Category: Life

By mid-October, Clementon Park’s closure will leave South Jersey without its 1907 woodie, and the reason shows up in every family trip I price. The short answer, before anything else: Clementon Park is closing because the land under it is worth more as something other than a 118-year-old amusement park. That is not a cynical read. It is the whole story. A park that opened in 1907, that survived the Depression and a long stretch of mismatched owners, that anchored a stretch of Camden County where the median household income sits well below the state figure, finally hit a valuation gap its season-pass revenue could never close. When I price a family trip, I price it against exactly that arithmetic. Two adults, two kids, one tank of gas if we drive, four flights if we don’t.

Continue reading “Why Is Clementon Park Closing? What It Signals for US Parks” →

A well-managed family budget provides the foundation for financial stability. By understanding where money is coming from and where it’s being spent, your household can balance day-to-day costs and prepare for unexpected expenses while still working towards longer-term financial goals with greater confidence.

Build a realistic household budget

Start by listing your household’s take-home income and regular commitments. Include fixed costs such as rent or mortgage payments, council tax, childcare and insurance, alongside variable spending on groceries and transport.

You also need to account for expenses that arrive less often. If school uniforms cost £300 each summer, for example, setting aside £25 a month spreads that expense across the year instead of leaving one month unusually tight. Birthdays, Christmas, car servicing and home repairs deserve similar treatment.

Continue reading “Best ways to manage a family budget in 2026” →