Are you a cat person or a dog person? Both? Neither?

Chances are, if you’re a pet owner, you will go to extreme lengths to care for your pet, including paying for both regular and emergency pet care.

It seems that there are quite a few animal lovers in the United States. According to the humane society, there were an estimated 79.7 million households in the United States who had pets from 2015-2016. The average amount spent on veterinarian care for the 163.6 million cats and dogs in America was $1,288.50.

There’s no question that pets are expensive. You can be as frugal as possible as a pet owner, but there’s no telling when or how your pet might have a medical emergency, and emergency care is expensive.

A growing trend among pet owners to help cover both the expected and unexpected costs is to pay a monthly rate for pet insurance coverage or simply to have savings from which they can pay for any pet emergencies.

If you’re a pet owner with neither pet insurance nor a savings fund, the following pet horror stories (and the huge costs these pet owners faced) may just persuade you to have a backup plan for any pet emergency.

Pet horror story with pet insurance

Rachael Jovero of Minneapolis, MN is extremely grateful that she opted in for the $20/month insurance continuation after her free month of Petwatch pet health insurance that came with the adoption of her cat, Omar. She felt that it was a small cost which provided ease of mind.

About 3 weeks after adopting him, Omar became very ill, slept constantly, and wanted no food. After Rachael had taken Omar to the vet, they discovered that he had immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, which is an extremely rare and expensive medical condition in cats. She needs to continue to monitor his platelet count and pump him with steroids to maintain his counts to keep her cat healthy.

Luckily, due to having pet insurance with only a $100 deductible and 20% co-pay, she has saved about $1500 in veterinarian costs so far. Having Omar’s insurance has made all the difference. Because they had the coverage, they didn’t have to worry about making the tough decision to continue trying to figure out what his diagnosis was. They are able to keep Omar, and take care of his medical needs.
 

Pet horror story with an emergency fund

Lindsey Olson of Minneapolis, MN has a golden retriever with a penchant for eating things he shouldn’t. While attending a tailgate party, their dog decided to swallow a corn cob whole. After a week of acting abnormally, they brought him to the emergency vet. Imaging showed that the corn cob was lodged in his bowel, cutting off blood supply to his organs. By midnight that night, their golden retriever was in emergency surgery to have the corn cob removed.

Luckily the surgery went fine, and he was as good as new, but Lindsey had to pay a $3,000 emergency pet surgery bill. Lindsey didn’t have pet insurance at the time, but she was able to pay out of pocket from her general emergency fund.

After the corn cob incident, however, Lindsey says, “With our next pets, we will definitely get pet insurance. Especially since we have paid for our other two dogs to get both of their ACLs fixed, and have incurred additional expenses for various incidents beyond normal check-ups and care.”

Laura Craig of Minneapolis is also grateful for having an emergency fund large enough to cover any contingency, including vet bills. Even after spending $4000 on vet bills and continued care, she believes that having an emergency fund is cheaper than paying for pet insurance in the long run.

She suggests having a portion of your paycheck automatically deposited into an emergency savings account. She says, “It’s amazing how quickly it adds up and is so easy. That’s my emergency fund for whatever may happen, including pet problems.”

Jamie Kauppi of Minneapolis wishes that he had pet insurance for his dog Elsie. She first had heartworm from the rescue she came from and was on medicine for the heartworms which caused hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (bloody diarrhea). Between the heartworms and the medicine itself, he had to deal with a lot of vet trips and even a three-day stay in the animal hospital for Elsie. All said and done, he ended up paying $2100 for Elsie’s care and treatment. Jamie was able to use some savings, but the rest had to be put on care credit, for which he applied in the vet’s office.
 

Deciding on pet insurance

If you decide that pet insurance is an expense that you’re both willing and able to afford, to help protect yourself from the costs of devastating medical disasters with your pets, then you’ll have a ton of companies to choose from.

According to ConsumerAdvocate.org the following companies are the best Pet Insurance companies: Healthy Paws, PetPlan, Trupanion, Embrace, PetsBest, and Petfirst. You can also pay for a pet health insurance policy through regular companies such as Progressive or Farmers Insurance. It may be worth looking into whether or not you can get added coverage for your pet in a bundle with your car or home insurance.

Make sure to get quotes from at least three different companies and compare the product that they’re offering. When you’re armed with lower quotes from different companies and have a list of the services that are included in that rate, then you may be able to negotiate a lower price with a different company. Insurance companies want your business, and they are usually able to haggle on the price to either keep you or secure you as their customer.
 

Deciding on a pet emergency fund

If you decide that pet insurance simply isn’t worth the cost, then you’ll definitely want to consider either starting a separate pet emergency fund or beefing up your catch-all emergency fund.

You don’t want to be left making the choice of not being able to save your furry family member because you can’t afford the medicine or procedure necessary to keep them with you longer. Decide before hand how much you would be willing to pay for medical treatment and try to put that much into savings for a pet emergency.
 

Choosing a combination of the two

You may even want to consider purchasing a basic pet insurance plan with a low monthly fee and a reasonable deductible while having a smaller pet emergency fund on the side as well. If for example, you’re able to get a pet insurance plan for $20 a month with a $200 deductible, you would only need to have $500 or so in your pet emergency fund. You’ll know that you’ll be covered both for basic shots and medical upkeep, as well as the chance of a bigger pet emergency.
 

Are you willing to fund the liability of having pets?

Remember, no matter whether you decide pet insurance is worth the cost or not, and whether you decide to start a savings account specifically for pet incidentals, it’s a good idea to have at least $1,000 set aside in your general emergency fund.

Life is full of emergencies, and pet care is just one of them. Give yourself some breathing room in your budget, either through insurance or savings, so that you can make the best decision possible for both your family and your pet. You don’t want to have to face the impossible decision of not being able to afford much-needed care for your furry family member.

Have you ever dealt with an expensive pet emergency? Do you have pet insurance or wish that you had pet insurance? How do you deal with your emergency veterinarian bills?

We all have at least one friend or know someone in passing is bad with money.

They complain about never having enough money for groceries, but they come in with new clothes they bought with a credit card.

They laugh about not ever paying their bills on time.

They spend their money the moment they get it.

I’m not talking about people who are struggling to make ends meet but are trying their hardest, I’m talking about that friend who has both the means and ability to do better, but chooses not to.

Do you worry about that friend? Do you cringe at their financial mistakes?

Do you stay quiet or offer advice? What can you do to lend a hand?

How on earth can you help a friend who is terrible at managing their money without offending them?

Here are a few ways to offer support and advice friends who are bad with money management, without ruining your friendship.

Openly talk about your own mistakes

Sometimes it’s hard to start a dialogue about money with people who aren’t so great with their finances. If you see your friend struggling, strike up a conversation about your own mistakes. By admitting your own failures and talking about how you surpassed your own struggles, you can inadvertently give your friend advice or direction.

If your friend says, “I can never seem to pay my credit card bill on time,” tell them about the methods that you used to get that same problem under control. For example, you could say, “I had the same problem until I decided to automate my bill pay. It was such an easy change to make, but now I never miss a payment.”
 

Be a good example

Unfortunately, sometimes our own money-management skills dissolve when we spend too much time with people who make bad money choices.

Instead of letting their bad choices affect you, try to turn the situation around. Let your good example have a positive effect on their own choices. Pay your bills on time, don’t spend on credit while you’re out with them, and live below your means.

They will see how much easier of time you have it, and they may just decide that they want to emulate your financial success.
 

Suggest low-cost alternatives

If your friend says, “Let’s grab burgers and go see a movie,” say, “I have had the worst craving for spaghetti. Do you mind cooking here and watching a Red Box movie instead?”

If they want to go for a pedicure, suggest a DIY nail session at home. If your friend wants to go shopping, try to persuade them to check out that new discount store with you instead, or steer their focus in another direction altogether.
 

Find free things to do together

Remind them that you don’t have to spend money to spend time together. Find free festivals, go a walk together, find a new trail to hike, or simply sit at home and have a drink together.

Sometimes we feel as though we have to do something when we get together with friends. The truth is that real friends can simply enjoy each other’s company without spending $20 or more on each outing.
 

Use money management apps

If you want to help, but hate confrontation, a great passive aggressive way to show them how to manage their money is by using a budgeting or investing app in front of them.

Personal Capital, Digit, and Acorns are all fantastic apps that help you budget and save money. If they see you having a positive experience with your money through these apps, they may be more inclined to download the apps themselves.
 

If they ask for advice, give it

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can’t force your friend to make wise money choices if they aren’t interested in doing so. You can only do your best to show them through example and help them if they ask for help. If they do ask, great, help them with everything you have in your money-management arsenal.

Don’t force your wisdom on them though. It will just strain your friendship and cause resentment problems. If their money choices start to affect your own financial situation, then you’ll need to assess whether you need to take step back from that friendship.

Do you have a friend who’s bad with money management? What do you do to help them? Do you say anything or try just to lead by example?

Go to any financial website out there, and more often than not, you’ll find articles advising you to focus on your net worth, not your income.

This expert advice stems from the reality that income doesn’t mean wealth. Someone making $500,000 can make the same poor financial choices as someone making $50,000 a year and end up filing for bankruptcy. Because income is no guarantee of wealth, the experts guide you to focus on your net worth instead.

I’d like to argue that the advice to “focus on your net worth” is a blanket statement that may not apply to everyone.

For millennials especially, who are struggling to repay student loans, get their first well-paying job, or even just get their foot in the door of the career of their choice, net worth is the farthest thing from their mind.

Here are just a few reasons why focusing on net worth may not be your best course of action for now.
 

Are you just starting out?

Focusing on net worth is a sound principle for people who have a steady income that they are able to invest, but if you’re just starting out or still building your career, focusing on income should be your number one priority.

You’ll never be able to increase your net worth if you’re working a low-paying job and you’re living paycheck to paycheck with nothing to spare.

You can’t see returns on your investments if you don’t have the cash to invest in the first place. You can’t buy real estate that will generate passive income unless you have the money for a down payment on the property. You can’t save for retirement if you’re struggling to pay your monthly bills.
 

Focus on income first

As they say, “What you focus on grows.” Before you make your net worth your number one priority, you need to establish a firm foundation for your finances with a steady and reliable stream of income.

If you’re working a low-paying job, it’s time to ask for a raise or look for a higher-paying job.

If you’re happy with your job, but still need more money, it’s time to look into some side hustles. Start a blog, become a freelance writer, or buy, sell, and flip things on craigslist.

Find a way to monetize the things you’re both good at and enjoy doing. There are some amazing and creative ways to earn some extra income. Check out DC’s new book Hustle Away Debt for more about how side hustles can help you grow your income outside of your 9-5.

Once you establish a firm foundation for your salary or career, you’ll be in a better position to focus on your net worth. As you earn a higher salary, invest the difference in stocks, bonds, and real estate. You’ll be able to increase your net worth exponentially faster if you focus on increasing your income as well as your “disposable or investable income.” Increasing income now will mean laying a more solid financial foundation for future decades.
 

Fluctuating markets can drive you crazy

The market has historically moved in cycles of boom and then bust. Downturns are always around the corner, whether that corner is months or years away. Don’t ever forget that the market could have yet another downturn or even a recession like we saw in 2008.

By only focusing on net worth and watching the numbers fluctuate from day to day, you’ll drive yourself crazy. If you have the means to invest as a millennial, then absolutely, get started in the stock market or find your first rental property. Just be sure not to focus too much on the daily numbers. Investments are long-term prospects, and there isn’t much you can do to fix your net worth in a day.
 

Net worth can inflate your perceived wealth

When most of your fortune is tied to bonds, stocks, and real estate, your perceived wealth can be higher than your actual wealth. Seeing those net worth numbers grow can make you overly confident in your wealth.

If you’re keeping track of your net worth, and business is booming, you may be more likely to make less financially sound decisions. It’s important to live a life appropriate to your income. Don’t speculate on your own net worth and lose out in the long run if the market takes a bad turn. You don’t want to be stuck with credit cards debt, car loans, or debt on expensive toys because you thought that you could afford something based on your net worth.
 

Focus incrementally more on net worth

I believe that if you are just starting out in your career, you’ll be better off in the long run by focusing first on your income. After you have established a solid financial foundation through your income and profits, you’ll be able to focus incrementally more on net worth and have that “millionaire mentality” that net worth aficionados rave about.

Until you reach that point, however, make getting out of debt and increasing your income your number one priority. As you have more income to spare, you’ll be able to focus more on your net worth. Making your income your priority is the first step to becoming financially independent because that income is what will allow you to purchase dividend stocks or passive income properties, therefore increasing your net worth.

So don’t feel bad if you’re more focused on your monthly income and career at this point in your young adult life. It’s normal, and you’re well on your way to being able to make net worth your highest priority.

Check out a FREE tool for tracking both your net worth as well as income and expenses.

Do you focus on income or net worth? What are your reasons?

The 2016 Presidential Campaign is in full swing, with the Iowa caucus in the books and the New Hampshire primary taking place tomorrow.

The candidates are everywhere, figuratively and literally, on the news, in the media, and even in social media trying to convince you that they represent the best choice for the next president of the United States.

While tax reform, job creation, immigration, foreign wars, and abortion are still mainstay issues for most of the presidential candidates, a new hot-button issue has emerged that we haven’t really seen as strongly in a presidential contest before.

Student loans, student loan reform, and the possibility of making college tuition less costly or even free for all students, has taken center stage. Millennials, the most debt-burdened students in history, are demanding answers.

We want to know: What is your stance on student loans and student loan debt? Are you going to do anything to fix our massive student loan debt problem in the United States? How can we change things to make college a financial reality the next generation?

The following is an unbiased, fact-based listing of the 2016 Presidential candidate’s stance (or lack thereof) on student loans and student loan debt.
 

In his own words, Ted Cruz’s plan as president is as follows, “During my first year, I will fight to abolish the IRS, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.”

Ted Cruz’s stance appears to lean more towards job creation.

 
 
Donald Trump

In an interview with The Hill, for example, he said, “One of the biggest questions I get is from people in college [about student loans]. They’re in college — they’re doing well but they’ve got student loans up to the neck. They’re swimming in these loans.”

He has since gone on to say that he’ll “fix the problem” but has yet to offer any concrete details on his official campaign website. His student loan plan seems to lean more towards job creation instead of loan management, reduction or revamping of our Federal Loan process.

 
 
Marco Rubio

• Consolidate the higher education tax incentives into one provision

• Reduce the complexity of the federal financial aid application

• Reduce the burden of student loan debt by establishing an automatic income-based

• Allow students to apply for “Student Investment Plans” from approved investors to help Americans finance postsecondary education without taking on the burden of student loans.

• Establish an accountable framework for students to repay loans based on what they earn after college.

 
 
Jeb Bush

• Replace the current federal loan program with an entirely new, income-based financing system that gives students ownership of their student aid and the flexibility to plot their own individual educational path

• Provide all high school graduates access to a $50,000 line of credit through their Education Savings Account. Students would repay this debt by contributing a percentage of their incomes proportional to the amount spent—1% for every $10,000 spent—through their federal income taxes for 25 years.

• Give low-income students, in addition to the $50,000 line of credit, access to an improved need-based Pell Grant through their Education Savings Account.

• Drive down costs and hold post-secondary institutions accountable by forcing them to share the risk of failure with students, thereby incentivizing them to reduce costs, boost quality and ensure that students graduate, find a job and have the skills needed to succeed.

• Give students and families the information they need to make good decisions through the creation of state databases that make information on student outcomes (retention, completion, unemployment, earnings, etc.) available to the public.

• Help existing borrowers successfully repay their loans by allowing them to transfer into the new income-based repayment system.

• Make federal debt collection more transparent, simple and fair and allow private student debt to be discharged in bankruptcy, extending the debt repayment period and easing transition into the existing REPAYE

 
 
Ben Carson

• Use market-oriented solutions to reduce tuition costs and alleviate student loan debt.

• Develop an approach that reflects the American values of free market competition and consumer choice.

• Provide parents and students clear, easy-to-understand information about repayment rates and future earnings projections in their chosen fields of study.

• Simplify and streamline the financial aid system to make it easier for students and families to make informed decisions.

• Reverse President Obama’s nationalization of the student loan market and welcome private sector participation in providing information and financing.

• Ensure that no student has to borrow to pay for tuition, books, or fees to attend a four-year public college in their state.

• Enable Americans with existing student loan debt to refinance at current rates.

• Hold colleges and universities accountable for controlling costs and making tuition affordable

• Close corporate tax loopholes to pay for her plan

“We need to make a quality education affordable and available to everyone willing to work for it, without saddling them with decades of debt,” Hilary Clinton, August 10, 2015.
 
 
Bernie Sanders

• His plan is to make tuition free at public colleges and universities.

• Stop the Federal Government from making a profit on student loans.

• Substantially cut student loan interest rates.

• Allow Americans to refinance student loans at today’s low-interest

• Allow students to use need-based financial aid and work study programs to make college debt free.

• Make college fully paid for by imposing a tax on Wall Street speculators (a $75 billion dollar a year plan).

 
Student loan debt is an issue that is not going away anytime soon. With college students graduating with higher and higher levels of student loan debt, it’s only going to become a bigger issue in Presidential races.

Does a candidate’s stance on student loans or debt matter to you? What are you looking for in a candidate? Will their stance on student loans sway your vote?

People who want to retire early, or, at least, earlier than 59 ½, worry about how they’ll be able to fund their early retirement. After all, there are huge tax disadvantages to withdrawing retirement assets early.

What if I told you that there is a way that you can have your proverbial retirement cake and eat it too?

The IRA conversion ladder method will help you retire early by giving you access to the funds that you need, sooner than 59 ½.

A conversion ladder isn’t an overnight solution, though.

First of all, you need to have money in a traditional IRA. You also will have to plan ahead and be willing to wait for five years before you’re able to access your money.

If you’re willing to wait, five year is a small price to pay for avoiding the 10% early withdrawal tax typical of retirement accounts. By planning to use an IRA conversion ladder in advance, you’ll avoid that 10% tax, have access to your money, and be able to fund an early retirement.

What is an IRA conversion ladder?

The IRS permits any person to withdraw money tax and penalty free from their retirement accounts if that money was converted from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. It’s not a free for all, though. You have to wait five years from the time of conversion to withdraw the money, and you have to pay income taxes on the full amount converted at the time of conversion.

The idea behind a Roth IRA Conversion Ladder stems from this tax and penalty free withdrawal after the five-year wait.  To take advantage of this 10% tax avoidance and make the conversion rule work for retirement, you’ll have to continue converting money every year until you’re 59 ½.

Convert one year of living expenses from your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and pay the taxes at conversion. After five years you can withdraw that amount from your Roth IRA without penalty. Withdraw one year’s worth of living expenses from your Roth IRA, and continue making and taking conversions until you reach 59 ½.

How much will you need annually in retirement?

For a conversion ladder to be able to help you retire early, you have to know how much money you will spend  each year in retirement. If you have no idea, Personal Capital is a great tool to help you figure it out. Use the app or website to track your expenses and create an estimated annual budget.

You could also input your information into a retirement calculator. Either way, for a conversion ladder to be a successful strategy, you need to know how much money you will need to have access to.

Set up your conversion ladder once each year

If you want to be able to live on your Roth conversion money, you’ll need to set up your conversion once each year until you reach 59 ½.

Let’s say that you reach 50 and decide that you want to retire in five years. You would need to convert enough money each year for five years before you want to retire, as well as the 4 ½ years before you reach traditional retirement age and could access your account.

If you decide that your annual expenses are $30,000 per year, you’ll need to convert $30,000 each year starting at age 50. For example, going with that plan, you’re conversion ladder would look like this:

Setting up a conversion ladder is pretty simple

Setting up your conversion ladder is a process that shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes each year. If you’re pretty savvy with your retirement accounts, you can do it yourself. If you feel like you need assistance, contact your bank or speak to someone with your brokerage account and ask them to help make a conversion from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA for you.

Once you start building your ladder, you’ll be able to access the money after you’ve met the five-year wait limit and start funding your early retirement.

Do you want to retire early? Have you ever looked into establishing an IRA conversion ladder? If not, how do you plan to fund your early retirement?

Are you planning on doing your own taxes this year?

You’re in luck; you have a rare few extra days to get everything in order.

Because April 15, 2016, falls on Emancipation Day this year, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia, April 18, 2016, is the due date for taxes.

You still have a few months before taxes are officially due, but you’ll want to make you’re completely ready with all of the necessary paperwork before you actually sit down to hash out your taxes with TurboTax or any other tax program.

Don’t wait until the last minute to find everything you need.

Check out this tax checklist to help yourself prepare for taxes. You can even download a free Excel file (see bottom of the post) that has all the items on the list to help you stay organized.

Round up your files

Brace yourself, because this list is intense.

Of course not all of these documents will apply to every individual, so look over the list carefully and highlight what you think you’ll need. So, round up all of the following documents and organize them by section for easy access and review when you finally sit down to do your taxes.

• Social Security numbers and dates of birth for you, your spouse, and/or your dependents
• Copies of last year’s tax return for you and your spouse (helpful, but not required)
• Bank account number and routing number for direct deposit of your refund into your account
• W-2 forms for you and your spouse
• SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits received
• 1099-C forms for cancelation of debt
• 1099-G forms for unemployment income, or state or local tax refunds
• 1099-MISC forms for you and your spouse (for any independent contractor work)
• 1099-R, Form 8606 for payments/distributions from IRAs or retirement plans
• 1099-S forms for income from sale of a property
• 1099-INT, -DIV, -B, or K-1s for investment or interest income
• Records of any alimony received or paid
• Business or farming income – profit/loss statement, capital equipment information
• Records of rental property income and expenses
• Forms 6252 for principal and interest collected during the year
• Records of miscellaneous income: jury duty, gambling winnings, Medical Savings Account, scholarships, etc.
• Records of Medical Savings Account (MSA) contributions
• Self-employed health insurance payment records
• Keogh, SEP, SIMPLE, and other self-employed pension plans

Tax deduction records

• Form 1098-E for student loan interest paid (or loan statements for student loans)
• Form 1098-T for tuition paid (or receipts/canceled checks for tuition paid for post-high school)
• Records of IRA contributions made during the year
• Receipts for eco-friendly home improvements
• Child care records (i.e. babysitter’s name, W-9, and total amount paid, etc.)
• Form 1098-T for educational costs
• Adoption records of expenses: You will need the SSN of your child and their legal records as well as records of any medical or travel costs
• Form 1098 for mortgage interest and private mortgage insurance etc.
• Records of charitable contributions (either cash or physically donated goods)
• Applicable medical or dental expense records
• Records of moving expenses
• Casualty and theft losses: amount of damage, insurance reimbursements
• Random tax deduction records (i.e. records of union dues, work expenses, travel,)
• Records of home business expenses, home size/office size, home expenses
• Rental property income/expenses: profit/loss statement, rental property suspended loss information

Records of taxes already paid

Also, be sure to round up all of your records of taxes you paid throughout the year.

• Bills from your state and local income taxes
• Vehicle license fees
• Records of any real estate or personal property taxes
• Estimated tax payments (quarterly tax payments) if you’re self-employed

You made it to the end of the list! Congratulations! Remember, it’s better to have too much prepared than not enough. You won’t want to be missing a critical piece of information when you’re filing your taxes.

Make retroactive contributions

Do you have all of your necessary paperwork ready and waiting? Great! Now you can use this time to go back and make any retroactive contributions for the prior tax year.

For example, if you regret not maxing out your retirement or college savings account for the prior year, you still have time to max out those accounts even though it’s technically the new year.

You have the ability to make retroactive contributions to your IRA, Roth IRA, 401K, HSA, 529, or Coverdell Education Savings Account as long as you attribute the contribution to the prior tax year and make sure you’re payment is received before tax day.

Make any necessary “removal of excess contributions”

You can also use this time leading up to tax day to make any necessary removal of excess contributions if you contributed too much.

For example, if you accidentally contributed the $5500 to both your Traditional IRA and your Roth IRA you will need to withdraw $5500 total from your accounts, either $2,250 from each, or any other combination you prefer, as long as your combined contributions to both accounts does not exceed the annual maximum of $5,500.

Remedying excess contributions is important, because if you have too much in those accounts on April 18, you’ll have to pay a six percent tax penalty on the extra money plus the interest it accrued. So simply get a withdrawal request form from your financial institution, and request any necessary distributions from your accounts before April 18 to avoid any tax penalties.

Remember also to report the withdrawal of excess contributions as income, because they are subject to a ten percent early withdrawal penalty.

Use the lead up to tax time to your benefit

Tax Day is still months away, so use this time leading up to get your financial ducks in a row. Getting everything ready now means you’ll have time to fix errors, make more contributions, or find any missing paperwork. Secure all of the necessary paperwork now, and you’ll save yourself a whole lot of stress down the road.

We also offer a free Excel download of this checklist. Just click the image below and the Excel file will download. Feel free to delete the rows that aren’t relevant to you and add anything else you may need. Taxes are a lot less painful when you are prepared!

Tax Checklist

Admitting that you have room for self-improvement is difficult, and actually working towards self-improvement can be even harder.

We don’t like to think about our shortcomings, but sometimes we need to embrace our faults and start working towards positive change.

Change and the time to enact that change isn’t easy to come by, though. In our fast-paced and stressed out lifestyles, sometimes we need to look to new tools that will help

If you recognize that you have room for self- improvement, want to create awesome new habits, or kick old ones, but feel short on time, check out these seven apps for self-improvement.

As you use these apps, you’ll start to see positive change in your daily life and see that you’re on your way to recognizable self-improvement.
 

1) Coach.me – the leading habit tracking app for self-improvement

Do you have trouble kicking bad habits or sticking with good ones?

Coach.me is the lead habit tracking app that will help you. Whether you want to exercise every day or simply floss your teeth more, this awesome self-improvement app makes it easier for you to be able to stay consistent and track progress towards your personal goals.

It’s impossible to improve upon what you’ve never measured, so use the app to check off every day you do (or avoid) your habit and keep track of progress. The app lets you set targets and reminders for how many times you want to do your habit each week to hold yourself responsible.

Use the app to get support from friends and the Coach.me community, ask expert coaches for help, and view weekly and monthly trends of your progress.

Coach.me is available to download on the App Store and Google Play

2) Do! – The Best of Simple to Do Lists on the App Store

Do you have trouble staying on task or remembering everything you have to do each day?

Do! is a perfectly simple app that helps you stay on task. Don’t waste time writing to-do lists that you’ll either lose or forget to bring at all. Use this minimalistic and easy to use “to-do list” app instead.

Do! is a customizable app that comes with a realistic ballpoint pen and paper sound effect, making it feel just like you’re writing out a traditional list.  Having your tasks always on hand and the ability to cross things off as you go, you’ll find that your day starts becoming much more productive.

Do! is available to download on the App Store

3) Duolingo – an award-winning language app

Being bilingual offers more than just the obvious benefits in a culturally diverse country. Scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism can have a profound effect on your brain by improving your cognitive skills and potentially shielding against the future effects of dementia.

You don’t need to have hours of free time or a huge budget to grab onto to these amazing benefits of becoming bilingual, though.

Duolingo is a completely free app that teaches you to read, write, listen, and speak in the language of your choosing.

The best part of this amazing app? Research has shown that Duolingo users’ language education is equivalent to 34 + hours (an entire semester) of university level education.

So use those free minutes on your morning commute, during your lunch break, or right before bed to start learning a second (or third, etc.) language.

Duolingo is available to download on the App Store, Google Play, and the Windows Store

4) Happier – The App to help you be happier in everyday life

It’s scientifically proven that by developing an attitude of gratitude you’ll feel more optimistic, sleep better, be more creative, productive, and less stressed.

If you have a hard time finding the silver lining in life’s situations, use the Happier app to start recording the small moments you’re grateful for.

By sharing pictures, quotes, and moments from your daily life that make you feel happy, you’ll start to see a shift in your mindset, eventually always finding the good first, instead of seeing what’s wrong or didn’t go as planned.

Use the Happier app to help you work towards becoming more optimistic, less stressed, and increasingly grateful for whatever life throws your way. You can use the app as either a private gratitude journal or choose to make your post public for other users to enjoy.

The Happier app is available to download on the App Store and Google Play

5) Personal Capital – to keep you on track of bad spending habits

If you’re able to see how your bad habits affect both your life and finances, you’ll be more likely to change your ways.

The Personal Capital app is a powerful financial tool that will help you put the kibosh on bad spending habits. By monitoring your spending by category, you’ll see where, when, and on what you spend your money.

Use the app to hone in on those areas in your life where you might be spending too much and give you the boost you need to end bad habits (i.e. smoking, excessive drinking, etc.).

You can also use the Personal Capital dashboard to set monthly spending targets and track whether you’re over or under your plan, check your portfolio balances and allocations, and keep up with upcoming bills. By setting spending budgets, you’ll be able to make a positive change in both your life and finances.

Personal Capital is available to download on the App Store and Google Play

6) Sworkit – the on-the-go workout app

Besides the obvious health benefits, exercise gives you more energy, better focus, and increased productivity. It’s not always easy to find time to devote to exercise, though.

Enter Sworkit (simply work it), the exercise app for busy people on the go. The app gives you access to real personal trainers who do video demonstrations of 20 different pre-built workout routines. You don’t need to have any equipment to complete the routines.

So whether you have 10 minutes before work or 30 minutes at the end of the day, simply pick the part of your body you want to work on and set your time limit. Follow along with either audio or video instruction for the workout routine, and you’ll start to feel healthier, happier, and more fit in no time at all.

Sworkit is available to download on the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon

7) Udemy – Own your future by learning new skills

Self-improvement isn’t only about learning to be happier, getting rid of bad habits, or building good habits. You can also work on self-improvement by constantly learning new skills.

No matter what your interests are, Udemy has a course to help you learn. Use the Udemy app to choose from over 35,000 courses and learn at your own pace while you’re on the go.  Whether you only have 5 minutes a day or an hour or more each day, you’ll be able to work steadily through your course material.

Use the Udemy app or website to learn new skills, keep your resume relevant and competitive, and constantly work towards self-improvement.

The Udemy is available online or for download on the App Store and Google Play

Download the apps and get started on self-improvement

Recognizing that you have room for self-improvement is the first step. After that, you simply have to get started.

These apps are great tools to help you get rid of bad habits, build good new habits, or learn something new. Use your spare moments of free time throughout the day or while you’re on the go, and you’ll soon see recognizable improvements in yourself and your daily life.

Do you have a favorite app to work on self-improvement? Besides apps, what else to you use to enact change in your daily life?