Personal Finance
Better Finances for a Better You
Topic: "Financial Goals"
← Curating the web to find the most interesting and helpful
information about your money.
Word of the week
Credit Union
A credit union is a nonprofit financial institution owned by the people who use its financial products (members). Credit union members can access the same products and services offered by a traditional bank, such as credit cards, checking and savings accounts, and loans.
Millions of Americans trust their local credit union for their day-to-day banking find one here →Budgeting
15 Practical Budgeting Tips by Rachel Cruze
Whether you’re just getting started in the budgeting world or you want to up your game, these 15 budgeting tips will help →Serious stuff
The Credit Union Difference: Why Americans are Choosing Credit Unions to Reach their Financial Goals
Here are just a few of the reasons that Americans love banking with a credit union →Serious stuff
Top 4 Tips to Improve Your Financial Wellness by Ashley Redmond 1) Budget Strategically 2) Have an Emergency Fund 3) Stay on Top of Taxes 4) Goals
Use these tips from Ashley Redmond to help keep your financial future on track →Infographic of the week
Which States Have The Highest Share of Retirement-Age Workers?
About 22% of American adults 65 and older continue to work in 2024. Growth in the 65 and older population, higher cost of living and other factors have led to a large share of older adults in the workforce. New Jersey saw the highest share of working adults over the age of 65 in 2024, and the largest two-year increase.
Retirement-Age Adults Still Working by State →Infographic of the week
Ranked: The Worst U.S. States for Retirement
This chart ranks the 10 worst U.S. states to retire in, according to Bankrate.com, as of 2024. What this ranking is not showing are states that people prefer to retire in for more qualitative reasons. Factors like weather are considered, but financial aspects of a state are weighted higher in this ranking.
This chart ranks the 10 worst U.S. states to retire in 2024 →Budgeting
Tips to teach budgeting for kids
- Let your kids earn their money
- Discuss wants and needs
- Set savings goals
- Offer your kids a savings incentive
- Let your kids learn from mistakes
Budgeting
The Skeptic's Guide to FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) by Nick Wolny
Here's an editor's perspective on the good, bad, and ugly of FIRE culture →6 Frugal Habits of the Super Rich and Famous by Caitlyn Moorhead
For you to live frugally, you might want to take a page out of the super-rich.
- Pay using cash
- Pay yourself first
- Travel on a budget
- Live beneath your means
- Make your money work for you
- Invest. Invest. Invest.
Saving
Savings Goals: How To Set And Achieve Them by Bonnie Honeycutt
Whatever your reasons, having a savings goal—and not losing sight of it—will help you reach it →Saving
Has your financial situation changed? Has your income decreased? Are you looking to save money for a project? It may be the perfect time to review your budget and adopt new habits to save money. Here are 35 tips to help you!
35 tips to help you save money →Budgeting
When to make a budget:
- Significant changes in your personal life
- Job status has changed
- When you don't know where your money is going
- Find it difficult to save regularly
- Your debts are escalating
- Your feeling overwhelmed by your finances
- Feel like you’re not in control of your money and debts
- Thinking about a major purchase
Saving
How To Avoid Being House Poor And Other Homebuyer Horror Stories
Half Banked Podcast: Hosts Cadeem and Bethan focus on what buying a home is like, particularly for first-timers →Saving
Meeting a big financial goal can feel daunting and confusing. How do you make an effective plan when life gets in the way?
NPR Life Kit Podcast: How to save for a financial goal →Saving
The new year is a great time to update your budget, say financial experts. Here's what you can do to curb your spending, save for emergencies and keep your investments on track.
NPR Life Kit Podcast: Refresh your budget with these simple finance tips →Investing
Why work with a financial advisor
Managing your investments can be difficult. You may not be comfortable investing on your own. A professional financial advisor or planner can help you.
Choosing a financial advisor →Budgeting
5 Tips To Fix Your Finances And Build A Budget That Works In 2024
Bernadette Joy of Forbes on five tips to help you build a budget you can actually live with in 2024 →Saving
Can you really afford a dog?
Stress Test Podcast: Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw speak to Shawn Morey, the executive director of the Peterborough Humane Society and two people that became first-time pet owners in their 20s →Investing
This Money Checklist Will Help You Crush 2024
Money.com provide a 10-step guide to crushing your financial goals in 2024 (and beyond). For expert insights into the housing market, ways to save money on EVs and more.
What do you hope to accomplish in 2024? →Budgeting
9 financial New Year’s resolutions to set now and achieve in the new year from Alexandria White
- Save more
- Improve my credit score
- Create a personal budget
- Pay off credit card debt
- Pay my full credit card balance each month
- Track my credit card applications
- Check my credit score more often
- Check my credit report more often
- Sign up for a credit monitoring or identity theft protection product
Infographic of the week
How Americans of Different Generations Spent Their Money in 2021
Most consumer spending falls into the larger categories of food, housing, transportation, healthcare, and other goods and services.
View the interactive version of this chart highlighting how different generations spend money →Serious stuff
How to donate to a charity with purpose and intention. Kevin Scally of Charity Navigator has some advice to help you make the right decisions. His group evaluates the effectiveness of over 200,000 nonprofit organizations.
Donating to a charity is a lot like voting for an issue you believe in — except you're voting with money →Saving
Tired of overspending? Want to cut expenses without giving up your favorite things? Here are a variety of creative ways to save money on everything from food to getting married.
31 Creative Ways To Save Money from Forbes ADVISOR →Budgeting
6 retirement strategies that don't get talked about enough
Jason Heath: These alternative strategies can help you achieve the best retirement possible →Saving
8 Money-Saving Tips, According to Wirecutter’s Expert Deal Hunters:
- Track prices
- Be persistent
- Search for coupon codes
- Maximize credit card perks
- Sign up for shopping newsletters
- Ditch rarely used memberships and subscription services
- Keep track of where your money is going
- Invoke the power of price-matching policies
Serious stuff
What to Do If Your Partner Is Bad With Money
Brides.com - An expert weighs in on how to navigate this tricky situation →Budgeting
It's important to write down your financial goals. The act of noting goals helps put them in perspective. Think about dates to reach your goals in terms of three buckets: - Short-term (2 years or less) - Medium-term (3 to 5 years) - Long-term (6 years or more)
Set goals and track your progress over time →Investing
Financial advisors agree: These are the 3 best investing tips for beginners
1. Audit your finances before you even start to invest 2. Utilize retirement accounts as much as you can 3. Know you don’t have to be an expert
If you’re just getting into investing, consider these 3 tips. →Infographic of the week
Visualizing U.S. Wealth by Generation
The distribution of wealth is an important measure of the economic power of each generation. In the U.S., for example, baby boomers own half of the nation’s $156 trillion in assets despite making up 21% of the country’s population.
Visualizing $156 Trillion in U.S. Assets, by Generation →Budgeting
Why create a budget? - To accomplish a financial goal - To save money - To reduce expenses - To understand your true relationship with money better Invest the time in yourself and create sound financial practices that can last you a lifetime.
Budgeting is the first step towards financial wellness →Infographic of the week
The Most Expensive Starbucks Items in the World
Your daily coffee habit is probably costing you a lot more than you think. What if you skipped buying two coffees a week and invested that money?
The Price of (non-essential) Big Bucks Starbucks items in USD →
Saving
"A $5,700 wedding dress for $64. Expensive baby items for a fraction of the price. Construction materials to renovate a home."
Podcast: Save money and the planet: How thrifting can help combat inflation →Budgeting
What to consider before you start a budget: - Think about your financial goals - Identify your short-term and long-term goals - Make saving for those goals part of your budget
Take these simple steps before you make your budget →Saving
In 2022, the number of people moving to Alberta hit its highest level in almost a decade. At the same time, a record number of people left Toronto for other provinces.
Podcast: Why millennials and Gen Z are Alberta-bound for a more affordable life →Infographic of the week
Charting the Relationship Between Wealth and Happiness, by Country
Throughout history, the pursuit of happiness has been a preoccupation of humankind. Of course, we humans are not just content with measuring our own happiness, but also our happiness in relation to the people around us—and even other people around the world.
Does money really buy happiness? Let’s find out →Serious stuff
SMART financial goals help you identify exactly what you want and how you plan to achieve it. SMART goals are: - Specific - Measurable - Achievable - Relevant - Time-Based
Start setting SMART goals and track your progress over time →Budgeting
Making a budget can help you balance your income with your savings and expenses. It guides your spending to help you reach your financial goals.
Why make a budget →Saving
A first home savings account (FHSA) is a registered plan allowing you, as a prospective first-time home buyer, to save for your first home tax-free (up to certain limits). You will be able to open an FHSA starting April 1, 2023.
First Home Savings Account (FHSA) →← Curating the web to find the most interesting and helpful information about your money.