4 Things to do With Your Tax Refund

Stop! It’s easy to blow your refund on stuff you don’t really need. This year, take the time to consider some options that will benefit you financially.

An Emergency Fund: Consider adding some or all of these monies to your own slush fund. Given the uncertainty of the economy and jobs nowadays, you should always try to maintain at least 3-6 months worth of living expenses in a savings account, money market account or CD in case of an emergency.

Pay Down Your Credit Card Debt: Consider applying this money to any outstanding debt you have such as credit cards. Eliminating that pesky balance that never seems to disappear could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest over your lifetime.

Six Calming Scents For The Stressful Holiday Season

Let’s face it. Even those of us who are ready to put up Christmas trees immediately following Halloween can succumb to the pressures of the holiday season. There are relatives to contend with, children who have to have this season’s hot gift, parking nightmares, and budgets to juggle, just to name a few of the stresses associated with the holidays. At some point during the festivities, you may find yourself wanting to crawl into bed and not emerge until January 2 nd . To ward off the winter blues, why not stock up now on some calming scents? Aromatherapy has numerous benefits including tension reduction and relief of symptoms of depression. Here are the top scents that will make your season brighter, or, at least, calmer:

How the Recession Forever Changed Marriage

Examining the economic downturn's effects on how we find and show love.

With strapped wallets, tightened belts and the national unemployment rate nearing double-digits, we can only hope that rumors of the recession's demise prove true—and soon. Here at YourTango, we wanted to know how the economic downturn in the U.S. has affected marriage, sex and family already, and which of these changes will stick when the recession's over.

Baby-Making

Children are expensive: from diapers to college, there are high costs to having babies. The Agriculture Department estimates that middle-income families, who earn an average of $61,000 a year, spend about $11,000 each year on each child under the age of two.

Married Men Getting Richer, Thanks To Women

Bachelors have a reason to tie the knot: more money!

According to a new study by the Pew Research Center, married men are leading richer lives. Literally. Here's the breakdown: the median household income for married men has gone up by 60 percent since 1970, while the income for single men has only shot up by 16 percent. The trade-off for succumbing to a life limited to one sexual partner for the rest of one's life? Maybe. Though Pew has several other, more logical explanations.

Among them is the fact that more men these days are marrying women who are bringing in even more money than they are, making their combined income pretty darn awesome. In 1970, fewer women worked outside of the home, and those who did certainly weren't pulling in income like we do today. Yes, men. You're welcome.

We're Not Buying Anything New For School. Could Your Family Do the Same?

This mom is helping her kids find use for last year's lunch boxes, backpacks, pencils...

My kids start school tomorrow (crazy, I know!), and like every other parent, I have been diligently getting my ducks in a row. But UNlike most parents, this year, the Lambie household is doing a "green" back-to-school. What is that, you ask? Well, we're not buying the kids any new school supplies.

My kids will not have new L.L. Bean backpacks and lunch bags with their names embroidered on them. They will not open their desk to that "new crayon smell." Nope, my kids will come to school wearing used uniforms, carrying last year's backpacks and lunch pails and using a recycled Tupperware full of half-used glue sticks and pre-sharpened pencils.

Couponing in the Digital Age

In the more than hundred years since Coca Cola and Post Grape Nuts issued the very first coupons, the face of the industry and of the coupon shopper have transformed. With overall coupon use up 27% last year, after nearly two decades in decline, the coupon has made its comeback! But this time around both the coupons and the consumers who use them have changed!

Coupons Go Digital. Step aside Sunday coupon inserts, digital coupons are a rapidly growing force that will likely take over as the primary distribution method for coupons in the next 5-10 years. Companies like General Mills say they’re moving more of their coupon budget toward digital coupons and away from Sunday papers. Digital coupons boast higher redemption rates and often cost less to distribute.

Instilling Financial Values in Your Children

Tips to Sharing Lessons Learned With Kids of All Ages

Wondering how to teach children about money when you're still working on getting them to do their homework or clean their plate? It’s never too early ? or too late ? to start sharing money lessons with your kids. And more women are taking the lead in this discussion at home. According to Women & Co. research, 91% of women are talking about money with their family, and 86% of mothers are teaching their children lessons from the economic downturn.

To help keep the momentum going, Lisa Caputo, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Women & Co., and Linda Descano, CFA, President of Women & Co., offer the following ideas for talking to children of any age about money: