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Don’ts for Skiing on a Budget
Ski season is almost, so here are some tips to get the most of your skinny skiing budget.Don’t Check Your Baggage, Compare FeesCalculate the cost of baggage fees for flying with your own equipment versus the cost of renting on-siteDon’t go Alone, The More the BetterGo...
A Late Bill Won’t Kill Credit
Even the most responsible borrowers slip up sometimes. Maybe a utility bill went unpaid after you moved and the missed payment went into collections. Or perhaps there are unpaid library fines or parking tickets in collections that are hanging on to your credit history...
Which credit card is the best to earn mileage points?
There are so many credit cards to choose from to earn mileage points – a lot depends on your anticipated travel patterns and your preferred payment options.When reviewing your options, don’t forget to look at the small print and get a handle on the interest rate...
Ditch These Three Major Money Wasters and Save Hundreds
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThis weekend, my family and I spent some time browsing plasma TVs at Best Buy. Strolling past walls of pulsating light and sharp-as-a-knife imagery, I was amazed at how much prices have dropped lately. In line, I was even more amazed at the...
Bounce Back Boot Camp
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFARecently, I received an email from one of my “Bounce Back Boot Camp” members who has difficulty planning a budget with a fluctuating income. I’ve found that uncertain incomes are a common occurrence and can make your wallet stretch...
Your Cell Phone Bill: Is Prepaid a Better Option?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAt a recent family get-together, the conversation turned to cell phones. More specifically, my sister-in-law had received a statement that morning. Stunned that she had used less than a third of the minutes she paid for, she wanted to know...
The New Triangle Drama: Remarriage, Kids, and Inheritance
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIt is rare that anyone cries in my office, but it did happen last week. A client reported between sobs that her dad had passed on a while back. Not only was she paralyzed with grief; she had also just learned that she wouldn’t get a dime...
Nanny Tax 101
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI do not make it a habit to eavesdrop, but the girls at the table next to me at the smoothie bar this morning were so loud and animated, there was no way around it. They were all international students, pushing the benefits of babysitting...
5 Things You Should Know Before You Buy a Stock or Fund
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA, Founder Savvy Ladies Are you considering buying a stock or fund? A friend of mine is an aspiring author and eventually wants to leave her corporate job. Over bouillabaisse and freshly baked baguettes the other night, she announced that...
The Savvy Guide to Coupons
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThink coupons spell cheap and cheesy? So did I, until a couple of weeks ago the woman in front of me in line at the grocery store used a whopping sixteen of them, saving over thirty dollars. This, with hardly any effort! I just had to ask...
5 Quick Fixes for Your FICO Score
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAn old friend - a real estate agent in the Midwest sent me an email this morning with a topic she suggested I post in my blog. With real estate prices at record lows, many aspiring homeowners are looking her up. Many fulfill both the down...
The Fear Factor: The True Cost of Emotion-Based Investment Decisions
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI am very intuitive, said a new client over raw food downtown yesterday. Thank goodness I can finally eat Sushi again. While I was pregnant this food was strictly off limits. Anyways, my client told me that she always listens to her gut...
How the Recession Can Help Your Finances
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA newsflash from travelzoo.com just plopped down in my inbox. Apparently, this weekend, flight fares between New York and the West Coast run as little as $99, round trip. Now, with two little kids, spontaneous travel is not as easy for me...
Opportunity Cost and Holidays: Should You Stretch Your Budget for a Longer Vacation?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFADuring the latest Savvy Ladies teleconference, the topic of conversation was much rosier than the typical ones these days (unemployment, recession, and ways to cut spending). One member had just quit her job to realize a long-lost dream: to...
Selecting Your Beneficiaries
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAOne of my best friends is going through a divorce. Over the phone last night, she provided an endearing account of her efforts to make a clean break and start over. Apparently, she even remembered to take her ex out of her will. This...
Cash Crunch in Your Forties: Your Children’s Future or Your Own?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThis dreadful dilemma was the main topic of discussion at a recent Savvy Ladies event. And the economy being what it is, alas, it is one to which far too many of us can relate. We all want what’s best for our children, so what could...
Use the Wallet-Half-Full Approach and Make Your Financial Dreams Come True
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThe book “Unwinding the Clock. Ten Thoughts on Our Relationship to Time” sat on my bedside table for months after a friend gave it to me. This past weekend, I finally got around to reading it – and I liked it much more than I thought I...
How to Make Savings Easier Done Than Said
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been blown away by the number of people who’ve decided that now is when they’re going to start saving – and, as a consequence, looked me up. I met with three just this morning! Unfortunately, no matter how much they want to, many...
Spousal IRA 101
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA woman approached me after maternity yoga last night. My husband is stoked about this child, she told me, and when my maternity leave is up, he would like to be a stay-at-home dad for a couple of years. I already know this means he won’t...
Term or Whole Life Insurance – Which Is Right for You?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI had breakfast with a new client this morning, at a cozy new bakery around the corner from my office. While the fruit and croissants couldn’t have been better, our conversation was anything but. My new client was- like so many people these...
I Lost My Job – What About Health Insurance?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI received an email from a Savvy Ladies member today; a heartbreaking tale of how she had been laid off, and was now trying to figure out how to survive – and feed her two small children, as she is a single mom. One of the expenses she...
