KateHorrell - Page 22 of 24 - Helping Military Families Make The Most of Their Money

Don’t Be Shocked By Homebuying Costs

17 May 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

I was just emailing with a reporter about homebuying costs, and I thought I would share my long version here with you. We were talking about how buying a house is more expensive than it seems, and in parts where you might not be expecting to spend money. Even if you have a no money… | Read More…

Retirement Savings Are Important For Military Spouses, Too

7 May 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Most couples have one adult who is the “primary wage earner,” and one adult who either does not work, or who has significantly less income than the primary wage earner. One frequent result of income inequality is inequality in the retirement savings of the two adults.The main earner may be vested in a retirement pension… | Read More…

How Do You Define Poverty?

4 May 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

You know what is really easy? Noticing when other people say something not-so-smart. It is a lot harder to hear when YOU are the person saying something not-so-smart. A couple of months ago, I was chatting with an acquaintance about their upcoming cruise. I asked if they were doing anything at the various port calls…. | Read More…

Buying Eyeglasses Online

28 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

With six people wearing glasses, the cost of eyewear is a BIG DEAL at my house. Military insurance doesn’t cover glasses or contacts (except for the active duty person), and the Department of Defense still hasn’t organized Healthcare Savings Accounts for military folks, so we use private vision insurance and pay out-of-pocket for the rest. … | Read More…

A Full Mind Is A Dangerous Thing

24 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

I haven’t posted recently, but not because I have been sitting on my bum and eating bon-bons. Though that sounds lovely. I’ve been up to my ears researching two topics that are super-important to me right now: being a long-distance landlord, and how being military might affect my kids’ chances of receiving need-based financial aid… | Read More…

Three Random Homebuying Tips

15 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

A reporter recently asked me for some homebuying tips. I could probably write a book, but there are plenty of those out there already! Here are the things I said: 1. Everything is negotiable, even if you are buying new construction. In addition to negotiating price, ask for stuff: closing cost help, a new fridge… | Read More…

Housing Want vs. Housing Needs: What’s Really Important?

10 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Identifying your housing needs is a great first step in the process of finding a place to live. Just be sure not to blur the line between need and want. A friend-of-a-friend recently posted something very similar to this on Facebook: We’re moving to the Tampa area, and we are looking for a house with… | Read More…

Are You Saving Your Savings?

31 March 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

For literally years, I have been trying to write a post about how savings aren’t really savings unless you put them towards something long-term. I’ve always gotten stuck, either on how to explain what I mean, or on the vocabulary to make it clear. Why is it so hard to talk about saving? Well, I… | Read More…

The Cost of Volunteering

10 March 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Volunteering is a great thing, and I encourage everyone to volunteer in some fashion. Be sure, however, to consider the costs before jumping head-first into a situation that might not be right for your finances. Travel Usually, volunteering requires traveling to some location or another. Some organizations reimburse for mileage, or you can deduct the costs… | Read More…

Why I Didn’t Work When My Kids Were Small

3 March 2014

This post may contain affiliate links, from which I may earn revenue to support this free site. All opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love!

Even before we were married, my husband and I agreed that I would be a stay-at-home mom with our children when they were small. His job in the military isn’t really family-friendly, and we thought it was important that the kids were cared for by a parent. By great chance, my job was eliminated shortly… | Read More…

Don’t Be Shocked By Homebuying Costs

Retirement Savings Are Important For Military Spouses, Too

How Do You Define Poverty?

Buying Eyeglasses Online

A Full Mind Is A Dangerous Thing

Three Random Homebuying Tips

Housing Want vs. Housing Needs: What’s Really Important?

Are You Saving Your Savings?

The Cost of Volunteering

Why I Didn’t Work When My Kids Were Small

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