Should You Both Work?
Affording life in the Bay Area is expensive. In general, it takes two working parents to make ends meet and be able to save for your bigger financial goals like home, retirement and education savings. The breakeven point is trending upward with the cost of housing, which is most families largest expense (25-45% of all […]
How to Teach Your Children that Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
My son is seven years old and thinks it is super cool to pretend to “make it rain” with his hands and imitate stacks of money flying in the air. My first reaction is to cringe and wish he didn’t think it was cool. Sometimes I hear him say things like, “If I had a […]
What’s the point of Money?
One of my favorite financial planners recently wrote in the New York Times, “The point of money is to help make and keep you happy and fulfill the hopes and dreams that align with your own (often irrational and emotional) values.” To me, this statement is the very essence of financial planning. Personal financial planning […]
Top Five Money Lessons for Kids
In general, talking about money makes people tense. So, how can you talk to our children openly and effectively about money? Money is its own language, and as parents you have the opportunity to create a plan to educate your kids and make money skills a priority. To help you, here is a list of […]
The Best Laid Plans
One of my favorite movie quotes is “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” from the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. If you haven’t seen it, Youtube the quotation above and have a laugh. So, why am I quoting Dodgeball? Well, it’s personal and has a lot to do with […]
Financial Minimalism
Money can be complicated. It can cause stress, tensions in relationships, and disappointments. However, money can also help provide opportunity, a sense of security and happiness. It seems nearly impossible to focus on what matters most with all the distractions of modern day life. Short-term gratification has become the panacea to feeling over-worked and under-appreciated. […]
Kids Savings Account- Do they need one?
No, children do not need a savings account but most parents feel like they should open one up as soon as their child gets their first birthday or holiday check. Most of the time, these account balances hover around the same amount of money for years and the bank pays very little interest (like 0.01%). […]
True Costs of Education
If you have children, a huge driver of where you choose to live depends on where your little ones will go to school. If you live in San Francisco, you can roll the dice on public schools or join the arduous process of getting into private school. If you have moved out of the city […]
Can you afford a family pet?
I love dogs, especially Golden Retrievers. I have always had a Golden in my life. I had Max, Toby, Jake, Clyde, Bow, Gussie and now Cali. I got Bow when I was in college and Gussie a few years later. Each dog lived to the age of 13, and each passed away when I had […]
Living the Dream in the Bay Area- Is it worth it?
The Bay Area is a beautiful place to live. Mountains, beaches, great weather, robust economy, wine country, great food, active inhabitants, etc. However, making a life here is no small feat. To break even in this area you have to gross $250,000 as a family. To make this much money most families need to have […]
