personal finance

Do You Have a Household Maintenance Plan?

True story: my husband and I bought our house when we were 23 and 21. We had no clue what was involved in home ownership — we’re talking about a ‘what are property taxes and why do we have to pay them?’ level of cluelessness. And maintenance costs? Nobody told us about maintenance costs! Yes,…

How to Create a Budget for the First Time

Almost without exception, the family budget changes after a spouse dies. Not only will your income likely be affected but your expenses probably will too. If your household had a spending plan that was operating smoothly, you already have a framework from which to work. A few tweaks may be all it takes to keep…