Family Finance Fixes SIMPLE STEPS FOR WISER WEALTH
If you’re raising a family in 2025, you know your dollars are being stretched like never before.
With mortgage and rent expenses comprising at least 30% of a typical North Carolina family’s monthly income — and food prices increasing by 26% from 2020 to 2024 alone — making ends meet is a challenge for many households throughout the state. While no two family situations are alike, here are a few tips to consider when trying to get the most out of your monthly budget and future planning. CURB THE CINEMA CASH CRUNCH With another winter soon in the rearview mirror, children and adults alike are ready to hit the road for family entertainment. While a trip to your closest movie theater may seem like an affordable night out, you may be surprised to learn that one film’s worth of tickets, drinks, and snacks for a family of four may cost as much as a one-year subscription to a streaming site. If cinema is your family’s go-to choice for entertainment, it’s best to stick to the options available on streaming, catch classics on TV, or reserve theater trips for special occasions. MAP OUT YOUR MONTHLY MONEY There’s no standard monthly budget — especially with children or young adults under your roof. Just as utility costs ebb and flow based on the time of year, other expenses do as well. It is essential to track your spending monthly — even if you think they generally stay the same — and determine ways to reduce costs and save in the coming weeks. After a few months, you’ll be able to identify where money is flowing unnecessarily, close those gaps, and create a margin to allow for seasonal expenses (holiday-related travel, back-to-school clothing, etc.) as the months carry on. FAST-TRACK EDUCATION FINANCING Of course, education costs — perhaps the biggest slice of the pie — are another critical consideration in family budgeting. Fortunately, a 529 Plan may be the perfect way for parents to ensure a solid foundation for their children’s future learning opportunities. In short, a 529 education savings plan offers tax-free growth and withdrawals when utilized for qualified expenses. Please contact us to learn more about how a 529 Plan can help your family plan for the future.
TAKE A BREAK
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Inspired by Delish.com
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
• 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese, softened • 1/3 cup
1. In a large bowl of a standing mixer, add softened cream cheese and beat until fluffy and free of clumps. 2. Add sugar and beat until combined, then add heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix and refrigerate for 3 minutes until thickened. Pour pudding mixture into cream cheese mixture and fold until combined. 4. Into the graham cracker crust, pour half the filling and spread evenly. Add a single layer of sliced bananas and Nilla Wafers, then pour remaining filling over and smooth the top. 5. Refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours, or overnight. Top slices with whipped cream, crushed Nilla Wafers, and any additional banana slices as desired.
granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 (3.4-oz)
package instant vanilla pudding mix • 1 cup whole milk • 1 prepared graham cracker crust • 3 bananas, sliced • 20 Nilla Wafers • Whipped
topping and crushed Nilla Wafers, for garnish
PATRIOT WEALTH | 919.322.4113 | P3
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