Parents share a universal hope that their children will live happily ever after, with minimal worries and the ability to be successful as adults. Every parent tries to give their child a strong moral foundation, as well as the necessary life skills to thrive and be independent.
Unfortunately, raising a child is akin to painting a picture stroke by stroke, in strange combinations of colors and hues, without knowing how the final image will appear when complete. We have our children for only a brief moment, and can only hope that our gifts to them will be sufficient to sustain, protect, and comfort them when we are gone.
Just turning the pages of a fashion magazine can inspire you to blow your entire budget on the latest must-haves, trends, and 
As we wrestle with the economic problems facing the country, it is important to understand the reality of budget surpluses and deficits, their relationship to national debt, and how the level of national debt affects average Americans and the economy in general.
Thanksgiving is upon us, which in my household means the “three F’s”: family, food, and football. What else could you need?
If you’re like many people, you believe that as long as your credit card bill and other recurring debts are paid on time each month, you must have a great credit score. Right?
If you’re preparing your home for sale, you are surely focused on making it as attractive as possible to potential buyers. Making small repairs, removing clutter, and cleaning – both inside and out – are very important steps to take. However, in addition to 
There are so many components to prudent money management that it’s difficult to determine which is the most important. However, there is one thing that virtually everyone deals with, and it can make or break your finances. Whether it’s to 
During the 2012 presidential election campaign, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney highlighted the importance of small businesses in regards to the long-term economic recovery of the United States. Governor Romney even won support in Missouri by announcing a new coalition of local business owners, while pledging to reform the nation’s corporate tax structure and remove barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs.
If you’re like many people, you’ve set one or more financial goals for yourself. You might be trying to stick to a personal budget, save more for retirement, pay off your credit card debt, build an emergency fund, or buy a house.
As the father of four and the grandfather of eight, I have purchased, crafted, and created more than 1,000 gifts in the past 45 years. The gifts have ranged from very expensive ski trips, to a homemade set of steps that allowed my oldest daughter to climb three stairs on one side, descend three stairs on the other side, and repeat until she was exhausted. I’ve paid for lessons of every sort, attended concerts to see Big Bird and the rock band Kiss, and have been a passenger, along with my kids, in cars, airplanes, boats, and trains across the country. 
Applying for a credit card is one of the fastest and easiest ways to 
One of the biggest challenges you will face following college graduation is building your credit history to achieve a 
It’s no secret that the bride, groom, and their respective families often pay big money on the betrothed’s nuptials. Even small, intimate weddings can cost thousands of dollars, thanks to the 
Becoming and being a good parent isn’t automatic, particularly in the modern world. New parents in previous generations benefited from extended families of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who were generally a part of the child-rearing process. But today, many families are miles away from relatives and parents have to go it alone, learning ”on the job” and hoping their decisions will 