Money is something every couple talks about and struggles with at some point and it can be one of the biggest sources of stress in a relationship. Add kids to that, and you’ve got even more financial demands and desires to think about. It’s something Chris and I constantly have to work on and we’re still not where we’d like to be in the twilight of our careers. But outside of winning the lottery, how can we fix our financial woes? Is it too late for us?
Sometimes a cliché is best captured in a picture. On my colleague's phone was a black Bentley, chrome logo glistening in the sun. The car belonged to one of his most successful clients, but it wasn't the presumptive price tag that was jarring. The custom license plate read, “NVSTWME,” surrounded by a frame stating, “My other car is a yacht.”
Photographic evidence of people's worst assumptions about financial advisers: extreme affluence, simplistic value proposition, garnished with a touch of hubris. Truth is, the majority of people in financial services do not carry themselves with…
...IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO boost your bank account and lower your bills, assessing where you can trim your expenses is an ideal step toward taking control of your finances. But just as cutting back on calories isn't always easy, paring back your expenses and identifying areas where you're overspending can present a challenge. You may have to modify your budget, re-evaluate your spending habits and even shift your mindset. So if you want to go on a financial diet but aren't sure how to start, try the following expert-backed strategies.
Start tracking your expenses. “In order to cut back on the budget, you need to have a budget,” says Kevin Gallegos, the vice president of client enrollment with Freedom Debt Relief, a debt settlement company based in Phoenix. “While people may talk about trimming the budget, relatively few actually have one written down. A spreadsheet or pencil and paper will work as well as budget-specific software or an app,” he says.
