Matthew Ricks, Certified Financial Planner

Merry Christmas from Haystack! Hopefully Santa was good to you!

description: On a navy background, white snow is falling at the top of the image. Reaching out from the right side is the Grinch's arm holding a red ornament in two fingers. The words "merry christmas" are positioned on the left in gold font.

Staying abreast of your finances can give you a leg up on your future. Don't let the fear of getting started gobble up all your attention and energy. Start by addressing it one piece at a time and then think about how everything works within the overall pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

description: Gold leaves of various shapes and sizes are clustered in the four corners of the white background. Centered are the words "Happy Thanksgiving!" in navy font. A navy and gold turkey is below them.

If your finances are driving you batty, it might be worth carving out some time this All Hallows' Eve to review them. Take a look at the details to find which areas may be trick-or-treat. Identify your financial monster(s) and then start conjuring a plan on how to conquer them. This process might be spooky but getting started today is better than merely howling at the moon and hoping things change.

Seriously though, enjoy Halloween and be safe out there!

description: A white background with spider webs in the top left and bottom right corner. Within the top third of the imagine, in navy font, is "Happy Halloween" with the font for halloween making it seem like the word is oozing something creepy. Below the text is an orange jack-o-lattern with a navy witches hat with a gold band and white buckle. There are three bats flying around the pumpkin.

Don't rely on the luck of the Irish for your finances. Kissing the Blarney Stone may not be the best strategy for accomplishing your goals. A four leaf clover is not going to fix things either. Take the time to get started on one financial task today.

description: Gold background with white outlines of shamrocks in the corners at the bottom left and top right. In the center of the image is a green leprechaun style top hat with Happy St. Patrick's Day in navy text bracketing it on the top and bottom.