By Meredith H. Kaiser
Yesterday, as I washed two coffee mugs that my aunt gave me, I said unexpectedly to myself, “These will be among my final things.” An image flashed before me. I saw myself, old and shrunken, seated at a little table surrounded by the few belongings worth keeping through the years; a […]

By David John Marotta
No married couple wants a scandal, even if it is just financial in nature. Money problems can ruin the love affair with your spouse. The work of blending two lives in harmony requires certain basic commitments. Many families today are financially troubled. Most of these are in denial. The rest of […]

By Meredith H. Kaiser
There’s a lot more to life than money. Even when you do concentrate on money issues, it should be with the thought of getting your finances in order so you can pursue the experiences in life that you want. Yet profound life experiences can still be enjoyed even if you have […]

By Shannon Christman
Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, local faith communities, service organizations, and even mommy groups all acknowledge the power of positive peer pressure. When you want to accomplish a goal or live your life a certain way, it is a bit easier when you meet with others working toward the same end.
Whether […]

By Shana Murray
Planning a wedding can get pretty expensive, especially when you have to pay for it yourselves, but no one ever talks about how expensive weddings can be for your guests. Unfortunately, you will get to the age where all of your relatives and friends start getting married at the same time […]

By Ann Hartter
When it comes to teaching your kids about money and finances, there is no need to go looking for specific books on these subjects. Your child’s bookself is probably already full of books that can bring financial lessons to life. Here are just a few of the possibilities:
Mother Goose Rhymes, traditional: Money themes […]

By Shannon Christman
Romantics will tell you that fresh flowers are perfect objects of condolence because they symbolize the beauty and brevity of life; allergics will tell you that they would prefer their sniffles and tears at a funeral to be from grief. Whichever position you hold, I hope you’ll agree with me that fresh […]

By Meredith H. Kaiser
What makes some people spendthrifts and others tightwads? My undergraduate biology degree requires that I frame the question in terms of “Nature or Nurture?” I wonder about my grandmother who lived through the depression? Did a frugal nature simply allow her and others like her to survive it? Or did the […]

By J. Alan Maguire
What scares you? What is holding you back and affecting your financial well-being? If you were not afraid, how different would your life be? I think fear is a major problem when it comes to finances. Do you have any of the following financial fears?
Budgeting. This is […]

By Meredith H. Kaiser
Women, in addition to spending hours poring over encyclopedic bridal magazines, I wish you would spend that same amount of time with your future spouse talking over these important points before you decide if you two should get married at all. In twenty years, the veil you selected will not come […]