Blog - Page 7 of 30 - Women’s Money

21Apr 2021 by Elizabeth

New FSA Dependent Care Changes for 2021

Kids and Money

At the end of last year, we wrote about COVID’s effect on Dependent Care FSAs and how you could make changes at the end of 2020 to save money. Well, if you didn’t make changes at that time, or even if you were able to make some changes but still had money left over in your FSA, there is still hope. Congress passed new legislation that allows you to better utilize your FSA this year. Due to COVID-19, Congress has provided a lot more flexibility for your dependent care FSA. It’s the most flexible FSA setup I’ve ever seen. Dependent Care FSA Updates Specifically, here are the top things to know about your FSA for this year: You can use any unspent funds from 2020 in 2021. This means that…

18Apr 2021 by Tammy Camp

Where to Put Your Money for Short-Term Savings

Sabbatical Sundays

Saving $100,000 is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work, side hustle, persistence, and sacrifice. It is making me think about what is most important to spend money on and what’s less important. But once I’ve set aside money for my sabbatical, where am I keeping it? The market is roaring right now. If I had bought $20,000 of Peloton stock last March, I would have more than $100,000 today! (Truly, Peloton was a stock I considered investing in when the market was down in March 2020. It was trading around $25/share. In the last few months, it’s been higher than $150/share. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.) But, as a fairly risk-averse person, I keep almost all of my money in index funds. However, this isn’t where I keep my sabbatical savings. Stock…

14Apr 2021 by Elizabeth

Naming Your Money Fears

Take Action

What are your biggest money fears? What are the top three things you worry about most when it comes to money? Is it that your spouse will find out that you secretly love to buy X? Or that your friends will find out that while you live a lavish lifestyle, you actually won’t be able to retire because you have no savings? Is it that you will have to work in a job you hate for the rest of your life just to keep up with the Jones’? Do you worry that you won’t be able to afford your house if you or your spouse loses a job? Do you fear having to sell something that you really enjoy (a boat, a car, or a prized antique)? Is it that…

11Apr 2021 by Tammy Camp

4 Questions to Help You Plan Your Sabbatical

Sabbatical Sundays

Some people plan a sabbatical because they have a particular thing in mind they want to spend their time on. Maybe it’s a round-the-world trip, a massive art project, writing project, house project, or something entirely different. Others (like me) plan a sabbatical because all they know is that they need a break to avoid burnout. If you fall in the latter group, as your time gets closer to actually telling people and then going on sabbatical, you start to wonder, what exactly are you going to do with your time off? Questions to Ask When Planning a Sabbatical Here are some questions to ask yourself as you start figuring out what your sabbatical will look like. 1. How do you spend your time on vacation? Vacation isn’t the same…

07Apr 2021 by Elizabeth

How to Make Your Post-COVID Budget

Budgeting

I received my COVID-19 vaccine last week, and I’ve already started moving from dreaming about my post-COVID vaccine life to actually planning it. Beyond scheduling some practicalities like doctor’s appointments that were delayed during COVID, haircuts, and some nice to-do’s (massage and maybe even a pedicure), I’m now starting to think beyond and consider what my life will really look like in three to four months. What exactly does my life look like post-COVID vaccine? Will we be signing our kids up for full-day camps all summer? We used to have a regular babysitter who came 1-2x/week, so will that become a part of our routine again? What about the gym membership and endless activities for the kids? The reality is that, unlike many Americans who lost jobs and businesses…

29Mar 2021 by Tammy Camp

Is a Sabbatical Like a Long Vacation?

Sabbatical Sundays

I’m currently working remotely and also taking some much needed vacation time. It’s wonderfully relaxing. I get to sleep in, go for runs once the sun is up, cook more meals, spend more time with my kids, feel less rushed, and still feel productive. And I find myself wondering: Is this what my sabbatical will feel like? And the short answer is: I hope so. Some people imagine a sabbatical to be like a really long vacation. For anyone who has been on a long vacation before, you know that towards the end of it (even the middle of it), you are ready to go home. There is only so much completely unstructured down time you can have. On the extended vacations I have previously had, I started having weird dreams or getting…

24Mar 2021 by Elizabeth

What to Do With Extra Money

Saving & Investing

Have you recently received a stimulus payment? Or a tax refund? Or perhaps a company bonus? This time of year is one of the most common to get a chunk of unexpected extra money. In this article, we will discuss the best things to do with that extra money depending on whether you are in debt or not. 4 Ways to Use Extra Money So what should you do with extra money? Here are four ways to use it based on your current financial situation. 1. No Matter What: Spend Some Money on Something Fun Regardless of whether you are in debt or have hefty savings, I always recommend using some of your extra money to spend on something fun. Whether it’s a fancy meal, a mini-vacation, or a shopping…

10Mar 2021 by Elizabeth

How to Map Your Own Path

Goals / Taking Action

If you haven’t yet downloaded the Women’s Money Fund Your Freedom Toolkit, now is your chance. The toolkit provides a complete plan to help you achieve the freedom you want. One of my favorite pages in the toolkit is the Map Your Future worksheet. This worksheet is designed to be a printable page that you can post on your wall and help you reach your goal. To help you get started, I’ve asked Sam to share her page. What does freedom look like to Sam? It’s taking a year-long sabbatical. Here is her Roadmap to Taking a Year Off: Now I’ll help you create yours. General Guidance The way to read the road map is that the top row is who you are now, the bottom row is who you will be…

08Mar 2021 by Elizabeth

Ultimate List of Women’s Money Bloggers

Popular

For International Women's Day 2021, we couldn't be more excited to announce that we've updated our Ultimate List of Women's Money Bloggers. Originally created in 2012, we updated the list for 2021 to include as many females writing about money as possible. There are now over 400 on this list! The list below is in alphabetical order - so please scroll through the list and check out and start following at least 10 new female money bloggers to celebrate International Women's Day! (If you're a women money blogger and you're not on the list, just contact us and we will add you.) $12 a Day and a Baby on the Way1099 Mom2 Ringgits’ Worth20 Year Challenge, The444 ExpressAdd VodkaAfford AnythingAlmost FrugalAlong for the JourneyAlways the PlannerAmerican Debt ProjectAnd Then She…

07Mar 2021 by Tammy Camp

How Taking a Sabbatical is like The Greatest Showman: It Means Taking a Leap

Sabbatical Sundays

So trade that typical for something colorfulAnd if it's crazy, live a little crazyYou can play it sensible, a king of conventionalOr you can risk it all and seeDon't you wanna get away from the same old part you gotta play'Cause I got what you need, so come with me and take the ride If you’ve never watched The Greatest Showman, take 5 minutes and watch this scene now. The background is this: Zach Effron’s character comes from wealth and lives a very upper-class, posh life. Hugh Jackman’s character comes from nothing, was orphaned at a young age, and is trying to start the circus.The show is loosely based on the life of PT Barnum. In this scene, Hugh Jackman’s character is trying to convince Zach Effron’s character to give up…