Tag: budgeting

Chances are you’ve already had a few private freak-outs about all the clutter your spouse has collected over the years. His vintage record collection takes up way too much space, and her nail polish alone will fill the bathroom vanity to overflowing. From shared expenses to shared shelf space, here’s how to compromise when living with your spouse.

Healthy love and compatibility in any relationship are wonderful qualities that can take you a long way. If your attitudes about money matters don’t match, however, warning bells could be ringing.

Have you had "The Talk" yet? You know, that talk about money?

Have you talked about those taboo topics like a personal budget, spending and debt issues? Do you know where that special someone in your life stands when it comes to savings, planning and overall financial awareness?

It doesn't matter if it's a week at the beach or just a night out for a nice dinner—family outings are expensive. Saving for them can be a huge headache, but it doesn't have to be that way. Follow these easy steps and the only thing you'll have to worry about is choosing what to do for a night of fun away from home.

Budgeting 101

Saving for family fun goes beyond throwing cash into a savings account each paycheck. First, understand the principles of basic budgeting to comfortably save for anything from a night out to a trip to Disneyland.

A Zen "koan" is a Buddhist riddle designed to get you thinking. So here is one: your money situation is not really about the numbers.

That is what Bari Tessler wants you to ponder for a minute.

The Boulder, Colorado-based financial therapist and author of the newly-released book "The Art of Money," who puts her master's degree in psychology to use by running a year-long "money school" for clients. She also knows that behind every budget or spreadsheet, there is layer upon layer of volatile factors, including emotions, family histories, habits and dreams.

Americans have already forgotten the lessons of the Great Recession, judging by the Consumer Financial Literacy survey. When the recession began, 57 percent of Americans were spending less money than the year before. By 2014, this had dropped to 29 percent. Sixty-one percent don't have a budget, 16 percent retire without enough savings, and 16 percent have no emergency savings. Before you find yourself in a financial emergency, make sure you're not making any of these common mistakes that could kill your finances.

"In the twentieth century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497." ~Warren Buffett

Since the financial crisis hit back in 2007, many Americans have kept a wary eye on the stock market. After years of dismal prospects, they just can’t quite come around to the idea that the stock market is the best place to invest their money. And for good reason. After all, the past 10-13 years have been coined the "Lost Decade" and make up what has been one of the worst 10-year periods for the U.S. economy since the 1930s. However