Liz Hagg's Finance Blog

We’ve been talking for several weeks about affordability by separating facts, influences, and choices. Lately, I’ve been thinking more about the mindset piece and the stories we tell ourselves. Those stories come from somewhere. They are shaped by: How we grew up Friends and family Social media The news Past financial experiences What we see other people doing All of these things can influence what we believe about money and what we think is or isn’t affordable. So, if we are

We hear a lot about the rising cost of living. Housing, groceries, insurance, cars, childcare, and so many other expenses may cost more than they once did. That is real. And we still have choices. Both can be true. We may not control what something costs, but we can control how we respond. Our choices may not always be easy or fun, but making thoughtful decisions can give us something important: peace. Last week, we talked about the beliefs that can influence our financial de

This week, I want to go beyond the math and talk about something just as important - what we believe and what we tell ourselves about money. Because affordability isn't only about the numbers. It's also about what we believe. Think about that inner voice and some of the things it tells us: "I work hard. I deserve it." "Everyone has a car payment." "We make good money. We should be able to afford this." "I should be able to afford this." "My kids should have what their friends

Over the past few weeks, we've been looking at affordability from a few different angles: Facts, Influences & Choices - separating what's true, what influences our situation and where we still have choices Lifestyle Creep - how conveniences, expectations and even luxuries can quietly become our new "normal" The Whole Affordability Equation - recognizing that affordability isn't caused by just one thing. Housing, interest rates and inflation matter, but so do income, debt, lif

Affordability is complicated. Yet when we're struggling financially, it's easy to identify one reason we can't get ahead: Housing prices Interest rates Inflation Student loans Wages And if I believe there's one reason I can't get ahead - and that reason is completely outside my control - where does that leave me? STUCK. That's exactly where I don't want the affordability conversation to leave us. Because affordability isn't driven by just one thing. It's an equation with a lo

Last week, I introduced a different way to think about affordability - separating facts, influences, and choices. This week, let's talk about something that can happen so gradually we don't even notice it. Lifestyle creep. Lifestyle creep happens when our spending slowly increases as our income, circumstances, and expectations change. But I think there's another influence contributing to it today: Convenience. Think about the old Staples Easy Button. That was easy. In many wa