If our calendar year could be compared to a basketball game, we're at about half time. Halftime is a chance to pause and reflect. What's the score? How is the other team playing? How are you playing? You probably went on the court with an objective. Maybe the objective is to win. Or maybe the object is to not lose by 30 points. Whatever the objective is, now is the time to take stock of the score, your performance and how you can make adjustments to finish strong.
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Should You Buy or Lease a Car? /
The decision to buy or lease your car means finding the balance between what fits into your lifestyle, what you value and what makes economic sense.
Putting too much weight on one of those variables can put you in a less than ideal position. For example, not considering the economics and only considering your lifestyle and what you want could look like you buying a car that you can't really afford.
Read MoreWhen Is Renting Better Than Owning a Home? /
Be discerning. Question assumptions and conventional wisdom. Don't just assume that tax benefits benefit everyone. Run the numbers. Think for yourself.
Read MoreHow to Earn Money /
Whether you're in business for yourself or working for the man, the woman or the big faceless corporation, the principles of how to earn money are the same. Understanding these principles and applying them consistently are key. Progress comes from consistency.
Read MoreHow to Get Out (and Stay Out) of Tax Debt /
If you owe taxes to the IRS, but you donโt have the money to pay them, it can be an overwhelming feeling. That sucks. But the good news is, you can totally come up with a plan to pay it off. The IRS is good like that. As scary as their certified mail notices can be, they definitely want you to be able to settle up with them.
Read MoreHow to Save: Start Small and Think Big /
If youโre trying to pad a savings account (or multiple savings accounts), it can be daunting and overwhelming. The first thing you need to do is figure out how much you need to save.
Read MorePayroll 101: What Is Payroll? /
I scream, you scream, we all scream for payroll!
If you're an employee who has ever gotten a paycheck, getting paid is a pretty awesome feeling. As an employer, payroll is pretty damn costly. It tends to be the biggest expense for most businesses and not just because of the actual cost of salaries. There are taxes too. Payroll can have complexity and any missteps may cost you. According to an IRS report, roughly 40% of small businesses incur an average of $845 per year in IRS penalties for errors with payroll tax filings and payments.
Read MoreThe Minimalist Guide to Finances: Automate Everything /
I was sitting down with a client and friend yesterday and she was talking me about how she finally decided to automate most of her life. Amazon will automatically ship household goods each month, the staples she needs each week for groceries will be sent automatically, and her paycheck gets split amongst different accounts as soon as she gets paid. The first part of her rationale was since the technology exists so we may as well leverage it. The second part of it was her realizing she didn't need to involve herself in all the tedium of her life.
Read MoreThe Minimalist Guide to Finances: Tidying Up Your Finances /
Ladies, gentlemen, non-binary friends and humans of all identities, yes you can tidy up your finances. Sรญ se puede, guys. Trust me. And once it's there, it's all about maintenance. Getting there could require some effort and energy, but it's worth it. Gone will be the days of you expending mental bandwidth thinking about an old 401(k) account you know you should rollover but you haven't.
Read MoreThe Minimalist Guide To Finances: The Anti-Budget /
Most of American society has had a pendulum swing from rampant consumption to mindful curation. The reasons are likely both by design and by default (The Great Recession). If you're like me, you've at least haphazardly implemented the KonMari method in your home. You've thrown out all your 8-year-old underwear and dusty text books. Now it's time to overlay this philosophy in your financial house.
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