Have You Hugged Your Money Recently?

The brokerage statements are piling up on the piano.  The bank statements, if you still get them by mail are over in that basket, unopened, and if you get them digitally, you haven’t even opened the email informing you that they are available. Yes, I know you say, I check my balance a couple times a day, balances are good, but it doesn’t have enough money management mojo.

Yes, you’ll attend to your money right after you come back from vacation.  But of course, when you get back from vacation you’ll find yourself right back in the swing of things at work, and so it’ll have to wait until

Financial Eclipses

So, where I am located in this great country, there was only a partial solar eclipse today.  Eclipses are a natural part of our lives, a solar eclipse where the moon blocks the sun, or a lunar eclipse where the earth blocks the sun’s light hitting the moon.  At any rate, its one large body blocking out the other.  The majesty of it generates a good feeling, as you could hear from all the oohs and aahs from the total eclipse viewers across the country today, and the sounds of incredulity lasted from seconds to a few minutes, but when we see our expenses totally eclipse our income, or our liabilities totally eclipse our

First Date: Getting to Know You.

In preparation for your first date - get yourself a pad and pencil, or open up a spreadsheet like Microsoft EXCEL, or if you use money management software such as Intuit’s Quicken or Microsoft Money – turn on your computer and open up your application.

Grab your files, your shoe boxes, or whatever your financial storage units are, and settle in for a re-acquaintance session.

Make a Date with your Money.

Have you noticed how shocked and surprised folks appear to be when someone takes the time (generally on a financial planning show, or financial segment on a talk show) to total up their income, expenses and debts. It’s like they are meeting their money, or lack of money for the first time. I am sure you are very familiar with your money, but if you are not, its time for you get re-acquainted. Your money is one of those things that will completely turn on you if you ignore it.