Secrets to Living Life Less Expensively!

Hello fellow Simmons alumnae/i!

Welcome to the brand new reconnectwithsimmons blogazine.  I am so excited to be a part of this initiative aimed at reaching out to alums around the world and getting us all re-engaged with the Simmons community that has shaped us so well into the professional and community leaders we are today.

I live in Somerville, MA and work in Boston, so I have been lucky to be able to easily stay connected with the local Simmons community in person since my graduation several years ago.  If you haven't had a chance to visit the campus in the past couple of years, you would be surprised at how different the campus looks but you probably would not be surprised to know that Simmons has continued to stay on the forefronts of social activism and exciting new technology with the new green School of Management building and the beautiful state-of-the-art library.  If you find yourself in the neighborhood of the campus at any point, I highly recommend stopping by and taking a tour of each - they are really amazing!

Personally, I am able to hear about each new development at Simmons from an insider's perspective.  In January of this year, I launched a financial planning firm in Boston called Lantern Financial, LLC.  Each semester, I recruit several interns to help me grow my business, and until now, all have come from the Simmons community.  Each student has impressed me with her excitement about and willingness to rise to the difficult challenges of launching a start-up company.  (If you are considering interesting ways to pump some creativity into your business, I would highly recommend interns from the Simmons community - they might be just what you are looking for!)

I spend lots of time here at my company helping my clients find ways to save money in order to more easily reach their long term goals.  Here in this blog, watch for posts from me about this very topic.  I plan to share creative solutions to live each day less expensively, but still reach those goals that are important to you.  Each time I post, I will focus on a different aspect of your life and offer suggestions on how to avoid breaking the bank, but still live the lifestyle that you enjoy.  I hope that this will be an interactive conversation between us.  When I post about a topic that's interesting to you, please comment on the post and share your own ideas and solutions related to that topic.  In today's shaky economy, we can all use a little guidance to know how and where to cut back!

So, stay tuned - and please let me know what you think and what you would like to see!  Over the next few months, I have lots of ideas for topics.  I may help you book your holiday travel for less; update your wardrobe without spending your whole paycheck; give gifts more thoughtfully; get in shape for less; determine how much your vices are costing you; date on the cheap... and lots more!  Let me know what is important to you and I will be happy to focus on those areas.

Thanks for reading - I wish you a financially successful day!
Lisa