Dear Young Earners, What is a mortgage? A mortgage acts as a financial tool used when buying real estate. Because I think that real estate is a great asset to include in your portfolio, I am going to discuss this tool. No matter what your main source of income is, it is best not to […]
Budgeting Basics for Recent College Graduates
Dear Recent or Soon to be College Graduate, Learning budgeting basics should be one of your next goals. Why focus on budgeting now? Well, you’ve completed a chapter in your life, in which you’ve been supported and had financial scaffolding and now you’re stepping into a new world of financial independence. This transition can be […]
SMART Financial Goals: Stay on Target
Hello Financial Goal-Setter, Recently, I was talking to a woman about one of my SMART financial goals. I had been telling the person about my SMART goal to decrease my regular monthly grocery bill. The woman chuckled, “Aren’t all goals smart? I mean, unless you have some dumb goal, like to rob a bank?” So, […]
What Is Economic Abuse?
Dear Younger Person, Today’s topic is “economic abuse”. You may not have heard of this term. But, it is a serious topic. Today, I want to give you some basic information on this problem, so that you can recognize it and avoid it. What Is Economic Abuse? Economic abuse is a form of domestic abuse, […]
12 Things to Know About Social Security
Dear Possibly Not Thinking About Social Security Yet, Have you thought about it? If yes, you may be thinking, “That’s the money that I will live on when I retire. So, I don’t have to think about it now.” Well, as with most parts of one’s financial journey, it’s better to plan ahead. So, today […]
Emergency Fund Plan
Dear Never Know When There Will Be An Emergency, While you may not have had an emergency yet, you can bet on the fact that you will have one at some point. You just don’t know when it will happen. So, how do you prepare for various financial problem that you can’t predict? You need […]
What is a Side Hustle?
Dear Not Making Enough, As a financial wellness instructor, I have been hearing a lot of people talk about not earning enough money. You know, I am going to just say it…That stinks! What can you do when you don’t earn enough money? Well, one option is to start a side hustle. What is a […]
Financial Wellness Mindset
Dear Financial Wellness Seeker, Today, I want to talk to you about having a financial wellness mindset. I have noticed that talking about money can be awkward for many people. Some people believe the myth that money is evil. Others who don’t feel that money is evil don’t feel comfortable talking about money for fear […]
Why Have Multiple Streams of Income?
Dear Young Earners, Today, I am going to discuss: Why Multiple Streams of Income? I was recently with a small group of people when the subject of multiple streams of income arose. One member of the group in particular seemed to be vehemently against the concept, because she was saying that people should not have […]
Having Your Taxes Prepared
Dear New (or Relatively New) Tax Payer, So, you are planning on having your taxes prepared, and you’re wondering what to take with you. Well, since, at the time that I am writing this, I am an advanced level IRS-certified tax preparer, I can share some information that should help you. This is going to […]