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Secret to a More Peaceful & Happy Life

We've all heard the phrase" chill out". According to Webster, it means, to calm down, go easy or relax. If only we could live our lives this way. I've been thinking a lot about what obstacles stand in the way of our relaxing. I've been married…
Costly wedding
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Expensive Wedding Reception is a Poor Financial Decision

Is an expensive wedding real worth it? I think spending a fortune on your child's wedding reception is one of the worst financial decisions you could possibly make. The opportunity cost of what they could have at retirement had some of that…
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Frightening College Costs - Will You be Prepared?

The college cost of today is ridiculous and getting worse every year. What would it cost for just one year if your child went to a Big Ten school today? I first wrote this article in 2012 when my oldest child was entering high school and my…
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How My Kid’s Awesome Budget Worked Like a Parent’s Dream!

As a CFP® and a mother of three teenager’s and one young adult, I am often asked how I taught my kids to be “money-wise.”  It is mostly assumed, because of my credentials, that I have done it right and my kids have never made a foolish…
college tuition saving hacks
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How You Can Save $10,000+ on College Tuition Costs!

It's true, you can save a fortune if you use one simple strategy. As a Certified Financial Planner, I've been actively trying to figure out how to cut college tuition costs. As a dad with have three kids in college in 2019 it's especially…
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How I Raised My Kids to be Financially Successful at Their Expense

      Did you raise your kids to be prudent spenders and good savers of money? After a slow start, I turned it around and can see the changes in my kids. It's not too late for you to do the same for your kids. It's much easier…
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A Simple, Priceless, Father's Day Gift I Want Every Year!

As a father of three, I can tell you that Father's Day isn't about monetary gifts.  Most dad's can buy whatever their loving children or wife could get them.  They want the priceless gift(s) that money cannot buy. If a child really…
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How to Inspire Your Child to Grow Serious Wealth!

Wealthy habits are learned. From an early age kids figure out what money is (a medium of exchange), and are seemingly always asking their parents for more. Out of love, parents these days (my hand is raised) usually spoil their children way…
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Fantastic 529 College Savings Plans for the Unborn

         529! Want to help your yet-to-be-born grandkids pay for college? You can’t start too soon.                                                                                         …

"It's Christmas in August!"

Life is about making memories and I had an all-timer this week when I took my mother (a die-hard Reds fan from Cincinnati) and her dear friend, Lolly,  to Wrigley Field for the Cubs vs. Reds game Tuesday night. Lolly, has been a veryclose…
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Stories About Dad

Father's Day is coming soon and I always have mixed feelings about it. When do men with kids stop thinking of Father's Day as a day to think about their own dad rather than being a dad?  I'm sure everybody's different, but I still haven't gotten…
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Mini Van Beats Jet for Family Time

Last week our family embarked on yet another vacation.  We packed our luggage (mainly beach wear) and five bodies into our 2004 Toyota Sienna (195,000 miles and counting) for a long drive. This year's last minute idea was to go to Naples…
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Shut Up and Take My Money

Those of you that know me, know that every year I take my family on vacation, usually to a warm beach in Mexico over Christmas break. This year we decided against it and the reason was that my three spoiled teenage kids don’t seem to appreciate…
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Is College Worth it Today? An Alternative Idea

When I went to college ( U. Of  Iowa) the out-of-state cost was around $5,000.  Four years and $20,000 or so later I and was done (thanks again mom and dad for paying). My first salaried job paid me $19,500, or almost the equivalent of what…