Finance & Accounting

Thanks Lori. I love your to the point blogs. Here is an add-on. My wife and I are looking at real estate in another state. We connected with a Realtor on a trip and she did a fabulous job being a tour guide and getting us familiar with the market. We decided to send her some wine for her trouble. After she received it she sent me the following email. Hey, thanks for the great surprise! Even though you asked the question about wine it was still a surprise. Just this morning I was thinking how I should email you to check in on how things were going and then the package was delivered! Give my thanks to Carolyn too. Hope all is going well. She is a pro and what it told me was she knew she should get in touch but was not going to make a lame call. She was searching to find worth in the call or communication. She found it in wine. Take your time before reaching for the phone and find a good reason to call.

You are insightful and ask thought-provoking questions :0) I agree that one of the biggest culprits to an unsuccessful budget is all the small things that add up to large amounts...

Thanks for the compliment on my questions! I totally agree with 2 months as opposed to 1 if at all possible. I think it's imperative to realize how much those little purchases add up to and it's hard to do that in just one month. You are so right on making sure you keep track of even the littlest expenses. Those can throw off your budget calculations and with them being such small amounts; it's hard to think of them being the culprit to your blown budget.

There will always be those who prey on the less fortunate. And in this time of economic uncertainty, people promising "quick" help abound. It is important to double check everything. And rather than going through someone who solicits you, it is best to approach your own lender first as you look for help.

One month minimum. But two is better. Since many impulse habits are just that -- impulse -- it can help to have two, or even three, months of spending considered. And don't forget to remember those bills that fall every six months or so. Look at your insurance policy premiums. If you only pay them once every six months, or only once a year, make sure that you average it out as a monthly expense.