The hit song, Graduation (Friends Forever), released in 2000 by Vitamin C, alludes to questions and reflections that I think we've all felt at graduation time.
"...And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives. Where we're gonna be when we turn 25?..."
When at a crossroads in life, it tends to be a time for examining more than just one aspect of our lives. Here is some food for thought for both current and future Graduates on where you might be financially when you turn 25.
Continue reading "Five Healthy Financial Habits for New (And Not-So-New) College Graduates!" »
And it's not a credit card ...
You can call me old-fashioned but I have found that there is nothing that makes a weekend afternoon more satisfactory than taking a trip to my local library. Even on those rare California rainy days, being able to log onto my public library's web site from the convenience of my personal laptop puts a smile on my face.
There are many reasons why I love the library, and while many critics contend that the bricks and mortar venue has outlived its economically efficient life, I beg to disagree...
Continue reading "The Only Card That Deserves Space in Your Wallet" »
5 Important Things to Consider when Introducing Your Kids To Money
Whenever I'm interviewed, I typically mention one of my cardinal rules about the importance of teaching children about money. Invariably the next question I hear is: "At what age should you begin?"
Based on my experience and personal believes, this question is no different than asking at what age should we begin teaching our kids about other important values we want to instill in them. When is it too early to learn about honesty, respect, manners, ethics, etc? There's no hard and fast rule, other than: If you don't actively teach them, they will simply mimic your behaviors ... good or bad. With money, the sooner you begin the better- especially if your money habits aren't ones you want your kids to model after!
Continue reading "5 Tips to Increase Your Children's Financial Savvy- Without Them Losing Interest" »
If you've been following my 10-Minute Plastic Rehab Plan, here's a picture that may incentivize you to stay with the plan. I think it's our human nature to trivialize saving $3.00 here and $5.00 there. After all how far does $3.00 go these days anyway? It can't matter much in the grand scheme of things ... Right? But this chart tells us a different story...
Continue reading "The 10-Minute Plastic Rehab Plan - Pt II. Turning $3.00 a day into $53,000.00" »
Teach Your Kids About Money
I recently attended a symposium where the main topic was the new thought on legacy planning. In other words, how people with wealth are re-thinking the traditional leave-a- windfall-to-your-children mentality. A shift is occurring away from this convention as more information from studies comes to light.
Continue reading "Teach Your Children Well" »
