Have a student loan? You’re not the only one; college debt is over $1 trillion in the U.S. To take control of your student debt, experts suggest starting with a clear assessment of your debt and debtors. Make sure your contact information is up to date, and keep it current. Federal education loans can be… Continue reading Student Loans: Your 5-Step Plan to Pay Them Off
Author: Carrie Rattle
Carrie Rattle is a Principal at BehavioralCents.com, a website for women focused on mind and money behaviors. She has worked in the financial services industry for 20+ years and hopes to inspire women to better prepare themselves for financial independence.
The Life Cycle of a Minimalist
Lori Lippincott of Loving Simple Living believes minimalism is a journey, and shares her view of the minimalist’s life cycle, beginning with a sense of searching; something needs to change. One becomes aware of the minimalist lifestyle and the idea resonates. Curiosity leads to action, which could be just cleaning out a closet. Excitement results… Continue reading The Life Cycle of a Minimalist
‘Mad Men’ money: Credit in the smoking era
A cigarette and martini lifestyle wasn’t great for your health, but Americans did borrow smarter in the mid-century. Banking was more personal and relationship-oriented, credit card debt was rare, as most people paid with cash, and loans were available at local shops with low or no interest. Saving was the norm as were Christmas clubs… Continue reading ‘Mad Men’ money: Credit in the smoking era
How To Save Money on Gas: A Practical Guide
Gasoline prices $5 a gallon this summer? Could happen, so here are some tips to cope. Comparison shop for gas prices; there are even apps for that! Keeping tires inflated and changing the air filter can also contribute to fuel efficiency. What can you remove from your trunk or from the top of your car?… Continue reading How To Save Money on Gas: A Practical Guide
How to Stick to a Wedding Budget
A realistic look at wedding expenses can be the start of a beautiful marriage. Know how much money you have, and then you will know how much you can spend. Think about where you want the reception and at what time of day; there’s a huge range here. The most important part of the planning… Continue reading How to Stick to a Wedding Budget
Can a Spending Splurge Help You Reach Savings Success?
Ever splurged while on a diet? A recent study showed that dieters who enjoyed a controlled dose of dessert lost more weight than those who abstained. Jean Chatzky and Jim Prochaska suggest that spending money may work the same way. The key is control, and they offer the following caveats. A splurge doesn’t have to… Continue reading Can a Spending Splurge Help You Reach Savings Success?
Affordable Romantic Picnic Ideas
What could be better than you and your sweetie sharing wine and cheese in a beautiful natural locale? Myscha Theriault offers some tips to make your picnic perfect. Local parks can be a lovely choice, especially with spring flowers in full bloom. Picnics can be evening events as well, and a campfire for S’mores can… Continue reading Affordable Romantic Picnic Ideas
Save Money by Leaving These Six Things off Your Weekly Grocery List
Marlene Alexander believes we’ve been brainwashed by advertisers, and she suggests we can save money and in some cases, help the environment, by making better choices in cleaning products. Alexander singles out pre-moistened cleaning cloths, (spray cleaner on your own) toilet cleaner (use powdered cleaners instead), Swiffer wet mops (one-use only), J-cloths ($1 microfiber cloths… Continue reading Save Money by Leaving These Six Things off Your Weekly Grocery List
7 Common Problems Solved by Owning Less
Joy and freedom are the results of owning less, according to author Joshua Becker. He and his family intentionally changed their lives forever by slashing their possessions by over 70%, and he shares seven areas of improvement that resulted. These include lowering debt, less time spent dealing with the accumulation and care of “things,” less… Continue reading 7 Common Problems Solved by Owning Less
Protect Me From What I Want
Do we know what we truly want? Can those things be purchased? Jill Chivers, author of “My Year Without Clothes Shopping,” suggests that overshopping can be a way of compensating for deeper needs such as meaningful work, connections with others, life experiences that make us happy, and being seen and known for who we really… Continue reading Protect Me From What I Want