A little help from the savvy moms out there

I’m about to find out how many women are out there reading this blog. I’ll be attending, (possibly throwing), a baby shower for a good friend of mine in the near future. I don’t have any children of my own, and despite working in day care centers for years, I have no idea what the … Read more

What to do with $15,000?

If you come across a $15,000 windfall or grow a 15k nest egg, what should you do with it? Savings accounts, emergency funds, IRAs, HSAs, and paying off debt are all options. So which one should you choose? Emergency Fund If you don’t have a sizable emergency fund, use the money to build one. $15,000 … Read more

The no-emergency, emergency fund?

About a year ago I was struck with a major medical illness. Since that time I have spent time in and out of doctors offices and hospitals. I have had more scans than I can possibly count, and had fairly significant surgery. Thankfully I have an unbelievable employer with unbelievable benefits. I have up to … Read more

Should I pay off my mortgage?

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself when considering to pay off your mortgage early. (They have been gathered from a number of websites discussing this topic.) Do you have other debts? – Obviously you should pay off all credit card debts before attempting to pay off your mortgage. Do you have an … Read more

Beach House… A worthy investment?

In July of 2005 my husband and I purchased a very cute, little, yellow, beach house in NC for $620,000. We bought the house because we love it. And if all goes well we’ll spend a good deal of our retirement there (we’re only in our 20s so that’s a long way off). If you … Read more

Easy Frugal Tips — Not quite a tightwad

So I’ve been flipping through the pages of the Tightwad Gazette in the hopes of finding easy ways to save a little extra money each month. I have been known to do some pretty frugal things in my day. When I first got out of college I was often broke. (Not because I blew all … Read more

Selling Books Online

As I mentioned in a previous entry I am attempting to clear as much clutter from my home as possible. If there is way to clear clutter and make money I am all for it. So I did some research online and discovered a number of websites that will allow you to sell books online. … Read more

Results of the First Annual Family Meeting

Late last year I read “The Family CFO.” A great book that I would highly recommend to anyone that’s married or getting married. The book talks about removing emotions from conversations about money by running your family like a business. You and your husband form a board of directors and sit down once a year … Read more