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Your Favorite Posts

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

Over the last 100 years, women and money have come a long way. Learn about the history of women’s financial rights, the modern statistics associated with women and money, and why improving women’s financial literacy is Family Finance Mom’s #1 mission. While there’s endless discussion today of the gender wage gap, the reality is women’s…

Will vs Estate Planning for Families FEATURED

How to Protect Your Children: 10 Things to Know About Will vs Estate Planning

No one likes to think about their own mortality. However, once you have children who depend on you, it becomes essential. If something happens to you, what will happen to them? How do you make sure they are protected and financially provided for? I was recently asked about wills during a weekly Ask Me Anything…

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

After sharing my 20+ Favorite Finance Books for YOU… I got lots of requests to share a similar list of money books for kids. So I teamed up with my friend Lauren at Happily Ever Elephants to share just that! As the child of a kindergarten teacher, I grew up in a house full of…

Young baby boy playing with pink piggy bank isolated

The Ultimate Guide to Finance for Baby’s First Year

Congratulations, your precious baby is finally here. Now the real fun begins! While you may have purchased everything on your baby registry list, there are many family legal and financial tasks you cannot actually begin until your baby arrives, and some come with significant time sensitivity. So even if you’ve been preparing for a baby financially…

Life Insurance for Parents - Protect Your Family's Financial Future FEATURED

Do You Really Need Life Insurance?

Before kids, most parents never even gave life insurance a thought. Most of us don’t like to dwell on our own mortality… especially when celebrating a new life, the birth of a child! But when you have a new baby, that’s exactly when you should be thinking about it most. It’s what life insurance for parents is for – to protect your family financially when faced with the loss of you or your spouse. So what exactly is life insurance? How does it work?

Where Should You Keep An Emergency Fund?

The first major step on the Family Finance Road Map to free yourself from credit cards and adding to your debt is to build an Emergency Fund. But where to keep that emergency fund is this week’s follower Ask Me Anything topic. Every day, I get lots of great questions from followers across social media,…

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

What’s the Best Way to Invest Money (When You’re Just Getting Started)

When it comes to investing, many of you are coming with a completely blank slate. You want to know what you need to do to get started and what’s the best way to invest money. Learn about the types of account you need to access the markets, where I recommend you start, and what to…

Teaching Kids About Money

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

4 Simple Money Lessons All Kids Should Know

Family Organization Ideas

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Time for my annual PSL PSA...
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We all have our financial weaknesses in life - and mine is definitely pumpkin spice. When these crisp cool mornings set in, give me all the sweaters, boots, and every pumpkin spice everything you can find.
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But I draw the line on the $5 daily latte habit. I physically cannot bring myself to spend that kind of money on a single beverage - it literally makes me cringe inside. Lots of you are interested in budgeting and saving for the holidays - well, here's my tip for you. Turn your $5+ a day latte habit into your holiday budget.
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Head to your nearest grocery store. Pick up a bottle of this Pumpkin Spice Latte creamer from your friends at @starbucks (for less than the cost of just one grande latte in store I might add), and you've got 55 PSLs for pennies a day. *
Now, every day while you're brewing your own coffee at home, take out your phone and transfer $5 from your bank account to a holiday savings or sinking fund. By December 1, you will have saved nearly $400.
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𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐏𝐒𝐋 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧!!! 🍁☕️🎃

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All of us are the sum of our life's experiences... we are who we are because of where we come from, who raised us, how we were raised, where we went to school and all the people we meet and events we experience along the way.
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In @malcolmgladwell's book, Outliers, I found his story of the Korean pilots fascinating. All too often, we are blind to our own biases, unaware of what we don't know, and our life's experiences, while to our advantage at times, can also work against us in others.
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This is extremely true when it comes to your family finances. You buy the grocery brands your parents did because they taste like home. You likely celebrate holidays the way they were celebrated with you or your spouse as children. And the way you feel or think about money, most likely comes from how it was talked about (or avoided entirely) with you growing up.
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If you want to change your family's current financial state, you first have to acknowledge where you came from. What you know and understand, and what you truly don't. Where your financial blinders are - and we all have them.
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How does where you came from help you financially? And in what areas has it given you blinders?

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I spent most of last year in a tailspin... with 3 kids at 3 different schools (preschool, our public schools have a standalone kindergarten school, and one in elementary), the schedule overload was BANANAS!
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I tried a paper planner, but it was too bulky to carry everywhere, and hated having to write things repeatedly to have a monthly, weekly and daily view, so instead relied on my phone mostly... but I missed many of the paper planner features, like to-do lists and meal planning. *
Then this summer, I found @artfulagenda. I'm obsessed... it syncs with ALL my gmail (work, personal & PTO) and iOS calendars, I can use it as an app on my phone, my iPad and from my desktop. It has all the features I missed from a paper planner, and you can make it pretty - set your theme, cover, color scheme, font, and there's even stickers! (And it's print friendly too if you decide to print it out!)
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One of my biggest money saving tips is making the most of your time, and this weekly ritual right here is how I do it - on Monday mornings, while the kids have breakfast, I finalize the week, screenshot it to my husband at work... and we start the week off in-sync and organized.
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This is NOT SPONSORED at all - but if you want to check it out, you can get a two-week trial at the direct link in my bio - use my referral code RM6269 for a F*R*E*E premium cover and sticker pack! See my stories for a walk-through of the app!

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I know I fell behind on our Outliers book discussion, so playing a bit of catch up this week... *
There are so many awesome insights and takeaways in Outliers - and to me, one of my favorites, is THIS. *
Those among us who achieve success, by any measure, don't happen upon it randomly. Sure, there is the occasional lottery winner. But even those gifted with innate intelligence, talent and even a literal lottery win, have only been given an opportunity. You still have to seize those opportunities to make the most of them and translate them into success. *
The 10,000 hour rule is such an awesome example of this, and I love this quote: “Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. Its the thing you do that makes you good.” *
What was your favorite Outlier story from the book? How did it make you reflect or think differently about your own experiences and opportunities?

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How much do you spend eating out every month?
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If y'all have been following me a while, you know I'm a huge advocate of meal planning to help get your budget in check. And for many families just getting started with budgeting, eating out is often a major budget buster. You just don't realize how those drive-thru trips, coffee stops and pizza deliveries really add up over the course of every month.
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BUT that doesn't mean you can't ever eat out... just plan for it the same way you would anything else in your budget. When you don't, you end up wasting even more money - you waste food you bought to cook AND spend eating out on top of it. *
Instead, know what your week looks like - plan for 1-2 meals out if your budget can afford it, and then plan your grocery list accordingly. It's all about balance, planning ahead and budgeting.

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This is a quote from one of the most admired women out there... @oprah... But many of us all too often leave that second half off.
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This summer, I gave in. I couldn't do and have it ALL. I had to remind myself of my own priorities. I left my highly demanding job and career 8 years ago to be present with my family, and with all 3 kids home and out of school, they needed me to be just that. Present.
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They are all back in school this week, and I'm finding time once again for my passion project - helping all of you be smarter, and more importantly, more confident, in your financial decisions. Thank you for your patience! I hope you all had a wonderful summer!

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Lots of new names and faces around here, so leaning back in with an introduction... welcome to you all, especially those joining who heard me on the @mothergoodco podcast this last week!
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My name is Meghan, and I’m a lifelong numbers nerd 🤓, former Wall Street and hedge fund analyst, and now a SAHM to three... Family Finance Mom is designed to be a safe space to talk all things money and finance, to help us all be more informed, more financially literate, and the ultimate goal: make solid, confident financial decisions for you and your families. *
I grew up in Texas, in a very middle class family. I graduated with a degree in Finance from Notre Dame 🍀 and $60k in student loan debt. I spent my career as a financial analyst, eye balls deep in financial statements and spreadsheets everyday... before becoming a SAHM, where I realized financial decisions were still a huge part of my everyday life - and I quickly learned just how many families were taken advantage of everyday because they were ill-prepared to handle them and afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.
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Now, living and raising my family in Connecticut, I started Family Finance Mom to put an end to that. To make a place where it’s not only okay, but encouraged, to talk about and ask financial questions. To share financial tips, best practices and insights.
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I’d love to meet all of y’all too - say hello, where you’re from, and what family finance challenge you’re currently grappling with...

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Who read our second pick for #FFMBookClub?!? The finance nerd 🤓 in me loved this book.
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If you’re new around here, here’s how it works - we read one nonfiction, finance, economics or business-related book every 3 months. The last month, I make one post a week to chat about it. It’s that easy!
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So, let’s talk about this pick: Outliers by @malcolmgladwell...
🐖 What did you think: love it, hate it or something in between?
🐖 What’s one thing you learned that surprised or shocked you?
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I’ll share my favorite takeaway in the comments below...

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This summer has challenged my time more than ever before...
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I didn’t intend to take a summer social media break, but with all my kids home on summer break, my 3 year old no longer napping and refusing to embrace quiet time the way his sisters have for years, I was faced with a choice - being frustrated and never present anywhere, or accepting the season of the year and being fully present with my kids.
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For those of you I worried with my disappearing act, I’m sorry - and I thank you for your kind and concerned messages. I’ll be leaning back in to Family Finance Mom over the course of August and fully back in September. Look out this week for the start of our #FFMBookClub discussion of Outliers (loved it!), and later this month for the launch of the Busy Moms Budget workbook and masterclass! The course will open for registration later this month start in early September!

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🤫 Psst... I'm going to let you in on a little secret money saving hack. Every Thursday, these weekly flyers come in your mailbox from your local grocery stores. Have you ever even looked at them???
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Instead of adding them to the junk mail pile, you can use them as a valuable aide in your weekly meal planning or when making your grocery list. They show you exactly what meats and produce are on special, sometimes include special coupons, and more. This is exactly how restaurants plan seasonal menus or offer specials - they buy the best deals and what's in season to save money. And if you're willing to be flexible around your cuts of meat and specific fruit and vegetable selections, you can too.
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If you already tossed your flyers in the trash this week, don't worry - you can usually find them online on your store's website too.
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For more guidance on my 5 step meal planning process to maximize savings on your grocery budget, check out the direct link in my bio. You'll also find a meal planning template, sample menu plans and other resources you can use to create meal plans for you!
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Do you meal plan yet?

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We made a pit stop at our local @bankofamerica branch today to learn about account options for minors. I’ve been a BofA customer since before it was BofA, when I opened my first bank account at 14 at a Nations Bank in my hometown in Texas. Turns out, you can do just about anything with a custodian account - one in your name with your child as the beneficiary.
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Also discovered we could set up a debit account, not just a savings account. All with no balance minimums or monthly fees. All you need is your child’s social security number to set it up.
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I discussed it with my 7 year old, and she is excited about the prospect of her own debit card so she can spend her money. I would also be able to direct transfer her allowance weekly, and have her track her debits and credits. I am considering going this route, and setting up savings incentives for her that I would fund.
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Does anyone have accounts they use for kids they would recommend?

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This is a quote often touted by our nation's politicians... Joe Biden once said, "Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value." Barack Obama has said the nation's budget "is an embodiment of our values. And Mary Landrieu, a former US Senator, said, "A budget should reflect the values and priorities of our nation and its people."
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But this doesn't just apply to politics and government spending. It absolutely applies to every household and family budget too. We make spending choices every day - what you choose to spend money on should be a direct reflection of your priorities.
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All too often, when people first start budgeting they struggle with their own shame. It's hard to face the reality of where your money is going and acknowledge it's been wasted on things and experiences that aren't in alignment with your priorities and values.
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But until you face it, you can't change it. If your budget isn't a reflection of your values, what's one thing you can do today to move it in the right direction?

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Ready to Build a Financial Plan You Can Live With?

Your Favorite Posts

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

How to Protect Your Children: 10 Things to Know About Will vs Estate Planning

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

The Ultimate Guide to Finance for Baby’s First Year

Do You Really Need Life Insurance?

Busy Mom Money Tips

Where Should You Keep An Emergency Fund?

Women & Money: 10 Facts We All Should Know

What’s the Best Way to Invest Money (When You’re Just Getting Started)

Teaching Kids About Money

My 10 Favorite Money Books for Kids

4 Simple Money Lessons All Kids Should Know

Family Organization Ideas

How to Protect Your Children: 10 Things to Know About Will vs Estate Planning

The Ultimate Guide to Finance for Baby’s First Year

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