Empty-Nest Chronicles: Financial Literacy 101

A Money Method & Empty-Nest Chronicles Special

(Photo Credit: TC's Views)

My son has officially graduated from high school and is on his way to college in August. But before I send him off to soar around the adult world I took him to our local bank to open a checking and savings account in his name.

We got a financial literacy lesson about credit scores, identity protection and Regulation D - a federal regulation that limits the number and type of withdrawals from savings, or Money Market Accounts to six per month for each account.

Credit Score Discussion

My son had many questions about credit scores for our banker.

Empty-Nest Chronicles: The $50 Corsage

My son, who is my youngest child, is a few months away from leaving the nest. For the last couple of weeks we've been preparing for the joyous event by celebrating his 18th birthday, suiting up for his cap and gown, selecting housing for his college dorm and breaking the bank for his senior prom.

Ah, the senior prom. Suit, tie, shoes, socks, haircut, prom tickets and portrait packages can all add up to a hefty bill. The last thing I wanted to do was spend $50 for a corsage. Yes, you read that correctly. I wrote $50 for a corsage. That's what I spent at a floral shop last year when my son went to the junior prom. I later learned that everyone ends up taking off their corsage after pictures and before they hit the dance floor.

This time around I skipped the local floral shop near my corporate job in the city and I found another way. 

Empty-Nest Chronicles: Empty-Nest at 40

On March 3, I celebrated my 40^th birthday. Three months from now my son will take his walk across the stage for his high school diploma, and I’ll officially be an empty-nester. Did I mention that I’m 40?

More Empty-Nest Chronicles 

When people learn that I have a child in college and one who is about to graduate high school, they gasp and ask, “How old are you? You look too young to have a child in college or high school.” I then inform them that I started my family at the age of 20. “Oh. You were so young. At least now you’ll get to do all the things you didn't get to do when you were in your 20s.”

Their comments lead me to Google the following:

Empty-Nest Chronicles: Transition of Accountability

It recently dawned on me that I am not the only one transitioning in this empty-nest syndrome experience. My children are also part of the shift, and they become more involved the older they get. 

The corporation I work for is currently going through a transition. The company was sold from one private equity firm to another. The new owners decided to make the human resource department paperless. As a result, all employees have to fill out I-9 forms again, select their W-2 withholding, bring in their social security and one form of picture identification, re-enroll into medical benefits, select 401K options, life insurance and select their beneficiaries. This is when I realized that it was important to get my children up to speed on the ‘what ifs.’ 

Empty-Nest Chronicles: How to Revive Your Relationship

If you’re an empty nester who managed to escape the jaws of divorce and stay together with your significant other, well this post is specifically for you. 

The following video showed up in the #EmptyNester trend spotter on Twitter. Dr. John Townsend, author of How To Be A Best Friend Forever, sat down with the ladies of TheBroadcastTV.com  to discuss how couples can rediscover their marriage with an empty nest.

Dr. Townsend has a four step plan to help parents reconnect, encourage and appreciate being free. 



But Dr. Townsend, what about the single empty nesters? 

Disclosure: I haven’t revealed my relationship status in previous Empty Nest Chronicles because I didn’t think it was relevant. Just to give clarity, I am a divorced parent of two teenagers. My oldest is a sophomore in college and my youngest is a senior in high school. I’ve had some help raising my kids from friends and my significant other. ß  Clearly I haven’t remarried, so technically this momma bird is flying solo. 

• Are you a single empty nester who used to twiddle your thumbs after your kids went off to college? 
• How did you reconnect with the world?

Empty Nest Chronicles: Reorganizing the Nest

For years it's been a struggle to keep my home in order. Dirty dishes in the sink, unswept floors, glass rings on the furniture, toothpaste on the bathroom countertops, and untidy bedrooms makes me anxious. 

Now that my daughter is away at college the anxiety of having a clean house has calmed down quite a bit but I still have one more bird in the nest. My son only has nine more months before heading off to college and I thought that it would be a good idea to prep my home into a calm sanctuary where I can relax, read, write and

Empty-Nest Chronicles: Time to Pursue That Dream Job

For the last 19 years my sole purpose in life was to take care of my children. Now that my youngest is on his way to college I'm twiddling my thumbs as to what to do next. Actually, I ask myself everyday - What can I do next in my career?

After four years of being a stay-at-home mom I realized that it wasn't a good fit with my independent personality I decided to return to college to earn my degree in a career that I knew I would thrive in. That decision was an important part of the plan to taking care of my family. I felt that it just wasn't safe with one parent being the sole provider.

Empty-Nest Chronicles: The 'Empty-Ness' Feeling

The one thing that I can't shake is the feeling of anticipated loneliness. When I come home from work and my son is not home I start to think, "Wow, the house is so quiet. Is this what I have to look forward to next year?"

(*TC's view of an Empty House –
Painting by Pierre-Monet)

At first I get excited at the thought because I'm not going to have to rush home from work to cook dinner, clean up breakfast dishes, or play the role of a chauffeur after a 1.5 hour commute on the NJTransit and MTA. As I start to figure out what to cook for the evening the feeling of sadness fills the air because next year neither one of the children will be home to ask, "What time will dinner be ready?"

Empty-Nest Chronicles: The Emotional Reveal

Empty Nest

Thirteen months have passed since my oldest went away to college. And next year this time my youngest will follow in his sister’s footsteps and also go off to college. My heart is filled with panic. 

“What am I going to do? What will be my reason for getting up every day and trekking it to the place that provides me financial stability?” These are the questions that I ask myself when I walk into my quiet home.