Wednesday, November 5, 2014

All About the Money, Money + An Announcement!

Money. Ugh, what a sensitive topic. If you're newlyweds, established in your marriage, or just engaged, the "money talk" is never easy. However, it is important. Especially when kids are involved. Suddenly, it's not just you and your spouse that you have to think about. With kids there's schools to consider, neighborhoods you should live in, and of course the desire that they should never want for anything.

Planning For The Future. What Are We Doing??
Linking up with Christine, Brittany, and Ashley for Mama Tells All
Mamas Tell All


Josh and I were (thankfully) smart enough to have the money talk early on in our relationship. That doesn't always mean we did what we were supposed to. Sadly we had to learn the hard way when it came to money.


We met eight years ago (almost 9 years ago). Most of my regular readers know I'll be 27 this year, so doing the math we were young. We still are young. The good news is we're not learning these hard lessons now rather than earlier in the relationship. We both maxed out credit cards and didn't know how to balance a check book when we first started dating. Clearly that was a recipe for disaster. During that time Josh even had one of his tax returns go completely to a student loan because they wanted it paid off ASAP. Obviously we weren't saving a lot during that time.

Fast forward to 2009 (three years being together) we knew we had to get serious about saving. After Josh's student loan got paid off we started working to pay off other debts. We still have a little way to go in that area, but we're much better off than we were when we started. In 2009 was when we found out Zander would be joining the family early 2010. I opted to sign up for my company's 401k program. Since signing  up for 401k I've had to roll it into different accounts because I've had a few job changes, but I've always kept it active. And we DON'T touch it!

In 2011 we started actively contributing to our savings accounts with our banks. Believe it or not, a little savings each week goes a long way.
2013: Josh's company finally started offering benefits, including 401k. He opened one as well. He also has a life insurance plan through his job. It's been a long, slow, drawn out process but we're getting there. We know the importance of saving now. Especially with kids. We want our kids to be able to go to good colleges, and good colleges aren't cheap. Of course, if they don't want to go to college that's their choice... and that's another topic. (We want them to go to college).



I hope I don't come off as some sort of savings expert. I'm not. Josh and I are still learning. We're still a new couple. (We're still less than 10 years into this, y'all...we're new) haha. All I know is what works for our family. I definitely suggest all couples... with kids or without... have the money talk. Money is a serious subject. It takes both parties in order to really save in a marriage.

Linking up with Anne for Wednesday Wishes
Love the Here and Now
My Wish for today is that everyone reading this takes heart if they're not already saving. I wish that you're able to get a savings plan in order and get things figured out. Work out what's best for you and your family. It takes time. I wish everyone be able to realize when they need to start saving. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
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And Now For the announcement. Don't worry, y'all it's GREAT NEWS! 
As y'all are well aware (I'm sure), The Rambling Llama is slowly growing and making it's own little mark on this corner of the interwebs. This week, one of my super favorite bloggers, Lora from Heart of Life contacted me about a new collaboration / Link up! I'm SUPER excited about this because Lora is seriously one of my blogging besties and one of my favorite text buddies.

Here's the deal:
It'll be a monthly linkup. Starting THIS MONTH! (aahhh! how exciting!) It'll be every third WEDNESDAY of the month. So if you're doing the math, that means the first one will go LIVE on Wednesday Nov 19th.
Lora and I are proud to introduce "Monthly Musings", A monthly linkup where we'll be reflecting on the finer things in life.

The idea is every month we'd like to post about the happiness's in your life, what you're looking forward to, what's going on, why are you Thankful, etc. We're trying not to focus on the negative that tends to happen oh-so often.
So for November: why are you thankful this month? In December, what do you love about the holidays? Or what's some good news related to that month? It's an open linkup!

All we ask is to simply write a post about something you're loving about the month we're in. We're trying to remember the finer things in life, and not focus so much on the negative. Add your link here and be sure to grab the button 

Please follow your hosts, and comment! Remember, comments = love! You might make a new friend!

If you use the hashtag #MonthlyMusings on social media and / or tag Lora and Melissa we'll be sure to retweet you and share the love! Lora's Twitter || Melissa's Twitter 

31 comments :

  1. The money talk. BLEH. I still hate having those. Thanks for linking up to Mamas Tell All! Can't wait to see your new link up!

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  2. Keith & I have learned the hard way when it comes to money as well. That is why for us at this time it is hard to put money aside for our babies savings when it is much needed at the moment. But shit takes time! :) I pray I have things handled & plenty money aside come time for these little ones to need it. & awesome link up, you know I will be joining in! <3 love ya!

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  3. How exciting!! I will for sure link up!!

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  4. it DOES take time! it's so difficult, especially when there's so many out there that have it together and don't get the struggle. I get it, and I know you get it. It's just one of those things that takes constant prayer and patience. :) AND YAY! I'm so glad you'll be joining in. love you tooo!!!

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  5. BLEH indeed! haha. I hope you'll participate in the new linkup!

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  6. Fun new link up! Saving is hard... but I cannot stress enough participating in a 401k plan, savings account (ING now Capital One online is my fave) and a 529 for college. It might be hard putting money away now, but think about when college comes and you have cash for it, or an emergency and you have money aside... OR retirement and you don't have to work past retirement age! Delayed gratification at its finest :)

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  7. I'm SO glad Josh and I have 401k accounts. I totally agree that saving is hard, but important. :) I hope you'll participate with Lora and I!

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  8. I LLOOVVVE Link ups!! I put this in my calendar so I can have something locked and loaded!

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  9. hooray! so glad to have you on board. :) I think it'll be lots of fun.

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  10. Hooray! The more the merrier and it helps in getting to know new people too! Excited you'll be joining!

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  11. Sounds like a wonderful link up! Love the concept. And I agree...no one wants to talk about money but its such a necessity. Can be stressful too!

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  12. I wish I had a 401k option, I'm sure old wrinkly Kasey will be saying "hey genius, you shoulda started that sooner so I could have retired sooner!"


    this linkup sounds great! I'll be there :)

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  13. I just got a job that offers a 401k plan but it won't start until after 1 year of employement. I'm excited to start building that now. I could use some serious help in the savings department...I'm trying.

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  14. I love your link-up idea and will look forward to being involved! What a great example you've shared of making sacrifices to stick with savings and getting smart with your money for the sake of your family!

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  15. hooray! glad to hear you'll be there. :D I'm overly excited about it. ha.
    get your butt in gear so old wrinkly Kasey will be living nicely! ;) jk! you're still young! it's good to start now, but don't put off your student loans either!

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  16. Thanks!!! That means a lot to hear that from you. xoxoxo. AND YES. it can be stressful, but it's also so important!

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  17. do you know if they do matching for contributions? If so, I suggest doing the minimum that they match if you can. It's FREE! Like for Josh, the min they will start matching is 3%, so he started @ that so he'd do 3% and the company would do 3%... 6% each paycheck BAM in the 401k!!! it's great! At least you're trying!

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  18. we'd be happy to have you link up! :D and thanks for the kind words. we try. it's hard some days, but at least we're trying and we've started somewhere. :)

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  19. The money talk is soooooo important. I ended up with a lot of debt from my former partner and it took ages to pay it off. Thankfully M and I are on the same page. But we still talk finances regularly. I firmly believe schools should teach basics of finance to ALL students in high school. Not just macro economics but how to balance a checkbook, how to create (and adhere to) a budget, how to decide how much rent you can afford, etc. Such important topics!!

    Love the new link up idea :)

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  20. Money whew. Money money money. Wouldn't it be nice if life wasn't always about money? At the end of the day though, it is what let's us go on vacation, eat, sleep well and everything else. Excited about your linkup and I want to participate woo!

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  21. So many of us go into marriage and relationships thinking that the money issues we have as individuals will just disappear as a couple! My husband lets me take care of the finances but I make sure to let him know where we stand and what still needs to be taken care of! I love the new link-up idea--sounds like a lot of fun! :)

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  22. Lol! So very true!! Vicious circle. So glad to have you participating!! The more the merrier!!

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  23. That's how we do it too. Josh let's me handle everything but he still has a say so and he knows everything that goes on. I hope you'll join us for the link up

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  24. Exactly!! I plan on teaching the kids everything since the schools here don't. I had to learn the hard way unfortunately.
    I hope you'll join us in the link up!!

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  25. Money is a tough subject....we are always battling with it around here. With me being a SAHM it has made things super tight but we budget and that seems to keep us going. Hopefully someday soon I will be back to contributing to the bottom line again! Still being a SAHM has made all the difference in how I feel as a mom and at the end of the day our bank account....at my old job I literally would have just been making enough to pay the sitter with no take home pay of my own! Crazy!

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  26. Yay for new linkups! Confession: I am awful with money. I have never had much of it nor known what to do with it (that whole, I'm never going to get out of the hole so why bother mentality) so Tim handles our finances... Yeeaahh.. It's better this way for now. Haha.

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  27. Lol and it all started with Lora texting me saying "we should do a linkup together"! Lol! Love it!
    You're so funny! Probably best that Tim handles everything though for sure ;) still love you though!

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  28. woohoo! A new link-up! How exciting!
    I'm not the best with money (hello, my name is Amanda and I'm an impulse buyer). And like Becca, I've never really have too much to work with either. Philip is great with money... that's why he gets to control it.

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  29. Money has always been a hard thing for S & I. We're fine to talk about it, but neither of us are the "strong" financial one in the relationship. We took Dave Ramsey's class a few years back...highly recommend...it's helped us make some necessary changes we needed to make.

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