Over the years I’ve noticed that many people use their credit scores as a proxy for their financial health. It’s something tangible that we can see go up or down and the higher it is, the easier it is to get a new credit card, take out a mortgage, and even get a new job.
With something as nebulous as our finances, it can be really nice to have a report card. People actually ask me all the time: “if I were to have a grade in my finances, what would it be?” We want to know if we are getting an ‘A’ in our personal finances or just squeaking by.
We all know that saving for something in advance makes financial sense, but can it also make us happier? Science says yes. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn says that paying for a vacation ahead of time separates the pain of paying with the vacation itself, so we are able to enjoy it more.
Have you experienced this? You’re mid-way through an island vacation you’ve been excited about all winter long, but each time you swipe your credit card at a hotel or fun restaurant, you can’t help but think about your increasing credit card balance.
One of the most common questions I hear is: “What should I do first with my money?” Should we pay off student loans before investing in a 401(k)? Should we pay off high interest credit card debt before building a rainy day fund?
This is a really important question. If you got a tax refund or bonus check tomorrow, would you feel confident about knowing where to allocate your money? Most of us have multiple financial goals, but contributing to all of them at once isn’t practical.
Many people love using a debit card rather than a credit card because it’s clear and simple. At any given time, you can look and know exactly how much money you have available. You don’t have to wait until the end of the payment period, and you can’t spend money you don’t have.
Recently, I’ve been getting more and more questions about whether or not it’s safe to use debit cards with so much fraud, skimming, hacks, and scams going on. What are the risks we take on by using our debit cards and how would we handle the fall out?
Weddings are expensive. In 2018, the average cost of being a bridesmaid was $1,500. When you add up the cost of the travel, gifts, bachelorette party, and dress—and multiply it across multiple friends -that is a huge chunk of change.
These are big expenses that can hit all in one paycheck and make cash flow tight. If you’re feeling the financial hangover from a banging wedding season, we’ve got you covered with seven steps to recover and plan to make the next wedding season go a whole lot more smoothly.
A rainy day fund provides us with a lot more than cash in case of an emergency. It gives us freedom to make choices, take risks, and have peace of mind, and it leaves space for creativity.
For most of us, a rainy day fund is the first savings goal on our list. It protects us in case something unexpected comes up so we don’t have to put it on a credit card (and pay high interest rates) or borrow from elsewhere.
Despite the practicality of a rainy day fund, so few of us have them. How do I know? The average American has less than $400 saved, at any age. That means the average Amercian has very little to no rainy day fund.
Here’s what you need to know to get started.
When I got an investment banking internship, I was SO excited about my future paychecks. At the time, interns made the same salary as a first year analyst, prorated for the amount of time we worked. So I divided $60,000 by 12 to figure out what I’d earn each month. $5,000 - wow, great!
I thought, “Yay! I am going to save so much money this summer!” Just kidding. Let’s be real. I didn’t think about saving at all. I thought, “this is going to be the most fun summer ever!”
Compensation conversations can be really hard to initiate – (and women are four times less likely to negotiate their salaries than men!) We might try to avoid them or put them off for later. We convince ourselves that our companies don’t give real raises, or we worry that we’ll get turned down because we’re not worth it. Here’s what you can do to prepare for and execute a negotiation confidently.
