Financial and Lifestyle Resources for Vermont

Over the course of my career, I’ve worked in the finance, travel and tourism, resort, athletic footwear and apparel, and snowboarding industries. As a result, I’ve learned quite a lot about branding and marketing at for-profit and non-profit organizations of every level from global brands to regional brands all the way down to niche brands.

IRAs, or individual retirement accounts, have been used for many years as a means to reduce taxable income and save money for retirement. Monies placed into a traditional IRA are not subject to income taxes and continue to earn interest, which is also not taxed.

So here's a fun fact, which also happens to be the reason I’m writing this blog: International Credit Union (ICU) Day comes every year on the third Thursday of October (October 18 in 2018). It’s a big day for credit unions and this year (2018), the theme is “Find Your Platinum Lining.” If you’re wondering why they're messing with your silver lining, they have a good reason. This is the platinum (70th) anniversary of ICU day, which started in 1948 and has been celebrated on the third Thursday of October since then.

Living in the Northeast when the seasons are changing can prove costly if your home is not energy efficient. You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on a heat pump, furnace repair or replacement, a pellet stove, air sealing, insulation, ventilation, or roof repair or replacement just to name a few. The list of potential fall weatherization and energy efficiency projects is often big, and finding funds necessary to pay for such efforts may be just enough to make some people think it’s simply not affordable for them.   

Air sealing and insulating are relatively low-cost solutions to climate control in your home or office. Whether you are dealing with heat and humidity in the summer, cold and drafty spaces in the winter, or both, you will save both money and energy by taking some simple steps to tighten up your structure’s envelope (the physical barrier between air conditioned and unconditioned spaces).  

With the heating season coming up quick, this is a good time to assess your home heating equipment to make sure it’s in good working order. By maintaining your equipment, you’ll ensure that your stove, boiler, furnace, mini-split, or other heating unit performs as efficiently as possible. Here are some tips to help you get ready for the cold weather:

This is an exciting time for plug-in electric vehicle (EV) buyers. Manufacturers are producing more affordable electric cars in a wider array of models than ever before. And now, the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) is investigating how electric utilities and others can promote the ownership and use of electric vehicles in the state. If you’re on the fence about buying an EV, this article may help you pick a side.

Is your debt spread out in all directions—through loans, credit cards, a mortgage (or two), you name it? Are you carrying credit card balances on high-interest cards that you can’t seem to pay off? Are you struggling to save for future needs or significant life changes like retirement? If so, debt consolidation could help reduce your monthly financial obligations (and your stress), open up your monthly cash flow, and ultimately allow you to reduce your debt more quickly.