Money stress can take the joy out of the upcoming holidays. And don’t get me started about the money hangover in January.

Here are 3 tips to help you steer clear of the money stress and pitfalls of the season:

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All I see these days in the headlines are gift lists of ideas to help you find and buy and then give the perfect gift. To your spouse, kids, teacher, hostess. All those gifts that – well, let’s be honest here, nobody really wants.

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I am tired of reading articles like this: American millennials have an average net worth of $8,000 — and it’s part of a bigger financial problem the generation is facing.

The results of all of these studies are all about decisions that were choices someone made – not an emergency health crisis, or a loss of a job, but concrete choices to spend that money in that way. Many of the choices that are keeping millennials from saving for retirement are flexible expense choices. That means, if you are a millennial, you are in control of that money choice.

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Recently a parent who is using our Money Savvy Pig bank asked me how to teach her young son how to use the “invest“ slot of the bank. He (and mom) were confused about how to approach  investing as a money choice.

Before “invest” – start with “save”

Before you teach your child the concept of “invest”, first your child needs to understand and master the concept of save. We save and set goals for the things we want or need within, let’s say one year from now. So, if you are a 7-year-old kid, that would be something they would want or need by the time they are eight. Or, if it’s easier, if they are in first grade, by the time they are in second grade.

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