Are you Nickle and Diming yourself to Debt
I was recently reflecting on the reasons that people walk through my door. Of course, they come to me because they are experiencing some type of financial hardship and they need advice. But I...
Author: Mary Ann Marriott
So, you have a great credit rating do ya?
just because your credit score is ok, and lenders say you “qualify” to borrow more money, doesn’t make it so, Look deeper.
A Kings Feast – have we lost our perspective?
We are all Pharaohs in the Western World (many of us anyway) and yet we act like we are scarce in riches. Take your throne and be grateful for the abundance at your finger tips.
But it’s NOT my debt!
A collection company calls. About a debt that is not yours. Or a debt that you paid off years ago. You explain the situation but they continue to call. What do you do next?
Who is the honest but unfortunate debtor?
Recently I was led to pondering one of the main objectives of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. And that is providing a fresh start to the honest, but unfortunate, debtor. I found myself asking (myself), “Who is the honest, but unfortunate debtor?”
Breathe new life into your budget
Payday comes, the money goes into your bank account, you leave some in to cover the automatic withdrawals, pay some bills online, head to the grocery store, fill up the gas tank on the way and start your next pay cycle. Often with little or no thought to how well it is working. Sometimes you just need to pause…take a few deep breaths…and look at things from a different angle. Then ask yourself, “what can I do to make this better?”. You might be surprised at the answers that present themselves.
Just say NO!
I know we live in a world of credit, but sometimes I feel like I am on a seedy corner, with a drug pusher who is saying all of the right things to get me to make the “purchase”. I resist because I see the perils everyday, because I know how much credit I now have and how much I am unwilling to let myself be lured into that false sense of security that comes with credit.
Why you should NOT use credit as an emergency Fund
Is it an Emergency? Or a planned expense? Do you use credit versus savings? This is the heart of what I see everyday and what I personally struggled with as I attempted to set up a spending plan for our household. By not planning for things like car maintenance, we are left with a roller coaster plan. We allocate our money to all of other expenses, spend the rest, and then feel the setback when we have a large ‘anticipated’ expense.
Track your spending for success!
If you were to ask me, “what is the single most important thing a person can do to change their financial future?” I would answer “Track their spending”! Oh and I would add “And look at it!”. Let me tell you a quick story about a relative who learned this lesson just a tad too late.
Do I pay off my high-interest card or low-balance card first?
Should I pay off my high-interest credit first or my card with the larger balance? Finding the solution that is best for you can be challenging. The following questions can assist in making that decision.
