Married life is not for everyone. If you love the single life, the chances are that managing your finances may be a little tougher. Having two incomes has a significant advantage, especially when you consider that the living expenses of a couple are not that different from a single person. You are on the hook for all expenses when you are single.

Listed below are some financial habits you can adopt if you live the single life.

 #1 Choose a home that fits your budget 

One of the great advantages of being single is that a one-bedroom apartment is more than enough space. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to live in a home as spacious as the one in which your married friends live. Go smaller and stay within your budget.

The average person spends most of their home time in the living room, bedroom, and kitchen, so why do you need more than that if you are single. Manage your rent and save money for more important things.

#2 Make being the sole decision-ma...

The book Managing Writers by Richard L. Hamilton provides practical hands-on information in an informative yet engaging manner.   The information is given in manageable, digestible chunks that can be applied to any project immediately.

Knowing what Hamilton refers to as the elements of technical writing and what it takes to be a good and useful project manager will go a long way in working with teammates to produce and deliver quality projects on time, if not earlier.  Hamilton states, “I believe the strongest management style is one that avoids tight control and encourages independence.”  This statement is true of any effective project manager.  A manager should want to build a team atmosphere not run a dictatorship.  If you have ever worked for a dictator disguised as a manager, you know deep down he or she was unsure of their abilities and therefore needed to try and control all aspects of the environment and job duties to make themselves look and feel more confident.  

Obtai...

My weight loss journey began after returning home from visiting many friends that my husband and I had not seen for many years. For the past five years, I spent all my time and physical and mental energy taking care of him. In our marriage, Alvin’s illness priority #1; therefore, I had no time to think about my own needs.  After Alvin passed away in August 2017, I had nothing but time to think! So, just as I had put my heart and soul into his every need, I decided to do the same for myself.

I started when I visited with my sister in Colorado for three weeks during Thanksgiving.  I immediately joined a gym through the Silver Sneakers program, which allowed me to save money on a membership. I also hired a fitness trainer, and that taught me a lot about how out shape I was and what I needed to do to get better. 

I left Colorado to visit with friends in Arizona. The first two days, I exercised with my friend, who was also trying to lose weight.  I could feel myself becoming ill. On...

6 Tips to Save on Back-to-School Supplies

 Pencils, crayons, pens, and notebooks mean it's that time again! All parents know that back-to-school shopping can add up quickly. However, there are things you can do to minimize the cost. This school year, save yourself some money with the following tips.

Stick to the list. Any item not on the list provided by your child's teacher probably isn't needed. Although kids may beg for extra supplies, make a rule that if something isn't on the list, you won't buy it. They can have fun picking out the items that are actually needed.

• If a list wasn't given out before the first day of school, there's no need to get carried away and purchase a bunch of stuff your child might not ever use. Get the list as soon as possible; you'll be in a position to pick up items when they're on sale.
• Contact the school or look at the school's website if you haven't received a copy of the list. Many schools now provide a downloadable version on their website
...

Since I am in business with my best friend and do much work with my brother and son, I thought it would be interesting to find out how many other people are in the same position and how they feel about taking on such an endeavor. Also, learn how to thrive in such an environment. In 2018 Entrepreneur and SurveyMonkey surveyed 1007 people and found that 78% worked with a friend or family member (spouse, parent, or sibling being).

According to Dan Saks, President & Co-CEO of AppDirect, if you start a business with your best friend, three tips will see you through the ups and downs of creating your business.

#1 Align Vision & Values

Make sure your vision and values are established and aligned. There is nothing worse than you or your business partner chasing a shiny object to discover later it has nothing to do with your business, causing you to waste valuable time and money. These bright little objects are a dime a dozen and can cause significant arguments that sometimes...

I was wondering to myself, one day recently, why I had so much difficulty doing it all in one week-by all, I mean spending time with my child, cooking, keeping my house as tidy as I would like, and running my practice. I seemed to recall childhood memories of my working mother accomplishing tasks more efficiently.  It dawned on me that neither my mother nor elder female relatives lived as I currently do. They lived in a community of people that could help. I recall cleaning my aunt’s home when her children were younger. She too was a solo entrepreneur, and my mother or grandmother would encourage (translation: make) us to help her out because she did not have time to mop her floors or do her laundry. I also recall being much younger and eating at different relative's homes during the week. Sometimes relatives would eat at our house. In recalling these memories, what I realized is that the same person wasn’t cooking or preparing a large meal daily. These bits and pieces of memory remind...

Minimize the Cost of Shopping for Back-to-School Clothes

  Every year parents deal with the challenge of buying back-to-school clothes. Stores are crowded, items are expensive, and you know your kids will probably outgrow everything before the clothes wear out. However, there are things you can do to minimize the cost and avoid the crowds.

• Set a budget. As with anything else, the first step to limiting how much you spend is to set a budget and stick to it.  

 Consider how much you'll need to spend upfront as well as requirements for purchases during the school year. Stretch that budget as far as possible by only buying what you really need and by shopping when the sales occur.
 

• Assess your current situation. What does your child currently have? What fits? What can be reused for the new school year? Figure out what you're going to need, make a list, and keep it with you. 

 When anything on your list goes on sale, you'll be in the position to take advantage of the situation....