Sheryl Garrett of Garrett Planning Network Quoted by POTUS!!!

by |

In a speech at AARP on Monday, my business mentor and the founder of the Garrett Planning Network, Sheryl Garrett CFP®, AIF® was recognized and quoted by President Obama for her commitment to championing fiduciary standards in the financial advisory arena. The above video clip from CSpan captures the moment. I’m so happy she received recognition for her fight on behalf of consumers and I’m honored that I have been able to be a part of this mission … Read More

Speak of Money Podcast 001: Time to get smart, comfortable and focused with your money

[Podcast] Episode 001: It’s time to get smart, comfortable and focused with your money

by |

I’m excited to launch the first episode of the Speak of Money Podcast! In this episode, I share what I have found to be the top reasons why people have trouble achieving their financial life goals. I also discuss the three key areas you should work on to develop your long term financial success, and give you three different challenge exercises that you can starting working on now to start getting smart, comfortable and focused with your money.   Links mentioned … Read More

breaking financial rules

Breaking Financial Rules

by |

There are many financial rules we’ve all heard over and over again. But some of these rules aren’t perfect or don’t apply well to individual situations. Instead of blindly following general financial rules that someone else made, consider how they impact you with these counter perspectives: 1. Cutting expenses is the key to long-term financial success. Most of the well-known personal finance gurus focus on cutting expenses and saving money. While there’s no reason … Read More

spending detox

5 Steps to a Spending Detox

by |

Do you often wonder where all your money went at the end of a pay period? No matter how much you earn, are you living from paycheck to paycheck? Do you feel like your spending is out of control? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, a financial detox might be just what you need to improve your financial health. Stick with me while I explain why. My green-smoothie-detox story In the … Read More

homeowners insurance

6 Tips to Save Money on Your Homeowner’s Insurance

by |

If you own a home, homeowner’s insurance is a necessity. You hope you don’t need it and the premiums are never pleasant, but you’ll be glad you have it if you need to make a claim. That’s the purpose of insurance. I know many clients I work with are frustrated with rising premiums even though they have never made a claim and are often unsure of what is reasonable.  The levels of coverage and premiums … Read More

Financial Tips for September 2014 (Video)

3 Financial Tips for September 2014: SpeakOfMoneyTV Episode 001

by |

Summer is winding down — even though around here it’s warmer today than it was for most of July — and the kids are back in school. In this short video I share with you a few tips on actions you can start now to keep your finances on track for the balance of 2014. 1. Open Enrollment season for many employers will start soon. Do you really understand the employee benefits you have? Now is … Read More

7 tips for making progress with your financial goals

7 Ways to Make Financial Goals Stick

by |

Sometimes we can make our financial goals overly complicated by trying to address too many issues at one time.  It does not need to be that way. Below are my 7 simple tips for creating a foundation to help your financial goals fall into place. 1. Create Challenging but Sensible Financial Goals in the First Place You are almost guaranteed to sabotage your efforts if your goals and actions are ridiculously lofty. Yes, you want to push yourself, but don’t set yourself … Read More

Mindset for Success

Creating a Mindset for Success

by |

I just returned from another great conference (actually we call it a Retreat) with my fellow financial planners in the Garrett Planning Network. Each year I get a lot of inspiration by re-connecting with long time members and meeting new planners that are just getting started. One of the first presentations of the retreat discussed the need for people to believe that they have a purpose in life and how important this is not only for personal well being but for … Read More

How to use an inheritance: Pay off debt or invest?

by |

Question: Any ideas on how we should use an inheritance? My husband and I recently inherited $50,000 and we can’t seem to agree on whether we should invest all of it or pay off debt of about $18,000 and invest the rest.   Answer: On the surface, it seems the answer to your question should be straight forward, so here is my short answer: In general, if your costs to borrow money are higher than what you can safely earn on the same amount, … Read More

Pension Back Up Plan

Illinois Pension Reform: WGN TV Cover Story

by |

I was recently interviewed for the WGN TV Chicago Cover Story: Making a Pension Back Up Plan, discussing Illinois pension reform issues and the actions some teachers are taking to prepare for the uncertainty .  A special thank you to the producer, Pam Grimes, for highlighting this important topic and including me in the story. The segment aired last night but if you missed it, you can watch the replay here and find additional resources on their website. “Image courtesy of Stuart … Read More

1 2 3 4 5 6 … 9