Getting Sick is Expensive!
For the past two weeks, someone in my family has been sick. Granted, that someone has mostly been me, but we have all had our turns in getting ill, going to a doctor’s appointment, and then coming out with a list of prescriptions and a large bill to be paid. Getting sick is expensive and my family needs to find a better way to save up some money for times like this. We need a fresh start and some money management tips!
It’s time for a tune-up. Did you know only one in ten American families are clear about how much they need to save for retirement? Where do you fit in? Source: Families,Financial Attitudes & Planning, conducted by Forbes Consulting group for MassMutual http://www.massmutual.com/mmfg/pdf/State_of_the_American_Family.pdf
I have always been concerned with my family’s finances and how we are going to manage our money. I have never been great at money management. When I was single, I went through the debt roller coaster and was on my way out of it when I met my husband. He was not good with money either. All I had learned about getting out of debt was thrown out the window as we started our little family so quickly. As bad as I was in managing my own money, I was worse with managing our money together.
I was the primary wage earner, but my husband as the grocery shopper. We had a new baby and we were both excited about providing him with all the toys and new clothes and fun stuff, trying to make up for our inexperience in being parents. We have been through the ups and downs of debt, borrowing money from family, pawning our belongings, and just plain struggling. Now that we have a five year old, and we aren’t getting any younger, we are starting to feel the pressure to get our money management under control and “grow up”!
A new research study, MassMutual’s State of the American Mom, found that many Moms have strong hopes and convictions about providing financially for their families, but given the multiple demands of the life of a Mom, many also find it hard to achieve. College savings, saving for retirement, managing day-to-day expenses and educating yourself and children all rank as top priorities, yet some Moms shared they may feel overwhelmed about ways to start thinking about all of them.
MassMutual has developed some money management tips and tools to help moms with this overwhelming task. I was excited to take the Personality Profile to find out where I should start and here is what I found out:
I truly AM an eager DIY-er in my family. I was happy to learn that MassMutual agreed. Over the past few years, I have made plans for our family and I have learned different tools to help us. I struggle with my husband’s excitement to do all the fun activities and buy the best toys. He and I made decent money (on paper) but we spend it faster than we can make it. It’s time for us to do some spring cleaning, money managing, and just plain make some changes. Are you ready to make some changes, too?
MassMutual has created a cool new quiz to help Moms start thinking about their attitudes toward finances and how they can take small steps forward in the process of planning for their financial future.
Take the Quiz
What money management tips have you learned that could help my little family?
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