It is only September, but I have already seen Christmas trees and holiday presents in Costco.  Most people probably aren’t thinking about holiday gift buying now, but they will be in another month or two.  If you are like most people, you probably have difficulty coming up with gift ideas for several people on your [...]

Some people suffer from a certain form of optimistic financial denial.  They look at part of someone else’s circumstances and use that to justify their own way of life, without considering the entire picture.  Take, for example, a relative I have that I will call Stacey (not her real name).  Stacey is nearing retirement, and [...]

Our culture seems to be one that is centered around dining out.  When you are younger, you meet friends at a restaurant for a night out and to chat.  As you get older and have a family, you may go out to eat because time is short between working, raising a family, helping with homework, [...]

Common financial advice is to pay yourself first; set aside your own savings before you pay any bills.  Yet, what happens if you don’t have enough money to pay yourself first?  What if you can’t set aside $100 or more each month?  How can you continue to save for your goals whether they are establishing [...]

If you are new to saving money and cutting expenses, you may search the internet where you will find such tips as “Skip your daily coffee fix” and “Buy store brand foods instead of name brand foods.”  While this advice is good, it only offers a superficial way to cut expenses.  You may need to [...]

The back to school season is upon us, and many newly graduated high school students will head off to college for the first time.  More than ever, college students feel financial pressure.  The cost of college tuition continues to rise, and a student is often forced to decide to go into student loan debt to pay for [...]

After the long days of summer, many parents look forward to their children’s return to school.  Unfortunately, preparing for the return to school often includes a large financial outlay for back to school supplies and clothes.  However, there are several strategies you can employ to limit how much you have to spend. Back to School [...]

According to the USDA’s 2010 report, raising a child born in 2010 to the age of 18 will cost on average $226,920.  This cost is the average cost a middle-class family pays for shelter, food, health care, clothing, transportation, child care, education and other expenses.  They further break down the average cost per child per [...]

The 4th of July is just around the corner, and with it, the official launch of summer.  A favorite American pastime, a barbeque party offers you the chance to enjoy the weather and the company of friends while enjoying tasty foods.  If you don’t have much money to devote to entertaining, consider moving beyond the [...]

Whether you are dating or married, one of the best ways to maintain closeness in your relationship is to have a date night.  However, with the high cost of entertainment, dating can put a serious kink in your budget, but it does not have to.  Here are some low-cost date suggestions that will kindle your [...]