A reader writes: “My spouse and I need a budget. What should we do? What type of budgeting do you recommend? I know it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ world, but how much is too much saving? It feels a little unsustainable at times but my wife and I make it work. We do love to get fancy and enjoy nice things but a lot of times the budget doesn’t … [Read more...] about From The Mail Buoy: “The Truth Behind Budgeting– It’s Not The Budget”
Military Life
Slow Travel Is Wonderful, Yet We Still Had Challenges
I’ve had a bunch of reader requests for our lessons learned from slow travel. I’ll mention parts of our trips during this post, and the “Related articles” section at the bottom will have more information about our destinations. All of our Facebook photos in those links are public, and they have location tags & captions. This post will focus … [Read more...] about Slow Travel Is Wonderful, Yet We Still Had Challenges
The “What’s Up Next?” Podcast: “Looking Out For Mom And Dad”
A few months ago I joined Doc G and Paul Thompson of the What’s Up Next? podcast for a panel discussion about a family financial problem: How do you look out for your parents when you don’t know anything about their finances or their wishes? Our panel included Cameron Huddleston, whose book “Mom And Dad, We Need to Talk” has … [Read more...] about The “What’s Up Next?” Podcast: “Looking Out For Mom And Dad”
Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence
It’s coming in spring on 8 September 2020: the book you’ve asked for about teaching your kids how to manage their money. My daughter Carol and I recently signed a book contract with ChooseFI Media to publish “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.” It’s written from your questions asked at financial … [Read more...] about Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence
Will Your Retirement Plan Handle Long-Term Care Needs? How Your Genome Impacts Disability, Caregiving, And Estate Planning
Will your retirement plan stand up to long-term care needs? Do you have an estate plan in place? These are topics that few of us want to discuss. However, they are extremely important to your family's long-term stability. Today, we’ll discuss some important considerations for your long-term financial stability— and how you can take action … [Read more...] about Will Your Retirement Plan Handle Long-Term Care Needs? How Your Genome Impacts Disability, Caregiving, And Estate Planning
“How the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse AFC® Fellowship (and Fate) Found Me”
[This post is brought to you by Alecia D. Blair, M.S., AFC®. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines.] About six months after having my second child I found myself eager to return to work. It was summer in beautiful Upstate New York. Fort Drum, … [Read more...] about “How the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse AFC® Fellowship (and Fate) Found Me”
Go Ahead, Buy a home when you leave Active Duty*
This is a friendly rebuttal to Nords’ recent post Don’t Buy a Home as you Leave Active Duty. The GubMints family has lived in the same North San Diego home we bought back in 2000, 4 months after leaving Active Duty. I’m here to show you that you CAN make it happen, but not without sacrifice. Post Length: ~ 1750 Words Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): … [Read more...] about Go Ahead, Buy a home when you leave Active Duty*
A GI Bill Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
[This post is brought to you by Stephanie Montague of Poppin' Smoke, where you can learn more about your military travel benefits and opportunities. If you're interested in contributing at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines!] Living in Washington, DC, my husband and I saw it all the time: military veterans who … [Read more...] about A GI Bill Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
In Memoriam: My Father
Dean Nordman passed away on Saturday morning 18 November 2017 at age 83 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. Regular readers may remember that my father first noticed his dementia symptoms in 2008 (at age 74) yet he refused all offers of help. (This is common when dementia takes over.) By 2011 he was … [Read more...] about In Memoriam: My Father
College 529 Plans – Saving for College
This article is meant for people who may have heard about college savings plans and would like to know a little more. College planning for your children is a topic that can cover a wide variety of beliefs (should you foot the entire bill, how much should you save), options, programs, government incentives and different savings vehicles. There are … [Read more...] about College 529 Plans – Saving for College
