Grace Pomroy
Stuck in a Season of Waiting

Lately I feel like I’ve been stuck in a season of waiting. My husband and I have been dreaming of putting down roots in the Pacific Northwest since the first time we visited Oregon seven years ago. While we are just months away from making that goal a reality – we hope to buy a house sometime this summer – we are still in transition. In addition to waiting as we search for the right house, I spent the fall waiting to get an appointment with a doctor about a health concern I was dealing with, spent the winter waiting for medical tests, and am now spending the spring waiting to fully recover from surgery.

Stuck in a Season of Waiting
Grace Pomroy
How to Handle a Big Income Gap in Your ...

It’s not uncommon for couples to have an income gap between partners – in fact, it's the norm. According to data from Morning Consult and Insider, nearly three-quarters of Americans reported they had some income imbalance with their partner before they started dating. And while that imbalance can flip-flop as partners change jobs or receive a raise or bonus, at times it can be significant. This might happen when one partner retires, decides to go back to school, or opts to stay at home with the kids. This might also happen when one partner gets a big promotion or receives a large inheritance. How can you manage your finances so this imbalance in income doesn’t throw your relationship off balance? Consider these steps:

How to Handle a Big Income Gap in Your Relationship
Grace Pomroy
My 6 Favorite Money Psychology Hacks

I’m a big fan of the Financial Feminist podcast. A few weeks ago the host, Tori Dunlap, shared a money hack that she had heard about from another financial educator on Science Finance: Before making an impulse purchase, ask yourself: “How many ‘taco dollars’ does it cost?” That particular financial educator really loved tacos, so he judged each purchase by asking, “How many tacos could I buy for the cost of that item?” Concert tickets: 20 tacos. Cupcake: 1 taco. Fancy hotel stay: 83 tacos. Then, he would ask himself: “Is it really worth that many tacos?”

My 6 Favorite Money Psychology Hacks
Grace Pomroy
The Power of the Icebreaker (Part 2)

My last post on things that can jumpstart your financial life in 5 minutes or less got me thinking  about one of the most effective steps I ever took during our marriage: asking my husband an icebreaker question about our life together. That word icebreaker is key: these are questions designed to get conversation going, not shut it down. And that means the question has to be open-ended and asked with a spirit of genuine curiosity of learning what your partner thinks.

The Power of the Icebreaker (Part 2)
Grace Pomroy
Welcome "The Earner" Money Personality

Long-time readers of this blog are familiar with the four money personalities I discuss: the giver, the saver, the spender, and the acquirer. Over time, though, I’ve learned that while people tend to understand the first three, they often stumble over the last one. On first blush, people generally thought the “acquirer” referred to someone who liked to accumulate or collect things. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The acquirer was someone focused on how money came into their life, not what was done with the money after it was received. 

Welcome "The Earner" Money Personality

save

Meaningful Ways to Save During a Season of Spend

Meaningful Ways to Save During a Season of Spend

It may be the season of giving, but that doesn’t have to automatically mean spending. In fact, with a little creativity and careful intentionality, you might find some meaningful ways to save this season. Now, I promise I’m not getting Grinchy here – I love giving gifts and showing my loved ones how important they are to me. But with so many of us feeling the pinch in this economy, this might be the time to reevaluate your patterns. Here are some of my favorite approaches to achieving both the joy of giving, and the satisfaction of saving:

Help! My Partner is a Stingy Saver

Help! My Partner is a Stingy Saver

A few weeks ago, I shared a blog article designed for readers whose partners are extravagant spenders, and now it’s time for us to turn the tables. Today’s article is designed for those readers out there who feel like their partners are stingy savers. Often their question sounds like this: I’d like to use our money to invest in the present and it feels like all my partner can think about is the future. I’m so glad they are focused on our family’s security, but I keep wondering when we can ease up the saving and focus on today. When is “enough” enough?

How to Stay on Track for Retirement at Any Age

How to Stay on Track for Retirement at Any Age

“Can you tell me if I’m on track for retirement?”

This was the most common financial question I received when I used to lead retirement seminars for people ages 50+. In fact, I still hear this question all the time — particularly from people in their 20s and 30s. Here’s the truth: Retirement is more personal than it is financial, and the amount you need is personal as well. That’s why it’s best to make preparing for retirement a life-long process.

Travel Tips: Where to Splurge & Where to Save

Travel Tips: Where to Splurge & Where to Save

Summer is officially here! So, I thought I’d bring something a little lighter to the blog. For many people, summer is the season of vacations. As you probably can already tell, I’m a huge travel fan. Adventure is near the top of my husband and I’s values lists. And, I’ve had the blessing of traveling about 30% of the time for my job the last three years so I’ve picked up a few tricks and tips.

When I'm 85

When I'm 85

During the Super Bowl, interspersed between the beer, chips, and car ads I saw an intriguing financial commercial. It features 85-year olds flying planes, DJing at a club, performing surgery, lifeguarding on the beach, working tech support, and fighting fires. The theme song running through the ad is “I’m 85 and I want to go home” – a riff on the famous Jamacian folk song “Day O” (The Banana Boat Song). If you haven’t seen the ad, I encourage you to check it out.