I'm a former banker writing about marketing, small business, credit, mortgages, retirement, + financial planning. I also homeschool, garden, and homestead off the grid. And I have chickens.
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need? The Answer Might Surprise You
We hear all the time that life insurance is important and should be considered when planning our family’s financial future but, how do we know how much is enough? Understanding the different types of life insurance and itemizing what’s important to your family will help determine what coverage would be best for your needs. Here’s what you need to know.
Life Insurance Basics
A life insurance policy pays a tax-free, lump-sum death benefit to your beneficiaries when you pass away. It is a way to...
Don’t Let SAD Leave You Sad: What You Need to Know About Seasonal Affective Disorder
As winter approaches, you may feel more down and out than usual. This could be due to a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a type of depression. It occurs at the same time each year, often during the fall and winter seasons when there’s less natural sunlight.
Seasonal affective disorder impacts up to 3% of the general population. And as Johns Hopkins Medicine reports, it can increase with age.
According to Johns Hopkins, while research hasn’t identified a direct caus...
What’s in your go bag? Pack these essentials for summer emergencies
When disaster strikes, having a well-prepared go bag can save precious time and reduce the stress of the situation. Here’s a quick guide to packing your summer go bag so you and your loved ones are ready to face any emergency.
Go bag basics
A go bag is packed with essential items to help you survive in the first three days of an emergency, should you and your family need to evacuate your home. Each family member, including pets, should have a go bag tailored to their specific needs. This ensu...
How to Talk to Your Tween About Money: 6 Strategies to Help
No one ever said parenting was easy. And when it comes to talking to your tween about money, things can get tricky—especially if you're unsure of where to start.
You want your nine-to-twelve-year-old to be prepared for the future and make wise financial choices. Yet you also want them to understand the realities impacting your household budget and money decisions right now. So how do you strike the right balance?
Use these 6 strategies to teach your pre-teens financial responsibility when tim...
Community gardens grow food and friendship
By Sarita Harbour
Spring has arrived, and with it, patches of green sprout up in urban jungles across the country, transforming landscapes and lives. Learn how community gardens grow more than food in neighborhoods.
While gardening doesn’t always require teamwork, digging in the dirt with neighbors can certainly foster community. These green spaces offer outdoor community hubs in cities grappling with food deserts and isolation amplified by screens. People of all ages and from all walks of li...
How Sourdough Bread Captured Americans’ Hearts and Ovens
WASHINGTON — April 1 isn’t just for fools; it’s also National Sourdough Day. Sourdough is making a big comeback in American kitchens, and it’s not just about the unique tangy taste. This resurgence taps into deeper cultural and health trends reshaping food relationships. Learn why the sourdough craze has taken the country by storm.
Although sourdough bread harkens back to pioneer days and beyond, it’s enjoying a comeback in American homes and bakeries. “The resurgence of sourdough now is due ...
Grow budget-friendly ingredients indoors and out this spring, summer
Your great-grandparents were on to something. Growing budget-friendly ingredients is a smart way to save money and enjoy fresh produce right from your home. Recent rapidly rising grocery prices suggest that now might be the time to follow their lead.
But before you start digging, review these tips and tricks for growing the right plants with the best yields.
Start seeds indoors
Start seeds indoors to get a head start on gardening. Make sure you have the proper setup. Invest in trays, good qua...
5 Tips for Creating White Papers People Want to Read
Use these five tips to create useful and engaging white papers to show your expertise and authority in your field.
Will BYOD Save Money for Your Business? | SPARK Blog | ADP
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5 Reasons to Embrace AI
Artificial Intelligence is a phrase that pops up with increasing frequency in the media and with good reason. This new wave of technological advances is already impacting many aspects of our homes and workplaces; here’s why you should integrate it into your HR department.
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Table of Contents
#1. Reducing Administrative HR Workload
#2. Reducing Human Bias
#3. Efficient and Effective Recruiting
#4. Improving Employee Experience
#5. Keeps the Focus on Strategic Management
Artificial I...
5 Tips for Older Adults Planning a Cruise
When you're itching to get away and explore a different part of the world, taking a cruise can offer an opportunity to expand your horizons. If you're not familiar with the preparation that goes into planning a cruise, these five tips can make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Do Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Prescription Drugs?
Are you shopping for new health insurance coverage? With all the different plans available, as well as the options that come with each, it's easy to become overwhelmed, especially if you need a plan that covers prescription drugs.
If you're considering Medicare plans as a cheaper alternative to private health insurance plans, you have likely asked the question: "Do Medicare Advantage Plans cover prescription drugs?"
The short answer is yes, most of them do. Here's what you need to know.
What ...
Saving and Savoring Series: Affordable Lunch Recipes
Are you finding that your food budget just doesn’t stretch quite as far as it used to? If so, you aren’t imagining it. In the U.S., the cost of food rose 6.3% in 2021. That might have you researching how to reduce your meal costs, including finding affordable lunch recipes. Sure, you can make a PB&J or heat up a can of soup, but that can get tiring after a while.
As part of our four-part series on creating meals that fit your wallet, we’ve got you covered with this list of tasty and healthy l...
Your Guide to Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
With the wide range of Medicare plans available, it's all too easy to feel overwhelmed with the selection. And, while the Original Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) cover about 80% of medical needs, you may be looking for more—such as additional Part D coverage for prescriptions or even a Medicare Advantage Plan.
Medicare prescription drug plans can help strengthen your coverage. Here's what you need to know to choose the right drug coverage under Medicare.
W...
Internet Off the Grid: 4 Ways to Get Online When You're Off Grid
As a family living in an off grid cabin in a remote area of northern Canada, in some ways, our daily lives are pretty different from many Canadians. However, in other ways, we're very similar. One of the most common questions we're asked is how we get internet if we live off grid. The truth is there are at least four ways to get access to the internet off the grid in our area. I know because I've researched all of them.