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This article is by staff writer Lisa Aberle.

Have you ever had the nagging sense that you were just floating through life? Stuck in a dead-end job, perhaps? Wasting your abilities, but unsure what to do about it?

Almost everyone I know has felt that way at least once. But let me ask you another question: Has that dissatisfaction caused you to spend too much money, as sort of a band-aid on a stagnant life?

I’ve been there, but I’m doing everything I can to prevent my children from ending up in the same place.

The responsibility you feel

Since my husband and I have had children, our lives are more complicated. Before kids, we considered the kind of retirement we wanted and saved accordingly. When we had spare time, we did what we felt like doing.

This article is by editor Linda Vergon.

Is there a bill you pay that you absolutely detest? Occasionally, I’ll get an attitude about paying one bill or another. (Ha! Paying taxes on April 15 is one bill that comes to mind immediately, for example.)

I recognize that there is a reason I have the bills that I have to pay. For the most part, each represents a service that I decided was valuable and want in my life. But the more I manage my money, the more I scrutinize each of my bills and re-evaluate whether I really am using my money in the best way.

Counting the cost

For me, there is one bill that’s really starting to get under my skin. I’m a saver. I am super attached to my stuff and can hardly bear to get rid of it. I have been saving my stuff for – Well, I was going to say “years,” but it’s more accurate to say “all my life.” I still have stuff from my childhood.

This article is by staff writer William Cowie.

Jake and Kelly (not their real names) were very dear friends of ours. Well, Kelly is still, but her husband just recently passed away. Because he was healthy and active, it came as a complete shock to us all — especially to Kelly.

A familiar division of labor had developed in their 40 years of marriage. Jake was the one who took care of everything. He naturally just assumed the role of handyman, car mechanic, and accountant. If it broke, he fixed it; if it needed gas, he filled it; and if it needed to be paid, he made sure the finances would accommodate it.

Circumstances reinforce habits

They both worked since becoming empty nesters, but a few years ago Jake became one of those statistics we talk about a lot in the comments — he became unemployed and, when the benefits ran out, he ended up dropping off the official unemployment statistics.

This article is by editor Linda Vergon.

Interest rates are expected to rise later in 2015. What will you do with this information?

You could make the case that you haven’t missed much if you didn’t keep your money in a savings account over the last few years. But still, we all need liquid funds to one degree or another – and the sooner the interest rate goes up on those balances, the better.