No, I did not forget an “S” in the title of this post. This is not about a dessert cart at a restaurant; I want you to desert the cart, as in “abandon”, “cast aside”, “leave”, and “turn your back on”. But “WHY?”, you ask. Good question.   Everybody knows what is coming this weekend, and I’m not talking about Thanksgiving (for money-saving tips on this wonderful holiday, see Less Stress, More Gratitude on November 6). I’m talking about Black Friday. There are a number of different histories as to where this infamous 24-hour period got its name. One source says that Black Friday earned it because the extreme volume of shoppers caused traffic accidents and violence. Unfortunately, we have seen an uptick in both. If you must shop on Black Friday, I suggest choosing one thing from one store. By the time you check out, you have more than likely missed all the other bargains at the other stores anyway. But most of all, be kind. No electronic gadget is worth insult or in...

A young, twenty-something wife and mother of three in my neighborhood lost her husband unexpectedly a few years ago. He died with no life insurance. It left the family financially devastated . She had to sell her house and move into her parent’s basement. A Go Fund Me account paid for her husband’s funeral. I have another friend who lost her husband to a horrible illness when they were in their early forties. This couple had planned ahead and made sure they had the right amounts of the right kinds of insurance in place, including life insurance on the major breadwinner of the family–my friend’s husband. A year or so after he passed, I asked her how she was doing financially. She said her husband had taken care of her financially in death just as well as he had in life. Life insurance is crucial for a specific portion of your life. Do not overlook this. There is more to losing a family member than the overwhelming grief of the loss itself. No one needs financial hardship heape...

Picking back up on the insurance discussion... Technically, you can go somewhere without this type of coverage, you just can’t drive yourself there.   This week we are talking about auto insurance. If you don’t have a driver’s license, don’t own a car, and will never, ever drive anything, we will see you next week.   Oh–you’re all still here! That’s probably because you live in the US and 85% of the adults in this country drive, even if they do not own a car (but they still need insurance). Actually, I’m surprised the percentage of drivers is not higher. But I am straying away from the subject at hand, and that is why YOU need auto insurance. It’s really pretty simple. First of all, it’s the law. As of this post, only one state has not enacted an auto insurance law, but that state still requires you to show proof of financial responsibility. Second, you need to be able to pay for any damage you might cause to someone else’s person or property. Once again, it...

Because Thanksgiving is coming up, we’re going to pause the insurance discussion to share some ideas of saving money for this holiday of appreciation. While Thanksgiving is not the budget-buster that Christmas can be, it can still get expensive. Here are some ways to save money on Thanksgiving dinner, especially if you are hosting. Get RSVPs so you don’t make too much. Why make a meal for 30 when you’ll only have 10? We like leftovers, too, but there is a limit. See what you already have on hand. You might have a bunch of canned green beans and French-fried onion that go in that recipe from grandma and don’t need to buy any more. Know what you’re going to do with leftovers. My daughter likes to make turkey soup. And leftover mashed potatoes are great for Sheppard’s pie. Get your groceries early from multiple stores. You may find Thanksgiving-related items on sale at competitive prices earlier in November, plus you won’t run the risk of not getting what you need. Have YOU e...