You don’t have to go bankrupt to have a nice holiday. . “The season’s upon us. It’s that time of year. Brandy and eggnog, there’s plenty of cheer.” — Dropkick Murphys. Black Friday is fast approaching, soon to be followed by Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday — one long weekend of Christmas sales to kick off your holiday season. Money is tight for many…
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Thanksgiving Feels More Important This Year
Here’s why it does — and what to do if you can’t have your traditional holiday. . We are all sick of 2020. Terms like “unprecedented” and “new normal” have been overused so much they’re basically meaningless. But as hard as this year has been, Thanksgiving seems to be hitting the country particularly hard. As governors and health officials and…
3 Things You Should Watch on Thanksgiving
Football is awesome, but these classics really represent the best — and worst — of the holiday. . Thanksgiving will likely be different this year, but one thing that is always the same for me: my Thanksgiving TV line-up. Although I rarely watch TV or movies, each holiday I make sure to get these three classics in, no matter what. If you’re looking for something…
3 Things to Try Right Now if You Feel Anxious
You’ll be surprised how well these work. . Anxiety is part of the human condition. There’s not a person alive who hasn’t experienced it. Anxiety includes feelings of nervousness, fear, and dread. Physical symptoms include lightheadedness, trembling, sweating, racing pulse, and difficult breathing. Anxiety is generally episodic. You might become anxious before a speech or a test or get triggered by…
I Have a Confession: I’m Starting to Love Wearing a Mask
It has nothing to do with the pandemic. . Like everyone else on Earth, I was bummed when I heard we needed to start wearing masks out in public. It seemed like a big pain in the butt. It’s hard to breathe in masks. If I’m wearing my glasses, every single breath in a mask fogs them up. I have…
8 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Prescriptions
Even if you have insurance, there are still ways to reduce your costs. . You know the feeling: your doctor tells you that they want to give you a prescription and your first thought is, “Oh no, how much is this going to cost me?” Prescription costs continue to rise rapidly, and even with insurance your costs can be steep.…
The Night My Grandpa Went to War
The Night My Grandpa Went to War He was fighting against a small but tenacious enemy. . I’ll never forget the night my Grandpa went to war. Grandpa was a little too young when World War I started, and too old when World War II came along, so he never got to fight the Germans. No, his enemy was far more…
I Broke All the Rules to Pay Down My Debts
I never even made a budget — but it worked anyway. Several years ago, I was swimming in debt. Between student loans from my graduate degree, credit cards, and housing costs, I was stuck in a pattern that had started in college, where I was spending most of my salary paying off debt, leaving me no money for emergencies. Or anything fun. When…
Can We Stop With All the Pumpkin Spice Please?
A plea from the one white girl who hates this Fall favorite. “What’s the deal with you white girls and pumpkin spice?” My friend Christine posed this question to me early in our friendship. We were waiting in line at Starbucks where signs announced the return of the pumpkin spice latte like it was the second coming of Christ. “I…
You’re Never Going to Write That Novel — or Whatever Your Secret Dream Is
If you can’t turn your dream into a passion, you’ll never succeed. This weekend I published my 14th book. After finishing writing the book earlier in the week, I spent part of the weekend editing, formatting and publishing it on Amazon and then setting up advertising and social media for the new release. I also updated and published an update…
Rose Bak 