The Money Tracker Blog

Budgets for Boomerang Adult Children is becoming very timely. According to the the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 22 million adult children living at home with their parents. There are numerous articles about the roughly 13 percent of adult children ages 18 – 29 who have returned home or never left due to the economy, weak job market, expensive college costs and more. Needless to say having 20 to 30-year old boomerang adult children moving back home brings up a variety … Read More

Despite the shaky economy, home ownership is still a big part of the American dream. There are a number of deals still available in the housing market right now. Yet, qualifying for a mortgage continues to be one of the more difficult challenges in recent years. If you or your partner have a poor credit score, this would be the time to work on your credit scores to improve your options when it comes to buying a home. If you’re considering … Read More

Is retirement now getting closer than ever? Are you starting to think about retirement and wondering how to prepare? Jane Bennett Clark’s current retirement feature in Kiplinger Magazine has some helpful guidelines. I just finished being interviewed by Ms. Bennett Clark regarding budget planning for retirement. Watch for the September Kiplinger Magazine issue in the “Countdown to Retirement” feature to read more about the importance of budgeting now for your future. In the meantime, check out her ongoing “Countdown to … Read More

What is convenience versus banking fees costing these days? According to a recent study by Think Finance (an alternative financial products company), Millennials often consider convenience worth the extra cost when it comes to banking fees. The Money Coach in me, however, does wonder how much all those fees add up to each month (and then year). Is it possible that a little investment of time upfront could save a significant amount of money later?  Researching other less expensive and … Read More

              Wondering if the maintenance costs on your beloved ten year old vehicle is outweighing the monthly payments of a newer vehicle? This may be the time to shop the market to find the best deals for your wheels. Since I recently went through this experience of shopping for a used vehicle I thought I would share a little research. Several recent reports suggest that heading out of town to find and buy a car can save consumers a bucket … Read More

Part of the value of creating a budget, is having a clear set of dollar guidelines for spending in the various categories of your personal and household financial life. With these limits in mind, you are… Read More

Check out my latest blog on Udemy Five Tips for Saving Money in 2013 .

Have you ever noticed how many times you say “It’s only” during your personal financial buying decisions? Notice what that money  amount is that fits in the “only” section. Is it under five dollars?  Is it under $50? Does it depend on the purchase? Recently, I just heard “It’s only $10,000” .  For some people perspective can be a matter of the number of  zeros!  There’s nothing wrong with the phrase “it’s only”, however, be aware that on some subconscious level, … Read More