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Another suggestion from our post about becoming equals when it comes to finances is setting bit ticket spending limits with your spouse. When my husband and I were first engaged, we eased into a big ticket agreement pretty seamlessly. We have always asked each other if a $50+ non-standard purchase was OK. Then, once we got into the hundreds or thousands of dollars purchases, we have always bought the item together. Our TV, for example, was a joint purchase.

It’s hard to let go of stuff. Some things make life easier, while other items are nice mementos. Sometimes, though, stuff just gets in the way of life goals, no matter the ease or memories they provide.

Recently, for example, my husband and I sold our third car. That sounds ridiculous even as I write it, but it’s the truth. Mike and I had three cars between the two of us, and I work from home. Yes, that is right. Ridiculous, huh? That’s not the whole story, though…

The Whole Story

You may have never heard of "Market Capitalization," but there's a good chance that you've heard of "large cap" or "small cap" stocks before. As usual the financial world goes out of their way to make something fairly simple sound pretty complicated. In its simplest sense, market capitalization is simply a measure of the company's total worth.

We calculate that by multiplying the number of shares in circulation times the price per share. In other words, the market capitalization of a stock is how much money it would take to buy all the shares of the stock.

This weekend, I’m sure many of us are busy wrapping gifts and picking up for upcoming holiday gatherings.  So, to wrap up or start—depending on how you want to look at Sunday (the beginning of the week, or the end of the weekend), I gathered up this week’s holiday-related posts.  Hopefully, this will keep you going, and make the effort more enjoyable. 

In 2006, my husband and I moved back to the Midwest after a whirlwind three years in Seattle.  We loved Washington, but I was homesick for "home" and for family.  Also, we dreamed of owning a home and starting our own family, and the house prices in Seattle were too high for our (very) modest incomes.  So, we packed up our one-bedroom apartment, put our “kids” in the SUV, and drove home. 

Working from home can be a great option if you have the motivation to get started and stick with it.  If you have the will to make yourself sit down and work, even when it’s the last thing in the world you want to be doing, then the first challenge to overcome is where to find a job.  You know where you’ll be working, but what will you be doing? 

What Type of Work Suits You?

I used to love my daily latte.  I was working twelve hour days, and I felt like I deserved a quick coffee pick-me-up.  In fact, at that time, I should have had a caffeine IV – it would have been cheaper.  Instead, I spent five dollars every day on a yummy, sugar-laden, espresso-bean delight of hot, steamy, oh-so-good joe.  Ok, so I miss my lattes, but I now feel better about occasionally treating myself to my nemesis.  I save money, and I compromise with my husband on our daily finances.

You've heard of those recipes that hide veggies in typical kid fare?  The kids (in theory) enjoy their mac and cheese, never knowing they're getting a dose of cauliflower along with the cheese and noodles.  Maybe, just maybe, those creative moms are on to something. 

If you've been watching the financial news lately, you've probably not found it overly comforting. Among the many threats we hear about is inflation. 

With all the holiday spirit going around, it’s easy to forget that most breakups and divorces occur around this time of year.  So, while we’re watching our wallets, I figured I might mention a few tips on how to watch our hearts, as well.  Here are the posts I found to be inspirational in both regards: