Developing good money habits is important. If you are a mom or dad with children in the home, developing money habits that are healthy is a great way to get them started with a healthy relationship with money. Children are delicate creatures, if they see mommy handing out bucket loads of cash for a pair of shoes, they want to do the same thing.

To teach good money habits to your child and yourself, set aside a fund specifically for shopping. It’s as simple as placing a glass jar on your kitchen table, and dropping in loose change or single dollar bills that you aren’t using in your wallet. In time, you will notice that the jar is full, and you have a healthy amount of money to splurge on fun items. Explain to your children what the jar is for, and why you use it.

Once they see you practicing such healthy money habits, they will adapt to the same style when they are older. Another great tip for developing good financial habit’s, is to buy in bulk. Most warehouses are actually cheaper than a grocery store. You get more bang for your buck, and more food and household needs for your family.

Determining the future of an estate can be very hectic, especially if there are external factors beyond the control of the family or custodian. There are, however, essential documents that can help speed up the process and make it less disconcerting for all parties involved. In particular, there are three documents that should be considered: the will, the personal directive and the power of attorney.

By far, the will is the most important document when handling assets after a person’s death. It spells out in detail what happens to the estate after the decedent has passed away. The will should indicate all of the beneficiaries of the estate, and the executor who is responsible for organizing the matter. Guardians may be appointed for any minor children left without proper parental authority.

In case of physical or mental incapacity, the personal directive can be very useful in order for the will author to have somebody take care of him. Thus, the estate can be left in good hands even while the person concerned is still alive. The power of attorney can also be enacted during this time, but the person authorized with this power will handle all financial matters.

There are other important documents that should be prepared beforehand, like insurance papers and retirement plans, but these won’t matter if the above three aren’t settled first. A well-planned estate turnover can mean the difference between years of ambiguity and only a few months of hassle.