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I relish being a parent. For me, it is deeply satisfying to see children develop from infancy to toddlerhood to childhood and onward through the teen years and into adulthood. I love having conversations with them as they figure out their own morality and sense of right and wrong. I love watching their faces as they discover something amazing about the world. I love their seriousness as they take their next step toward adulthood.

All of my children are between the ages of four and nine, so they’re in the ages where many of the foundational principles for how they’ll live their life are put into place. They’re learning how to interact with others in a successful way. They’re learning the routines of self-maintenance that we all do throughout a day – getting dressed, keeping clean, taking care of our core possessions.

And, yes, they’re beginning to learn about money.

Debt collectors can make a stressful situation worse. But you have rights and leverage to negotiate with them. Photo: jazbeck

Debt collectors often make an already stressful situation — feeling stalked by past debts — a lot worse if you give them the chance. They can be merciless, overbearing, and sometimes downright abusive when it comes to interacting with you about your financial history.

But you have rights, and you have options! Before hurriedly sending off a payment or giving them any more personal information, here’s what you need to know. Follow these steps so you can properly research, negotiate, and pay off a debt that’s in collections for far less than what they say you owe.

Travel insurance often seems unnecessary, but missing your vacation in favor of an extended airport stay can make you reconsider its value. Photo: Oakley Originals

Whether it’s for business or pleasure, by land, air, or sea, travel is fraught with perils. That may be a bit hyperbolic, but the fact of the matter is that travel introduces some risks that you wouldn’t normally have to be concerned with.

Regardless of whether you or a loved one plans to backpack across the Andes or the Alps or visit European capitals on a river cruise there will be insurance to consider. So before you sign any applications or agreements, it’s a good idea to know what you’re paying for and how it works.

Keeping good books is essential to keeping your business… in business. Photo: Dave Dugdale

Have you ever written a check and paused for a moment to mentally check your bank account to make sure there were sufficient funds in the account for the check to clear? I have, and I’m guessing you have too. Keeping accurate accounting records is important — especially for your business.

Accounting provides you and your business the information you need to make sound economic decisions. Do I have enough money in the bank to write this check?

It’s also important for demonstrating how the company is doing financially to external parties such as investors, creditors, and tax authorities. How do I attract investors and keep the IRS off my back?