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February always seems like the longest month of the year; all 28 days. This February seems longer than ever. We have had more snow this month than all of winter and the cold days are not going away. In fact, we are in the midst of another winter snow blitz as we post this blog. We are peppered with a warm day every now and then, where you can shed the winter coat, but it is just a tease of what is to come. Perhaps that is why it is such a long month. I’m also looking at seed catalogs and dreaming about a bountiful harvest from my backyard garden. I’m anxious to start to work in the dirt, plant seeds and see nature take its course. The taste of fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce cut from garden is something I’m longing for. A back yard garden is not only good for your health; it is good on your wallet. You can harvest loads of fresh fruits and vegetables for pennies comparatively. The sun is coming up earlier and setting later. In walking the dogs over the gardens in the snow, I can vi...

I don't know the official reason that Washington elites give when asked why they decided to call automatic budget cuts "sequestration" but it sure is ironic because one of the meanings of the verb form, "sequester," is to remove property from the possession of the owner temporarily until a lawsuit or other dispute is settled. Could it be that the federal government thinks that taxpayers' money is its own property so when a dispute over its use arises in Congress the funds have to be "sequestered?" A more interesting question is why Congress remains deadlocked over the budget. The simple answer is that a significant percentage of Americans, but by no means all, believe that the federal government has grown too big. Are they right? Well, that (too) requires making a valuable judgement. But they certainly have empirical reasons to be concerned, as the time series chart above suggests. What it shows is that the U.S. government was first tiny compared t...

We are only a few days away until the automatic government budget cuts and Congress and the President can't come to agreement on specific budget cuts and/or increasing revenue. Ramifications will be across-the-board cuts, effecting defense, education, national parks, air traffic controllers and all services provided by our Federal government. Why can't the congress agree? To me it all comes down to self-interest, not willing to step up to hard choices and not agreeing on common values. Roy Disney is quoted as saying "When values are clear, decisions are easy." What does Washington value? “How I am going to get reelected” -not what is best for the country? If a family is in debt, they have to agree on how they are going to reduce that debt. It typically is achieved by a combination of reducing spending and increasing income. If the family agrees to common values, decisions on what to cut and where to increase income become easy. The family looks inward on where to cut ...

Personal Finance for Teens Unleashed A Financial Literacy Blog I started Personal Finance for Teens Unleashed in 2013 – a great year for new beginnings.   I added Unleashed to the name because this blog explains personal finance so anyone can understand it, especially teens.    It is all about teaching financial literacy and money management skills to teens.   It is set up to be a helpful resource for teachers of personal finance, business and economics .   It offers links to fun, hands-on money management lessons that you can’t find in any book.   They are tried and true time savers for teachers and designed with middle school and high school students in mind.   The key word to making these lessons different is DISCOVER!   They are set up so students DISCOVER the answers to their money questions via resources on the Internet.   After a lesson on purchasing a car, no one will need to tell them if they can afford the car of the...

From Barbara Bogaev on Marketplace Money , “We're still fresh off of our love hangover from Valentine's Day here at Money this week, so we've invited a couple of personal finance experts to answer your questions about money and relationships. Bob and Kristy Walker ..." The show airs this weekend (2/15/13) on most National Public Radio Stations. If you don't find it on your local NPR station, here is a link where you can listen: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/your-money/letters-how-can-i-budget-when-im-self-employed It is a great show, regardless if we are on or not so we highly recommend you tune in weekly to enjoy and learn. -Happy Listening

As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, I think back to the Beatle’s song “ Can’t Buy Me Love .” The Wall Street Journal was also thinking of the little things that show love in their article “ Small Acts, Big Love .” By putting the other person’s needs above yours, spending a little time, and being creative in your approach, really shows that you appreciate and care for them and you don’t take them for granted. Some key things to remember when you demonstrate your love through actions: • Don’t expect a pay back • Think about what your partner would like, not what is easy for you • Put your partner’s needs first • Show respect and appreciation Here are a few little things that say ‘ I Love You’ every day of the year: • On cold days, start their car and scrape the ice off the windshield • Make the bed • Pack their lunch • Open doors • Leave the toilet seat down • Leave the bathroom sink clean • Pick up after yourself • Empty the dishwasher • Make a meal • Say “thank you” • Anything that...

Hosting a baby shower? Hate shower games? Pinched for funds? Try this one. We took scrap wood and cut them up into 2x3x3 inch blocks, sanded and painted a baby-powder white. As the guest arrived, they selected a number or a letter to feature on their block. We had acrylic paint pens for everyone to work with. It was a fun opportunity to release our inner artist. We coated each block with a protective spray, and wa la! Our guest have collectively created a one-of-a-kind set of blocks. The project cost $5 in paint material and provided not only a group project, but a very special gift for that little one. Very frugal and fun!