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Showing posts from 2015

How to Free Yourself from the 'I'm Poor' Mentality

Financial fears prevent you from taking financial risks, accepting new opportunities and making monetary decisions. They interfere with your financial security and freedom and hold you back from achieving financial success throughout your life. Start Saving Early - You might have to live paycheck-to-paycheck when you start your career. However, you can start saving a small amount of money every month and put it in your savings account. Come out from the Fear of Debt - While it may seem impossible to resolve all your debts, you can grow a large savings to cover your unexpected expenses and put down more cash while borrowing. Look for Affordable Housing Options - Go for smaller and affordable housing options so that you have enough funds to cover other expenses. Grow a savings and diversify your investment to afford a house. Build an Emergency Fund - You can overcome your fear of losing your job by building an emergency fund. You should save 6-8 months of earnings in your em

Best Ways to Save Money from Scratch

There are thousands of people all over the world who find it tough to save cash for a rainy day.You can save money from scratch. All you need is a few simple ideas. It will not be easy, especially in the beginning, but once you see it through with patience, you will benefit from it greatly.  Keep a record: A smart way to save cash is to keep a record of your monthly expenditure. This way, you can make sure that you do not spend more than the last month.  Use coupons: Using coupons when you go shopping for groceries and other household items can save you a significant amount of money. Buy necessities in bulk: Everyday essentials like toilet paper, detergents, trash bags, etc. are best bought in bulk to help you save money. Use coupons: Using coupons when you go shopping for groceries and other household items can save you a significant amount of money. Create homemade gifts: Greeting cards and gifts cost a lot these days. One way to save cash is to make your

Quick Ways to Save on Your Cellphone Bill

Owning a cellphone these days is already a necessity. Most tasks at work and even at school already requires smartphones with a data plan. These allow you to take pictures, surf the web and send emails to communicate effectively and quickly with the people you need to reach. Believe it or not, most smartphone owners are unable to use their data plan wisely. As a result, they endure paying overcharges in their cellphone bills for months or even years. Are you caught in the same problem? Read these tips that can help you break free. Don't sign long term contracts. Long-term contracts will force you to pay your service provider a lot of money monthly. You will be surprised that you're not actually using or making the most out of the services included in your package. Consider a month to month plan which is offered at lower rates. You can even customize a month to month plan to suit your monthly data usage. Log on to WiFi. Most data service providers charge extra for onli

How Living in a Tiny House Can Ease Your Financial Burden

Building and living a tiny house is the craze in many places these days. I personally enjoy watching both cable and TV programs that showcase the creation of these masterpieces from scratch. Apart from always being in awe of the finish products, i have come to a realization why living in a tiny house is practical and helpful to those who are opting to save a lot of money. Here are a few of my thoughts. Building a tiny house is cost efficient. You don't have to hire an engineer, an architect, an interior designer and a group of construction workers to build it. If you have time and skills, you can build it on your ow. This already means a lot of money saved on labor costs. You will just have to spend on the materials. As for the design, there are free floor plans available online. You can travel in it. Some tiny houses are built in such a way that they can be easily pulled by a mini truck. If you can travel to any location in your house, you don't have to worrying abou

Quick Tips on How You Can Save as a Couple

Money woes are a common cause of divorce or disconnection among couples. It is quite hard to stay in love when the basic needs of the whole family are not met due to poor financial management. Don't fret if you feel like your marriage is about to fail because of the latter. There's still hope to saving your marriage and  your financial breakdown. Follow these tips. Strengthen your connection by doing some money talk. Financial or money talks are done right before couples tie the knot - ideally. But most couple put these aside because they're so much in love and they perceive that love can keep them alive. If you haven't done any money talks, it's not yet too late to start today. Sit down together. Talk about your debts (if there's any) and plan how you can get rid of them together. Even though you've been married for some time now, you will still have individual styles in budgeting and saving. Talk it all out and agree on a definite financial plan. Re

Manage Your Taxes with These Tips

Do you want to properly manage your personal finances? If yes, start with managing your taxes. Whether you just have a nine-to-five job or a business to run, it is a must that you learn this. There are other classifications of taxes besides the one that delves about your income. They are local, state or federal. All four of them are extracted from wages, investments, inheritance and estate, gifts and entitlements. Study the receipts that you have at hand and identify your deductibles. If you are having a hard time labeling each of them, go online and see related websites that hold helpful information. File everything systematically - Competent tax planning strategies rely on systematic records. And so, it is important to file all needed documents in a way that is not confusing. Arrange your deduction notices according to dates you have received them. This could be from oldest to latest or vice versa. Moreover, keep them in separate folder with respective labels like, income, real

How to Have a Stable Future with Pension Money

Financial stability is a common challenge to most retirees specifically when they have failed to do pension planning in the early years. The costs of living and health care will continue to inflate year after year and so you must take the measures to be ready for your old age today. Following are tips that can help you with the preparation process. Know your funds - Do you know where your future funds would come from? Fund sources usually come in the form of contributions that you make while you are employed in a company. Identify your contributions and see if they meet your fund expectations. Keep in mind, the amount you will be able to save today will determine the allowance that you will receive come your retirement. Those who have been bouncing from one job to another may find it difficult to know their fund sources. Herewith, tracking old contributions would help. Any amount that you have previously saved can increase the amount that you are building up at present. Also, chec

How to Secure the Future of Your Child with Special Needs

If  you have a child who is differently abled, you will agree that leaving your child with no financial support in the future is very daunting.  Believe it or not, you can prevent this from happening by securing a special needs fund for your child as early as now. Because a child with special needs may be disqualified for public benefits, the aim of this type of trust fund is to give a convenient lifestyle to them without limiting their access to all available benefits. Generally, the creation of this fund is structured to supplement any assistance the government may provide concerned children in terms of clothing, food and shelter. The four important components of this trust fund are the asset, the beneficiary, the trustee and the purpose. The asset is the special needs resources that will be placed in a trust. The beneficiary is the concerned child while the trustee is someone who will be in charge of the disbursement of the funds. Meanwhile, the purpose serves as the guideli

Overseas Retirement - Preparation Tips You Must Know

Nothing beats the pull of overseas retirement for some people. This happens whenever they think of peacefully spending the rest of their old age after years of hard work. The good news is this dream can be realized as long as you take the necessary steps one at a time. Decide on where to retire – Would you be staying in the rural or urban area? This is key in overseas retirement. As much as possible, do not limit your knowledge about the country of your choice to online researches. Take weeks of vacation over there. Observe how daily activities of living transpire in that side of the world. Research about your future taxes – This overview is in consideration of your future sources of income when you retire. Would be relying solely on your pension release trust and your social security funds? Are there other funds you are counting on? Expect that your future tax responsibilities in that locality will be dependent on your source of income. Never go through the process without co

Why Invest in a Mutual Fund

Having a secured old age, a convenient lifestyle and limitless opportunities to travel are just a few of the things you can enjoy during retirement. Needless to say, this requires an early preparation on your part. How? You can prepare by investing on a mutual fund today. The first stages of creating mutual funds will not give you all the rewards it promises right away. Mutual funds do so  in due time especially when the economy is doing well. Profits will richly flow and the initial amount spent for the purchase of the stocks will be returned hundred fold. What is so good about mutual funds is that even investors with small money to spend can invest right away. This can lead to periodic investments as long as the purchase of small amounts is continued on a monthly or regular basis. You need not wait to have a great sum of money before they could invest on the stocks of their dreams. Also, you can immediately sell their mutual funds even without much difference on the sale price an

Five Things You Need to Do Before Borrowing Money

You can't just borrow money blindly. Ignorance and lack of planning can be very expensive when it comes to your finances. If you're considering to get a loan, read these insights first. Define your reason for borrowing money - Are you borrowing money just to satisfy an immediate desire or to support a budget shortfall? Borrowing money to solve any of the two won't be beneficial for you. You will end up with unnecessary interests and into a cycle of debt respectively. Define your capability to payback -  Can you  make periodic payments later? Even though you're going to use your loan for business purposes or to make more money, you must make sure that you will be able to pay or else you will have an outstanding debt. Be aware of all the costs of borrowing money - How is your loan going to be calculated? What about the interest rate? If you don't know the answers to these questions, you will be surprised that you could be paying more than you expected. Stu

Learn Which Debts You Should Pay First

Do you have several debts or loans to pay? Are you wondering which ones to pay first? This can be very challenging especially when a couple or more credit card companies are hunting you down every month. Most people go paying just the minimum on their debts. This may seem like a good opportunity for you to save money but the truth is this will just extend your debt much longer. Some finance experts recommend paying off the smallest debt first. This is like just paying off debts within your means. As mentioned above, this won't create much savings for you because it has a snowball effect in the long run. For all you know, a small debt can have an extraordinarily high interest. If your goal is just to get one loan erased from your debts spreadsheet, this will be a good strategy then. If you want to save the most money possible, it is best to pay your credit card loans with the highest amount you can afford. Your loan balance will be smaller this way and so the interest will be

Four Steps to Reducing Your Debt

What are the things that you want to achieve with your money? Identify at least two objectives with regard to this and you will be able to find ways to reduce your debts and improve your financial conditions. If you need strategic ways to be debt-free this year, read the following insights. Highlight the reason behind your debt - Why are you borrowing money?  If you're borrowing money to pa'y bills or purchase your basic needs, you will have a hard time getting out of the cycle borrowing money and paying it back.  Borrowed money can fill in the gap temporarily but it can worsen your debt. List down all your debts - Take note of all the money you owe other people or lending companies. Total all your debts. Create a spreadsheet so you can clearly see the monthly payments required, the loan interest rates, and the time remaining for payback. In another spreadsheet, create a debt reduction plan that will suit your financial capabilities. Push yourself to your limits just t

Five Reasons Why You Should Try Community Banks

Are you having second thoughts about putting your money in a local bank? Yes? Read this post and you might be enlightened with the many benefits of investing in community banks over national banks. You can experience the same services at lower costs - It is a fact that small financial institutions offer better interest rates as far as savings is concerned. You don't have to worry about spending a lot of money for debit card, credit card and online bills payment charges. Your deposits will stay in your locality - Bigger banks lend the money deposited to them to other states. On the other hand, a community bank only lends its money to its local neighborhood. You can be qualified for a loan through your personal credentials - Large banks usually carry out impersonal rules and regulations when it comes to their loan processes or systems. Conversely, community banks are open to taking into account your family history and personal character or credibility when deciding to le

How to Teach Your Kids to Handle Money Effectively

Do you have kids who spend  money like crazy? It is not yet too late to teach them how to manage their money effectively regardless of their age. As a parent, you just have to be determined to teach them financial skills from which they can benefit for the rest of their adult lives. So, how do you start with this? Here are some ideas. Introduce piggy banks - Instead of buying the toy they want from your spare money, encourage them child to save up in a piggy bank. Use the toy as their goal for saving up. This will teach them a lot of skills and virtues as well like delayed gratification, patience, self-control, frugality, planning and budgeting. Teach your kids the value of earning their own money - When they get older, kids cannot spend their whole lives depending on you for their needs and financial problems. Is there a chore that they are capable of doing after school hours or during weekends? Encourage them to accomplish those chores regularly in exchange for a few dollars.

Six Steps to Managing Your Low Income

Dealing with a low income is challenging but doable. There are a series of practices which you will need to observe with regards to this. These practices will require you to make huge adjustments that can change your lifestyle and spending habits. Plan ahead for bills - No matter how big or little our income is, we'll definitely need to pay bills monthly. Save for the payment of your bills as soon you receive your paycheck. Paying your bills promptly will keep you from paying penalty fees which are added expense. Budget your income - A budget will show your exact earnings and your expenses. A budget will show you if you're spending more than what you earn. Hence, it will be easier for you to check if you're about to be in debt. Create a monthly budget and stick with it. Prioritize your necessities  - Label your basic needs in life. You will definitely need food in order to survive and be able to work daily. So, place it on top of your list. If you're taking medi

Effective Ways to Save Money on a Tight Budget

Payday is a couple of weeks away and there are only a few dollars in your bank account. Yet, you still need to save money. Saving money is more than just putting away a few dollars for a rainy day. It involves a change in lifestyle and spending habits that leads to a higher level of saving. Don't feel entitled to all the merchandise available in stores. Do you need multiple cell phones, televisions and other gadgets? Will these make you feel better about your financial situation? They might make you feel rich at the moment but they can leave a scar to your financial status. Learn extreme couponing and save thousands. Extreme couponing is very famous for good reason. Men and women across the United States are saving thousands of dollars on everyday items like paper towels, toilet paper, dish detergent and laundry detergent. These are the everyday things that may seem small but adds up to your monthly expenses. Doing potlucks at church and family gatherings helps save food

Six Easy Steps to Save Energy at Home

Do you want to trim down your electricity bills at home? There are several alternate ways to save energy at home. In this post, I listed a few of the alternative ways in the past months. Read on if you want to try them. 1) Cleaning or replacing the filters of air-conditioner units at least once a month. This minimizes electricity consumption because the unit can produce a free flow of cold air to the room inhibiting any extra force input from the appliance hence requiring lesser energy. Less energy input means lesser electricity consumption. 2) Lowering the thermostat on your water heater to 120 is also helpful. More so, the heaters must be shut off whenever you will be away for quite some time. It does not only conserve energy, it keeps your house safe from short circuits while you are away. 3) Turning off the lights when nobody is using. Use only lights when necessary. Refrigerators may be set at a temperature of 36 to 38 degrees and the freezer at 0 to 5. These are simpl

Small Ways to Save Money This 2015

Everyone is looking for ways to save money. Some need to save a lot while some just need to save a little for an immediate need. Whether you need to save for your kids' future or for a purchasing goal in mind, here's a list of simple practices to try. 1. Don't snob the leftovers. Whether you have leftover food from eating out or leftovers from cooking at home, don't throw them away or feed them to your pets. Eat them the next day. It will prevent you from wasting food because you won't need to buy more groceries. It will also help clean out the fridge so mold doesn't grow. 2. Drink less soda and lattes.  They can be very useful when you need to keep yourself awake and finish a lot of work. However, they're not good for your health. Drink water. It's healthy and free. 3. Buy off season clothes. Stores mark their off season clothes at deep discounts. Mentally it can be hard to buy a winter coat when it's 80 degrees out, but financially this is