10 steps to help you take control of your finances in uncertain times The COVID-19 pandemic is having far reaching effects on everything from employment to the overall economy. Daily life has been altered for many of us. Each of us has been taking steps to adapt as a result. We may feel as though we’re facing these difficulties alone, but many of us are experiencing these same challenges together. Below is a list of actions you can take to…
Happy National Retirement Security Week! Congress has designated the third week in October as National Retirement Security Week. Let me ask you – How secure is your retirement? Could you use a checkup? The National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators has put together a website filled with quick tips for getting started and maintaining your momentum in saving for retirement. Check out the NAGDCA website here, and watch their quick promo video below: “Buying” Your Retirement? Believe it or not, the…
Here Come The Bills I had minor surgery done back in June, and the bills for the procedure came in the mail a couple weeks ago. I got one bill from the surgeon, another from the anesthesiology team, and yet another from the hospital that owns the surgery center. After reviewing the Explanation of Benefits (check out my post on how to read and EOB here) to make sure the charges were accurate, I was ready to pay the bills. But…
What Is An EOB? If you are like most people, you use some type of medical service at least a couple times a year. You might visit your family doctor, have blood work done, or get a cavity filled. If you have insurance and you or your doctor file a claim for these services, you’ll receive an EOB, or Explanation of Benefits. An EOB is what your insurer uses to explain how it calculated your health insurance benefits when it processed…
I’m getting a raise! This year, my city council voted to give every city employee a 2.5% raise, effective July 1. They also adopted an education incentive program for our public safety employees. Every police officer and firefighter with a college degree (associate to doctorate) will get a bump in pay, based on the level of degree they have and their salary. My bachelor’s degree will get me an extra 3% of my salary on every paycheck. (Yes, I know…
Do Good I recently got to do Good because of a program called the Rockstar Community Fund. The RCF was created by the folks over at Rockstar Finance. Go check it out. Their mission is all about “…empowering others to give back in their own communities in a way that’s fun and meaningful to them…” One of the biggest ways they do this is through their Giving Cards program. Participants can request a gift card, and then use it to…
If you knew of a way to have $125,000 more saved in your retirement accounts when you retire, would you be interested? It’s legal and doesn’t require any hard work. You can do it, simply by paying attention to fees. By owning funds with low fees, you keep more of your money in your account and out of the pockets of a fund company. The best way to know what you are paying to own a fund is by looking at the expense ratio. The Expense Ratio…
Spending Too Much On Food At Work? Between training, calls, meetings, and all the other things you have to do during the day, meal planning and food prep can be hard. Even with the best of intentions, plans tend to go out the window when the tones go off. It then becomes all too easy to grab a quick bite from a restaurant. The Restaurant Trap The problem with restaurants is that you usually can’t get a good meal for less…
Many of the firefighters, police officers, and paramedics you know have side hustles. They work as construction laborers, security guards, plumbers, real estate agents, fitness coaches, hospital technicians, etc. There are a few reasons for this. The first is because we have so much time off and try to pass that time doing something productive. For some of us, if we didn’t have another job, our days off would be spent on the couch watching Netflix. Another reason is to…
Our Main Side Hustle We are fortunate to live in an area that people want to visit. Our town is a year-round tourist destination. We have small-town charm and beautiful scenery, as well as a small college and a number of summer camps and conference centers. We’re also only 20 minutes from a larger city that is even more of a draw for tourists. Our biggest side hustle capitalizes on that. Our Vacation Rental We own the house next door…