5 Steps to Start Saving
If you’re anything like me, you overspent (again) during the holiday season and vowed to get your finances back on track as one of your 2012 resolutions. Resolving to save more money is one of the most common resolutions. Now that January’s passed, and some of us are already losing motivation to stick with our savings resolutions. Here are a few easy steps...
Continue ReadingGet a Jumpstart on Your 2012 Financial Resolutions
December always seems to fly by, and before we know it, 2012 will be upon us. The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to set goals and create a plan for the rest of the year, especially when it comes to your financial situation. Here are two of the most common financial resolutions and ways you can start working toward these goals this holiday season...
Continue ReadingFinancing Your First Home Sweet Home
I love my home. I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a workaholic and don’t get to spend as much time there as I’d like, but when I do come home after a long day at work, I’m so happy to have a nice, comfortable home that’s mine, all mine. One of the many great things about living in mid-Michigan is there are a lot of fantastic, yet very affordable, homes...
Continue ReadingBack to School: If I Can Do It, So Can You
I’ll just put this out there: I’m not someone who’s all that fond of taking risks or switching up my routine. So when I decided to go back to school to earn my MBA at the age of — well, we don’t need to get specific, but let’s just say it’d been a little while since I’d last attended college — I knew I was in for a major challenge. But I’m...
Continue ReadingMoney Saving Travel Tips
There are few things I love more than traveling for a vacation; shopping, eating a great meal and spending time with friends and family are definitely up there on the list, too. Combine traveling, shopping, eating and spending time with loved ones, and I’m ecstatic. The only way to top that combo is to have the whole experience without spending a ton of...
Continue ReadingKnow the Score Before You Start Home Improvements
Show of hands: Who’s as ecstatic as I am that winter’s over? Even though New Year’s gets all the hype for resolutions and setting goals, I think the beginning of spring is the perfect time to hit the reset button and start anew. One of my favorite parts of spring is taking care of much-needed work at my house. Well, for the sake of full disclosure, most...
Continue ReadingLove & Money – Three Things to Ask Your One And Only This Valentine’s Day
February always makes us think of chocolates and flowers and all things love. Now that you have found your true love, it might be time for the talk. Not that talk, but the talk about your financial compatibility. Disagreements about money are often a topic most couples argue about and can cause serious problems for the future of your relationship. How your...
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Five Easy Ways to Keep the Holidays Affordable
It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again, but the holiday season is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you get a little stressed with all the holiday get-togethers, shopping and spending. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to maintain your sanity and keep the holidays affordable this year. 1. Set a budget for the holidays. Budgeting...
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Smart Phone User’s Guide to Smart Banking
There are benefits to having a mobile world of information at your fingertips, including banking. Find out the best and safest methods of utilizing banking tools on your smart phone. In this day and age, it’s hard to find someone without a mobile phone attached to them like an additional appendage. Well, except for my mom, who is still holding out because...
Continue ReadingFinancial Scams 2.0: Don’t be Swindled by New Online Cons
Online financial scams are nothing new, but sophisticated technology and a tough economic climate have led to a recent increase in the number of people falling prey to this type of fraud. Javelin Strategy and Research’s 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report revealed that fraud rose by 12.5 percent in 2009 over the previous year, accounting for $54 billion. From...
Continue ReadingThe Anatomy of a Business Plan Getting Your Business on the Right Path
The business plan is an essential part of starting a business, especially if the business will be seeking financial assistance. Most investors or financial institutions will not even consider a company that does not have a business plan. What is a business plan? The business plan is a document that provides the reader with a complete picture of the financial...
Continue ReadingHave a Financially Friendly Holiday
Financially, navigating the holiday season during an economic slump can be a little tough, but with early planning and a little DIY creativity, you can eliminate extra expenses associated with last minute preparation. Believe it or not, you can be frugal and still dazzle your friends and family. Get a head start Early planning allows you to get a bigger picture...
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