Make This Season Work for You
The snowy and cold December meant Max and Theo didn’t get to spend as much time outdoors as usual and a little cabin fever for all of us.
They have a lot of toddler energy. In better weather, we spend as much time as possible outside to help them get that energy out. When they are stuck in the house, so is all that energy.
On Christmas Day, the weather was nice enough to get Theo and Max out of the house and to the park. They were a little wild, but I was able to take this picture of them while warming themselves in the sun on a dual slide.
I like to get our house in order in winter: cleaning out closets, donating unused clothes, and throwing out stuff that ended up in the junk drawer.
It’s also a good time to get your financial house in order: creating a family budget, starting a 529 college savings account, canceling unused subscriptions, and opening a retirement savings account.
We created the Illinois Financial Wellness Hub for times like these.
Click below to start getting your financial house in order.
Learn More About Illinois Financial Wellness Hub Resources
Welcome to “The Mailbag,” where I answer your questions about our programs, state government, or anything else you’re curious about.
Q. In your last Treasurer’s Note, you gave a recap of your 2025 resolutions, but I noticed you didn’t mention any for 2026. Did you make any for this year?
A. Thanks for noticing and thank you for the question. Some are similar to last year, and some are new. I think we are more likely to keep our resolutions when we share them with others to hold us accountable.
Click the button below to see my 2026 resolutions.
If you’ve got a question for “The Mailbag,” please send me an email with the subject line “Mailbag.” I can’t promise we’ll publish every one, but we do read them all — and I enjoy hearing from you.