If you've been dreaming of a summer getaway, now is the time to put those plans in motion! The kids are out of school, the days are longer, and everyone is up for a break. If your affordable summer trip is a weekend away to visit family or a two-week European excursion, you're still going to need to consult the numbers first. Here's how to plan a vacation that will keep your budget in Continue Reading
An Easy Budget to Build Wealth
We all know what we have to do to build wealth: spend less and save more. But it can be tough to know what to do on a daily basis to build wealth. It’s fine to have take-out sometimes, but can you afford take-out tonight? Or do you need to save the money for something else? A budget can help you stay on track. A budget can help you make wise spending decisions, but most of us find living by a Continue Reading
Tackling Financial Goals in the New Year
If you’d like to make your money work for you, you probably have a few financial goals for the new year. I work with people every day who are working to do things like save for retirement, plan for college, and pay off their student loans. Accomplishing these financial goals is an important part of creating a secure financial future. But if you're not sure where to start or if you’ve tried and Continue Reading
Your Year-End Financial Checklist
Managing your money to reach your financial goals is a never-ending activity. But as the end of the year approaches, there’s still time to make progress towards your yearly goals. Use this financial checklist to see if there's anything you can do before the end of the year. With the tax year winding to a close, a few moves might make a big difference. 1. Review Your Year Every financial move Continue Reading
Living a Richer Life with Gratitude
It’s human nature to set your sights a little bit bigger time after time. We set goals to become stronger, faster, smarter and wealthier. We're always trying to get a little better bit by bit. But when it comes to money, always wanting more will mean that you'll never have enough. It’s hard to be in a place of satisfaction and gratitude when there’s a desire for more. Evaluate Where You've Continue Reading
Talking About Money with Your Spouse
Relationships don’t survive without honest talks about money. Money conversations can be tough, even when you’re happily married. It’s an incredible gift to your marriage to know how to handle your money in a productive, drama-free way with your spouse. Some researchers estimate that couples who work together to manage their money can double their wealth as compared to their single Continue Reading
Maximizing Employee Benefits During Open Enrollment
If you’re like many of my clients, you remember how much you get paid every month. But when it comes to the details of your employee benefits, it’s easy to glaze over what’s in the fine print. Many employers offer great benefits, and you can protect your family and build wealth by taking advantage of them. Do you understand all that your employer has to offer? When the email comes about Continue Reading
Your Emergency Fund Should Be Boring
Sometimes, financial success can be exciting. It’s exhilarating to finally get the raise you worked so hard for, buy your dream house, or take your long-awaited European vacation guilt-free. But some sound financial concepts are boring. Emergency funds are definitely snooze-worthy. After all, they are there to help you sleep soundly at night. Emergency funds provide a buffer to help you Continue Reading
Happy First Birthday to My Business
It's almost hard to believe that Your Richest Life is just a year old! After several months of strategic planning and business set-up, I opened up the business a year ago. It's been a fun (and sometimes) wild ride ever since! Here are some of the highlights over the last year: I've had the honor of speaking at several professional women's conferences and organizations, including the Continue Reading
3 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money
Parents are always trying to teach their kids the ways of the world with the hope that those kids will grow up into responsible teenagers and productive young adults. I know I do. I try to teach my daughter valuable lessons - look both ways before crossing the street, be respectful, and always say please and thank you. The lessons we teach our kids will (hopefully) stay with them for the rest Continue Reading