Last holiday season we noticed a new trend of current FinGym clients purchasing gift memberships for loved ones, and particularly for their parents. The reasons varied. Sometimes it was to help their parents plan for retirement, or to give them the opportunity to have a second set of eyes on their investments to make sure they were ok. For others, having their own financial foundation shaken made them want to offer the security of having a financial plan to others.

We give a lot of our time, energy and money to the holiday season so it’s more important than ever to also practice self-care.

When you’re burned-out or stressed, the immediate feeling of it can be hard to manage. Regardless of what scenarios you come across this holiday, honor yourself by acknowledging and sitting with these feelings. Once you’ve given yourself time to respect how you feel, reconnecting with your breath can offer clarity to the situation.

Here are six self-care tips that can help you maintain balance during the season ahead.

The holiday season is expensive: consumers in the U.S. spend about $1,000 annually on Christmas each year. With the added costs of inflation this year, budget-conscious shoppers will have an even greater challenge than usual. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your spending under control while still spreading holiday joy.

Wishlists are great for two reasons: 1) they reduce the stress of having to generate ideas, and 2) you can pick a gift that’s priced within your budget and know that it’s something the recipient actually wants. If all of the gifts on the list exceed your budget, look for someone to go in on the gift with you.

You may be familiar with the phrase, “living paycheck-to-paycheck” — it might even resonate with your current financial situation. If you’d put yourself under this category, you’re not alone. According to a 2017 CareerBuilder survey, 78% of U.S. workers say they live paycheck to paycheck.

Although there may be larger factors at play, like your state’s minimum wage or your area’s cost of living, there are a few areas in your daily financial picture that you can control. To help the cycle of a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, try implementing these steps.

It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays. Spending during this time of year is normalized and there is pressure to make it special at any cost. Looking out for these spending traps will help you avoid a post-holiday credit card hangover.

When you are already in the shopping mood and picking out gifts for others, it’s easy to slip a few things in the cart for yourself. In fact, nearly 60% of shoppers plan to spend on themselves during the holiday season. This isn’t necessarily a problem if those expenses are planned and accounted for in your budget.

Many people open their first bank account as a kid wherever their parents bank and never make a change. But the banking industry itself has changed a lot since most of us were kids and sticking with the same bank may no longer be the best option for you.

Just like in a relationship, even when you know it’s time to end things, the logistics of moving on can be intimidating.

Follow these steps to smoothly leave your old account behind.

The Christmas countdown has officially begun! But if you are counting the cash in your bank account and wondering how you’re going to get through the holiday season without a credit card hangover, we’ve got your back.

Here are five ways to get extra cash quickly and avoid post-holiday financial regrets:

Now is a great time to cash in on those credit card rewards you’ve been building up all year! Redeem your cash back for a statement credit as you shop or use your points to buy gift cards

We all have friends who are a blast to hang out with, but who aren’t always the most supportive of our financial goals — whether on purpose or not. The worst is when you realize that you, yourself, can actually be that friend who pressures others into spending, even when it comes from a good place!

For example, you may have found yourself encouraging a friend to go out for drinks or to buy something new, even after they may have casually mentioned that they’re trying to save money.

This time of year, when we reflect on all we have, is a popular time to think about giving to others as well. When your budget is tight, you may not feel like you have the means to help others without putting your own finances at risk. Fortunately, there are ways to be generous without breaking your budget.

There are many worthy causes—so many that choosing where to donate can be overwhelming. Pick one or two to focus on now for now. You can always add more or switch it up down the road.

One question our trainers always receive is “what is your favorite podcast?” Many of our trainers are avid podcast listeners and love listening to new podcasts—so much so that we even have a whole slack channel dedicated to our favorite podcast episodes!

Here is a round-up of our favorite podcasts:

“Brown Ambition is a weekly conversation between two successful women of color dealing with topics of professional and financial ambition, will and so much more. Wisdom is found here weekly.”

Chances are the employees at your company are feeling the pain of inflation and concerns of a recession. They don’t need to hear it from an economist to know that things in general are getting more expensive and companies are looking for ways to tighten their belts. Combine that with the pressure of the holiday season, and you may have some stressed folks in your workplace. In addition to raises and/or bonuses if your company can afford them, there are other ways you make this time less financially stressful for your employees.

Carrying a credit card around this holiday shopping season can make sense in many ways. It offers convenience and greater purchasing power, but there’s a fine line between smart holiday card use versus letting credit card shopping get out of hand. Here’s a basic guide on the dos and don’ts when using a credit card over the holidays.

Before setting foot in a store or visiting an online retailer to check-off your gift list, set boundaries around your spending limit. First, decide how much money you can afford to spend in total.

We are officially in the single digits when speaking to how many weeks are left in the year. With the holidays approaching it is an easy time of year to put your financial health to the side and make focusing on your finances a New Year’s Resolution. But what if you did a refresh of your finances NOW so you can give more attention to your other life goals in 2023!

Below are 6 ways you can take a few moments to review your overall financial health and make sure you’re setting yourself up for ultimate success in the new year!

Starting a business can be rewarding but also difficult. Business owners can see their passion come to life but also put in the time and effort, that no one else sees. If you run a business, you’re a master juggler and wear a lot of hats.

One thing that can make starting a business or managing a business tough is finances. As if personal finance wasn’t hard enough to deal with, business finance is a whole other animal. We’re going to break down the basics of what you need to know about finances for small business. Here are five things you should do to manage finances for small business.

A health savings account (HSA) can be a useful part of your financial toolbox. Like retirement accounts, HSAs come along with powerful benefits like tax-free spending on healthcare, but they also have some odd rules. Knowing the ins and outs of your HSA will help you get the greatest benefit from it depending on your own financial situation.

As you accumulate money in your HSA, you can actually invest those funds so they can grow for you over the years. As long as you spend that money on qualified health expenses, you never pay taxes on your contributions or your investment gains.

Winter is coming and it will bring along challenging conditions for our cars, homes, and health. Luckily, a little preventive maintenance goes a long way toward averting costly problems this season. Try these winterizing tips to keep your car, home, and health running as smoothly as possible:

Although it’s never fun to break down on the side of the road, it’s a whole lot worse when it’s below freezing. The cold exacerbates the decline of car batteries so check that your car’s battery is in good health and consider replacing it if not.

Salary negotiation is a widely accepted practice during the job hunt process: about 70% of employers expect job candidates to negotiate. Despite that, a recent study from Fidelity found that 58% of young professionals accepted job offers without negotiating. Many people don’t negotiate because it’s uncomfortable or they fear how they will be perceived, but by not negotiating, you could be leaving money or other benefits on the table. The same study found that 87% of job seekers who negotiated received at least some of what they asked for.

Try these strategies to put yourself in the best position for a successful negotiation.

Finances can feel so serious, but they don’t always have to feel like that. Savings challenges are a great way to add a little “fun” into finance. They can help you save for a specific purchase, holiday gift money, or just to boost your overall savings. These challenges force you to step outside your day-to-day routine and get creative.

There are a few strategies to make you the most likely to succeed at your savings challenge. First, set the rules before you start and put them in writing so you are clear on what counts as success to you. You should also choose what you want to use the money for in advance and track your progress to keep up your motivation.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the hamster wheel of life, we forget to ask ourselves what all of this hard work is even for. When you’re so busy reacting to the needs and demands of others, then of course, it would be hard to refuse the extra glass of wine at dinner, click “purchase” on Amazon, and order take out for dinner.

You’re much more likely to change your day-to-day budgeting habits when you have a specific goal that represents something you truly want for yourself.

Below are some examples of goals that I hear from clients. Guess who is reaching their goals faster? The ones with goals they feel obligated to have? Or the ones that match their personal values and desires?

Even in the best of times, our relationships with money is…complicated. While it sometimes feels like we are the only ones struggling to create new financial habits and overcome unhelpful money-related thinking patterns, we are not alone. Instead of succumbing to money mindset malaise, we recommend picking a good book to help expand your thinking and recognize new possibilities. Here are some of our recommendations.

Atomic Habits: This book gives you strategies and tools that you can implement to help with forming (and keeping!) good habits, which is a great skill to have when managing your money.