Buying a home is an important decision and a major life-changing event. As such, it needs to be carefully thought about. The process can be long and requires a substantial amount of your savings. It will be worth it in the end. 

To be able to buy the house of your dreams, there are a few prerequisites: a good credit score, a steady job, and a savvy strategy to save money for a down payment.

Determine How Much Down Payment You Need

It’s always nice to know exactly how much you need to save. To do so, you’ll need to figure out the total mortgage you qualify for, based on your income and credit score. As a rule of thumb, the price you pay for the house should be no more than 25% of your total income.

Once you know that number, it’s time to estimate the percentage of down payment you will need. Generally, a 20% down payment is considered a good practice as it allows you to get the lowest interest rate and monthly payment. Having a 20% down payment also negates the need for mortgage ins...

There are so many options for affordable gift ideas for Valentine's Day ideas while still making your celebration special. Valentine's Day is a time to show others that you care by giving thoughtful gifts from the heart.

Many commercially-available gift ideas can be expensive, putting people off from being able to buy the gifts they want for this special occasion. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to save money on meaningful Valentine’s Day gifts. 

Here are five tips to keep Valentine's Day gifts within your budget:

Spend quality time together.

Most things that you and your loved one can do on  Valentine's Day can be relatively inexpensive. Rather than going out for a night on the town, consider a quiet homemade dinner at home and a movie. Sometimes low-key Valentine's Day celebrations are the most romantic and memorable. Listen to music, talk to one another about your dreams, and just enjoy each other’s company. Good conversation and company are free.

Small, thoughtful ite...

I have been working with women on their finances for nearly two decades, and one of the most consistent patterns I have seen is this: the women who make the most meaningful progress are almost never doing it alone.

Not because they are more disciplined. Not because they have more money to work with. But because they have someone in their corner. Someone who knows their goals, checks in on their progress, celebrates the wins, and tells them the truth when they are sliding off track.

That is what a real accountability partner does. And if you do not have one, finding one might be one of the most impactful financial decisions you make this year.

What a Financial Accountability Partner Actually Is

An accountability partner is not a cheerleader, though encouragement is part of it. And they are not a financial advisor, though they might help you think through decisions. A true accountability partner is someone who holds space for your goals, asks the hard questions, and shows up consiste...

If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, you’re not alone. Studies show that nearly three out of four Americans are in the same boat, and many would struggle to cover even a $400 emergency expense without borrowing money. It’s no wonder so many people feel anxious about their finances.

But here’s the truth: you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle. Once you understand what’s really causing the financial stress, you can create a plan to move toward stability—and eventually, confidence and freedom.

At Intentional Wealth Partners, I’ve helped hundreds of women identify the root of their financial challenges and rebuild a sense of peace around money. The first step is awareness. Let’s start there.

Step One: Understand Why You’re Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck

Financial struggle isn’t always about being “bad with money.” Often, it’s the result of multiple factors—some within your control and others that require new strategies or support. When you identify what’s happening beneath the surfa...

Every January, millions of people write down the same financial goals they wrote down the year before. Save more. Spend less. Get out of debt. Pay off the credit cards.

And by February, most of those goals are sitting in a drawer somewhere, forgotten.

Here is what I have learned after nearly two decades of working with women on their finances: financial resolutions do not fail because people lack discipline. They fail because they are built on shame, vague intentions, and someone else's idea of what financial success should look like.

This year, I want to offer you a different approach.

Why Most Financial Resolutions Do Not Work

The traditional advice around financial goal-setting tends to focus almost entirely on tactics: automate your savings, cut your spending, track every dollar. And while those things have their place, they skip the most important step entirely.

They never ask you why.

Why do you want to save more? What would financial security actually make possible in you...

A budget is one of the most powerful tools you have for your financial life. Not because it restricts you, but because it gives you clarity. When you know where your money is going, you can make intentional decisions about where it goes next.

If you have tried budgeting before and it has not stuck, I want to gently offer this: the problem usually is not you. It is the budget. Most budgets are built around rules and restrictions rather than around your actual life, your values, and the goals that matter to you. When a budget does not reflect reality, it falls apart. When it does, it becomes one of the most grounding things you can do for yourself financially.

Here is how to build one that works..

Step 1: Set Up Your Budget Framework

Before you fill in any numbers, you need a structure to put them in. This is your budget framework, and it is simply a template that organizes your income, your expenses, your savings, and your goals in one place.

Your framework can be a spreadsheet, a ...

The holidays are one of my favorite times of year. The gatherings, the food, the people around the table. I love all of it.

What I do not love is the financial hangover that follows when hosting was not planned with intention. You know the one. You open your credit card statement in January and feel that sinking realization that the party cost twice what you expected.

It does not have to go that way.

Hosting with intention is one of the most practical applications of the Intentional Money Method. Before you plan a single menu or send a single invitation, the question to ask yourself is: what do I actually value about this gathering? Because when your spending is rooted in your values, it stops feeling like deprivation and starts feeling like clarity.

Most of us value the people, the warmth, and the connection. Not the elaborate spread or the coordinated tablescape. Getting clear on that first makes every decision that follows easier.

Here are the strategies I recommend for hosting...

I never fully appreciated the stress of the holiday season until l had kids. I remember our first Christmas together very well - mostly because I was so unprepared for everything. For those who don't know, I adopted all three of my children at the same time, so I went from a low-key Christmas with no children to creating Christmas traditions for a family of 5. 

I waited until the last minute to shop, and the stores were sold out of a lot of stuff. I was worried that if I ordered gifts online, they wouldn't come in time. We got through it, but it definitely was not one of our more graceful holiday seasons. That's a picture of my three kids from our first Christmas together below.

Related post: Why This Busy Mom Loves Amazon Prime & How to Get It Discounted

The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year with family pressures and financial pressures. Between the gift-giving, entertaining, travel, and the regular monthly expenses, it all adds up to an expensive time...

Does the thought of paying for your child's college education ever keep you up at night? When it comes to higher education, the more you can prepare for it, the better. With nearly 45 million Americans dealing with crippling student debt, the need to invest for higher education becomes even more of a priority.

Related post: Preparing for College: A Golden Opportunity for Financial Lessons and Setting Clear Expectations

Consider Savings Plans 

The most common choice people make when investing for higher education is putting money into a savings account for their child. However, interest rates are far from what they used to be!

Saving a set amount of money each year allows parents to know how much they have for their child to go to college and how much more they need to contribute so their child can get their education debt-free. With a solid savings plan, a great savings account, and some research, it’s entirely possible for families with an average income to pay for their child’s e...

Fear of stock market volatility often holds investors back. However, historically, investing in stocks has been an essential tool in building wealth and can serve as an important part of a diversified portfolio. Today we're exploring why investing in the stock market matters.

Reasons Why to Invest in Stocks