Millennials in debt and most of it is not from student loans

Over 44 million Americans have student loans, with the average debt hovering around $33,000. And yet that’s not the number one source of debt for the average older millennial. Millennials between the ages of 25 and 34 have an average of $42,000 in debt each, the biggest source being credit card debt. Credit card balances make up a full fourth of the average older millennials owe, while student debt accounted for about 16 percent. The findings are based on a survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults, including an oversampling of more than 600 millennials.

As you grow older, your expenses increase. The additional pressures that come onto the pocketbook only grow and your disposable income shrinks in a lot of cases, even if your salary is growing. The pressure to start relying on credit cards makes a lot of sense. Millennials also cope with many other financial burdens that other generations … Read More

Back to school

It is the hottest part of the summer and your kids are out of control.  They sleep until noon and stay up until after midnight if you let them.  Most parents, and kids, too feel at least a little pressed for time around the beginning of the school year. So make a checklist to get your family through these dog days of summer and into the back to school mindset.

Crack the whip. Getting the kids back in a routine will help the first few weeks of school go much more smoothly.  Ease them into the new school year by reestablishing regular wake up and bedtimes that incrementally progress toward the school schedule.  If your house looks like a mess, a list of housekeeping chores can also help the kids, and grownups, get back on track.

Hold a scheduling party.  Attendance by all family members is required.  Bring phones, laptops, school … Read More

Promoted!

Your company just promoted you, and you’re a newly minted manager. After a well-deserved celebration and many congratulatory messages, you come face-to-face with one harsh truth that comes with your new role–the lack of empty time slots in your calendar.  In my experience, new managers tend to make one crucial mistake–trying to do it all. They attempt to keep up with their own workload while making themselves constantly available to their team. As noble as those intentions may be, working 15-hour days won’t make you a better leader. After all, no one does their best work when they’re overly stressed.  I learned this the hard way. As soon as I realized that my round-the-clock hours were neither conducive to my work nor my growing family, I made time management a priority. To prevent burnout, I implemented the following five strategies.

Learn how to say no
I get it, saying no to … Read More