One important part of preparing for the future is having your finances in order. The money blog here at families.com is a great resource for learning to budget your money, save, invest, and get out of debt. Here are some great articles to read that will help you be financially prepared for whatever life has to offer:
Preparing for death:
Writing Down Your Wishes
Everyone should have a will, especially those with children or those married with children from a previous relationship.
The Basics of Estate Planning
For more information on starting a will or trust, read this article.
Getting out of Debt:
Baby Steps for Debt Reduction
Four small tips for heading in the right direction in getting control of your debt.
How to Set Up a Debt Reduction Plan
Easy steps for making a plan to get out of debt.
Five Ways to Stay Motivated to Get Out of Debt
Perhaps you really want to get out of debt, but you sometimes lose focus and get distracted from that goal. This article has some great tips for keeping yourself motivated and aware of your progress.
Saving and Investing
Five Reasons to Save Money
Not motivated enough to save money? Read this article in case you need some more reasons to set some money aside.
Cashing in With Online Savings Accounts
An online savings account can be a great way to build up an emergency reserve of cash. One benefit is that without checks or ATM cards, it can take a few days to get cash out of an online account. This means that you are not able to make impulse purchases with the money in these accounts.
Basic Investing
Basic information about investing in stocks and mutual funds.
Five Reasons to Begin Planning for Retirement Now
This article is a great help in understanding the importance of starting early with your retirement savings.
Types of Retirement Accounts
Confused about what type of retirement account to use? Need help getting started? Read this article for a few tips and basic information about simple retirement options.