Search Results for: blog are you getting in your own way when it comes to finances

Five Signs that You Are Living Beyond Your Means

You could be living beyond your means and not realize it. Why is this a problem? Well, when we live beyond our means, we can quickly run up debt. This debt can snowball until it becomes hard to manage, a real crisis. That is why it is so important to recognize the early warning signs and make the changes that are necessary to get your finances back on track. Sometimes it seems as though you are supporting your lifestyle and don’t have a problem paying for anything. After all, your credit cards aren’t being turned down at the store, and … Continue reading →

Listen To Me, I Know What I’m Talking About

I have a confession, I’ve become a bit of a control freak. Ask anyone about the bad parts of single parenting and they will rattle off the list, finances, dealing with your ex, no down time, never getting a break, doing everything alone, and on and on. This is a list we all know too well but recently I discovered there is a side effect of single parenting that no one told me about- becoming a little controlling. I was wondering why I was always right and other people were doing everything wrong, now I know! I’ve become very set … Continue reading →

Learning to Be Smart with Your Money

As a single parent I can’t remember a time when money wasn’t tight. Child support doesn’t cover all of the kid’s expenses and just the everyday necessities add up quickly. In many cases the family has gone from having two incomes to one. You have to find a way to make sure there is food on the table, a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, not to mention all of the things they end up needing as they are starting school, etc. The bills just keep piling higher and higher. This is when it becomes crucial to have … Continue reading →

The Two Ways to Pay Off Debt

When it comes to paying off debt, there are two ways to approach it. The basic rule for paying off debt is to apply extra payments to reduce the amount that you owe and to reduce the expenses that you are incurring in interest. The more principal that you pay, the less interest that you will owe. This is the real secret of paying off debt; keeping more money in your pocket. If you only have one bill or bit of debt, then the process is easy: simply pay as much as you can toward that debt. But, most of … Continue reading →

Are You Thinking About Becoming A Freelancer?

If you are looking to start a home-based business and you have a skill like web design, graphic design, event planning, or writing, then you have the option of providing your services as a freelancer. A freelancer is a skilled professional who is self-employed, and is not committed to working for one particular company or organization. Before deciding whether a career as a freelancer is for you, there are a few benefits and drawbacks of the freelance life that you may wish to consider. The best way that I can describe the benefits of being a freelancer is to simply … Continue reading →

Preparing for the Birth of a Special Needs Child

Technology has made many things possible for the human race. From landing on the moon to never getting lost here on earth with a GPS device, technology has made the impossible seem possible. When it comes to pregnancy, technology has meant that we can learn a great deal about our child before she is even born. Sometimes, that means knowing whether or not your child has a special health need. Knowing ahead of time that you will be raising a child with a special need can help you prepare better for your child’s arrival. It will give you time to … Continue reading →

How to Stop Overspending

If you struggle with overspending then you need to take some serious steps to bring it under control. Spending more than you earn or living paycheck to paycheck can cause some serious harm to your finances, your credit history and even your quality of life. Here are some ways that you can get back on track and stop that overspending. Set a budget Budget can be a scary word. But if you could just sit down and right up a budget and then agree not to spend anymore than what is allocated in that budget, you will go a long … Continue reading →

Money Strategies That Worked in Our Marriage

Today I’ll tell you some ways we approached the money issue in marriage. Mick and I always worked out our finances together. There were no secrets, except for the ones around Christmas, anniversary or birthdays. The main thing is to work out a budget and stick to it. But each person should have a little mad money they didn’t have to explain. This can be spent on clothes, saved for gifts, or used for whatever. Shop less regularly for groceries. We grocery shop once a month. Unfortunately fruit and vegetables have to be more often but stick to only that. … Continue reading →

When Family and Friends Are Not Supportive

Last week, I wrote a blog about when a partner is not supportive during pregnancy. Today, I read in our forums that one of our members is having problems with family and friends not being supportive, so I decided to address that issue separately. Sometimes it helps to keep in mind that family and friends always seem to have something to say. It starts almost as soon as you meet someone and it starts looking serious. Then they want to know when you are getting engaged. Eventually, you get engaged and they want to know when you will get married. … Continue reading →

Family Preparedness and Finances

When it comes to preparedness, you need to be financially prepared as well as prepared with food. The church has counseled us to get and stay out of debt for years. This is important counsel to follow, but there are other ways that we need to be financially prepared as well. Here are three things that you should do to be prepared financially for emergencies and the future. First you should have some cash on hand at home. This should be somewhere safe, that you can access in a time of emergency. For example if you live in a city, … Continue reading →