Posts Tagged ‘money huddle’

Financial Security for Seniors: 5 Steps to Protect Your Parents

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

When most of us think about financial issues, we consider our immediate needs (the mortgage, car payments, credit card bills) and our long-term needs (retirement, college funds for the kids, savings). But we don’t often think about one of the most obvious - and difficult - financial concerns facing so many of us: Our parents.

Financial communication with your parents can be sensitive. These five tips will keep the conversation flowing - and friendly!

  1. Start Now
  2. Show Respect
  3. Keep It Simple
  4. Be Patient with Your Siblings
  5. Check In

Read this week’s entire Money Couple Minute HERE to get the 5 steps with complete details for each.

View the Money Couple ABC News video on Surviving Back to School Spending.
Surviving Back to School Spending

4 Steps to Your Best Summer Vacation Ever!

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

When money is tight, the first thing to get cut from the budget is fun–things like vacations, dates, and family outings. But those are the parts of life that make it interesting! And what good is having a tight budget if you aren’t enjoying the life you’ve worked so hard to build?

If money is tight this year, don’t automatically assume you can’t take a vacation. Instead, take a good look at your budget and use these guidelines to decide what kind of get-away you can get away with.

  1. Make it about memories and don’t break the bank. Learn more
  2. Start planning now. Learn more
  3. Do some homework. Learn more
  4. Redefine vacation. Learn more

To get the full details for each of the 4 steps, view the entire Money Couple Minute HERE.

4 Tips to Help You with the Not-So-Empty Nest

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Close to 14 million adult children are still living at home. These kids are called “The Boomerang Generation” and for good reason. Just when you think they’re gone, they come flying back.

As much as you love your kids, there comes a time when you’re ready for them to move into adulthood. When they aren’t quite ready—emotionally, socially, and financially—it’s hard to know what to do with them. Do you let them move in? Should they pay you? What about chores? The boundaries are beyond fuzzy and will be defined differently from family-to-family and from child-to-child.

Life with a boomerang child can be a valuable experience for you and your child if you follow a few basic guidelines…Read the entire Money Couple Minute “4 Tips to Help You with the Not-So-Empty Nest” HERE.

6 Tax Refund Tips

Monday, March 29th, 2010

More than half of all Americans will get a tax refund this year. Since the average refund is around $2800, that money can make a significant difference in your financial picture.

This money decision, like every other money decision, calls for solid financial communication. Once you know what your refund will be, use some of your Money Huddle time to discuss what you’d like to do with the cash.

Read the entire Money Couple Minute to get the 6 Tax Refund Tips for this year’s tax return.

Spending “His” Money

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Power and money have a long partnership. Typically, the person with the money has the power. And this can often be the case in relationships as well. The partner who works can resent the way his partner spends “his” money. The partner who’s not working can feel like she doesn’t get much say so in the way money is spent. Couple this natural tension with poor financial communication and you’ve got the makings of financial infidelity.

Read the entire Money Couple Minute on Spending “His” Money and find out how the Money Huddle and Financial Relationship Index can help you work through this money issue.

How to Handle Holiday Spending?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

For many couples, the holidays are a minefield of difficult money decisions. How do we stick to a budget and still give meaningful gifts? Do we really need to buy a gift for Great Aunt Martha? Where are we going to get the money to pay for all of this stuff?

With so many money-based decisions coming in the midst of all the other stressful events of the holiday season, it’s more important than ever that your financial communication stays strong.

Start this holiday season with a Money Huddle to check in on expectations and create a spending plan that won’t leave you broke come January. The Money Huddle will help you get on track and prioritize your spending. It will also keep you from out of control spending because you will be able to determine goals and limits ahead of time.

Discover the strategies to create your gift list, set spending limits, plan your time to shop, learn how weekly check-ins help, and how your Money Personalities will affect how you and your spouse handle your holiday spending in this weeks Money Couple Minute: How to Handle Holiday Spending.

Fighting Fair About Money

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Money touches each and every aspect of our relationship. Money discussions can easily turn into “money fights.” If we are going to fight about money, we better learn how to fight fair. Here is a tool you can apply to each “money struggle”. Use our acronym F.A.I.R. It stands for Forgive, Assess, Input, and Respect. Read the entire Money Couple Minute on Fighting Fair About Money and learn how to implement F.A.I.R. into your money discussions.

Are Separate Accounts a Good Idea?

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Separate accounts can be very helpful. They make it easy to see who’s spending what. But they can also open the door to hidden spending and other secrets that are the core of financial infidelity. Remember, strong financial communication is based in partnership. If you’re going to have separate accounts make sure you keep each other up-to-date as to where that money’s going.

Read the entire Money Couple Minute on separate accounts. Discover the simple tools you can use to help keep your financial relationship on track whether you decide to use separate accounts or not.