I know a couple who are extremely close to their retirement. David and Marsha are 52 and 56, respectively. Out of curiosity, I asked them if they wouldn’t mind sharing with me how they planned for their retirement. I nearly spit out my tea when I heard their responses.

We've talked before about the different types of bonds. One of the most popular are federal government bonds, commonly called treasury bonds or treasuries. These can be a useful investment tool, but they are not without risks.

What's Good About Treasuries?

If you're like just about any mom out there, you have some form of medical expenses.  Sally is going to need new glasses this year.  Johnny will definitely need some braces on those teeth.  You have to take this medication that is simply not covered in your medical insurance, and guess where the money for that comes from: you got it, your purse!  Also, just like anybody else out there, you'd love to cut expenses, and maybe even save a little money to boot. 

During the crash of 2008, some of the bad guys we heard about in the press were "hedge fund managers." Most of us have no idea what a "hedge fund" does, but we know it's something that people with way more money than us do. In fact, hedging is an important part of investing and something even small investors should think about.

What is Hedging?

When you're on the Titanic, you don't stop to scream at the iceberg, you lug the lifeboats. (~Debra from "Everybody Loves Raymond")

Growing up, one of the main lessons my father taught me was to keep going.  The "woe is me" attitude is a slipperly slope you just don't want to start going down.  Generally speaking, I heed that advice like it's my own personal lifeline.  This last weekend, however, that lifeline nearly shredded and broke. 

Making time for yourself.  That really did sound good when you read it in an earlier post on this site.  With the new year upon us, what better time is there to put this idea into practice?  If you're shaking your head at your screen and saying: "Melinda's nuts!  I have no time, next to no money and what time and money I do have is eaten by the kids!"  Take heart, moms.  I have a few ideas that will give you some super cheap ways for both you and your kids to get a break.

The store sign says, “End of the Year Blow-out Sale!” Tempted? Of course you are. Especially if that store is one you frequent often. So, you walk in, glance around, and immediately head to the section toting 50-70% savings.

What do you do when you spot that bargain? Do you jump on it, count your luck and dive back into your shopping? I used to, but now I stop and ask myself a couple of questions before I start congratulating myself on my "savings."

Would I buy it at regular price?

One of the things we really want to stress here at MomVesting is to make sure you're taking advantage of your tax-advantaged retirement plan options. If you're not, you're literally throwing money away. Let's take a look at the difference between using an IRA for your retirement savings and not using one.

Running the Numbers

Yesterday we talked in general about portfolio allocation, particularly as it pertained to stocks. It can be confusing to decide what to do with an investment portfolio, especially if you are new to the idea of investing.  Two simple rules to help with the decision are: the 100- Age Rule and the 120- Age Rule.  Let’s look at some of the ideas behind each rule to help you decide your best course of action in setting up your portfolio.

100 Minus Age Rule

The term stock allocation sounds rather imposing. In reality, it represents a simple question that we all need to answer: What portion of our portfolio should be in stocks versus other investments?

Why Stocks?