Between bills, unexpected emergencies and family obligations, saving money is harder than ever. 

A great way to make it easier is by automating your savings. Why worry about remembering to go down to the bank and make a deposit when you have twenty-five other things on your mind?

With automated savings, you don’t have to remember. Just set up the date and the amount and forget about it. When it’s automatic, most people often find they do not even notice the smaller amount they have to spend each month.

Be intentional.

If you’re serious about saving, why put it last on the priority list? Many people make the mistake of waiting until everything else has been paid first. By the time the end of the month rolls around, much of your paycheck may already be gone.

By automating your savings, you’re making sure your savings account gets the love it deserves, and more importantly…gets the funding it deserves.

Life happens.

Financial emergencies can crop up anytime, usually at the worst possible time. Having a healthy balance in your savings accounts can be a lifesaver if you find yourself with sudden medical expenses or even worse, unemployed for any length of time. 

Our modern life is filled with technology, so why not take advantage of it? If you’ve decided it’s time to start saving away for that rainy day, let an automated savings plan do the work for you.

Do you read ingredient labels? Polydimethylsiloxane, Propylene glycol, Azodicarbonamide, etc. The list goes on and on. You’re not sure exactly what they are, but it’s a pretty safe bet some of them shouldn't be part of a healthy diet.

If you’re like many people who want to avoid eating things they can’t pronounce, here are 4 tips to help you live and eat better:

1. When shopping at the grocery store, stick to the perimeter.  Fresh produce, meats, and dairy tend to be on the outer aisles of the store. Once you venture into the center areas of the store, where prepackaged foods are, the choices are not nearly as healthy. 
2. Consider additives carefully.  While the Food & Drug Administration has approved additives, many people have adverse reactions to them. Some of the likely culprits include olestra, aspartame, artificial colors and flavors, monosodium glutamate, saccharin, sodium nitrate, sulfites, cyclamate, caffeine, BHA, BHT and acesulfame-potassium. Save the list to your phone, or print a list to consult at the store.
3. Don’t fall prey to thinking cheap can’t be healthy.  Dried beans, rice, old-fashioned oats, canned tuna and salmon, popcorn, frozen vegetables, and canned tomatoes are all healthy choices that are not very expensive. 
4. Be choosy.  When in doubt, look at the labels. Choose the product with the shortest ingredient list.

Here’s to healthy…and pronounceable…dining. 

It’s Tax Season once again. Even if you’re an old hand at doing your own taxes, there are still plenty of mistakes taxpayers make that can generate unwanted attention from the IRS. Here are just a few:

• Failing to report all of your income.  If you have the information about your income, so does the IRS. Employers are required to send copies of your W-2s and 1099s to the IRS. The IRS’s computers will match up all the social security numbers, along with the income, etc. 
• Large meal, entertainment, and travel deductions.  If you have a W-2, the IRS will want to know about your employer’s reimbursement policy. Self-employed or not, if you claim these types of deductions, always document them thoroughly; dates and times, location, names of the people attending, the business purpose, and the nature of the meeting or discussion. 
• Claiming 100% business use of a vehicle.  It’s important to keep detailed mileage records, listing the purpose for each trip as well. 
• Not claiming any deductions for your business.  You should claim whatever deductions you are entitled to claim. Don’t be afraid to do anything on your return as long as you are being honest and have documentation to back up your claim.

Tax season doesn’t have to be the headache many people make it out to be. Keeping good records and making sure you have all the documentation needed, can go a long way toward making filing your taxes smooth and simple. 

Whether you’re a dedicated weekend warrior or just decided to check out the free trial membership offer at the local gym, working out can be a great way to improve your quality of life. But along with the benefits come a few pitfalls. Here are some of the most common workout mistakes, and how you can avoid them:

1)  Doing the same workout routine every day.  You can avoid boredom by changing up your fitness routine. You need to rest overused muscles, so focus on different muscles on different days and add new exercises, too.

2)  Using the machines incorrectly.  If you are just copying what the other people are doing, you could cause yourself unnecessary pain, and end up wasting a lot of time. Invest in a trainer to show you how to exercise effectively and efficiently.

3)  You’re all about the cardio.  If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to add resistance training to increase your metabolic rate. Lifting weights in addition to your cardio training will help you burn calories 24 hours a day.

4)  Exercising on an empty stomach. Like a car needs gas to go, you need energy to fuel your workout. Some pre-workout food suggestions: a granola or protein bar, an apple and string cheese, or a slice of wheat bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter.

5)  Who needs to warm up?  You do! Warming up raises the body heat and prepares the ligaments and tendons for work.

Exercise can be a great part of achieving better health. Exercising the right way can help you keep up that healthy lifestyle.

Pink Hearts… red roses… the perfect day to show that special someone how much you really care. How did they come up with a day dedicated to love and romance anyway?

The beginnings of St. Valentine's Day go back to the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a companion for the year. The rest is, shall we say, history. 

Here are some other fun facts about Valentine’s Day:

• In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.
• While 75% of chocolate purchases all year long are made by women, during the days and minutes before Valentine's Day, 75% of chocolate purchases are made by men.
• An average person spends two whole weeks of his or her life kissing.
• About 3% of pet owners give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.
• Chocolate has been used as a gift since the days of the Aztecs, who believed it to be a source of spiritual wisdom and energy. It was used as a nuptial aid and served at wedding ceremonies.
• Amnat Puttigo from Pattaya, Thailand, won a "Ripley's Believe It or Not" by holding his wife in his arms for 10 hours, 49 minutes, and 15 seconds in a Valentine's Day Contest!

So, there you have it. Have a safe and happy Valentine’s Day.

Often the motivation we need to keep our New Year's Resolutions is to see where they fit in the grand scheme of our long-term life goals. But the first step is to examine precisely what our long-term goals are. Whether you want to travel the world, or become a multi-millionaire by the age of 50, it's important to choose goals that you really want to achieve and are both realistic and specific.

Baby steps

Let's say you want to lose 20 pounds before your high school reunion next summer. The first step is to focus on short-term goals that will make the larger goal more attainable, like eating 100 fewer calories per day. Once you find you've achieved one goal, gradually add another, like walking an extra half mile each week. Keep these short-term goals small and manageable, and that will make them easier to accomplish. If you find yourself losing patience or not being able to reach these short-term goals, make them smaller and smaller until they seem more possible for you to do.

Write it down

Writing things down helps make things happen. Using the above weight loss goal example, you could keep track of your progress by writing in a food and activity journal or app, remembering to focus on your motivation. Be sure to note improvements in your breathing, energy, stress levels, mood, etc., and celebrate these victories.

Most importantly, when working on any long-term life changes, always approach life one day at a time. What can you do today that could help you reach your long-term goal?