my book “Personal Finance Simply Understood” I walk through a detailed analysis of these approaches using various loan and debt amounts, and […]
What is personal economic value and why is it important? Our personal economic value is our earnings potential or what can we expect to earn between now and when we plan to stop working. As an example, if I currently earn $44,000 each year, I’m 32 years old, and I plan to retire at age […]
Will you be splurging a little or a little too much for the Holidays? Do you plan to set a spending limit this year, and if so, how confident are you that won’t spend above it? In the coming weeks, the news will be filled with statistics about whether holiday spending is up or down […]
Let’s face it, prudent personal finance is like swimming against the current. We spend wisely and save according to a plan that meets short-term and long-term needs; we’re paying down debt, and more than the minimum on credit cards, and we’re making some sacrifices along the way. There are trade-offs in every financial decision we’re […]
Our saving plan should cover three essential areas: cash on hand for unexpected bills, money put aside to cover expenses in case our income is interrupted, and an account for later in life when we stop working or work in a reduced capacity. This approach protects our longer term savings from an unexpected withdrawal by providing for short-term […]
An emergency fund is a separate savings account that we set aside to cover monthly expenses in an emergency situation. If we experience a layoff or we’re unable to work for a period of time, the emergency fund is there to provide a financial cushion or safety net until our situation changes for the better. […]
Everyone likes to get something new and fun. Shopping has been proven to help people relax or feel better about things going on in their lives. Yet, there can be some serious negatives when that shopping leads to further debt or an inability to pay our necessary costs. Here is the guide I follow when […]
Personal Finance Simply Understood 