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Money is a sensitive topic — even between loved ones. When my husband and I got married, money was the last thing on our mind. The only knowledge we had of each other’s finances was that neither of us had any debt, both of us had some savings. My husband didn’t even know my salary. Knowing each other’s financial makeup better would not have changed our decision to marry but it would have made our newlywed days a lot less stressful. Money was the contributing factor in a lot of our early arguments. And it took us a good two years before we decided to sit down calmly and talk about money. Given that money is cited as one of the top contributing factors in divorce, it is essential that couples have conversations before marriage to establish where each of them stands financially. Here are a few questions to ask before you say “I do.”

…And What You Can Do About It

We live in a complex world where many things happen around us that we’re at a loss to understand or explain. High CEO compensation, soaring health care costs, a biased media and politicians being bribed are but a few of the things we see wrong with the world. Those (and other) problems have their root in a single trait of human nature. The study of that trait is called agency theory. In a nutshell, agency theory states that when a principal hires an agent, the agent is supposed to act in the best interests of the principal. However, despite being compensated in accordance with the principal’s interests, agents will pursue their own best interests, even at the expense of the principal compensating them. That may sound abstract and ivory-tower irrelevant to your daily life, but it isn’t. It affects your pocket book, directly and often.

Health Insurance

The professional association to which I belong meets the second Tuesday of the month. Afterward, many of the members in attendance hit a nearby Italian bistro for a buy-your-own dinner.

Last week, I exited for home alongside another long-time association member, George, who had a train to catch. I asked if he’d commuted downtown just for the meeting, and he said he hadn’t. “I had a meeting with a company down here earlier, and it looks like I’m picking up a new client,” he crowed.

Though hale and hearty, George is the very picture of a guy bearing down on that traditional retirement age of 65. I told him I admired him for being on the new business trail. And if you don’t mind my asking, I added, “How old are you?”

“I’m 76,” he responded.

This post comes from Halina Matt at our partner site Zing.

It’s pretty much universally understood that the first thing on everyone’s mind midwinter is vacation. Whether it’s due to cold-weather blues or holiday hangover, packing up your bags and getting far, far away for a little while can be very tempting during the frigid months. If this sounds familiar, you’re in luck. Booking travel between mid-January and mid-February can often mean big savings.