Weekly Roundup

Blog Round-Up: Week of July 28, 2014

Blog Round-Up: Week of July 28, 2014

It’s already August and I can’t believe how fast this summer is zooming by. It seems like the girls just got out of school, but they head back in a few weeks to my delight. 🙂 We have plenty of things to accomplish before that happens and my to-do list never shrinks. Actually I’m not sure if a parent’s to-do’s list is ever completed!

This week we took a closer look at how to start the money conversation with kids. I shared what you need to do beforehand and offered some ideas on how to ease into these conversations to make them natural and fun. I know many parents feel a bit uncomfortable initially, but it definitely gets easier, and you’ll be surprised by how much you and your kids enjoy these talks.

My good friend, Stephanie from VeegMama, gave us some great tips on how we can eat healthy on a budget. People are always looking for ways to lower food costs without sacrificing quality, and we follow many of her suggestions. They do make a difference.

A Few Good Reads

Here are my favorite posts from the past week. Enjoy!

Shannon from Financially Blonde reminded us of the importance of Forgiveness as part of her Music Monday series. Our inability to forgive ourselves for past money mistakes often prevents us from truly moving forward. I don’t like making mistakes, but I have learned to view them as lessons, sometimes incredibly valuable lessons.

Holly from Club Thrifty asked Who Wears the Financial Pants in Your Family?. Well, I do, although Chris is definitely a well-informed, equal partner. Sadly, we still live in a world where many women remain dangerously ignorant of their family’s financial situation. It’s okay if you don’t want to “own” managing your family finances but don’t stick your head in the sand either. You must remain fully informed and help determine how the family money is used too.

DC over at Young Adult Money gave some great advice in Retirement for Millennials: Get Started. When you’re just out of college, retirement seems eons away and not a top priority. But one of the most common regrets is waiting too long to start investing. It’s worth taking some time to educate yourself and get started now. You’ll be so glad you did.

Grayson from Debt Round-Up had a great staff post on Comparing Myself to Others Keeps Me Motivated at Frugal Rules. We often think comparing ourselves is bad since many people succumb to playing “keep up” when they do it. But there is another side, a good side, where you feel challenged to up your game and see possibilities that you might not have realized otherwise. A good reminder that when done right, comparing ourselves, isn’t a bad thing.

Kassandra at More Than Just Money had a wonderful post on the Opportunity of Living with Less. She shared how she went living from a life of indulgence and excess to one of simplicity. Where she learned what she truly valued and enjoyed. A powerful reminder in our “have to have world” that we can lose sight of what truly matters.

A special thanks to Young Adult Money, Rockstar Finance and Stacking Benjamins for mentioning The Heavy Purse this week. I appreciate your support.

Well, that’s a wrap for this week. Any fun plans this weekend?

Shannon

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August 1, 2014  •  21 Comments  •  Weekly Roundup

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Comments

  1. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    What a nice way to sail into the weekend! I truly appreciate the mention Shannon and I hope you enjoy the weekend with your family.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      You're welcome, Kassandra! I loved your post. Hope you had a great weekend too!
  2. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    Thanks for mentioning Grayson's post Shannon, I really appreciate it! I agree, this summer had just flown by. But, my wife is thankful for that since she has been waiting to get back to San Diego in a few weeks. :) Have a great weekend Shannon!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      I bet she is looking forward to getting back to San Diego and I still marvel at your willingness to road trip there. :) Just keeping sun, sand and surf! It's nice and toasty warm here so it should be a great break for the Schmoll family!
  3. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    So hard to believe all the back to school stuff already. I swear we say that every year though! How does it go by so fast? Hope you have a great weekend Shannon!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      And you know as soon as they get rid of the back-to-school stuff, they will replace with holiday decorations! Crazy! I hope you had a great weekend too, Tonya!
  4. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    I'm not a parent, but even my to-do list is never done!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      I think they should be renamed the never-done list. Of course, then no one would ever start one! LOL!
  5. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    I can't believe we are already in August as well!! My friends in the South have kids starting back to school next week which is absolutely crazy to me. Thank you so much for mentioning my post this week and I am glad to see that you are continuing to get lots of love for The Lemonade Stand. :-) Have a great weekend!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      You're welcome, Shannon! Well, the girls should be happy since others kids around the country head back a couple weeks before they do. They don't go back until the end of August. I hope you had a great weekend too!
  6. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    Thanks for the mention! You're right that both partners should at least know what's going on. Sadly, so many people do not.
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      You're welcome, Holly. It is sad how people are in the dark about their family's financial situation.
  7. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    I am going to my parents boat this weekend! I'm looking forward to it. I hope you have a great weekend!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      We love boating so that sounds like a lot of fun! Hopefully you had a nice sunny day with calm waters. :)
  8. Friday, August 1st, 2014
    I can't believe it's already August, as well! A few of my LA teacher friends head back to school in a week, which sounds so early to me, but hopefully your girls will have one great month of summer before school starts. Thank you for this handy list, it's been challenging keeping up with some blogs so this is a great head start!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      This summer just flew by and you know Christmas will be here in a blink of an eye! :) The girls start school at the end of the month so they have a few more weeks of summer vacation to enjoy. :) I'm sure you're so busy getting ready for the baby, but it's a lot of fun too!
  9. Saturday, August 2nd, 2014
    It's amazing to me how quickly the summer flies by, Shannon. Have an awesome weekend with your family, my friend!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Monday, August 4th, 2014
      I know it's a cliché but time really does fly. Or move at a snail pace. It's one or the other! :) I hope you had a great weekend too!
  10. Monday, August 4th, 2014
    Thanks for mentioning my post! Retirement is one of the least popular topics for 20 and 30somethings, so it's important to keep it simple and JUST GET STARTED! Hope you had a great weekend, Shannon!
    • Shannon Ryan
      Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
      You're welcome, DC! It's unfortunate that retirement is such an low-priority for millennials. I understand that it feels so far away but getting started is so easy and will have a huge impact on their retirement income.
Shannon Ryan SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
  • Meet Shannon

    "As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan