It’s easy to make resolutions, not so easy to keep them. This is true for all resolutions, but especially financial ones. You can have all the enthusiasm in the world in January only to give up by Valentine’s Day. The key for all resolutions is to set attainable, actionable goals. Don’t be vague and don’t aim too high. Instead of “Pay all my bills on time to help build my credit score,” try “Set up automatic payments” Life gets chaotic, and it can be tiresome keeping track of what gets paid when. Technology has made things so much easier though,…

A new year brings a chance to start fresh with just about anything. If your midnight toast includes a resolution to improve your financial health, here’s how to make it happen. Get on a budget To get ahead, it’s important to know where you stand and to create a plan with realistic goals such as a comfortable retirement, education and home ownership. Budgeting may sound old-school, but it’s still one of the best ways to accomplish this. Start by totaling your income and subtracting your monthly expenses for a quick financial snapshot. Then set goals, reduce unnecessary spending and, if…

It’s easy to go overboard for Christmas. Giving extravagant gifts to your family members seems like a great idea…until you’re facing a huge credit card bill in January. However it happened, approach this problem rationally. Blaming yourself is pointless; the important thing now is to right yourself financially. Fortunately, you’re not facing this alone. We’re here to help. Check out these four ways you can patch up your finances and have things right before summer. 1.) Budgeting advice It’s very tempting to make only the minimum payments on the credit card you used to buy Christmas. Unfortunately, it’s also the…

How do you choose what financial information to impart to kids? What’s really important? Perhaps surprisingly, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the most important money lessons actually have nothing to do with money. That’s the central theme of its new report, Building Blocks to Help Youth Achieve Financial Capability. This report, available online from the CFPB, breaks down financial literacy into three skills: executive function, financial habits and norms and financial knowledge and decision-making. This conclusion comes from a fusion of educational research and social psychology, and it’s an important guide for parents. Financial knowledge and decision-making…

Q: My partner and I are excited to soon bring home our own little bundle of joy. How can we save money while raising our baby? A: It’s hard to work and juggle child care around normal adult responsibilities! Costs have gone up as well- raising a child from birth to age 18 can cost over $300,000. That is over $16,000 per year. Here are four ways you can save on child care costs: 1.) Use pre-tax dollars Take advantage of a workplace benefit. If your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), make an additional contribution to cover a…