10 Steps to Healthy Finances
Beginnings are usually difficult for me (for most of us, right?). If you haven’t already, check the about this blog page to learn, well, about this blog. I thought we could start out with the basics...
View ArticleCreating a Personal Balance Sheet
Estimated time: 30 minutes to 1 hour Materials: financial records Project difficulty: easy One of the first things I learned in Accounting 101 was the definition of a balance sheet. While it can be...
View ArticleTracking Your Spending
Estimated time: 30 minutes to 1 hour Materials: financial records, computer/financial program optional Project difficulty: easy Now that you have your personal balance sheet, we need to start to see...
View ArticleCreating a Budget
Estimated Time: 1-2 hours Materials: Results from Tracking Your Spending Project Difficulty: It depends A few years ago, as I was scanning my bank statements and adding a few things up in a spreadsheet...
View ArticleThe Emergency Fund
Estimated Calculation Time: 30 minutes Materials: Results from Creating a Budget, Personal Balance Sheet and Insurance documents Project Difficulty: It depends I was talking to a good friend of mine...
View ArticleCredit Cards as Emergency Funds
I just read an article from January 2008 (surprise surprise) saying that you don’t need an emergency fund as long as you have access to credit. In the last two years I hope that people have figured out...
View ArticleSuper Nanny and Your Finances
Although I couldn’t tell you when it comes on, whenever I am flipping the channels and find Super Nanny I usually stop to watch. I love her no-nonsense approach to teaching healthier habits and...
View ArticleUpdating Insurance Coverage
Estimated time: 2 hours Materials: insurance records Project difficulty: medium to difficult If you are following along with my introductory 10-part money primer, you just finished calculating your...
View ArticleDealing with Debt
Estimated Planning Time: 1 hour Materials: Results from Creating a Balance Sheet, Tracking Your Spending, and Creating a Budget Project Difficulty: Easy I have to admit up front that my personal...
View ArticleStart a Retirement Account
Estimated Planning Time: 2 hours Materials: Company 401K documents and IRA plan information Project Difficulty: Easy Now that you have a budget, you are saving money, you have an emergency fund and...
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