Tag Archives: Personal Peace

Change How You Feel About Money

Do you find yourself avoiding anything to do with managing your finances, because you are just too broke to deal with it? Are your afraid to open the next bill? Do you avoid checking the balance on your checking account or credit card, because you are worried that you have gone over your limits? If any or all of these statements are true, then it is time to begin to really take chare of your finances. It may take awhile to really get a grasp on your finances. You may have months with a few mistakes here and there, but … Continue reading →

Car Payments

Are car payments eating up your wallet? The cost of two car loans can often be as much as your mortgage. Is it really worth your money to have two newer cars? A friend of mine was recently explaining how she wanted to quit work and be home more with her kids, but she simply couldn’t afford it. We started talking about some of her large expenses and she proceeded to tell me that her loan payments for her two newer cars exceeded $700. Then, adding in car insurance and registration fees, she was paying out almost $1000 a month … Continue reading →

Does Your Budget Make You Feel Poor?

One reason that many people hate budgets is because it makes them feel poor. It can be difficult to stop spending money any way that you want to. It takes time to become used to spending within the limits of your budget. You may feel that you are cutting back on things (like eating out, toys, and leisure items) and not seeing an immediate benefit. If you feel poor then your attitude about your money and life will change negatively. Here are four ways to stick to a budget without feeling poor. 1) Make sure that you and your husband … Continue reading →

Do Your Spending Habits Reflect Your Financial Priorities?

Do your spending habits reflect your priorities? This is a tricky question to ask yourself, because you may be surprised at what you find. It will take some moments of personal reflection and honesty. Hopefully your priorities are truly governing your spending habits. This leads to a peaceful life. First you need to sit down and decide what your financial priorities are. These will vary for everyone, but some common ones are to get out of debt, save for retirement, and pay for your children’s college education. You may want to write down three or four major priorities. Next you … Continue reading →

Family Money

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The day that we became parents the whole issue of family money took on a new focus. Not only were we responsible for ourselves, we now had a child to take care of. This sense of responsibility changed not only how we felt about our money situation, but also how we discussed it as a couple. Whether both parents’ work or one parent stays home and the other works, children cost the family money. Usually it is money that was previously used for other things. How can families adjust to this new situation? The most important piece in being a … Continue reading →

Are You Starving Yourself Spiritually?

Have you ever had a time when you are spiritually starving yourself? You wake up and seem to drag around from day to day. You know that you should read your scriptures and take time to pray every morning, but it just seems like another thing to add to your list. You may be finding that it is harder and harder to motivate yourself to go to church, and you are struggling with your feelings of inadequacy. Is your lack of spiritual motivation spilling over into other areas and affecting the way that you treat your family? There are times … Continue reading →

Finding and Plugging the Leaks in Your Budget

Do you have a leak in your budget? You have sat down and assigned amounts to each category. You are doing great and should have a couple of hundred dollars left over every month. But when you come to the end of the month, the money that should have gone into savings is gone and you may owe money on your credit card. If this is happening, your budget has sprung a leak! So what can you do to find the leak and fix it? First you need to find the leak. It is important to track your spending through … Continue reading →

Budget Strategies: Budgeting a Variable Income

If you have a variable income, it can be tricky to set up a budget. You may have difficulty knowing what you can afford each month. If you work solely on commission it can be even more difficult to plan a budget. Here are some basic tips to get you started. 1) If you receive a base salary plus commission, construct your budget entirely on your base salary. This should cover your basic necessities (mortgage/rent, utilities, and food), and then from there you can prioritize your other obligations. 2) If you have a paycheck that varies from week to week … Continue reading →

Do I Really Need to Manage My Money?

We all know people that drift through life, without seeming to have a specific direction of where they are headed. The future is always something that is never too focused. These people are very good at enjoying the present moment. While it is important to enjoy the present, it is also important to plan for your future. Money management is essential to help you achieve your dreams. Many people balk at the idea of having to sit down and budget their money every month. It is stressful, boring and too much work. But they often do not realize all that … Continue reading →

Budget Strategies: Gifts and Birthdays

As you sit down and plan your budget for the year, you should budget for gifts. You should plan for each family member’s birthday. You can also plan for extended family members. You may also want to plan for a few extras that may come up as surprises throughout the year; this could include birthday parties that your children are invited to. Here are five ways to plan and budget for gifts for the upcoming year. 1) First you need to write down whom you are planning on buying gifts for this year. This should include Mother’s day and Father’s … Continue reading →