I’ve heard many times that money is one of the most common causes of conflict among couples. It is true, that differing views on finances cause many arguments, break ups and even divorces.

They also say that "money is the root of all evil." Whether this is complete truth or partial exaggeration, this statement has been proven many times throughout history. But when it comes to matters of love, why does money have such a detrimental and significant impact on our significant others?

Managing money, like love, is a very personal thing. It relates to our core values and upbringing. While opposites may attract and make for a great couple, opposite views of how to manage money do not make for a good combination. When spenders mix with savers conflict is bound to arise – unless you can find a happy medium.

Here are a few tips to help find that happy medium:

• Communicate about your spending and saving priorities so that you and your partner can make sure you’re on the same page.
• Make a plan together and stick to it so that you can work toward a common goal as a couple.
• Be honest about your financial situation including debt, income, and upcoming expenses so that you and your significant other can build trust.

Finally, if you and your significant other simply can’t agree about how to manage money, it may be best to keep your finances separate so that while you can enjoy each other’s company, you each maintain your financial independence.

As the end of summer (too) quickly approaches, chances are the next large expenditures you’ll face will be related to the back to school season. Whether you (or members of your immediate family) are heading back to school or not, it seems that we’re bombarded with advertisements and offers telling us to go shopping at this time of year.

While it’s always a good idea to take advantage of sales when making purchases, we still have to realize that no matter how good a deal we get on something, the money is still coming out of our bank accounts. As a result, we need to closely monitor our spending, particularly in today’s economy.

Here are some tips to help you have easy sailing with the back to school sales:

• Plan shopping trips to coincide with sales! This one may seem obvious, but it’s worth stating that it’s a good idea to plan your shopping trips in advance, so that you visit each store during the time of their sales. It’s no fun making a large purchase, only to find out that it had been on sale the previous week.

Take advantage of tax free weeks! If you live in an area that charges sales tax on clothing and other items you may need for the back to school season, investigate if your local government is going to designate a week during which they suspend these taxes and go shopping then.

Don’t buy everything at once! While you want to take advantage of the sales, keep in mind that you don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe in one day. There will be other sales in the future (around every holiday it seems) and particularly when buying for growing children, remember that they are likely to outgrow their clothes on a regular basis so you want to save money so that you can buy items as you need them.

Find pieces that are versatile! You’ll get more out of your purchases if you buy shoes and other pieces of clothing that can work with a variety of outfits for a variety of situations.

Buy items that will last! There is a strong temptation (particularly at the back to school time) to try to keep up with the latest fads and to buy a lot of items (even if they cost less and are lower quality). Resist this temptation and take advantage of the sales to invest in higher quality pieces that you will wear for a while! Otherwise you’ll find yourself needing another new wardrobe in a few short months.

Happy shopping!

We’re all well aware of the current economic situation. These days it seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper, watch the news on television, or even have a conversation with a friend without this topic being brought to your attention.

It seems that the current economic realities are top-of-mind for many of us, and we’re all extra aware of our finances, investments and work situation. History has shown us that the normal economic cycle includes times of recession in between prosperous times. With everyone feeling the pinch of the current economy, it’s only natural to hope for the onset of an economic recovery as soon as possible. But how will we know when it’s on its way?

Just as there are many factors that went into the realization that we’re currently in a recession, there are many things we should consider when looking for an economic recovery. In other words, there is not likely to be one tell-tale sign that we’ve reached renewed economic prosperity. It is also likely that economic stability will happen gradually, for different individuals at different times, based on their unique investments, careers, and geographic locations.

Sure, there are signs we can all look to. Some examples include the overall health of the stock market and housing industry – the things we hear about every day on the news. There are also signs we’ll each be looking at in our personal lives, like whether you were laid off and now have a job, or whether you’re able to stop worrying about how to pay your bills again – the less far-reaching things that won’t make the evening news, but will have profound effects on your life.

So as we all anxiously hope for the end of this time of economic difficulty, what signs will tell us we’re getting closer to recovery? What things will you be looking at, both on a large and small scale? Perhaps if we look toward the future, we can find ways to achieve greater stability in our own financial lives, and one by one, improve everyone’s situation.

We’re all well aware of the current economic situation. These days it seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper, watch the news on television, or even have a conversation with a friend without this topic being brought to your attention.

It seems that the current economic realities are top-of-mind for many of us, and we’re all extra aware of our finances, investments and work situation. History has shown us that the normal economic cycle includes times of recession in between prosperous times. With everyone feeling the pinch of the current economy, it’s only natural to hope for the onset of an economic recovery as soon as possible. But how will we know when it’s on its way?

Just as there are many factors that went into the realization that we’re currently in a recession, there are many things we should consider when looking for an economic recovery. In other words, there is not likely to be one tell-tale sign that we’ve reached renewed economic prosperity. It is also likely that economic stability will happen gradually, for different individuals at different times, based on their unique investments, careers, and geographic locations.

Sure, there are signs we can all look to. Some examples include the overall health of the stock market and housing industry – the things we hear about every day on the news. There are also signs we’ll each be looking at in our personal lives, like whether you were laid off and now have a job, or whether you’re able to stop worrying about how to pay your bills again – the less far-reaching things that won’t make the evening news, but will have profound effects on your life.

So as we all anxiously hope for the end of this time of economic difficulty, what signs will tell us we’re getting closer to recovery? What things will you be looking at, both on a large and small scale? Perhaps if we look toward the future, we can find ways to achieve greater stability in our own financial lives, and one by one, improve everyone’s situation.

While listening to a celebrity being interviewed on the radio recently, I heard the quote:

The harder I work, the luckier I get.

I’ve heard this quote before, but it caused me to reflect about the true keys to success.

In starting this discussion, it’s important to first acknowledge that we all have different definitions of success. In other words, everything’s relative and one person’s version of success is likely different from the next. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s put that larger issue aside for now and each focus on what we think it will take for us to each attain success, individually, by our own standards in 2009.

With all the stories I’ve heard lately, both on the news at a national level, and in my daily conversations with friends, family and acquaintances, it seems that most focus on setbacks people are facing due to the economy. With companies large and small laying off people seemingly at random, it’s hard to put one’s finger on how to ensure success, much less financial stability.

Another quote that comes to mind, in the midst of this conversation is

Work smarter not harder.

While good to live by, do either of these quotes really provide the guidance we need in the current crisis our country is facing? As we progress through these difficult times, it will be interesting to see what pieces of advice and quotes stick with us to help us all through.

For now, I have to say that perhaps the most helpful piece of advice I’ve come across for surviving this current economic situation is:

If you’re going through Hell, keep on going.

as stated by Winston Churchill long ago. I’d love to hear what our readers think about this topic, and what advice you have for the good of the cause!

While listening to a celebrity being interviewed on the radio recently, I heard the quote:

The harder I work, the luckier I get.

I’ve heard this quote before, but it caused me to reflect about the true keys to success.

In starting this discussion, it’s important to first acknowledge that we all have different definitions of success. In other words, everything’s relative and one person’s version of success is likely different from the next. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s put that larger issue aside for now and each focus on what we think it will take for us to each attain success, individually, by our own standards in 2009.

With all the stories I’ve heard lately, both on the news at a national level, and in my daily conversations with friends, family and acquaintances, it seems that most focus on setbacks people are facing due to the economy. With companies large and small laying off people seemingly at random, it’s hard to put one’s finger on how to ensure success, much less financial stability.

Another quote that comes to mind, in the midst of this conversation is

Work smarter not harder.

While good to live by, do either of these quotes really provide the guidance we need in the current crisis our country is facing? As we progress through these difficult times, it will be interesting to see what pieces of advice and quotes stick with us to help us all through.

For now, I have to say that perhaps the most helpful piece of advice I’ve come across for surviving this current economic situation is:

If you’re going through Hell, keep on going.

as stated by Winston Churchill long ago. I’d love to hear what our readers think about this topic, and what advice you have for the good of the cause!

While listening to a celebrity being interviewed on the radio recently, I heard the quote:

The harder I work, the luckier I get.

I’ve heard this quote before, but it caused me to reflect about the true keys to success.

In starting this discussion, it’s important to first acknowledge that we all have different definitions of success. In other words, everything’s relative and one person’s version of success is likely different from the next. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s put that larger issue aside for now and each focus on what we think it will take for us to each attain success, individually, by our own standards in 2009.

With all the stories I’ve heard lately, both on the news at a national level, and in my daily conversations with friends, family and acquaintances, it seems that most focus on setbacks people are facing due to the economy. With companies large and small laying off people seemingly at random, it’s hard to put one’s finger on how to ensure success, much less financial stability.

Another quote that comes to mind, in the midst of this conversation is

Work smarter not harder.

While good to live by, do either of these quotes really provide the guidance we need in the current crisis our country is facing? As we progress through these difficult times, it will be interesting to see what pieces of advice and quotes stick with us to help us all through.

For now, I have to say that perhaps the most helpful piece of advice I’ve come across for surviving this current economic situation is:

If you’re going through Hell, keep on going.

as stated by Winston Churchill long ago. I’d love to hear what our readers think about this topic, and what advice you have for the good of the cause!

Many people capitalize on the New Year, making it a time to create resolutions aimed at improving themselves and their current situations. Given these difficult economic times, it is more important than ever to be mindful of your finances, and it’s likely that many resolutions this year revolved around this very topic. Here are a few tips to make the most of your financially-focused resolutions:

If you made New Year’s resolutions stick to them. As we get farther into 2009, and New Year’s Eve becomes nothing more than a fond memory, it’s more and more likely that we will let our resolutions slip. Remember that your resolutions stemmed from needs or problems you identified at the end of 2008. The only way to avoid those problems in the coming year is to be more disciplined this year and work toward positive change.

If you have been living true to your New Year’s resolutions, assess your progress on a regular basis. In this way you’ll be able to celebrate your successes and have a history to look back on and learn from.

In measuring your progress, it’s also important to evaluate the effectiveness of your resolutions. In making a plan and designing resolutions, it’s nearly impossible to foresee everything that may come up in the future. As your implementing the plan, be mindful of whether the plan is actually helping you accomplish your goals and don’t be afraid to modify as needed. While we at 22Dollars.com always say that “no plan is a plan to fail” it seems that a bad plan is even worse. As a result, make informed decisions about changes that need to be made to your resolutions so that your efforts are not futile.

Here’s to a prosperous year ahead and best of luck for a fortunate financial future!