I was recently helping a friend with her family’s vacation planning. They desperately wanted to go to Disney World, but felt like they couldn’t afford it. “It’s just so much more expensive than other places,” she said. I asked her what they were going to do instead. “Well, we’ll probably go to Cedar Point, instead. [...]
Now that the kids are in school and the back to school shopping is done, it’s time to think about the next big spending event: Christmas. Christmas is a little less than four months away. It’s time to take action now so that you have the money you need for Christmas shopping. It’s also time [...]
Just about every time we go on vacation, someone gets sick. I think it’s because we’re all off our normal routines and we’re exposed to a lot more people. We eat food that we don’t normally eat, we stay out later and get less sleep, we’re around large crowds of germy people, and we are [...]
A lot of times when you go shopping on vacation, it isn’t only those on the trip with you that you’re shopping for. You’ll probably want to get something for your friends, classmates, and family members who are back home. But how do you shop for other people plus yourself without breaking the bank? There [...]
If you travel with kids, you’re likely to have a bout of the “gimmies” at some point during your vacation. Your kids are likely to want everything they see and you’ll be trying to stick to your budget. How can you manage the “gimmies” while still allowing your kids to have some shopping fun? Buy [...]
A vacation can be a lot of fun. It can also be very expensive, although it does not have to be. There are many ways to cut costs on a vacation, but even the most conscientious cost cutters are sometimes guilty of throwing away money needlessly. It’s easy to waste money on vacation. You get [...]
Father’s Day has come and gone. My family dutifully celebrated my status as “Dad” by going out for breakfast and, later in the day, ice cream. In deference to the day, no one complained when I ordered only coffee for breakfast and passed up the ice cream as I am trying to drop a few [...]
It’s January. If you live anywhere in the USA, you are probably cold right now, at least at the moment of this writing. That means that you are probably inside and have plenty of time to think about things. Stop! If you start thinking, you may arrive at a New Year’s resolution that you have [...]
By C Craig It’s that time of year, when we set down promises to make this — and the coming years — the best yet. “I’ll lose that 10 pounds!” we promise ourselves, “Give up late night snacking, get to the gym, and get organized.” Most of us share a common aspect of New Year’s [...]
We’re heading toward the time of year when thoughts turn to New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you’re making some specific financial resolutions: To get out of debt, save for a home, increase your retirement savings, or cut your grocery spending. Those are great ideas, but even if your resolutions aren’t specifically financial, your hard work to [...]
