Keep Your Eye on the Graduation Prize

Posted by Jill on April 27, 2011

It’s April. Here in DC Cherry Blossom season has come and gone and the weather is getting warmer every day. We grownups (at 25 I still have a hard time thinking of myself that way!) are in the midst of putting away winter clothes and making summer plans. But students everywhere are gearing up for […]

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Reviewing 2010 and 2011 Financial Strategies

Posted by Jill on January 5, 2011

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 […]

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Financial Management For Newlyweds

Posted by Jill on September 14, 2010

This 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 […]

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Have You Tried Peapod Groceries?

Posted by Madison on May 25, 2010

We 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 […]

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Do You Overlook the Indirect Costs?

Posted by Jill on February 1, 2010

Leading 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 […]

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How to Break Free from Your Escrow Account

Posted by Amanda on January 12, 2010

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 […]

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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 […]

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Plan and Budget for Holiday Spending

Posted by Jill on November 25, 2009

Have 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 […]

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Balancing Life’s Little Moments with Your Budget

Posted by Amanda on September 30, 2009

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 […]

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Did you get an allowance from your parents when you were young? I remember my first allowance, a whopping $2 a week! The amount went up over the years as I aged, but the allowance was always mine to spend or save as I pleased. Fast forward to adulthood. At one time my spending got out […]

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