Discretionary Income
January 15, 2021
If you are reading this, you likely have discretionary income. But what is it anyway? How much do you have? … More Discretionary Income
Tag: cash flow
Should I cut out household services like cleaning services?
September 15, 2020
When I’m looking to cut expenses, should I cut out household services like cleaning services, grocery delivery, meal kits, etc.?
Ultimately, it depends on how much benefit these services provide. I have listed two examples as an exercise to determine if the service’s benefit justifies its cost. … More Should I cut out household services like cleaning services?
How much emergency fund should I have?
July 15, 2020
I’m going to answer your question with a question: How stable is your income? More stable income can get by with a smaller emergency fund. Less stable income should have a larger one. Emergency Fund Let me back up a bit and clarify what I mean by ‘emergency fund.’ This is money that you can … More How much emergency fund should I have?
Should I set up my bills for autopay?
June 15, 2020
The short answer is yes. If you can… I love to automate the mechanics of bill paying. This is one of my go-to solutions for clients who want help organizing their finances. However… If you are struggling to pay bills or have irregular income, setting up automatic payments can be problematic. You run a higher … More Should I set up my bills for autopay?
Personal Accounting Software
May 15, 2020
Are you struggling to get a handle on your finances? Has the quarantine cut or eliminated your income? To address these problems, you first need to know where your money is going. You can follow the process I’ve outlined here with spreadsheets, or you can use personal accounting apps to help you. So why use … More Personal Accounting Software
Stay Productive
April 27, 2020
The effects of the pandemic on your financial life may be significant – either now or in the future. Here are two constructive exercises you can accomplish while in the throws of quarantine-induced cabin fever. … More Stay Productive
The Big Moments
March 9, 2020
The mail carrier comes with more each day. The words were mostly a blur to Vivian. One day she had even asked the mail woman to stop delivering. “Not forever, just a few months…” But the mail carrier just directed Vivian to the postal website where she could put a hold on her mail. A … More The Big Moments
Cash Flow Blues: The Christmas Special
December 13, 2019
It’s Christmas time, and I could go into a diatribe on fiscal responsibility in the face of the consumerist holiday. But I won’t. Here’s a bad Christmas poem instead. Oh! My November wallet Fair and fat With opportunities resplendent. Oh! But Christmas cheer is not free Even the simplest of tidings Wassail, evergreens and gingerbread … More Cash Flow Blues: The Christmas Special
Cash Flow Blues 3: The Reckoning
November 15, 2019
The first two episodes in this series laid the groundwork for you to take control of your finances. If you missed them, read episode 1 here and episode 2 here. If you followed the exercises in the first two episodes, you’re armed with the knowledge of where to cut your spending and start saving. So … More Cash Flow Blues 3: The Reckoning
The Cash Flow Blues
September 16, 2019
I make money, but where does it go? I often hear this from prospective clients. They have long-term goals like saving for retirement, emergency funds, and investing but never have the cash to accomplish them. Despite earning 6 figures or more. They understand they spend too much but don’t know the steps to fix it. … More The Cash Flow Blues