Confession. Six Years ago Mrs. Smart Family Finance and I exchanged vows and officially added the word Family between Smart and Finance. Ever since then, life has been amazing. We started careers, we bought a house and have two amazing…
Tag: Budget
How Much Money Does the Average Family Plan to Spend on Christmas Gifts in 2011?
It is imperative to remind people that Christmas is not about money and presents. Still, just because Christmas is not about money and presents, doesn’t mean that you take a pass at watching your finances when buying presents this…
Is Your Budget Easy to Beat? You are Probably Budgeting Wrong!
If you are constantly beating your budget, you need to set more challenging goals. The Smart Family Finance family budget is getting a tweak. For the last two months our family has managed to come in far under budget. It…
Cash Burn Rate: What is It and How is It Helpful When Your Expenses Exceed Your Income
Much has been written about preparing for financial difficulty and it is worth reading about how to plan for it. But, how do you manage your finances when your budget turns red and your expenses exceed your income? Personally, I’ve…
The Average Family Can Save Thousands by Cutting Back on Just Three Bills
Economics will put you to sleep; just ask my wife. Merely editing a ten page paper I wrote in college on the collapse of the Bretton Woods monetary system put my wife into a long, mid-day slumber. Caffeinated tea was…
5 Ways Budgeting is a Waste of Time and Money
Only 40% of Americans engage in any form of budgeting. I commend those who have some form of budget in place, but a few budgeting methods can undermine your efforts and turn budgeting into a waste of time. I’ve had…
The Family Dollar Menu: Dramatically Reduce Your Grocery Bills Without Coupons
Want to lower your grocery bill without coupons? Try managing the amount you spend per meal. Last week, I used national averages to help families figure out if their food budget was too lavish. It was refreshing to see so…
