‘Tis the season of shopping and I know a few of you are thinking of buying a little puppy. They are so cute after all, and what is more precious than a happy pup with a big bow tied around its neck? When you are considering your finances and thinking about buying a dog, you …
A Frequent Flyer Program for Retirement
As a mid 50 year old – I have retirement on the mind. We still have two kids in the house – one in high school and one college grad saving for medical school, but I see retirement on the horizon. Ok, a distant horizon but it is creeping closer. With retirement in mind, I …
How to Double Your Money
For today’s Money Monday I thought I’d share a simple mathematical way to help you figure out how long it takes to double your money. Recently I was having a conversation with my daughter and she mentioned to me that she wanted her savings to double. So I explained to her the Rule of 72. …
The Importance of an Emergency Fund
I have always believed that the purpose of an emergency fund was to help us straddle the financially tough times of an extended illness or a job loss. After watching many Americans evacuate homes due to hurricanes and now fires – an emergency can happen anywhere. As I now know, it certainly is not always …
October Week Four Dinner Menus and Shopping List
I have been away from my blog for a bit. If you read my last post, you know that the Northern California fires have hit close to home. My hometown of Santa Rosa was under siege. Today, people are sifting through still hot knee-high soot hoping to recover whatever remnants of their life might have …
Money Well Spent
Sometimes it makes sense to spend money to save money. Here are three things that I have invested in that have been well worth their cost. It is capital spent upfront, but in the long run these three actions have saved me money. Money Well Spent 1. Museum memberships. I love visiting museums! Living in …
October Week Two Dinner Menus and Shopping List
It has been a busy week! This weekend has been filled with exploring Sonoma County and the Harvest Fair. So many good wines to taste and beautiful vineyards to wander through. But soon I will be back to my normal work week routine and that means getting dinner on the table every night. Using my Monthly …
Looking Towards Retirement – Asset Allocation
I am 54 years old, and being in my mid 50s I am very aware of my retirement funds. Each year I look at my retirement funds and reassess how they are allocated. When I started saving for retirement in my early 20’s, retirement seemed so far away. Now it seems to be right around …
October Week One Dinner Menus and Shopping List
Happy October! This is a month full of fun…. No. California Renaissance Fair, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Oktober Fest, and Halloween. A month full of fun and delicious food! This week is a busy one for me and the meals are both easy and hearty! Here is October Week One Dinner Menus and Shopping List for …
A Month of Dinner Ideas for October
Well, last month’s dinners went off without a hitch. The month was full of yummy meals, and with the posted calendar on the front of the refrigerator – the whole family always new what was for dinner. Yes, I did switch up which night I made what – mostly depending on my mood and energy …