By Barb Miller When I work with clients who give money to their adult children I am always curious why. Since preparing a comprehensive budget is part of the counseling process, the topic often comes up. The adult child may still be living at home, or recently returned to the parents’ household. Or, parents may [...]

By Melinda Opperman Often when people turn to credit counseling it’s because they have experienced a financial crisis, sometimes caused by an unexpected reduction in income, or a medical emergency. Credit counseling educates consumers about creating a spending plan, and saving money, while reducing one’s dependence on credit. While the decision to borrow money whether [...]

By Mary McKeague Most of us tend to get at least a small dose of the blues over the long winter months, and sometimes, your finances can suffer neglect as a result. Symptoms of financial neglect might include: • Several months’ worth of unopened bills and mail scattered around your home. • You have not filed your [...]

By Mary Hunt While it’s true we’re going through a tough economic season right now, something surprisingly satisfying is emerging. Old ideas—things our parents and grandparents did—are making big comebacks. With a little effort, these ideas can stretch your dollars even further. Bread Baking There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh home-baked bread to [...]

By Mark Foster When people think of retirement planning, there is one factor that is often overlooked – becoming debt free. But becoming debt free is one of the best things that you can do for your eventual retirement. The average monthly Social Security check is approximately $1,250. Imagine trying to live on that amount. [...]

By Lauralynn Schueckler Do you find yourself deep in debt? Have you enrolled or experimented with any debt settlement programs, but that just left you worse off than before? Are you tired of worrying about money every month? If so, you are not alone. Millions of Americans find themselves in a similar situation every single [...]

By Malcolm Johannessen Living paycheck to paycheck with no real relief in sight is a reality for many people in this distressed economy. Mortgage, kids, and gas all come before fun when payday arrives. It can be hard to find entertainment money, but everyone needs to get out once in a while. Here are ten [...]

By Shannon Doyle How much are you saving? If this question makes you laugh and exclaim “Savings? I wish!”, or creates major waves of guilt and anxiety you are not alone. A Consumer Federation of America study in 2010 found that 69% of low-income households do not have a savings account. In addition, 54% of [...]

By Mary Hunt Of all the people I know and love, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t welcome a small income boost this month–or any month, for that matter. Whether you’re between jobs, figuring out how to cover an unexpected bill, or hoping to stash more cash into savings, get your creative juices flowing [...]

By Mary Hunt One day stocks are plummeting and home foreclosures are skyrocketing, the next day things seem brighter. But whether the current economy is good or bad, the mortgage and car payments keep coming. And what about the big-ticket items? A busted water heater often comes without warning and with the potential to blow [...]