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Inflation and How It Affects Every Industry
Inflation is the rate at which the cost of goods and services rises. Inflation affects and is measured by the consumer price index (CPI), which monitors the average prices of goods and services across categories like food, vehicles, apparel, and healthcare services.
Back To School Financial Guide For 2019
In a recent study conducted by the ‘National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights and Analytics’, it was found that the average American family will spend just south of $700 for back-to-school costs in 2019. Is your child soon to be a college student? The same survey reported you should be ready to spend a little less than $1,000 alone for start-up school supplies. While this cost seems large, it’s just a part of your financial portfolio. Back-to-school time is not only a great time to plan a scholastic budget, but also reviewing and reassessing your financial plan.
13 Ways to Teach Kids About Money
When my oldest son was four years old, he asked my wife to buy him a book. She told him “no” because she didn’t have any money with her. In his sweet preschool voice, he declared, “Go to your bank, Mommy. It gives you any money you want!” After sharing a laugh at the anecdote with my wife, I began to realize that in the depths of raising three children under four, we had not started addressing money. This was concerning to me because I’d read a study by the University of Cambridge which stated that money habits in children are formed by age seven – that was just a few short years away.
Money vs. Time
It’s the age-old question: Do you want more money or more time? Researchers have asked this question in several studies, and the majority of people pick money. Initially, this makes sense, because money is essential and allows for our wants to be met, but these same studies found those valuing time over money are generally happier. Researchers also note that money is associated with greater happiness up to an income of about $75,000, but any greater amount does not ‘buy’ more happiness.
15 Lessons of Marriage and Money
My wife Cassie and I recently celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. Looking back, our wedding day was perfect; it was filled with our favorite people, an outpouring of love, celebratory well-wishes, dancing, laughing, and was a perfect start to our journey as Mr. and Mrs. Williams. It has been a blessed journey with lots of highs and a few lows. Thankfully, due to communication, commitment, and compromise, we have not endured any financial lows, but rather just financial hiccups. Here are a few things we have learned in our 15 years of marriage…
Saving, Spending, and Truth
In 2005, my wife, Cassie, and I relocated to Philadelphia for my career with a global investment firm. At only 26 and 25 years old, we were wide-eyed with excitement for the opportunity to take our professional careers to the next level. In a relatively short amount of time and with lots of long hours, we were making nearly four times more than the median household income in the United States. That is a substantial amount of money in a short amount of time.
Your Values and Money
Values
This is a word we hear often, but what does it actually mean? According to dictionary.com, “’Values’ is a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.”
Is A Fixed Income Annuity Right for You?
In today’s low-interest-rate environment, there are fewer fixed income alternatives for retirees seeking income. With rates on traditional staples such as CDs and money market accounts at or near all-time lows. Fixed-income annuities are an alternative to consider for retirees seeking income and safety. The issuing insurance companies back the claims-paying ability of all annuities. Once thought of as only a standalone retirement income solution, a fixed-income annuity is now commonly recognized as one of many components of a retirement portfolio.
Sizzlin’ Summer Series: PART 3
What does Summer remind you of? Maybe it’s the feeling of jumping into a cool pool after a day in the summer heat, or maybe it’s the sound of the ice cream truck as you are bolting out the door with whatever change you could get your hands on. From lazy days in air conditioning to random road trips and more; summer is full of memories, and more importantly, financial choices.
Sizzlin’ Summer Series: PART 2
The official start of Summer – June 21st – is right around the corner. As we cruise into part two or our Sizzlin’ Summer Series, we will make a splash with the best cities to retire in 2019. Here come the Top 4 cities to retire.
