Sometimes, people who aspire to be business owners have this idea that they’ll pitch their idea, get millions of dollars in funding and start spending money like pro athletes. But, if they’re anything like the average American, they'll have an average $1,000 in savings (if that). They’ll also have $17,000 to $137,000 in debt. If these numbers describe you, then borrowing money, applying for a loan, relying on credit cards and finding an investor may not be your best move. Instead, you should bootstrap your business. My co-founder Dan Foley and I bootstrapped Tailored Ink back in August 2015. We spent a combined $1,000 to get it off the ground and kept our costs low. Flash-forward to today, two years later and we’re swiftly closing in on the $1 million mark. We still haven’t maxed-out our credit cards or applied for a business loan. Want to know how we did it? Here are some financial habits we learned on our way to becoming successful business owners. 1. Spend within your means. Wh...

When we're young, we tend to think about retirement as though it's just a really long, really great vacation. We picture a house near the beach or a golf course. We can get out of bed when we please, stay up all night if we want, and never worry about another missed deadline. A frosty beverage is always at hand, and there's a hammock waiting in the shade. But as we grow older and retirement gets closer, that enthusiasm often turns to angst. We have to figure out how the heck we're going to pay for the lifestyle we want when the paychecks stop -- and that can be a challenge, even for the savviest of savers. Here are six mistakes to avoid when planning your dream retirement: 1. You do not have a plan. Your No. 1 goal in retirement should be to know how much you will have coming in each month from all of your income streams -- and how you'll make that money last. Most prospective clients I meet with have a broker who helps them choose and purch...

According to the 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey, about 24% of workers said they had less than $1,000 saved for retirement, and a whopping 55% had less than $50,000. Only 20% had socked away $250,000 or more -- and even that seemingly hefty sum won't provide for the comfiest of retirements. Clearly, many of us have not set ourselves up to have the money we'll need in retirement. Fortunately, though, there are some ways to get more money in our golden years. Here are seven ways you can get more money in retirement. 1. Work a little longer before retiring Most people probably don't want to put off retiring, but it can be a very effective strategy , giving you a bigger nest egg to retire with and fewer years that it will have to last. You might enjoy your employer-sponsored health insurance for additional years, too, perhaps while collecting a few more years' worth of matching funds in your 401(k). Not convinced it's worth it? Well, imagine t...