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.

Another day, another data breach in the news. With each new revelation of data exposure, our expectations for privacy get lower and lower. While there is little you can do to keep your data from being exposed through a third party, you can still take action to protect yourself against the worst-case scenarios. When it comes to protecting yourself financially, freezing your credit should be at the top of your list.

The excitement of a new purchase (especially now!) — whether it’s a small purchase at the department store or a large purchase, like a new car — feels good. Psychological studies reveal that the excitement and anticipation of getting a reward (i.e. what you’re buying) increases dopamine levels in the brain. This chemical shift gives shopping and spending money almost addictive quality.

Until you realize that you’ve blown your budget or the psychological “high” of the purchase fades and you’re faced with buyer’s remorse. Don’t let your spending habits reach this point out of boredom! You can preemptively avoid this spending cycle by practicing these tips to avoid buyer’s regret.

Many of us were never taught how to manage credit cards or how they even work. Let’s start off with some basics before jumping into how to pay down your debt faster.

Avoiding your federal student loans isn’t really a problem until one day it is—your credit score drops, your paycheck gets garnished, or your tax refund is withheld. For more than four years, federal student loan borrowers have been largely shielded from the consequences of missed payments and default, but that’s about to change. September 30th marks the end of two initiatives that have been helping borrowers: the “on-ramp” and the Fresh Start program.

When your car is on its last leg and it’s time to start looking for another vehicle, you may wonder which is better: leasing or buying? The answer: it depends. Leasing a car has many short-term benefits but long-term drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know to decide if it’s a good move for you right now.

We have a lot of clients who freelance or have side hustles that aren’t W2 jobs. While we all know that there are processes we should have in place to keep our lives simple come tax time, life is busy. We often don’t keep up with paperwork and tracking and expenses the way we should, and then have to slog through hundreds of transactions to figure out which transactions were business expenses and which were personal. It can be hard to figure out how much you’ve earned through your independent work when you just deposit into your personal bank account and it gets mixed in with other income.

Let’s face it, most personal finance advice has been centered around shame and scarcity, and while it has worked for some people, it can also do a lot of damage and discourage others. Human-beings have evolved to have a negativity bias, which explains why we are more motivated by negatives than positives. That’s why this blog post might have caught your attention as opposed to a title like “How to create an abundance mindset around money.” While the negativity bias was a helpful trait to have when we were running from tigers in the wild, it can really hold us back in modern life. Scarcity is related to our negativity bias because it is the belief that there aren't enough resources to go around, money is a struggle to come by and we have to scrimp to conserve and hoard what is ours. And scarcity can make us do irrational things... like creating a non gas shortage into a real gas shortage.