MoneyWiseWomen

Life is a Marathon – Advice from World-Renowned Runner Joan Benoit Samuelson

I recently read a great article in Women’s Health, one of my favorite magazines.  I love the magazine because it’s a combination of wonderful articles on everything from nutrition and food, to exercise, skin, hair, make-up and clothing advice.  They also have inspiring profiles of women, such as the article I just read about Joan Benoit Samuelson, the amazing female marathon runner.

Dating during recession - the ties that hold us together!

It makes sense when you think about it. Hardship has a way of bringing people together. Sure, it can also be a wedge that forces apart relationships, but as a new study shows, more and more people are seeking to connect over their shared recessionary experiences.

According to MSNBC, some singles are now hunting for dates with the same fervor others are showing hunting for jobs. On matchmaking Web site eHarmony.com, membership is up 20 percent despite monthly fees of up to $60, and activity has soared 50 percent since September at OkCupid.com. If money talks, we're saying that we are looking to quell the loneliness that's all too common when chasing careers, financial security, our ideal life. When those things are called into question, we go back to seeking good ol' fashioned relationships.

Couples Conversations Starters Around Money

I saw this in an article, Make Peace With Your Money from the editors of Money magazine.  Good questions to ask yourself.  Write the answers privately and then meet with your mate to discuss.

* What is my biggest money worry nowadays?

* What are my top three savings priorities, in order of importance?

* What am I pleased with about our financial life?

* Is there anything I want to understand better about our finances or wish that we could investigate together?

* If we had to cut back on spending, what three areas would I choose?  What three areas would I avoid cutting?

* Are there any important money tasks I think we have been procrastinating on?

Have a healthy conversation on your money matters and work together for a better future!

Suzanne Kincaid

A Wise Message: “Promise Yourself”

I’d like to relay a brief but wise message that a friend shared with me.  It’s a message originally written by Christian D. Larson in 1912.  My friend’s mother shared this with her many years ago when she obtained her very first job.  The message is titled, “Promise Yourself.”

My Right Money Mind

Lately, I've started a list of material things I want. This usually happens every couple of years. In between, I may want something here and there, but for the most part, I don't keep a list. Right now I have a pretty substantial list and it includes: a fitness ball, a new laptop, voice recognition software, a Wii with Wii Fitness, a few skirts, a digital camera, and some jewelry from an artist I met at the Kirkland farmer's market.

Do I need these things to be happy? No. Would having these things bring pleasure and more ease to my life and/or work? Yes. I think . . .

It was the desire for more pleasure and ease that nearly made me lose my mind... my right money mind, that is. I was on track for my second quarter plans, earning and spending as I had intended. I paid my quarterly taxes on June 15th and was able to put money into my retirement account and take care of all my monthly expenses. I felt good about all that, but I didn't really feel much pleasure or ease.