I was watching the news last night and saw a rather alarming report that only %5 of high school seniors in America had passed a financial literacy test. That means that %95 of high school students about to graduate are going into the work force or even into University with absolutely no idea of how to manage their money and what is happening in their financial world. It is no wonder that so many people get into such financial trouble in their 20’s and then spend years digging out from the devastation. The good news is that, no matter what …
Finding the Holes
Have you ever felt like trying to get ahead in your finances is kind of like trying to blow up a balloon with a giant hole? The more energy, time, and air you pour into that balloon, the more frustrated you become because it just won’t get any bigger. And even worse, the second you take a break, it completely deflates and you have nothing to show for your efforts. It all just feels like a mystery because you never know where the air is going. And all of this frustration is simply because you have never taken the time …
Soar With Your Strengths
One of the great things, and difficult things about being married is that you both come to the marriage with such different strengths and weaknesses. I sometimes wish that my husband were more like me, but most of the time I am really glad that he is not. My dear friend Amy and her husband have found such a great solution to their differing strengths when it comes to finances. I want to share it with you today in the hope that it might also give you some ideas to finding creative solutions to coming together in your own finances. …
Far and Away
This weekend I have the wonderful priveledge of speaking with my Mom at a Women’s conference on the East Coast. I will only be getting back in late Sunday night, so I promise to have a fresh and creative budgeting idea for you on Monday. Have a wonderful Sunday.
All things considered…
A dear friend of my parents left a comment yesterday that he was going to be taking the weekend to tackle his piles of filing. I have been thinking and praying for grace for him this morning and it occurred to me that many of you might have been waiting for the weekend for the time to face the mountain. If that is you and that is what lies before you today, then it is just in my heart to encourage you today that there is grace for today. There isn’t grace for tomorrow yet. Just take each moment as …
Finishing Things
My sister-in-law passed this e-mail along to me yesterday, and I just have to share it with you: “I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following the simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr. Phil proclaims that, ‘The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished. So, I looked around my house to see all the things I’ve started and hadn’t finished, and before the …
A Place for Everything
My Dad has the most beautifully organized garage of anyone I have ever known (but, no this is not a picture of my Dad’s garage). It has always been tidy, my entire life, but honestly I had never really thought much about it until the other day. A good friend and I had had a play date with our kiddos at my parent’s house. As we were walking through the garage on our way out, she stopped and looked around and said, “This is beautiful!” I honestly didn’t know what she was talking about, but she said it again, “Your …
A Plan for Freedom
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 I have always loved this verse of scripture. To me it has always been such a comforting thought that the God who made me has a plan for my life. However, not just a plan, but a plan for good, a plan filled with hope and purpose. When these words were originally written, they were written to a group of people in absolute poverty, hopelessness, and actual captivity. They had been forcibly …
Binders, Files and the Battle of the Sexes
I am passionate about finances. It is one of the reason’s I am so excited about writing this blog. I love helping people and problem solving in their finances. I have core beliefs that anchor me, and it is such a joyful thing to see hope spark in someone who has had none. There is always hope. That being said, I have been married to my amazing husband for almost nine years and have managed our finances that whole time. Now, with finances being one of my passions and not necessarily Matt’s, it would be very easy for me to …
Surprises in the Mail
So you stand at the door, your hand on the handle, your heart is pounding. Gently you crack the door and immediately feel something pushing against you. “There really is a monster!”, your fear screams. It takes a second, but your rational mind finally kicks in,. “There is NO monster,” you repeat over and over to yourself like a mantra and with courageous effort you swing the closet door open and get pummelled….. by mail. This is where we begin. You can’t know where you are financially unless you open your mail. It may sound overly simplistic to some of …