Archive for April, 2008
Your Vehicle May Be Breaking Your Bank
Forgetting the ever-increasing price of gas, your car may be one of the main reasons you are struggling to make ends meet. Car payments may be wiping out your funds and that does not include the insurance costs, registration costs, maintenance costs, and the other things associated with owning and operating a vehicle. It is [...]
Speak Up to Get A Deal
There are several businesses that like to offer special deals. The only trick of it is – these special deals are on the down-low and you won’t get them unless you ask for them. Businesses will be happy to oblige you with their special offers but take advantage of the fact that many consumers will [...]
To Fight or Not to Fight: The Ridiculous Fee
Companies and industries across the board have had to become more and more creative to stay competitive and still offer the lower price. The lowest price tag usually wins so the companies need to find inventive ways to make a profit. This innovative method that is now employed by many places is known as “the [...]
5 Guidelines for Assessing Your Financial Situation
It isn’t possible to give everyone definitive answers to financial questions in a generic one-size-fits-all article. What we can do, though, is provide a set of guidelines that will apply to most situations, to help you assess your own financial situation and make educated decisions. Repaying Debt: There are a number of methods for paying [...]
Carnival of Personal Finance #150
The carnival was hosted by Lazy Man and Money who’s name suggests he’s lazy… but I’m not sure how true that can be since it took him 16 hours to put this week’s carnival posting together! Thanks for the hard work, and for listing 115 articles from personal finance bloggers all over the net for our [...]
The World Really is Flat: Flying Overseas For Healthcare
Many of us know that health care prices are getting out of control in the United States, but it won’t really hit you until you’re in a hospital somewhere and a doctor tells you that you need a $50,000 surgery. Nobody’s got that kind of money just sitting around! Many people have been going overseas [...]
You Can Invest With $100 or Less
Think you can’t afford to invest anything? Think again! It appears that ING direct, one of the leading online banks offering high interest savings accounts, also has a program called Sharebuilder, which allows you to start investing with very little money. Sharebuilder offers three different programs for the individual, beginning investor, including: BASIC: No monthly [...]
How to Rent a Car & Not Get Screwed
Renting a car can often be an expensive proposition. If you’re on vacation, or your car is stuck in the shop getting repaired, you can get stuck paying quite a bit of money renting a car. Fortunately with some due diligence, there’s ways that you can make renting a car much less expensive. Here are [...]
What Your FICO Score Doesn’t Say About You
It’s becoming easier to feel as if your credit score defines who you are. It’s the number one tool used when a lender is deciding whether or not you should be given credit; but it’s also becoming commonly used by the car insurance companies as a factor in how much you pay for your car [...]
Inexpensive and Ideal Learning Experience for the Whole Family
Many people take for granted that there are products in the store, bought at convenience and typically always available. For kids and parents alike, there are plenty of great opportunities, often just a short drive away, where they can develop a deeper appreciation for the things we buy and the things we need. An inexpensive, [...]
Should You Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Imagine that you and your spouse are all set to go on the trip of your dreams. You’re taking a 7 day cruise to the Bahamas and visiting some of the most beautiful ports of call on this side of the equator, no work, no cell phones, no interruptions, just pure relaxation. You take the [...]
BOOK REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: High School Money Book by Don Silver
The title of this book tells me it’s geared towards High School students, but even though I’m technically an adult (and way beyond my high school years), when I was reading my copy, I couldn’t seem to put it down. The sentences are short and written in language that’s easy to understand the first time [...]
8 Ways to Save Your Money Buying Airline Tickets
Higher gas prices coupled with the higher price of everything else has lead to astronomically priced airline ticket. However, there are still ways to save cash and find a deal. When you are ready to purchase a ticket, shop online. Start first by comparing ticket prices of competing sellers before selecting a fare. Find the [...]
A Month of Groceries for a Family of Four – Under $150
Everywhere you look, people are complaining of the rising prices and the difficulties of keeping up with their monthly expenses. The average family of four spends over $500 a month on groceries (including paper products and cleaning supplies) with some families spending over $800 monthly. If you are in need of some extra cash and are not [...]
WEBSITE REVIEW – MakeMoneyFromWriting.com
I am so glad that I can finally write about this coaching program – the one that started my career as an online writer. This is the program that got me started doing what I do. I am a full time writer, and I make money by writing articles, e-books, blogs and other web-related content. [...]
How to Maintain Your Lawn on a Budget
Everyone has a neighbor with a perfect yard. You know the one- their grass looks like a thick, green carpet that covers their entire property and they have landscaping you see in magazines. Most of these people probably spend a good portion of their monthly home maintenance budget on their yard care, but there are [...]
Weekend Vacations: Time-Off Without Going Broke
Cabin fever has been settling in lately. Gray skies and bitter winds keep the outdoors out of reach unless there is somewhere to go by car. Since school is in session during the week, often a weekend road trip can be just the thing to pull the family out of the funk of winter blues. [...]
Cheap Vacation Idea: Don’t Leave Home
With seemingly the cost of everything rising in price and leaving families in a bind, an expensive vacation may not be in the cards for many. However, there is a perfect vacation awaiting you and you don’t even have to leave your house. While it may sound odd and not much like a vacation at [...]
Home Efficiency Improvement Tips for the Home
Most often it is the little things gone awry in your home that jack up the cost of your utilities. It may be well worth it in the long run to implement changes now in order to reap the monetary benefits for years to come. There are several simple things you can do in your [...]
How to Travel to NYC Without Going Broke
New York City is perhaps one of the most expensive cities in the world to be in, but it’s also one of the most unique cities to visit. If you’re not careful, you can rack up a rather large bill in just a few days. You can’t even drive around without paying $5-$10 tolls in [...]
How to Fly With Your Children & Keep Your Sanity
Flying with children can be daunting. Hearing people comment about your crying angel mid-flight can really tick a parent off as well as create a sense of defensiveness. However, flying with kids does not need to be horrifying. The ten tips listed here will make flying with any child a more pleasurable experience. BOOKING THE [...]
How to Get the Most Money Out of Your Paycheck
While many people are having more and more trouble living on their current salary, there are a few things you can do to get the most from what you are currently making. Use Direct Deposit – Utilizing the direct deposit service to deposit your payroll will help keep you from spending the cash in your [...]
Lunchtime Lessons: Cheap Fixin’s and Good Ideas
The final school bell will be ringing soon, ending the convenience of in-school lunches and making family lunch time another important meal of the day at home. Kids may always want the expensive conveniences now found in the grocery isles but there are some great substitutes that will make them happy.Here are some tips that [...]
The Carnival of Personal Finance is Available
Carnival #148 is up and running and ready for you to get your fill of the week’s personal finance articles. You can visit the entire listing on the Gather Little By Little Blog: http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/04/14/148th-edition-of-the-carnival-of-personal-finance/ Here are a few of the articles I was most interested in this week: My Family’s Money: Outsource to Your Kids [...]
7 Ideas for Your Income Tax Fund
You may be relieved to hear the tax accountant tell you that not only do you not owe in to taxes but that you are, in fact, getting a refund. The word refund means basically that you lent the government money and they must give it back to you sans interest. There are several things [...]
7 Ways to Save for a Great Last-Minute Vacation
Making the ends meet and even trying to get ahead financially all year long, families may often postpone thinking about vacation planning until summer has already begun. Even if you haven’t been saving all year long, you can still plan and afford a great family getaway.Here are 7 tips to help you find a little [...]
Six Ways to Save Money at The Gas Pump
Every time I put gas in my 1997 Cavalier I just about have a small heart attack. I think it has a 13 or 15 gallon tank, and when I first got the car during my college years, I literally could fill the thing up for about $20. Now, I regularly fill her up with [...]
I agree. If a local business is the one offering the sale price I will buy it from them. ...
We are retired and live on a grocery budget of $200 a month for 2 people in the Midwest. That ...