Living for today - Planning for Tomorrow
Health insurance is a huge expense for many Americans. In 2020, the average premium cost for an individual ACA plan was $456 per month. Families paid about $1,152 per month for coverage, which is almost as much as my mortgage on a 3-bedroom house! It’s no wonder that half of adults in the US say they have trouble affording medical care. As a young couple
It may seem a bit early to be thinking about financial goals for 2023 considering Christmas hasn’t even passed yet. But Bank of America just released a consumer survey about holiday shopping and financial New Year’s resolutions, which got me thinking about my goals. According to Bank of America, the top financial New Year’s resolution is to increase savings, followed by investing for retirement. Americans
Believe it or not, you can learn a lot about personal finance just by relaxing and watching TV! Personal finance TV shows can teach you about budgeting, paying off debt, and investing in real estate from the comfort of your own couch. These shows may feel like entertainment, but you’ll absorb a ton of valuable knowledge that will help you make better financial decisions. Here
If you’ve been on TikTok or other social media platforms lately, you’ve probably heard of the soft life trend. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it’s a new lifestyle movement that involves rejecting hustle culture and embracing a slow-paced life full of self-care. While this sounds nice in theory, following soft life influencers and trying to emulate their lifestyle could wreak havoc
Thanksgiving and Black Friday mark the beginning of the holiday season, which is an expensive time of year for many Americans. In 2021, 36% of consumers went into debt for Christmas and racked up an average balance of $1,249. However, you can buck this trend and enjoy a more frugal festive season this year by following the tips below. Here are four of the strategies
Recently I’ve been thinking about making an appointment with a fee-only financial advisor. Although I know how to manage my money after years of writing about personal finance, it’s always nice to get an outside perspective. Having a CFP (like those available at https://www.thekelleyfinancialgroup.com/) tell me I’m on the right track would give me peace of mind. I’d also like to know what’s possible with my current
Figuring out your love language can help improve your relationships by making you feel more connected to your loved ones. But have you ever considered how your love language may be affecting your finances? According to author and counselor Gary Chapman, there are five different types of love languages that dictate how we prefer to give and receive love: Words of affirmation Physical touch Acts
Today I thought I’d discuss a topic I’m passionate about, but have never covered before—the gender investing gap. Although women tend to be more effective investors than men and earn higher returns, we don’t invest as often. Women keep up to 71% of our assets in cash, and some of us aren’t investing any of our money at all. About 66% of men currently invest
Before I joined Reddit personal finance communities, I was pretty clueless about money. My parents didn’t teach me much about finances, so I didn’t understand the importance of building credit or saving for the future. And sadly, that’s all too common—only 4 in 7 Americans are financially literate, and about 75% of millennials don’t understand basic financial concepts. Luckily I came across financial forums like
The holidays are already one of the most expensive times of the year without factoring in inflation. Once you consider the impact of rising costs on your holiday budget, you may feel like emulating Scrooge and canceling the holidays altogether! But fear not—there are still ways to enjoy the holiday season without draining your savings, especially since you’re starting to think about Christmas early. Here
