I'm a former banker writing about banking, small business, credit, mortgages, retirement, financial planning, food and home and garden. I spent 12 years homesteading off the grid and homeschooling.
5 Ways to Future-Proof Your Business
With fast-evolving technology, new generations of employees, diverse business models, and ever-changing competitors, how can a business not just stay afloat, but thrive, in a time of continuous change?
Whether you're leading an organization with hundreds of employees or running your small, family-owned business, the key to continued success lies in future-proofing your business.
Here are five ways businesses can prepare today to help successfully navigate tomorrow's business environment.
1. B...
From Phishing, Vishing to Smishing: Everyday Scams and How To Not Get Fooled
There are new criminals in town, and they may be as close as your laptop or smartphone. These digital fraudsters are experts in what’s known as phishing—a practice by which internet fraudsters impersonate businesses to try to trick victims into sharing sensitive personal information. This includes login and password details, bank account information, or even social security numbers. The cyber-crooks then use these details to perpetrate crimes such as identity theft and fraud.
Phishing scams a...
10 Inexpensive Upgrades for a Fast Home Sale
Whether you’re planning to downsize now that the kids have moved out or you’re ready to move to your ideal retirement location, a few (relatively) quick projects can help you get top dollar for your home without spending a ton of money or time. These 10 upgrades take less than a week to complete, cost under $500, and could help you sell faster.
1. Declutter Your Closets
Everyone wants lots of closet space. Instead of trying to build more closets, make your existing closets look bigger by empt...
Trends in Health and Wellness 2026: Insights for Providers
The health and wellness landscape is quickly changing. Today, patients and clients look for convenient ways to connect with their providers and receive personalized guidance, with clear information about care and costs. These shifts may influence how practices deliver services, organize workflows and communicate with the people they serve.
Understanding the major trends in health and wellness shaping 2026 — including digital innovation, preventive care, personalization and rising cost expecta...
Episode 5: Handling Financial Conversations With Patients Like a Pro
Patient communication isn’t always easy. In fact, discussing payment options for ophthalmology services can be downright uncomfortable. Yet, when handled well, these financial conversations can build trust, foster better acceptance of treatment recommendations and help your ophthalmologist practice grow.
In a recent webinar, “Handling Financial Conversations Like a Pro,” Troy Cole of the E3 Conversion System and digital marketing strategist Michael King shared valuable insights on how ophthal...
Holiday Prep Tips for Busy Optometric Practices
Key Takeaways
Improve scheduling and staffing with digital self-booking, early reminders, cross-training and staff perks to help handle holiday patient volume smoothly.
Prepare inventory and communicate clearly by stocking popular frames early, running promotions and using texts and social media to reduce no-shows and keep patients informed.
Help promote sales with holiday deals and financing like CareCredit, and offering bundled packages and gift cards to help patients move forward with care...
Credit Score Ranges: What Do They Mean?
Your credit score ranges tell lenders what type of borrower you are. Credit scores are calculated with a formula that uses five variables: payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, credit mix, and new credit.
Your credit score range may affect the interest rate you pay to a lender and even make the difference between a loan being approved or declined. Learn more about credit score ranges and what they mean.
Key Takeaways
Credit score ranges help lenders determine the risk of le...
6 Signs You Are Ready To Retire Early
Are You Ready To Retire?
If you're considering retiring early, you'll forego not only the headaches of working but also the additional earnings that could have made your retirement even more comfortable. Make sure you're truly ready before you leave.
Key Takeaways
Start debt-free, with a solid retirement account that will support your extra years not working.
Make sure you can withdraw some money from your retirement accounts without penalty.
Plan to pay for your own health care coverage unti...
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...
How to Combat Inflation With the Right Savings Strategy
It's no secret that the cost of living continues to rise—it's causing financial stress for many households across the nation. In fact, almost half of Americans believe that cost of living is the biggest threat to their financial security and long-term investments.1
When inflation rates are high, you might find it difficult to manage every expense. It can be tough to balance your budget and save extra for the future. However, there are ways to prepare for and combat inflation while protecting ...
Canning makes a comeback: New interest in old-time food preservation
There’s been a recent noticeable resurgence in home canning, a method of preserving food that was once a staple in American households. This renewed interest is particularly strong among individuals who’ve never tried canning but like gaining self-sufficiency skills and control over their food supply. From young urbanites to rural families, people across the United States are turning to this traditional practice to preserve and connect meaningfully with their food.
Knead, pickle, plant: These vintage skills are back, and they’re popular
Hands-on hobbies and vintage skills are making a comeback. Today, more people turn to sourdough baking, canning, gardening and fermenting, driven by a growing interest in self-sufficiency and a simpler way of life. Here’s how old-time practices find new life in kitchens and backyards across the United States.
The rise of old-time skills and their modern appeal
Whether sparked by a desire to reconnect with the past or fueled by modern-day concerns, a renewed interest in traditional crafts and ...
National Chili Day celebrations to beat winter chills
Every fourth Thursday of February, America warms up to National Chili Day, celebrating one of the country’s most beloved comfort foods. Whether served at family dinners, chili cook-offs or casual gatherings, chili holds a special place in the hearts of many. With its rich history, regional diversity and cultural significance, chili continues to unite food lovers nationwide.
Tracing chili’s origins
Chili’s story began in the American Southwest, where its origins are rooted in a blend of Native...
13 Discontinued Beers We're Never Getting Back
Generate Key Takeaways
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Thirteen beers that Americans once enjoyed are now gone, but they're not forgotten. Over the years, many of these beers accompanied lively chats in crowded bars and quiet gatherings at home, and although people loved these brews, they've now vanished. No matter how hard you search, you won't find cans or bottles of these discontinued beer brands on store shelves or in local pubs.
Why did these beer brands disappe...
A small-town bakery rises to the challenges of COVID-19
COVID-19 has devastated many businesses over the last six months, including a bakery in Aylmer, Ontario - Grandma’s Oven. Martha Zacharias, a Meridian Credit Union customer and business owner, established this bakery in 2008 with her mother, Anna Hiebert, who has since retired. The pandemic effectively wiped out both Grandma’s Oven’s weekend event business and the busy in-store foot traffic they’d enjoyed for years. “We were doing 12 to 15 weddings a weekend,” says Martha. “With COVID, that’s...