Can you think of any financial tool that is more universally disdained than a budget? Just mention the word and people conjure up images of a ball and chain. They talk about it as something one goes on like a diet. “Poor John and Sue; they’re on a budget.” Budgets even seem to be a […]
Author Archive | Matt Bell
Disability Insurance Disconnect
Your ability to earn income is among your most valuable assets, and yet very few people have disability insurance. According to a recent survey by Northwestern Mutual, less than half of all adults age 21 or older have disability insurance. The non-profit Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education provides helpful information about disability insurance, […]
Frugal and Creative Gift Ideas
Mix a tough economy with the biggest gift-buying season of the year and lots of us are looking for inexpensive yet meaningful gift ideas. Which is what makes this list of 50 gift ideas from BibleMoneyMatters.com so timely. The ideas range from the unusual, somewhat complex, and not too frugal (make your own digital picture […]
Reconsidering the Gift Card
Gift cards have been among the most popular gifts in recent years. However, there are signs that they are starting to fall out of favor, and for good reason. As MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston pointed out, any store-branded card can become worthless if the retailer goes out of business. Other problems include the fact that […]
Gifts for Job Seekers
Chances are good that someone on your gift list this year is unemployed. The holidays can often make matters worse for someone without work. It’s harder to line up interviews, and all the emphasis on spending money on gifts can just compound the pain of a jobless person’s financial problems. That’s why, with the holidays […]
A Lesson from Tiger’s Tale
What Went Wrong? I’m not usually much of a celebrity gawker. But I have to admit that I have been completely drawn in to the sad story of Tiger Woods’ “transgressions.” Golf is my favorite sport and I have spent many a Sunday afternoon watching Tiger achieve yet another impressive victory. He is unlike any […]
Rethinking the Net Worth Statement
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.” – Proverbs 27:23 I’m going to go way out on a limb and guess that you may not have any sheep or cattle to look after. But you probably do have investments, a home, a car, and other stuff. All […]
One Simple Word
Do you find it more difficult to feel thankful this year? Even if you still have your job, you probably know someone who has lost his or hers. Or have the tough times made you more aware of and thankful for some of life’s simple gifts? We have felt the pain of financial loss this […]
Rethinking Retirement
According to Businessweek, the Age of Retirement is “over.” The magazine summed up its stark “vision” of our later years in four words: “Forget retirement. Keep working.” For many older workers there is simply no other choice than to continue working in their later years. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), half of […]
Kids Feeling Stress of Recession
The recession has impacted all of us, including children. As reported on FiLife.com, a new survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 30 percent of young people ages 8 to 17 are worried about their family’s finances – their second-highest source of stress after managing school pressure. The survey also found a gap […]