All by Catherine Agopcan

How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt: A Step-by-Step Guide

Catherine Agopcan
Debt Free

Struggling with credit card debt? Learn how to take control of your finances with this step-by-step guide to paying off debt quickly and effectively. This post covers 11 actionable strategies, including listing and prioritizing your debts, negotiating lower interest rates, redeeming rewards, cutting unnecessary expenses, and adopting a debt repayment plan like the snowball or avalanche method. Discover tips to stop accumulating debt, boost your income, and make smarter financial decisions. Start your journey to becoming debt-free today and reclaim your financial freedom!

Spousal IRA: How Stay-At-Home Moms Can Save For Retirement

Spousal IRA: How Stay-At-Home Moms Can Save For Retirement

Catherine Agopcan
Financial Basics, Alternative Lifestyle, Mommy Money

Staying at home to care for children (and older parents in the future) has normally been part of the woman’s Caretaker role. In our current economy, caretaking is low-income work or unpaid. This means that when a woman takes on the Caretaker role full-time, she misses out on potential earnings, skill development, and networking opportunities. A lack of earnings means lower Social Security benefit accumulation and a decrease in savings and investments. A double whammy!

12 Money Challenges for 2024

12 Money Challenges for 2024

Catherine Agopcan
Alternative Lifestyle, Conscious Consumer

You can’t spell challenge without change.

The challenges in this list aren’t your typical save $1 on Day 1 and $2 on Day 2, although, those can be pretty helpful. These challenges are to help you see that money is an integral part of our lives, but it’s not the primary goal. You’ll learn that after doing these challenges, money and time are both important, living frugally doesn’t have to mean deprivation, you don’t always have to spend money to have a good time and that getting a community together can help with your money goals.

4 Books To Read Before Baby Comes

4 Books To Read Before Baby Comes

Catherine Agopcan
Mom Series, Parenting

“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.” - Maria Montessori

With our little girl turning 1, I thought I would share some of the books that helped us in the first year. There is no shortage of books for new parents so this isn’t the most comprehensive list. It’s funny how many become parents without formal guidance or education. Many think that parental instincts kick in when the baby is home, but sometimes that’s far from the truth. It helps to be prepared by reading a book or two from people you’ve been there and done that.

Top Negotiation Books for Parents: Unlocking Effective Results

Top Negotiation Books for Parents: Unlocking Effective Results

Catherine Agopcan
Financial Books, Mommy Money, Professional Development, Parenting

Negotiation skills are crucial in various aspects of life, including parenting. Whether you're trying to convince your toddler to eat their vegetables or discussing important decisions in the workplace, effective negotiation can make a significant difference in getting effective results. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of good negotiation skills for parents and highlight the top five negotiation books to help you become a master negotiator. Additionally, we'll provide you with valuable tips for negotiating with both toddlers and business counterparts.

Book Review and Summary: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Book Review and Summary: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Catherine Agopcan
Professional Development

“Negotiation is not an act of battle, but a process of discovery.”

This month’s book is all about negotiations. It’s called “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it” by Chris Voss. Chris Voss is a former FBI kidnapping negotiator. He shares nine key strategies hat he and his colleagues learned and use to help people in very risky situations. Here are the chapters in the book which correspond to the nine tested strategies.

10 Sustainable Swaps to Save You Money

10 Sustainable Swaps to Save You Money

Catherine Agopcan
Conscious Consumer, Alternative Lifestyle, SaveMoneySaveThePlanet, Socially Conscious Series

As it is Earth Month, I'm sharing some of my tried and true sustainable swaps. My journey to sustainability continues to this day and the biggest thing I've learned is that it is a journey, one that never ends, as we challenge ourselves to do better each day, learn more, and teach others. Sustainability comes in so many forms that we all have to do the best we can, given our resources. I've also learned that when you are kind to the planet, you also become kinder to the wallet.

5 Ways Journaling Can Help Improve Your Finances

5 Ways Journaling Can Help Improve Your Finances

Catherine Agopcan
Productivity Tips

Journaling is a simple practice, yet it can be a powerful tool to help you process everything that's going on in your life. 15 minutes, a pen and paper, and a few prompts are all you need to start a journaling practice. And it is a practice. It takes time to build a habit of writing and reflecting.

When it comes to your finances, journaling about your money fears, money habits, and money opportunities can help you become more aware of the impact of money on your life.

The Motherhood Penalty, Women's Finances and the Future

The Motherhood Penalty, Women's Finances and the Future

Catherine Agopcan
Mommy Money, Mom Series, Financial Basics

“When moms first come back to work they need someone to tell them, ‘You are going to feel crazy. It’s ok to feel crazy. You won’t always feel crazy.’”

With Mother’s Day coming up this week, I wanted to write a post specifically about how motherhood affects the financials of women. This article comes from my perspective as a new mom, but I know there are other people out there (dads, aunties, grandparents, etc.) playing the role of mom so this article goes out to you as well.

The Motherhood Penalty is defined by AAUW as the “phenomenon by which women’s pay decreases once they become mothers”. This is a contributing factor to the current gender pay gap.

There continues to be economic and social benefits to having children, but women should stop being penalized for having children.

The College Series: 9 Ways to Reduce Student Loan Debt

The College Series: 9 Ways to Reduce Student Loan Debt

Catherine Agopcan
Alternative Lifestyle, College Series, Financial Education, Financial Basics

Give a man an education and he will build a new world, but give a man a loan and you can own that man forever.

It’s been 10 years since I graduated from grad school. I still proudly hang up my diploma because it put me on a better path for my career and my income. It was also FREE. No loans, no debt, no soul to be sold. With that, I thought I might offer some ways to help reduce debt if you are a college student or have a child that is about to head to college.

Why You Should Be Checking Your Credit Report

Why You Should Be Checking Your Credit Report

Catherine Agopcan
Financial Basics

A lot can happen in 365 days.

Usually, at around the time of my birthday in March, I like to get my yearly doctor check-ups done. It's just easier for me to remember and also I feel like it makes sense since I’m another year older and another year wiser. One other thing that I also like to do during this time is to check my credit report…because my birthday also means another year of being a more responsible adult.

If you are not comfortable doing this around your birthday, do this around tax season. It's a great way to put yourself in the mindset of money management. Start associating April as the month where you also take care of yourself and your finances.

Momma, Here's Why You Need Life Insurance

Momma, Here's Why You Need Life Insurance

Catherine Agopcan
Mommy Money, Mom Series, Kids and Money, Financial Education

“A woman who dies without adequate life insurance should have to come back and see the mess she created.”

Momma (and dads out there), I want to talk about life insurance for a sec. I know it’s not easy to talk about life insurance because we associate it with death and death is never an easy subject, but this is real life and part of a good financial plan is to protect your loved ones should something happen to you. I’m not an insurance salesperson but here’s my perspective on it.

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