As a mom, I am incredibly proud of teaching my son financial literacy. As Chief Engineer of the Hot Mess Express in my 20s, I overcame debt and a near total lack of financial literacy to build enough wealth so hubby and I may be able to retire when we’re both 55. In today’s fast-paced…
All posts in April 2026
🔎 What to Look for in a Financial Advisor
Do you have a financial advisor? That’s not ChatGPT? Hubby and I have had a financial advisor in our lives for over ten years, and I’m telling you, it’s made such a huge difference for us. Until that point, we were barreling through life saving here and there, but without someone to confirm we were…
⚕️ What’s an HSA?
A couple years ago, I decided to switch from a standard healthcare plan to a High-Deductible Healthcare Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Why? I was the only one in my family (out of my husband, son and me) really using our standard healthcare plan, and felt like we were overpaying. The more…
🤖 A ChatGPT Retirement Analysis Prompt
Most people don’t actually know if they can retire when they want—they’re guessing. This is the exact prompt you can use to start getting real answers. I recently created this for my husband and me, and it was incredibly helpful as we’ve entered a new phase of life. I retired from the federal government and…
😵💫 The Psychology of Money
When I was about 8 years old, my father lost his job. It was devastating for my family. We struggled financially, though my parents did an incredible job shielding us from the worst of it. We had a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, clothes on our backs, and we were safe. But…
🐝 Welcome to the Budget Bee!
Are you hungry for some sweet financial perspective that makes you giggle a bit? I’m Mandy, and I’ve learned a thing or two about personal finance, retirement, and even elder care finance management. I’m here to share what I’ve learned with you, and I hope you giggle a bit along the way. Thanks so much…