Savvy Money Blog
I want to learn about…
Learn from our Experts.
Get $avvy financial tips. Read an article today!
The Financial Impact of another Child
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy nutritionist had a baby a month or so ago. She told me over the phone that she was relieved beyond words that her insurance company had covered most of it, because the bill for her birth and subsequent hospitalization added up to a...
Spring Cleanout of Your Finances
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy husband, son and I are getting ready to move to a larger apartment. I did a much belated, and much needed, spring cleanout of my closet this weekend to start getting ready. It got me thinking that while most of us do some sort of spring...
Ten Percent Off at Macy’s – How Your Credit Score Affects Your Finances
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI spent the afternoon shopping with a friend, and received no less than six credit card offers from well-meaning sales reps. Back home, three more waited for me in my mailbox. Frankly, it is no wonder that a large number of Americans have...
The Commuting Issue
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThis morning, I was stuck in my apartment elevator for 30 minutes. I spent this time, of course, thinking about commuting and happy that my commute is normally only 10 minutes and involves no cars, buses, trains or subways. I moved my...
Feng Shui and Money
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA friend of mine had a Feng Shui expert look over her house this weekend. She invited me to come over and watch. Tons can be done to attract wealth into your life, she told me. While I found the in-depth Feng Shui so complex and complicated...
How Much Shopping Is Too Much?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAFlipping through the latest In Style last night, I realized how easy it is to feel that the price tags for the things magazine editors like to tell us we absolutely must have are out of line with our earnings. The consensus among those in...
Achieve financial independence
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy brother and I had a long talk about financial independence last night, over the most delicious Crème Brûlée. I realized how much the two have in common! Both the dessert and the concept are things everybody craves – yet very few have a...
The right time to retire
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAWhen should I retire? a woman called me up to ask today. I found it charming; quaint, even, to make such a complex question sound so simple. If only it were so simple that I could just have spouted out age 65 or 55. Would not it be...
Renting vs. owning your home
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy cousin had his house appraised today, and he was not happy. Of course, he’s far from the only one feeling this way. With the US real estate markets free falling like rocks dumped from skyscrapers, an increasing number of people are...
Leave a legacy for loved ones
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAWhen should I start saving for my children? a thirty-something mother of two asked me today. Right now, I suggested. She looked puzzled. Wasn’t it a little early? They are, after all, only two and four. I told her that if she is serious...
Live a More Joyful and Prosperous Life
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI read in the paper today that only about 20% of Americans enjoy their jobs, and even fewer feel they are getting paid what they deserve. As though this weren’t bad enough, a large portion of our precious free time tends to get eaten up by...
Ease money record-keeping burdens
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy assistant burst into my office this morning, wild-eyed. Had I seen the $200 she had in the pocket of her trench coat three days ago? Nope. She decided to dig through her purse – oversize albeit exploding with receipts – yet another time....
Generate a steady stream of retirement income
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI feel like we all need to have extra strong antacids to deal with the chaotic behavior of the market. With the US stock markets as steady as, say, a blind man on stilts, stability and safety are the topics on everyone’s minds. How do I put...
Monitoring your spending
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI heard on the radio today that the average Starbucks customer spends close to $6 per visit, 18 times per month. That adds up to a whopping $1,296 per year, which he or she otherwise could have invested. Now, this is not a Starbucks rant...
Maximize your cash flow
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA client came into my office today, worried about how in the world she’s supposed to set money aside for retirement, when she is living paycheck to paycheck. A highly relevant question, I’d say. Because let’s face it. No matter how savvy an...
Save Money on Taxes
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFATax refunds are finally here! While I didn’t receive one myself (people in my business rarely do), many of my clients did, and many chose wisely – they decided to invest at least part of the money. In order to help you score a refund (or if...
