Last fall, I made the decision to return to school and pursue my MBA. As someone who has been in the work force for some time and out of college for many years, this was not a decision I made lightly. Work-life balance is hard enough, but adding the equivalent of a part time job on top of everything else was sure to be challenging. I’m fortunate that National Life offers an excellent tuition reimbursement program, so the main investment came down to my time and commitment to personal and professional development. As my colleague Mary Putnam has recounted in the past, “If you’re not green and growing, you’re ripe and rotting,” -Ray Kroc. (more…)
Starting Your Career
My First Credit Card
It’s been almost one year since I graduated college (I can’t believe I just wrote that), and I’m still working on adjusting to adulthood. One of the many adjustments I’ve been making is being financially independent. I was very lucky to find a great job with a GOOD company when I graduated. One of the things I did in setting up my finances was to get my very first credit card. There were so many options, and I wasn’t sure what to get. I went with a big carrier card with a very low credit limit. I pay off my balance every month and make sure that I don’t go over my limit. I like that I have one bill to pay, and I earn points on my purchases. (more…)
Managing It All: My First Student Loan Payment Is Here
I just made my first student loan payment last week….and everything just got real, folks. According to the Wall Street Journal, with 2015 graduates owing $35,000 on average, I’m lucky; my student loans aren’t nearly as crippling as many of my classmates’ loans. And while I’d love to attribute that to the fantastic scholarships I received that actually only barely made a dent, my mom is the one who took on the largest part of the loans and I’m forever grateful to her. (more…)
I’m a Millennial and I Haven’t Saved for Retirement
My name is Haley, I’m a millennial and I’m about to start my third (and last!) year of law school. Like many people, my life is full of deadlines, time with friends, thoughts of student loans and plans for the future. My impending graduation means that I’m also getting ready for my first permanent, full-time job (aka my induction into full adulthood). As with all big life changes, I have a lot to think about—and a lot to worry about.
I can get an impressive amount of worrying done between 12am and 1am. Long after I should be asleep, I’m worrying. I’m worrying about things I can do something about (hello, 3am bill payment), and I’m worrying about things I can’t do anything about (my student loans will still be there in the morning… unfortunately). But, you know what I don’t worry about? Retirement. (more…)
