Cara Reynolds – SUM180 Community Manager

Hi Antoinette! I think some of Carla Dearing’s advice on lending money to family and friends might also apply to co-signing on a loan. Carla wrote about how important it is to be able to respond with a loving no when we can’t afford to do what’s being asked of us, and also to remember: there are other ways of helping besides giving financial…[Read more]

Hi Josh. This is a big question at this time of year, for sure. You put your finger on what makes this a headache for me, personally – I’m not necessarily the best at crunching the numbers across different discount scenarios to spot the best deal/timing.

So, my approach is to bypass the math component and ask myself: “Is this sale item something…[Read more]

Kayla, I wish I could “like” your post 50x because I would! The constant deluge of promotional emails is like browsing at foodpr0n all day when you’re TRYING to be on a diet. I have been deleting them as soon as I can in batches, but unsubscribing is better yet. Kelby – thanks for the head’s up, will check out unroll.me, too.

Wow, what I great idea. AND a big challenge I think! I would love to try this but the biggest obstacle for me would be getting everyone in the household on the same page. Even when I think I’ve prepped beforehand, at the last minute someone will always REALLY REALLY need to pick up some Italian takeout, or run out of shampoo. Maybe tougher…[Read more]

Hi Josh! Carla Dearing has written a couple of posts on investing. I think she makes a few points that are relevant to your thread:

Investing 101: 6 simple steps to kickstart your investment portfolio

Millennials: Experiencing Bitcoin FOMO? Don’t b…[Read more]

Hi Kelby,

This is a great question! I believe the answer is, “It depends on your debt.”

– If your debt is credit card debt (usually a high interest rate, therefore very expensive over time) then you should pay off your debt first, 100% – THEN tackle saving for retirement.
– If your debt is “smart” debt (things like a car loan or a home…[Read more]

Hi Kelby,

This is a great question! I believe the answer is, “It depends on your debt.”

– If your debt is credit card debt (usually a high interest rate, therefore very expensive over time) then you should pay off your debt first, 100% – THEN tackle saving for retirement.
– If your debt is “smart” debt (things like a car loan or a home…[Read more]

An annual State of the Financial Union – what a great idea, Kayla! Check out these blog posts from Carla Dearing. I think they might be good fodder for your “financial summit” with your hubby:

6 powerful money habits to adopt before the year is over: Carla suggests setting an overall savings goal for the year, then adopting specific habits to…[Read more]

An annual State of the Financial Union – what a great idea, Kayla! Check out these blog posts from Carla Dearing. I think they might be good fodder for your “financial summit” with your hubby:

6 powerful money habits to adopt before the year is over: Carla suggests setting an overall savings goal for the year, then adopting specific habits to…[Read more]

This is a tough one. I wonder whether you can identify two or three regular expenses that you can eliminate, and then put the resulting savings into your retirement fund directly? I know, it’s easier said than done…

For me the first sacrifice would probably my cell phone bill. I have a pretty indulgent plan and I could save a hundred dollars a…[Read more]

This is a tough one. I wonder whether you can identify two or three regular expenses that you can eliminate, and put the resulting savings into retirement fund directly? I know, it’s easier said than done…

For me the first sacrifice would probably my cell phone bill. I have a pretty indulgent plan and I could save a hundred dollars a month, or…[Read more]

Hi Josh! I’ve been in your position, and I admit I’m usually too embarrassed to remind my friends to repay me. This is NOT a sustainable situation, on my budget!

Carla Dearing wrote a post about our predicament, here:
How to split the bill with grace: Cost-sharing etiquette for casual, professional, and romantic situations

Carla offers great…[Read more]

Another great topic! A few thoughts come to mind:

1. Lisa, Kayla – have you guys looked at websites that connect creative freelancers with clients? Fiverr and 99Designs are a popular ones, but I know there are others. You sign up with the site to be a service provider; clients come to the website and choose from the provider list who they want to…[Read more]

Great conversation about best ways to tackle debt! I’d like to chime in just to mention SUM180’s approach, which is to tackle the highest-interest debt first, but also to balance this by building a savings cushion simultaneously. The two actions work together to strengthen your financial picture.

Yikes, dating can be expensive for sure! Instead of dinner, which always means higher prices on everything, maybe meet for a specific fabulous dessert and coffee? Or, like Stacey suggested, breakfast; I am a big fan of brunch dates. Or “let’s check out the X,Y, or Z” dates (farmer’s market, street art festival, classic car show, etc).

The…[Read more]

Hi Kayla! What a great question – I’m super interested to hear what others have to say on this topic. For me, it’s pretty clear that carrying cash makes it easier for me to spend. So I try to avoid carrying cash because for me, mentally, as soon as I withdraw cash from the ATM, the money is already “spent.” I can’t easily track where the money…[Read more]

Wow, I understand. That’s a bold resolution and probably a tough one to stick to, if (like me) you’re prone to feeling anxious about money even in the best of times. The best things about being self-employed, in my opinion, are having control over your own schedule and the freedom to do diverse projects that are interesting and rewarding. But the…[Read more]

I haven’t tried this myself as a provider, but I have recently been using apps like Thumbtack and Takl as a client. The apps connect users with providers of household services – everything from simple repairs to furniture assembly to yard work. From a provider perspective, it eases the burden of marketing yourself, bidding on projects, and…[Read more]

I think Stacey’s got the right idea: having a set budget so you don’t spend what you can’t afford. One more idea that might help stretch your dining/entertainment budget – rewards programs. Depending on the program, sometimes the reward is a free meal at a specific restaurant or sometimes it’s points that can be redeemed in a number of ways (your…[Read more]