Have you recently come into a $50,000 windfall, such as an inheritance? You may be tempted to buy a new car or take your family and friends on a dream vacation. 

But before you do, stop and consider all of your options — including saving the money...who would've thought a financial advisor would recommend this. 😁Developing a sound financial strategy is a good way to make your money grow.

If you’re like most people, you work a lot. These days, a growing number of Americans are working multiple jobs. Either the gigs are all part-time, or people are working on side hustles to earn extra income. 

One of the issues with the standard model of earning money is that you have to work for it. This is what’s called active income. You put in the hours, and you get a paycheck at the end of it. The more work you do, the more money you make. 

By now, you’ve probably heard of the FIRE movement. FIRE, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, is everywhere. As a matter of fact, there is even a new movie coming out called Playing With Fire. The film itself documents a young family’s journey into the FIRE subculture as they look for a way to cut down time spent working versus time spent with their family.

Financial freedom is a term used loosely, along with financial independence, and while they are very similar, they aren’t quite the same. The difference? Financial freedom allows you to completely walk away from your career without owing anyone a thing.

Have you ever been afraid to log into your bank account or check your credit card balances? If you’re losing sleep over your personal finances, you’re not alone. According to a Bankrate survey, 36 percent of Americans are losing sleep over money troubles.

While money anxiety can be more common than we realize, it’s important to address it sooner rather than later. Ignoring your finances will hurt you in the long run, even if it feels better to bury your head in the sand right now. Money troubles never go away unless you take charge of your situation and address them head-on.

This post was last updated on January 20, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

This article WILL NOT teach you how to win the lottery. However, it will teach you how to invest any large lump-sum of money that you come into unexpectedly. if you're looking for lottery get-rich-quick schemes, this is not the right article for you.

With student loan debt, it can seem like your payments will last forever. But, there are ways to make paying off your student loans much easier. Whether you’re in the thick of paying them off, considering taking out student loans, or somewhere in the middle, knowing the right strategies to use will save you a lot of money and stress when it comes to paying off your student loans faster.

As the second highest consumer debt, the average student loan balance tops $37,000 for the Class of 2016. If most of your paycheck goes to pay student loans because you haven’t yet met your earning potential, you can feel trapped.  There is hope, and you can get rid of your debt faster by upgrading your student loan repayment options.

This post was last updated on January 15, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

When entering the job market out of college, the concept of retirement seems like a lifetime away. Most people can't even fathom thinking about retirement which leaves neglected and unleveraged retirement accounts.

While it’s true that saving for college is easier the earlier you start, all hope is not lost if you waited a few years to get started. Despite the rising cost of a four-year degree, it’s still an important asset for climbing the career ladder in most professional settings.

Paying for college is a financial goal for many parents but with an 18-year savings timeframe, it can easily fall by the wayside. Many people get so wrapped up in the day-to-day realities of getting the bills paid that they don’t get serious about college savings until their children’s preteen or teen years.

This post was last updated on July 30, 2022, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

If you’re trying to save for retirement, it helps to have an employer-sponsored plan so that you’ll have access to funds once you stop working. Although 401(k) plans are the most common option today, some companies still offer pensions. Now you're probably wondering what the outcome of a pension vs. 401(k) is, don't worry; we cover this a bit later on.

Medicare is an important coverage that provides security to the majority of Americans. Medicare Open Enrollment is the time when you can change your Medicare coverage for the next year, and includes Part D prescription drug coverage. 

You may think that you know all about Medicare open enrollment because it happens every year. But this year is a little different from last year. Here are some ways to prepare for Medicare open enrollment for 2022 so you have a better idea of what to expect.

You’ve probably heard the term “Consumer Confidence” before, likely reported on your local news broadcast or business channel. Maybe you’ve heard of the “Consumer Confidence Index” and wondered if those two terms were the same thing, or something different. 

Either way, you’ve probably noticed that these terms are discussed quite often, and seem to matter a great deal to some people. While these terms are related, they are not exactly the same. 

Real estate plays a very important role in the U.S. Economy. Even if you’re not planning to sell a home or buy a home, what happens in the housing market affects us all. 

Housing is one of the biggest expenses of homeowners, and it’s also the biggest source of wealth for many Americans. If you own a home, rent a home, or require a home, this article will help you to understand why new home sales are important to the economy, even if you’re not the one buying the new home.

Below is a fantastic guest from Certified Coach, Samantha Lane. We hope you enjoy and be sure to reach out to either Samantha or me with any questions. Happy Halloween!

There can be a lot of spooky things when change is on the horizon. Rather than goblins, mummies, or ghosts looming around the corner, it’s often anxiety, perfectionism, and despair rearing their ugly heads. 

As our economy seems to be coming out of a dark economic era, it’s important to know what lies ahead. As a consumer, you want to know if you can trust the perception and what appears to be true. Is the economy back on the rise? 

And how can we know for sure? One thing we can do is be more mindful of consumer sentiment. But ,what is consumer sentiment, and how is it measured?

Ever wish you could look into the future to get a glimpse of what certain markets will look like five or 10 years from now? This is especially helpful if we’re working on a financial plan or plan to invest money in up-and-coming new markets. 

If only we could know what the state of the economy will be before it actually happens. You can know more with the leading economic indicators. This article will answer what are the leading economic indicators, and how to use them. 

Budgeting and saving money are closely related because budgeting is the most effective tool people use to save money. And no, budgeting isn’t just about tightening the belt and spending less. It’s about putting your money to work for you so that you prioritize and spend on the things that are most important.

So today I will be sharing with you some of the most effective tips that you can use to be successful when it comes to budgeting and saving money.

As the old saying goes, money doesn’t grow on trees. However, if you pay attention to some people’s spending habits or online pictures, it can certainly seem that way for them. These days, it’s never been easier to be jealous of everyone else, particularly if you’re on a tight budget. 

But why do we think people have more money than us? What’s really going on here?

What is it that they say? That the clothes make the man?

Well, while I don't believe that clothes have any bearing on your competence as a professional, I think we can all agree that appearances do matter. As a general rule, people will treat the well-dressed and well-groomed better, and looking your best can provide a big confidence boost. So, it's important to have an elegant, polished look at work, to make the most of your time at the office and maximize your chances of success.

Everyone has different ideas about how to spend money wisely. Some like to invest and save, while others have a habit of spending too much. 

"Living stingy" means something different to everyone. If you're already pretty frugal, living stingy could mean cutting back on some groceries, or attempting to cut back the electric bill. If you're used to living the life of luxury, living stingy could mean eliminating going out to dinner or buying a car with a lower monthly payment (or no payment).