I just responded to a question from a new reader on my About Me page, but it was such a pull-at-my-heart question, that I wanted to share it as a post, too. I’m sure Jeff can’t be the only one going through this – and maybe this discussion will help others as well. Here’s what [...]
Mint.com Tutorial, Part 2 – How to Categorize Expenses
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by on June 21, 2012
While there is no right or wrong way to track expenses, I have found that the best way for my family is with Mint.com. Instead of having to check through all my credit cards and bank cards, or remember to save every single receipt (only to inevitably lose one or two), Mint.com keeps me 100% [...]
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Mint.com Tutorial, Part 1 – How to Add Your Accounts
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by on June 14, 2012
I’ve talked before about how much I love Mint.com for tracking our spending and keeping us on budget. But a number of you have asked me just how that works – and what exactly I do with Mint. It’s a good question – because Mint can be pretty intimidating at first. And frankly, it took me [...]
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No More Harvard Debt – How One Man Cleared $91,000 in Student Loan Debt in Just 7 Months
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by on May 24, 2012
His story has been all over the Internet, but in case you missed it – here’s one for your inspiration files! Joe Mihalic earned his MBA from Harvard in 2009, along with $101,000 in student loans. He was one of the lucky ones – despite the tanked economy, he landed a (low) six-figure job in [...]
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The Truth About Being Financially Responsible… It’s Hard. (But In the End? It’s Worth It.)
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by on May 20, 2012
Four years ago, my husband and I were on an adrenaline rush. In January of 2008, we had committed to getting out of debt. To having an actual emergency fund (not a $10,000 credit limit on a Visa card, but actual bonafide cash in the bank). To living within our means. To saving a bit [...]
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Budgeting Basics | How Having an Emergency Fund Creates a Buffer
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by on May 7, 2012
Yesterday was a crazy day. Major rain storms. Tornado warnings. Our friends’ basement flooded. Our two year old got into a safety-locked container of oil-based paint and “painted” herself and the interior of our Camry. (Don’t ask how that happened.) While she was wrecking havoc out in our car, our six year old was doing [...]
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Budgeting Basics | How Much Do You Spend? Is Your Spending Normal?
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by on April 30, 2012
How much should I spend on food? Housing? Clothing? These types of questions seem to keep popping up. And I understand why – because I, too, have looked for the same kind of answers – especially when I was new to realistic budgeting. I had no idea where to start – and clearly what I [...]
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Let’s Discuss | How Much Money Do You Need To Live Comfortably?
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by on March 29, 2012
I just read this article in the USA Today, which concludes that you need to earn at least $150,000 a year to pay for the basics, save and cover a few extras. I was floored! My husband and I don’t earn anywhere near $150,000 per year, and we are more than able to do all [...]
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