With the holiday season right around the corner, employers are starting to think about ways to reward their teams with holiday parties, surprise gifts, and highly anticipated holiday bonuses. But employers aren’t the only ones who can show appreciation during the season of giving.

It’s the perfect time for you to reward all the hardworking people who provide you services year-round. It can be quite tricky, however, to figure out just how much is considered an appropriate bonus. Read on for a list of the 10 people to keep in mind for a holiday bonus.

Some people love giving gifts, but giving indiscriminately can interrupt the giver’s own financial progress. When gift-giving is a strong part of your identity, that is likely reflected in your spending. If you start to feel like your tendency to give gifts is holding you back financially, it’s time to re-examine how exactly you are expressing your love through gifts and how you can prioritize your own financial health along with making your friends and family happy.

The desire to give can be very strong during the holiday season. With multiple causes that are near to your heart, you may want to put aside some cash for charitable giving. One of the easiest ways to do this is to participate in this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign today.

As the holiday season kicks off tomorrow (Happy Thanksgiving!) we just wanted to remind everyone that there are always ways to practice gratitude (even during the crazy, tumultuous year that we have had!).

Money avoidance is a common problem, especially among the younger generations—according to a Discover survey, 41% of Gen Z and 27% of Millennials avoid looking at their bank account balances. This reaction is natural, but allowing it to go unaddressed can worsen the problem. Luckily, there are ways to break this cycle, and understanding why you avoid money and what type of money avoider you are can help.

Whether you’re hosting a big family Thanksgiving or an intimate Friendsgiving, it can be one of the most expensive dinners of the year. The cost can quickly add up as you ring up ingredients for the appetizers, sides, desserts, and turkey — not to mention dinnerware for the table setting and any other festive decor to make the celebration memorable.

With the right plan, however, you can host Thanksgiving on a budget that’s sure to impress your friends and family.

Post-election, the word “tariff” has entered our daily lexicon. We have politics to thank for that—according to the Tax Foundation, President-elect Trump has promised a 10-20% tariff on all imports, a tariff of at least 60% on Chinese imports, and a 25-100% tariff on Mexican imports.

Quite a bit has happened in the last week, and I felt compelled to share a few thoughts. Last week’s election made it clear what was most important to many voters—financial health. There were other issues of importance to voters; however, it’s clear that the lasting effects of inflation from 2022 are front and center for many Americans. 

Not everyone has the time or inclination to get into the weeds of retirement planning. There are so many types of accounts, changing contribution limits, and odd regulations—seriously, there are a lot of weird retirement rules. The good news is that by avoiding a few major mistakes, you’ve done 90% of the work to optimize your retirement.

Finances are among the leading stressors of modern-day life so it's important to get a clear understanding of how it guides our decisions. You may have been telling yourself the same scripts about your capabilities when it comes to your finances. The thing is — these beliefs may not be reality. Here are a few common money myths people tell themselves.

One common theme we hear from clients is that they don’t know where their money is going or don’t feel in control of their spending. Luckily, this is a solvable problem! Here are six ways to gain control of your spending.

It’s spooky season! And do you know what can scare us even more than creepy ghosts and killer clowns? Our finances! Many people would rather walk through a haunted house than look at their credit card bill or retirement balance. Fear is a response to feeling threatened and it’s a normal part of life designed to keep us safe, but there are actions you can take to reduce your financial fear.

Couples need to have many important discussions before walking down the aisle, and the topic of signing a prenuptial agreement can be uncomfortable for some. Many couples struggle with discussing finances in general, so adding a layer that’s essentially planning for divorce may be awkward or even confrontational. However, the outcomes of a prenuptial agreement can actually be beneficial to both parties.

Prenuptial agreements aren’t just for the super-wealthy. More couples are choosing to put their financial cards on the table before saying “I do” — whether it’s because there’s a financial inequality between the couple or simply to protect themselves in the future. Although it’s not a romantic conversation, it may be worth having this honest discussion before marriage depending on your financial situation and relationship history.

As a former beauty consultant and skincare enthusiast, I love all things skincare and beauty. From high end to drug store products, I have nearly seen and tried it all. Now that I am a Trainer here at the gym, what better way to combine my love for budgeting and skincare than helping you build a budget-friendly skincare routine!

The popularity of celebrating Halloween is on the rise. Consumers are expected to spend a total of $11.6 billion on Halloween this year including costumes, decorations, candy, and greeting cards. That’s a lot of money! Here are four ideas to participate in the fun of spooky season without draining your bank account.

Whether you grew up in a financially transparent household or talking about money was considered taboo, navigating a conversation about your aging parents’ finances can feel hard. In fact, according to a GOBankingRates survey, 73% of Americans haven’t spoken to their parents about money in-depth, and 17% of respondents said they were afraid to bring up the topic.

Although the thought of asking your elderly parents about their future financial security can feel uncomfortable, you’ll inevitably need to know these details. For example, this is especially true if they need to go into eldercare later on or if you’re tasked with managing their estate after they die. 

If you want to get the conversation started, here are a few ways to get it going in a productive and encouraging direction. 

Saving feels great. Lots of my clients are surprised to find that, while they thought that the process of saving money was going to be a lot of drudgery and deprivation, once they start to see their balances climb, seeing those numbers can have an addictive effect. The same goes for debt payoff: once clients see those numbers going in the right direction, they feel motivated to keep the progress going, and often get inspired to delay gratification in other ways so they can reach their big goals faster.

It’s that time again: open enrollment season. It’s the one time of year when you can choose to change your health insurance coverage through your employer or the state/federal marketplace. Between all of the terminology and plan options, choosing a health insurance plan can be confusing and stressful. Here’s what to know to make the decision easier.

If you’re trying to set financial goals, one of the most immediate decisions you’ll probably be confronted with is deciding between savings vs. investing. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there when it comes to how to prioritize your money. The truth is, you can do both saving and investing at the same time, but you’ll want to do so strategically so that you have your money available when you need it.

Here are some scenarios to help you get an idea about whether to put your money in a savings or investment account.

Even though the holidays happen at the same time every year, they have a way of sneaking up on us. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning knowing that all the gifts under the tree and food in the fridge have already been paid for. That’s possible if you start planning now! Here are four steps to make that happen.