Which Money Language Do You Speak?

Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec once said, “If you can’t speak money, you will be broke for the rest of your life”.   

So how exactly do you “speak money”? Money language is how you view money, and the understanding of how you use money to express yourself. Money is often cited as the number one reason couples argue. That’s because when it comes to financial matters, many people don’t speak the same language. Learning to  understand your partner’s money language, fears, and goals could help minimize this dilemma.

 

Having an open and honest discussion about your differing financial viewpoints might seem treacherous at first, but by doing so it can add depth and perspective to the relationship. Since both perspectives are integral pieces in the joint financial journey, the collective input encourages an equal collaboration in working towards the same goals. 

How To Protect Your Finances When Leaving An Abusive Relationship

What unique financial hurdles does someone face when they are in an abusive relationship?

Unless you have personally been a victim, it is truly hard to understand the reasons one stays in an unhealthy relationship. More often than not, the abuser has made the victim feel as if they are dependent upon the abuser. That without the help of the abuser, the victim could not survive financially in the world, and it is only by the grace of the abuser that the victim has a roof over their head, and food on the table.

Bring children into that equation, and the hold one has over another can significantly multiply. The fear of breaking up a family, uprooting kids from their home, and denying them from seeing both parents every day can be too much for one to handle.

The Baby Boomer Boomeranger: Adult Children Returning Home

Jeopardizing Your Retirement By Financially Helping Adult Children

As parents, we want to give our children more than what we were given growing up. Whether it’s the latest technology, the newest clothing trends, or the most memorable vacations. That’s human nature, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But at what point is it time to cut the financial umbilical cord?

The Boomeranger

One-third of baby boomers are still helping their adult kids in their 20’s and 30’s financially. Actually it appears many of these baby boomers gave birth to boomerangers…adult children returning home to live with their parents. Not only are these parents stuck covering the cost of a roof overhead, but at times also a cell phone, car payment, car insurance, and health insurance.

At what cost do these extra expenses have on the parents? More often than not, a hit to their retirement savings. Whether it’s less being put back, or funds being borrowed or disbursed, not as much is getting holed away.

Detoxifying your budget

A few months ago I decided to do a body detoxifying cleanse. I’m sure you've heard about them and all the benefits they claim to produce.  They're suppose to remove toxins, increase energy and vitality, and help strengthen the body to fight off infection. In addition, you’ll get a flatter belly because it gets rid of the excess waste from your colon. Enticing, right?

The one I found required drinking a daily 64 ounce dose concoction of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and water for three days. Not this spicy-citrusy brew in combination with a sensible meal, but instead of anything else. Surely I can make it three days. Three days isn't that long, especially for a fully detoxed body, right? So I’m proud to announce my colon is now one-third cleaner than is was before starting this regimen. I guess- I’m not entirely sure how to gauge the results, so I’m just going to assume it worked. And yes, you read that correctly... one-third cleaner. I only made it one day-

Want to try a cleanse that you’ll actually have proof of the results, and is a little less bitter to swallow? How about giving your budget a 30-day detoxifying cleanse? I know just about all of us could benefit by a good purge from toxic spending…

Don't get buried by your debt~

A while back we had our male puppy, Kassel, “fixed”. I use the word “fixed” lightly, as I have since discovered this term is now politically incorrect. The more friendly term being used is “altered”, seeing as the word “fixed” implies that something was wrong with him to begin with. And although marking his territory may be construed as a natural display of dominance for some, I chose to “fix” the issue. The line was drawn when he “marked” my flip flops…

As we picked up our sweet little four pound ball of fur from the vet’s office, I felt a great sadness in my heart for what we chose to put him through. You see, not only did we have him neutered, but also elected to have five of his remaining puppy teeth pulled. In addition, he received his Parvo and Rabies vaccinations. Basically, he was “tore up from the floor up”…

Getting Schooled On Student Loans

A few days before leaving on my trip to Germany, we received a call at the office from a local news station wanting to do an interview regarding student loans. Since Gary was out of town, and I'm a Certified Credit Counselor, I thought it only right to step up to the plate and help out.

Prior to the interview, I asked what the interviewer might want to know in case any specific details would be needed. One of the questions was fairly simple: Why are graduates having to live paycheck to paycheck upon finishing school?

The question sounds simple enough, right? The answer, however, is a bit more complicated. 

How much can you afford

I used the example of purchasing a vehicle. Before shopping around, someone has (or should) a pretty good idea of the monthly payment they can afford. Secondly, there are many financial calculators online that allow you to plug in that monthly payment amount, interest rate, and term to discover what purchase amount will fit into your budget.

So once you have the amount of car you can afford in mind, you can begin the car shopping experience. If your budget is in the $18,000 range, obviously you wouldn't want to begin that journey at the Mercedes dealership, but something a little more conservative.