I’m a numbers girl. Always have been, and always will be. I see things in numbers and fractions and percentages. Budgeting and tracking my spending comes easy for me because of that. But if you’re a visual person, you might find it a little harder to stay aware of your financial situation. So today, I [...]
As we move into 2011, I’m spending some time looking back at my actual spending over the past year and how closely it adhered to my plans. As I’ve mentioned before, I set a monthly budget for categories like food, clothing and entertainment. I also set an annual budget for travel and gift giving, and [...]
Financial Management For Newlyweds
Posted byThis is the first of two posts on newlywed finances. This seemed to be the summer of weddings for many of my close friends (and lots of personal finance writers, including Amanda right here at My Dollar Plan!). In April and May, I had weddings or related events FIVE weekends in a row! Two friends [...]
Have You Tried Peapod Groceries?
Posted byWe used Peapod online shopping and delivery for our groceries for the first time this week. For a limited time, you can get $15 off your first Peapod order. Open a Peapod account and use the code CJ615. Hurry, this promotion expires June 30th! The Peapod delivery concept is pretty simple. You create your shopping [...]
Do You Overlook the Indirect Costs?
Posted byLeading up to my CFP(R) exam last fall, I set a little aside from several paychecks to save the total amount of my registration fee. When I registered, I depleted the entire amount I had saved – but the registration wasn’t the end of my exam-related expenses. I forgot to take into account the $120 [...]
When my fiancé, Paul, and I bought our first home last September, a co-worker of mine asked if we were going to use an escrow account or not. After shelling out tens of thousands of dollars, the thought of owing large tax bills in just a few months in the New Year made an escrow [...]
The time has come where many (including myself) will be making New Year’s Resolutions. But how many people actually attain the goals they set out to complete each year? According to Stephen Shapiro, author of Goal-Free Living, one in four people who make New Year’s Resolutions never succeed. Perhaps this is because people are lacking [...]
Plan and Budget for Holiday Spending
Posted byHave you started your holiday shopping yet? Whether you’ve already started shopping, plan on hitting Black Friday sales, or are still procrastinating just a bit, one thing is certain: holiday spending can quickly become a budget buster. But with a bit of careful planning, you can get through this holiday season without spending more than [...]
7 Tips to Avoid Holiday Spending Stress
Posted byAs we approach the busy holiday season, are you worried about it wreaking havoc on your finances? Each year about October or so, my dad likes to scare everyone by saying something like “only FIVE more paychecks ‘til Christmas.” This makes people nervous, because they haven’t started shopping and don’t see where they’ll find the [...]
Life is full of moments that leave a bad taste in our mouths; just turn on the news and you are met with daily tales of cruelty and weird happenings. But life is also about wonderful, precious moments and when these beautiful moments come around, we want to celebrate them. The union of two people [...]
