What Not to Do in Front of Your Kids When It Comes to Money

Children learn what they see. It is a true statement for any kind of behavior including money management. Children’s attitudes toward money and whether or not they will be able to make it work for them as adults has much to do with their parents. If you are married, think about any differences that there might be between you and your spouse, regarding any issues having to do with money. Is one of you more a saver than a spender? Do you approach investing or debt the same way? Chances are that you may each have different ideas about handling … Continue reading

Does Your Health Plan Include Pet Insurance?

The majority of Americans who have health insurance are able to afford it because it come to them through their employer. Some employers are starting to include coverage for pet insurance. This can make it much easier for pet owners to take good care of their dogs and cats. It is absolutely vital that people have affordable health insurance coverage. Those that don’t have it either hold off getting the health care they need until a minor issue becomes a serious one, or they end up in debt from medical bills. Your employer sponsored health insurance can cover you, your … Continue reading

Does Your Spouse Get Your Time?

One of the things couples fail to realize is that many marriage problems stem from a lack of time. You see, it takes quality time to nurture a relationship. If you are spending more time at your job or with your kids, then your marriage is bound to suffer. Now don’t get me wrong, different seasons in life require more attention than others. For instance, when my children were young they naturally required more of my time and attention. But even then, it didn’t necessarily mean my husband only deserved the leftovers. Time can’t always be measured in quantity. It … Continue reading

Losing Your Identity

Have you ever heard someone speak against marriage because they didn’t want to “lose their identity?” I have to say that I think this is a valid concern for anyone considering a walk down the aisle. I totally believe in the biblical concept that the “two shall become one.” I think your lives must become so intertwined that it is no longer only about you. Now you have to consider someone else’s thoughts and feelings before making decisions. Two become one in making financial decisions, raising the children, and so on. But that doesn’t mean you should lose your identity. … Continue reading

Missing Your Spouse, Even When They’re Around

Do you miss your spouse when he or she is around? I have on occasion found myself telling Jonathan that I miss him, even when he’s sitting right in front of me. Usually I say this in response to his having to leave for a day or so for work. Sometimes I even do it when he has to take a rare night shift, which I know is crazy. On those days I’m actually getting to see more of him than I would on a normal day, because he’s home in the morning, leaves at 3 pm, and is back … Continue reading

10 Mistakes I Made As a First-Time Mom-Part II

The truth is, I don’t like thinking I made any mistakes at all because I feel like I did the best I could and my first-born is beautiful, smart, and kind. So, I guess I did some things right too. But, a few days ago, I shared the first four in this series. Go here to see that article. What other “mistakes” did I learn from? Here’s a few more to share: 5. Don’t confide in people that you don’t want advice from. I have to say that I am still working on this one too. But, I’m getting so … Continue reading

Preparing Your Kids For An Emergency

It’s scary to think you might be separated from your child in an emergency. All the fires we are having here are making me think about our family emergency plan. When I got divorced one of my biggest fears was that there would be some sort of disaster and I wouldn’t be able to get to Hailey. She went to school on the other side of town from where I worked so if there was an earthquake I probably would not be able to get to her. Once she got a little older and had a cell phone I took … Continue reading

Will Your Marriage Be Stronger or Broken Apart?

Will this make my marriage stronger or will it break us apart? Have you ever asked yourself this, when faced with a life-altering event? Maybe you have never been in this place where it’s a consideration. But it was definitely something my marriage recently faced. The situation involved one of our teenaged children and it threatened from the very beginning to crumble things. We were both reeling from the circumstances and almost immediately, finger pointing was ready to begin. Who was at fault for this catastrophe, we seemed to be asking. I guess it’s natural to look for someone to … Continue reading

Avoid Financial Surprises During Your Retirement

The subject of how much money a person needs for retirement is a tricky one. Each person’s needs are slightly different, which can make for difficulty in deciding what a good amount is. There are also some things that you may not think about which may come up later on and cause trouble. One of the most difficult things to think about or discuss is health care. No one likes to talk about it because as we grow older, many things can happen with our health. We may be affected by a major illness, for example, or arrive at a … Continue reading

Insurance Blog Week in Review – April 1-7, 2012

The Insurance Blog Week in Review brings you a quick and easy way to “ketchup” on everything that hit the blog in the past week. There are always somewhere between 12 and 14 blogs that appear here, and it is easy to accidentally miss something that you wanted to read. What did you miss this week? What Do Insurance Brokers Do? This blog will clear up any confusion you might have about what insurance brokers do, how they get paid, and how they are connected to insurance companies. The Insurance Podcast Roundup went up on April 2, 2012. This week, … Continue reading