Category: Money management

  • How to Make Retirement Savings Last

    How to make your retirement savings last About half of Americans have some sort of retirement account, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, and the median value of that 401(k) or individual retirement account runs around $65,000. The average American, who retires around the age of 63 or 64 and […]

  • Reassessing Your Budget Pie Chart

    As a financial literacy educator, I believe I must give all of the class attendees as many tools as I can that will help them. Among the first tools, they need to become financially successful is a budget. I know, I know, you are groaning at that word “budget” but I ask you to hang […]

  • What’s The Difference Between Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance?

    About 25% of Americans will suffer from a disability for at least a year before they reach retirement age. And 5.6% will have a short-term disability of six month or less during their working life, according to the Council for Disability Awareness. Knowing these statistics point to the importance of understanding the difference between short-term […]

  • A New Year, A New Way

    Because I’ve been staying home more due to COVID-19, I became somewhat oblivious to when the seasons changed from summer to fall and then winter. By not being outdoors as much, I missed the normal markers; the changing of the leaves; the increasing amount of Christmas decor at malls; the red cups at Starbucks. Besides […]

  • How Gratitude Can Change Our Financial Outlook

    Gratitude: noun The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. During this extended season of the pandemic, I feel like I’ve lost all sense of time. The days of the calendar meant absolutely nothing to me. I’m one whose senses are the strongest indicator of what season I’m in […]

  • How to Budget for 2021 After a Year of Uncertainty

    This past year hasn’t been easy for just about anybody. The COVID-19 pandemic, historic job losses, racial unrest and a turbulent election season made for an incredibly challenging year, including on our wallets. Building a Budget for 2021 In October, the Congressional Research Service, part of the United States Congress, estimated that half of all […]

  • Good and Bad Debt: Understanding the Difference

    When you’re considering borrowing cash, there’s a lot to think about. You may have a lot of questions, but let us at CESI Solutions help guide you.

  • Money Memes and Lottery Woes

    Money memes were around before the pandemic but it seems that now they’re hitting a little close to home and sometimes they strike my nerves with a sharpened accuracy. You might chuckle if you’re not in financial distress…or flat broke.  My husband and I are careful budgeters and are being fastidious about watching our income […]

  • Overdraft Protection: The Real Pros and Cons

    Overdraft protection can be a good idea if used correctly. Here are some pros and cons to using this service.

  • Money Lessons from Mom and Dad

    Saving money for a rainy day? Clipping coupons? Chances are those are money lessons you learned from your parents. Do you have a budget? Most likely, you watched your mom and dad follow a budget while you were growing up. Donate money and other items to charity? You probably didn’t come up with those traits […]