Blog

As a financial coach, people often ask me, “what’s the best tool for budgeting?” And it’s a fair question! There are hundreds of budgeting tools out there, from free ones like Intuit’s Mint, to intricate tools like You Need a Budget (YNAB). While everyone has their own opinion, my personal...

May 10, 2021

Times of separation are hard on a family and relationships in many ways. One of the most challenging aspects of separation is how to handle the finances – how to budget and continue to make progress toward your financial goals. Service members (SM) experience this challenge on a regular basis...

December 17, 2018

As a personal financial counselor, I am often asked to give an overview of the services I provide to Soldiers and Airmen in my area. Although I am grateful for the opportunity, I often find it difficult to persuade service members that they can benefit from financial counseling. Most of...

October 15, 2018

Most people, at some point in their life, decide to get a pet. They see the puppy in the window or the horse in the show ring and fall in love. Before making such a purchase it is important to ensure that the budget has room to spare. Owning an...

December 01, 2017

“When I was your age…” We’ve all heard the stories about walking to school uphill both ways in the snow. Or how gas used to cost $0.50 and a Coke cost $0.25. Cue the eye roll and move the conversation forward. However, there’s another type of comparison story that isn’t...

August 03, 2017

6 Tips to Help You Find Your Smartphone Budgeting App These days I feel like I have an app for everything. Whether I’m grocery shopping, getting directions, or just killing time, I have an app that helps me with all these things. With all that time we spend on our...

June 02, 2017

Preparing for a baby is a challenge. Luckily, there are all types of websites to help guide you on what to expect when you’re about to become a parent. There are resources to advise you on the gadgets you’ll need and where to find the best deal, guidelines on how...

June 16, 2016

The most common reason for large credit card debt, unpaid bills, and lack of savings is the result of overspending, or not living within our means. While this is common knowledge in our society, why is it still such a struggle for so many Americans today? Why are we still...

June 01, 2016

Author’s note: While recently counseling a soldier I discovered the conversation of investing was completely overridden by an ignorance of the “basics” –  monthly budget adherence and awareness of where their money was really going.  Hence the back to the basics discussion of daily (okay, weekly or monthly) due diligence was...

May 04, 2016

In May 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) launched its Financial Coaching Initiative, targeting recently-transitioned veterans and economically vulnerable consumers to help them with their financial goals. The program places 60 certified financial coaches at organizations around the country to provide individualized educational services.A client shares her story about working...

February 24, 2016

Yes, I know we just celebrated 2015 Holidays, but this is a great time to think about what went well, what didn’t, and how to make changes so that our 2016 Holiday can be successful without breaking the bank. While you are sifting through those holiday receipts and credit card...

February 01, 2016

Just as there are traffic laws to keep cars safe on the road and road signs for clear communication, there are also financial laws which, when followed, will keep financial and relationship patterns open and flowing in a consistent, predictable pattern. But, breaking a financial law may mean getting blindsided,...

January 06, 2016