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Financial Advice I Wish I Could Tell the Earlier Me

Once you get to a certain age, you are supposed to be wiser, right? While I’m not ready for the retirement home yet (I don’t think they would let me bring my three school-age kids), the fact is that I no longer have as many years ahead of me as I once did. I do have a little more wisdom than I did then, especially when it comes to financial strategy. It is too bad that we can’t go back in time, isn’t it and give my younger self some financial advice? If I could go back in time, I … Continue reading →

Seven Ways to Save $1,000 for Your Emergency Fund

Dave Ramsey, financial guru who has helped so many families get out of debt, recommends that most of us start on the path to financial solvency by first saving up $1,000 toward an emergency fund. By having a solid emergency fund, we are less likely to go into debt, should the unexpected happen, such as the home furnace needing to be replaced, the car needing to be repaired, or the experience of a medical crisis. Saving that $1,000 is the first step of Ramsey’s overall get-out-of-debt plan. How can you save that much when there doesn’t seem to be any … Continue reading →

Secondary Source of Heat: Emergency Heat

According to a recent survey sponsored by a home generator manufacturer (of course), almost half of all Americans are in jeopardy because they live in an area with extreme winter weather yet do not have a secondary heat source. A secondary heat source is important in the event that you lose your primary hear source, such as when the power goes out. Many non-electric heat sources, such as an oil furnace, still rely on some electricity to run. You don’t want to be caught without heat, especially if your household includes the very young or the elderly. Beside loss of … Continue reading →

Talking to Your Parents About Their Finances

There are many things that people tend to become concerned about as their parents get older. Things like the physical and mental health and well being of their elderly parents are often top of mind for many adult children. The finances of elderly parents are also often a cause for great concern, especially if the adult children do not live close to them. How can you help to ensure that your parents stay current with their bills and stay away from scam artists who target the elderly without offending them? It is a delicate path to walk, to be sure, … Continue reading →

Why Keep an Emergency Fund?

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One of the keys to long-term financial security is building an emergency fund. Even if you’re a very prepared person, things happen. My husband and I were extremely financially organized before we added a child and a much larger mortgage to our family. We had a good emergency fund of several thousand dollars, less than the six months of income that some recommend but more than the thousand dollars recommended by others. We felt confident. Then I went on maternity leave, which is a year long here in Canada. That was wonderful, but it did cut my income quite substantially. … Continue reading →

Sharing the Concept of Preparedness with Others

Preparedness is a concept that we have been taught over and over. Many people outside of our church often regard our preparedness concepts one of those strange things that Mormons do. However, I have found that the times that this is great way to have a discussion and help people around us. I have been approached, by more than one person who knew I was a member, and asked about the concept of preparedness and food storage. Many people embrace this concept as they see how it can benefit them in their lives. One example is the way that the … Continue reading →

The Economy and Preparedness

The economy has taken a turn for the worse, and this really illustrates the point of being prepared for hard times. Many people mistakenly think that we promote food storage for such events as the end of the world, but the food storage, and emergency preparedness goes beyond that. The people I know who have used their food storage did it turning times of economic hardship and unemployment. It is important that everyone is prepared to handle the trying times of life. Over a year ago the church came out with new guidelines that outline the priority of each part … Continue reading →

Preparedness Principles – Barbara Salsbury

You say food storage, I feel helpless. We’ve done a lot to forward our storage. My husband has buckets of grains stored in our shed, and I’ve been working on collecting various odds and ends and I even have put them into some sort of menu and I made a chart with all their expiration dates. That sounds pretty good, but I know I have so much further to go. Fuel, light, extra shoes—whenever I start to think about all that remains to be done, I want to cry. But now I have a guide to step me through it. … Continue reading →

Just When Could Youth Learn About Adoption and Life?

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In a recent blog, I suggested that students be prepared for practical life—learning about parenting and adoption, community resources such as basic and emergency medical care, food and financial assistance, etc. (I do not think becoming aware of programs such as food stamps and WIC makes people who could work more likely to depend on these programs. Indeed, in my experience many people who rely on these programs are working, sometimes full-time, in lower-paying jobs–such as child care or social services, I might add!) I will say here that I do completely sympathize with the lament that schools are asked … Continue reading →

Family Preparedness and Finances

When it comes to preparedness, you need to be financially prepared as well as prepared with food. The church has counseled us to get and stay out of debt for years. This is important counsel to follow, but there are other ways that we need to be financially prepared as well. Here are three things that you should do to be prepared financially for emergencies and the future. First you should have some cash on hand at home. This should be somewhere safe, that you can access in a time of emergency. For example if you live in a city, … Continue reading →