The Whopping Family Cell Phone Bill

Cell phones as we know them are only a few decades old, and yet it is hard to think about living without them, despite the fact that humankind survived centuries without cell phones. It isn’t unusual these days to be spending $250 or more a month for your family cell phones. In some families, the cell phone expense may be the second highest monthly bill, after the mortgage or the rent. Doing without other things, from eating out to dental care (in some cases) in order to afford cell phones has become the norm. How did things get so crazy? … Continue reading

Family Money

The day that we became parents the whole issue of family money took on a new focus. Not only were we responsible for ourselves, we now had a child to take care of. This sense of responsibility changed not only how we felt about our money situation, but also how we discussed it as a couple. Whether both parents’ work or one parent stays home and the other works, children cost the family money. Usually it is money that was previously used for other things. How can families adjust to this new situation? The most important piece in being a … Continue reading