What is Lifestyle Inflation?

Storefront of two mannequins with stickers showing various percentages indicating a sale

Have you noticed that even when your income increases, it can feel like you still don’t have more money leftover at the end of the month? That’s because often, when our income increases, our expenses do too. This is a very real phenomenon called lifestyle inflation. It can sneak up on us despite our best…

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Wolf’s Story: It’s Not About Amassing a Fortune

Older white gentleman wearing a light blue tank top has his left arm in a sling while his wife wears a flowery shirt, lei, and sunglasses while she has her arm around her husband

Meet Wolf, a retired psychologist living in the mountains of Colorado with his wife and many animals. What do you do? My wife and I are retired. We have a small, 35-acre ranch here. We make a little bit of extra money with our goats and chickens. I also contract tutor online. It’s a good…

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Teaching Your Kids to Save Money

Red-headed woman sits on the couch holding her baby in her left arm while her older child sits to the right of her looking at an iPad

Think about the lessons you learned about money. How do the messages you heard in your early years impact the way you view and manage money today? Research shows that lifelong money habits are formed early. In fact, psychologists believe that by age 7 (I know, right?), kids have already developed long-lasting attitudes about money.…

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Lauren’s Story: Money Won’t Make You Happy

Wife and her husband pose for a professional picture with the wife standing up and putting her arms around her husband

Meet Lauren, a mother of four daughters (including a two-month-old baby!) who lives with her husband in Conway, South Carolina. What do you and your husband do? My husband is a produce manager at our neighborhood market. I am current filing for disability. What did your upbringing teach you about finances? Money doesn’t grow on…

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How to Get Back on Track After a Financial Emergency

Let’s talk about what to do when the emergency hits. We aren’t trying to bum you out, but the fact is, we are all likely to have a financial shock. What happens when you have to use your emergency fund? First, pat yourself on the back for having the funds, and then strategize. Using your…

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6 Easy Steps to Set a Budget that You’ll Actually Stick To

Whether it’s something you need or something you want, creating a budget can help you keep your spending in line so you can reach your financial goals. Creating a budget may seem daunting, but this video walks you through setting up a budget that you can actually stick to. Once you know what your goal…

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