Year: 2015

Cheese-It Referral: Leslie Mallman, Financial Planner

Best Friend is a numbers guru. Besides being the Director of Financial Aid at University of Chicago’s business school, he has spreadsheet upon spreadsheet of budgets and projections and all the boring, I mean IMPORTANT, stuff. I asked him recently about one of his favorite financial blogs. “I don’t need to read that anymore, I’ve got a Mallman​.” WE LOVE OUR MALLMAN! Aka our Financial Planner.   We had a Hangouts call with her last night and it was THE most informative, fun, easy to understand, thought-out conversation I’ve ever had about finances. Who says financial conversations are FUN?!?!? This is a Saya, Best Friend, Mac & Cheese Productions​, & TeamPete​ HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION OF ALL RECOMMENDATIONS. Anyone who’d use our stupid #petaya hastag on the cover of our very serious Financial Plan is someone I want to work with. Anyone who’d share with potential clients her dedicated volunteerism, her journey as a caregiver for her terminally-ill mother, and a silly photo of herself accompanied by a terrible pun is someone I want to work with. Leslie is the best combination of skills and smarts, down to earthness and honesty, fun and kind-heartedness.   Her credentials: – MBA from University of Chicago Booth Business School – CFP® designation (recognized as the highest standard in the industry) – years of working at financial advising firms before going out on her own – went to a preschool called ‘Cornflakes’ (I mean, c’mon!)   Would you like assistance in any of the below areas? – Determine your financial goals – Create a budget designed to help you reach your goals – Invest your savings in order to achieve your goals – Plan for retirement, college savings for children, or financial independence – Review of employee benefits to ensure you are maximizing what is available to you – Assess how much to spend on a new home – Combine finances with your partner, taking into account your thoughts on your current and future earnings and savings – Assessment of current insurance coverage compared to full insurance needs – Discuss the need for wills and living wills Read more…

When is it time to walk away?

I used to do daily early morning posts of positive quotes — “Cheese-It Breaks” — to a, on the grand scale of things, tiny wave of enjoyment and appreciation, if Read more…

You are not alone

This was originally shared via a speaking engagement at Bodhi Spiritual Center for their community members. The goal was to build upon Bodhi’s monthly theme of “Light Up Your World” Read more…

Recipe for a perfect Saturday Night

Holiday party in a neighborhood (Rogers Park) you don’t frequent and that’s a bit out of the normal radius which makes you feel adventurous and that you’re really going somewhere tonight Read more…

Travel: New Orleans

Best Friend and I spent about a week in NOLA in July 2015 (as well as time in December 2014 and June 2013). Per usual after this last trip, we Read more…