Purchasing a home is often far-and-beyond the largest financial commitment that we will make, and one not to be taken lightly. In most cases, the purchase will involve a substantial down payment and the need to borrow a large sum of money to complete the purchase. Add to this the time, energy and stress that invariably accompanies a major purchase, and it’s easy to see how the pleasurable pursuits of visiting open houses and contemplating design schemes are quickly replaced with the cold reality that credit scores, mortgage applications, and cooperative board packages provide. Keeping your Cortisol levels in check requires a detailed plan of action that progresses through every important phase of the home-buying process.

Signing your name on a mortgage application is a common but important financial decision. It means entering into a large transaction, with wide-ranging financial planning and budgeting implications, and is one that should not be taken lightly. The size and type of mortgage you select may help or hinder your ability to fund your retirement, send your children to college, or adequately address other important planning goals. In a more benign case, it may simply result in large and unnecessary interest-related expenses or other fees that could have been avoided. As home buyers engage in a deliberate and thorough process of selecting the right home, neighborhood and school district, it’s important that they also spend the time and attention necessary to select a mortgage that best suits their needs.

Developing a budget may seem a near perfect manifestation of drudgery, which in turn may help explain why so few people expend their time and energy creating one. While budgeting is not an especially creative endeavor (after all, who wants a creative budget?), the effort can pay dividends by placing you more firmly in control of how your money is being allocated.

While certainly not a new problem, identity theft is a growing concern and consistently ranks as one of the top categories of complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission. As our lives become increasingly busy and complex, and more information than ever is stored and transmitted online, it is more important than ever to protect our personal information. Here are some simple and effective ways to do that.