Key Idea from June. The best honeymoon isn't the most expensive one — it's the one that reflects what the couple actually values. And the exercise to find that out isn't in the budget, it's in memory.
Why It Matters
According to a survey by The Knot, the average honeymoon costs $5,300 — and for many couples, it becomes the single largest wedding expense without ever being planned that way. In her column for Investopedia, published June 25, 2026, Elaine King explains how she guides clients to make that decision intentional rather than reactive.
Elaine King's Perspective
- Start with the experience, not the destination. Elaine encourages couples to ask what they enjoy doing together before picking a trending location. Ocean lovers may find more value in Fiji or the Philippines than a popular destination chosen just because it's trending; food lovers may prefer Italy, Spain, or France. Her practical tip: pricing the trip for the off-season can mean up to 50% savings on flights and hotels — with better service and fewer crowds.
- Think beyond the traditional registry. Instead of gifts that end up in a closet, Elaine suggests a honeymoon fund where guests contribute to specific experiences — a cooking class, a wine tasting, a sunset cruise. For couples who manage credit responsibly, she also recommends travel rewards cards, always paying the balance in full: she never suggests overspending just to earn points.
- A benchmark, not a rigid rule. Her general guidance: between 5% (conservative) and 15% (a stretch) of annual household income. On a combined $100,000 income, that's a range of $5,000 to $15,000 — achievable by saving roughly $500 a month combined when planning more than 12 months ahead.
- The "memory test." The most quotable line in her column closes it out: Elaine invites clients to recall a vacation from five or ten years ago — almost no one remembers the exact hotel cost, but everyone remembers who they were with and how it felt. That's why she encourages clients to budget for a honeymoon not as just another wedding expense, but as one of the first intentional financial decisions a couple makes together.
Coverage
- Investopedia — "How I'm Talking to Clients About Budgeting for a Honeymoon" (Jun 25, 2026) · Opinion column Artícle
Key Idea from July . Financial health isn't measured in quantity but in habits — saving before spending, paying before the deadline, and setting monthly goals matter more than how much you earn.
Why It Matters
July tied together four seemingly separate conversations — inflation, relationships, kids' accounts, and an international recognition — under one idea: the best financial decisions come from habits reviewed often, not figures calculated once.
Elaine King's Perspective
- Inflation isn't adjusted with a formula — it's adjusted with your real expenses. Asked by MarketWatch how families should respond to 3.5% inflation, Elaine was direct: she doesn't believe in an emergency fund that is calculated once and then forgotten, since inflation silently changes the cost of living, and the fund should reflect current bills, not those from years ago. elaineking
- Money habits, not salary, predict whether a relationship lasts. On Noticias Telemundo Mediodía, also picked up by Yahoo Noticias, Elaine responded to a survey claiming Americans believe they need $106,417 a year to "find true love." Her read: the number distracts from the real indicator — how a couple handles money, not how much they earn. Talker Research found 15% of respondents had ended a relationship over their partner's financial situation (25% among Gen Z).
- Financial health, not financial quantity. In a second interview for Noticias Telemundo Mediodía, Elaine summed up her philosophy in a standalone, quotable line: "Having financial health matters most — not financial quantity." There, she shared her rule for uncertain times — separate fixed from variable expenses and pause the variable ones when volatility rises — and explained the new Trump Accounts: the government deposits $1,000 for every child born between 2025 and 2028, accessible at 18, with families able to contribute up to $5,000 a year. Her concrete example: $400 a month from birth can grow to $90,000 by the time a child reaches college age, with no additional investment growth required.
- International recognition: CreaLatinex Person of the Year. Elaine was named Person of the Year by CreaLatinex, honoring her career as a financial educator, bestselling author, and founder of Family and Money Matters™. Her response captures how she defines success: "Receiving an award for impact is especially meaningful to me because that's how I define success — not by the quantitative side of life, but by the qualitative difference we can make in other people's lives."
- Back-to-school is a life lesson, not just a spending season. In a third interview for Noticias Telemundo Mediodía (July 14), Elaine addressed how families — who will spend close to $900 per child on average this year — can plan ahead, shop for value over price, and involve children in budgeting without falling into credit card debt.
Coverage
- MarketWatch — "Inflation has hit 3.5% — so you'd better do this with your savings now, pros say" · Article
- Noticias Telemundo Mediodía — how money management affects a relationship more than salary · Segment
- Yahoo Noticias — republished interview on finances and relationships · Article
- Noticias Telemundo Mediodía — financial health, financial detox, and Trump Accounts (Jul 14, 2026) · Segment
- Noticias Telemundo Mediodía — back-to-school savings tips (Jul 14, 2026) · Segment
- CreaLatinex — Person of the Year recognition · Award
About Elaine King
Learn more: www.elaineking.com/about
