Hello all, and I hope your Spooky Season is off to a phantasmic start! Before everyone’s favorite post-punk protagonist, Sebastian Curtis, chimes in with his account of the 2026 Post-Punk Road Show World Tour, we have a couple of exciting announcements. OUR SEASONAL SALE HAS BEGUN! The Seasonal Sale has started and will run until November 30th (Cyber Monday). We’ll be doing something very special for Giving Tuesday, but more on that in November. All […]

Access to capital can determine which entrepreneurs get the opportunity to turn their ideas into successful businesses. In this episode, I sit down with Arian Simone, founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, to discuss her work investing in women of color, why access to funding remains a challenge, and what it takes to build a venture fund focused on closing that gap. We also talk about her journey as an entrepreneur, investor, author, philanthropist […]

Listen to the pod Michael Taylor and Ryan King from Making Money Simple join Sammie for a money news game show. They argue over airport drop-off charges, subscription creep, legal tax avoidance and whether £10 a month is worth investing. Episode 198 of The Money Gains Podcast swaps the usual interview for five rounds of games. Both guests have been on the show before, and this time they bring opinions on the week’s money news […]

As a mom coach and mom of three with nine years of experience coaching over 2,000 clients, I didn’t become a better mom from parenting tips or scripts. I became a better mom when I got clear on what being a “better mom” actually meant to me, learned the right tools to expand my capacity, and practiced those tools in real life. In this episode, I’m sharing what actually made the biggest difference—from learning how […]

The end of a family trip often presents a logistical challenge before departure. AirBnB check-out is usually between 10:00 or 11:00, while your flight or train may not leave until late afternoon or evening. Then, you have a few hours of free time that would be a shame to waste. For families with young children, these free hours can either be spent sitting around waiting for your transportation home, or turned into a vibrant and memorable extension of the trip. Strolling through the busy streets of Manhattan with heavy bags and energetic children quickly exhausts even the most prepared parents. Most museums and galleries in NYC usually do not allow visitors to bring large pieces of luggage for security reasons. NY View from Freedom Tower – photo by Ruby Escalona of RubyExplores.com Luggage Storage: The First Step to a Stress-Free Day The first thing to do after checking out of your accommodation is to take care of your luggage. Once your luggage is out of the way, getting around the city becomes much easier and gives you greater freedom to choose how to spend your remaining time. Before heading to an airport or a train station, responsible parents choose a proven luggage storage New York service. You can leave your heavy suitcases at a convenient storage location in Midtown Manhattan, if you choose to. This immediately allows the whole family to explore the city at a comfortable pace. Good planning can turn the long wait for an evening flight into another great adventure. You no longer sit in the airport with tired and restless children. Your family can visit parks, museums, or playgrounds. Family Outdoor Routes and City Parks If the weather is favorable for walking, the best choices are the city’s green areas. In the open air, children can run, play, and burn off energy. The following are excellent family-friendly spots within the 5 Boroughs: Central Park. A classic space with the popular Heckscher Playground, the historic Central Park Carousel, and the picturesque lake. Brooklyn Bridge Park. It combines spacious playgrounds, the historic Jane’s Carousel and stunning panoramic views of city skyscrapers. The High Line. A convenient pedestrian park on the site of the former elevated railway with landscaped paths, art objects, and places to relax. The Battery. A well-maintained coastal area with beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty, green lawns and convenient spots for family picnics. Hudson River Park. A long promenade with modern playgrounds, sports areas and safe walking paths. Cultural and Entertainment Locations

This semester has been exceptionally busy. I feel like I say that every year, but it’s really true this semester. For one, I’m back to teaching in person for the first time in nearly a decade. Couple that with all the meetings, and I’m commuting to campus at least four days a week. Before this semester, my norm was one or two days a week, max. It’s made a big difference in lots of ways. All the extra time in the car has allowed me to finish nearly twice as many audiobooks as I typically would in the same timeframe (anyone need book recommendations? I loved Theo of Golden and Yesteryear!). On the negative side, I’ve seen a huge uptick in my fuel costs. I’ve gone from filling up every other week to at least once a week…sometimes every five days. It’s been painful. And then, of course, there’s the added stress of preparing dinner. It used to be so much simpler when I worked from home. I could prep food (cutting veggies, marinating meat, etc.) during little breaks throughout the workday. And as soon as I “clocked out,” I could hop right over to the kitchen and start cooking. Now I come home after long days at the office mentally exhausted, and the last thing I want to do is spend a bunch of time in the kitchen. Confession: I’ve never really enjoyed cooking. I do enjoy baking (breads, desserts), but cooking has never been my jam. I do it out of necessity, not pleasure. I wish I were one of those people who finds cooking to be a stress reliever. She ain’t me, though. So, in that spirit, I want to share some of my favorite make-ahead and slow-cooker meals. These are meals that cook while I’m at work or come together quickly on busy weeknights when I want a home-cooked dinner without spending my evening in the kitchen. Quick Weeknight Dinners prepping meals ahead of time saves from the temptation of the drive-through line! Enchiladas. These are always a classic. I’ve gotten into the habit of making two batches every time: one for now and one to freeze. Then, when I’m planning to serve the frozen batch, I move it to the fridge ahead of time to thaw. When I come home, I turn on the oven and pop it in. Easy-peasy. Sometimes I’ll add a bagged salad to get some fresh veggies on the side. Dinner is done! Salsa tacos. Staying with the Mexican food theme, this one couldn’t be easier. The “recipe” for salsa tacos is literally just chicken breasts and salsa in a Crock-Pot on low. The trick is to use yummy salsa since that’s going to provide most of the flavor. When you get home from work, shred the chicken and serve it on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings (onion, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, avocado). Mississippi roast. This is my family’s all-time favorite roast. It’s a great slow-cooker meal

This stat shocked me. Nearly 1 in 5 American families with debt fell behind on a loan payment in the past year. That stat comes from the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, which came out in early October. Of families with debt, 19.6% of them fell behind on at least one payment. This is up from 12.2% back in 2022 and the highest percentage since 2010. It’s getting worse for those who are really behind. The percentage of families who were at least 60 days late jumped from 4.9% to 8.2%. If you’re behind, you’re not alone. And you have more options than it probably feels like right now. But not all bills are not created equal. Paying a credit card a few days late costs you a fee. Missing rent or ignoring a shutoff notice can cost you your home or your electricity. And a lot of companies have hardship programs they don’t advertise. You just have to ask. Here’s what I’d do. Table of Contents1. Figure Out Which Bills to Pay First2. Call Your Credit Card Company Before You Miss a Payment3. Know the 30-Day and 60-Day Credit Card Deadlines4. Ask Your Utility Company About Payment Assistance5. Call Your Mortgage Servicer or Landlord6. Ask About Car Loan Hardship Options7. Negotiate Your Medical Bills8. Look for Assistance Before You Borrow9. Consider Nonprofit Credit Counseling10. Make a 30-Day Survival PlanWhat to Avoid When You’re BehindThe Bottom Line 1. Figure Out Which Bills to Pay First When there isn’t enough money to go around, you can’t treat every bill the same. Protect the big four: your housing, your ability to work, your health, and your family’s basic needs. Write down every bill, how much you owe, when it’s due, and what happens if you don’t pay it. Then rank them. Here’s how I’d think about it: PriorityBillsWhyEssentialRent or mortgageKeeps a roof over your headEssentialFood, medication, necessary childcareHealth and basic needsHighElectricity, heat, waterAvoids shutoffsHighCar payment and insurance(if you need it for work)Protects your incomeHighChild support and court-ordered paymentsReal legal consequencesNextCredit card minimumsAvoids fees, credit damage, penalty ratesEvaluateMedical bills, unsecured personal loansOften have payment plans or hardship optionsLowerSubscriptions, streaming, optional servicesCancel or pause This isn’t a universal ranking. If losing your car means losing your job, the car payment moves up. A court date or a shutoff notice moves things around too. The point is to pay based on consequences, not on who calls you the most. 2. Call Your Credit Card Company Before You Miss a Payment This is one of the most underused moves out there. You don’t have to be late to ask for help. Most big issuers have hardship programs for people dealing with a job loss, a medical emergency, or a drop in income. Depending on the issuer, you might get: A lower minimum payment temporarily A lower interest rate Late fees waived A modified repayment schedule A short payment deferral Not every issuer offers every option, and they may freeze or close the

I don’t usually pay attention to celebrity feuds, but this latest one regarding Kelly Clarkson and a $15,000 automaton bird caught my eye because of the sheer ridiculousness of this story. Basically, Kelly Clarkson walked into a Brooklyn curiosity shop called “Art of Play” and tried to buy a $15,000 mechanical bird that was mounted on its wall. Kelly alleged that the salesperson treated her like she couldn’t afford the bird and offered her a […]