tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314427202024-03-13T09:27:26.417-07:00Our Balance SheetDedicated to looking at the balance sheet to help improve the personal finances of everyone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-19350710774406171202012-11-07T16:08:00.002-08:002012-11-07T16:10:04.356-08:00Concert Tickets: Some Ways to SaveBy David Treehouse<p>
I went to a great <a href="http://www.stubhub.co.uk/the-courteeners-tickets">The Courteeners</a> concert the other day. Not only did I immensely enjoy the concert, here are some tricks I learned that can help you save money when you buy concert tickets in general.<p>
<h2>Use Credit Card Benefits</h2><p>
Some credit cards, such as American Express, allow you to use earned points toward ticket costs. A couple of credit cards also offer presale tickets or special reduced prices. You should check your credit card's benefits to see if you're eligible for any perks. If so, use your points towards the ticket price.<p>
<h2>Don't Buy Ticket Insurance</h2><p>
Most websites offer ticket insurance after you've selected your ticket. This is usually a charge of between $7 to $15 depending on what site you use. This allows you to be reimbursed if you miss the concert due to an illness, a trip, or unexpected event. But the chance of these events occurring on the date of your concert is minimal. If you're intent on saving money, this might be one additional fee you avoid.<p>
<h2>Choose Dates Carefully</h2><p>
Is the artist you're going to see offering multiple concerts? Is one on a Thursday night and the other on Friday? Chances are the Friday night concert is going to be more expensive. Weekend concerts are usually more popular with fans for various reasons. If you have a flexible schedule and going on an "off day" doesn't bother you, choose the Thursday night show.<p>
<h2>Group Deals</h2><p>
If you know a lot of people who might be going to the concert, see if you can get a group deal on the tickets. Sometimes larger venues will provide a discount for large parties. Ask your friends if they want to go and have them ask their friends and so on in order to round up enough people. If you're lucky enough to get a venue that offers discounts for groups, this could be a great way to save some money on tickets.<p>
<h2>Don't Pay for Printed or Shipped Tickets</h2><p>
A lot of online retailers have varied prices on ticket printing and shipping. Some sites might charge you $1 or $2 if you want to print tickets online while some might charge you $5 if you choose to get tickets mailed to your house. When you're paying for your tickets, make sure you choose the cheapest option. A couple of sites, such as Ticketmaster, don't charge a fee if you choose to print the ticket yourself or pick it up at the box office. <p>
These are just a few ways that you can help save a bit of money when purchasing concert tickets.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-59744884306092337082012-08-27T15:29:00.000-07:002012-08-27T15:29:20.619-07:00A Bachelor's in Finance Can Equal a Great CareerOne of the most vital characteristics of financial success is a quality education integrated with a promising career. Job assessment, personality profiles, and career counseling may seem to add confusion when searching for a promising field. Many of these assessments lack in-depth research about job outlook and education training requirements. The greatest option for a person to consider is one that will build a foundation that can be used to create the ideal job that will also match personal preferences. It’s important to choose a field that will not limit your options, but will offer a way to branch into a plethora of other business ventures.<p>
A bachelor’s degree in finance is one of the best choices for those who seek a promising career. It equips a person with enough knowledge to counsel organizations or individuals on ways to increase and manage revenue. Financial management tools become familiar to those who decide to pursue this field. An increased knowledge of the economy, international trade, profitable investments, taxes, and business law presents the opportunity to work in an unlimited amount of settings. Without financial guidance, a company cannot be successful.<p>
Those with a bachelor’s degree in finance make an average earning $64,750. Job growths in financial fields have increased dramatically compared to other job markets. When economy fails, corporations seek advanced guidance to help increase profits and make smart investments. When there is a boost in the economy, finance experts provide the advice to continue increasing profitability for their clients. There are not many factors that can lessen the need for financial advice. A bachelor’s degree in finance can lead to a plethora of job choices because of the increasing demand for financial advice.<p>
The average educational institution that offers the opportunity to get a bachelor’s degree in finance require between 120-128 credit hours to be completed. Students will take a variety of courses that relate to finance such as personal finance, corporate finance, economics, and portfolio management. Financial aid information is available through federal grants, funding from the school, or scholarships. The educational guidance counselor can offer all the options available for paying for school.<p>
A <a href="http://www.aiuniv.edu/Student-Life/Blog/July-2012/How-Do-I-Get-A-Bachelors-Degree-In-Finance">bachelor’s degree in finance qualifies the graduate for some exciting job opportunities</a>. Career prospects may include accounting, personal financial advisor, financial planner, financial manager, real estate broker, and insurance agent. Having advance financial knowledge can also lead to a promising position in the treasury department of a business.<p>
1) Personal financial advisors help each client meet their short and long-term financial goals by offering investment advice, tax tips, and budgeting options.<p>
2) Financial planners prepare companies or individuals for the financial goals by offering advice to aid them in successfully reaching financial goals. Advance knowledge in investments may be required.<p>
3) Financial managers oversee financial spending and look for strategies to increase profitability.<p>
4) Real estate brokers tend to own their own real estate businesses. By closely monitoring the real estate market, they can guide their client to make smart investments.<p>
Insurance agents offer services to cover damages in case of an unforeseeable event. By assessing financial risk, the insurance agent is able to suggest the most practical policy. This trillion-dollar industry offers finance graduates a great opportunity to earn money.<p>
A bachelor’s degree in finance can lead to a very promising career by offering job security, outstanding outcome, and a variety of job choices.<p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-58545239730473826462012-07-16T23:04:00.001-07:002012-07-16T23:05:47.533-07:00Find Out How Much You Can Save By Using a Debt CalculatorIf your major financial goal is to pay off your outstanding debts and achieve the status of being debt-free, you are not alone. Consumer debt is a major issue for many Canadians. In fact, the average debt of Canadians, not counting mortgage debt, is over $25,000. As debt balances increase, monthly payments also increase. This means that it is often more difficult to get out of debt when you have higher outstanding balances. Using an online debt calculator is a great first step to take to explore your debt repayment options.<p>
<h2>The Cost of Your Debt</h2>
You can use an online calculator to calculate your debt and learn what the true cost of that debt is. Many people believe that the cost of debt relates to their monthly payment or their outstanding balance. However, interest charges are assessed on debts each month. The longer your debt balances remain, the more money you will pay with time. A debt calculator can show you how much money you will pay on these debts if you only pay the minimum amount due each month. You could save money by paying your debts off early.<p>
<h2>Your Debt Relief Options</h2>
You can also use a debt calculator to explore your debt relief options in more detail. For example, there are several different consolidation loans that you may be considering applying for. These may have different loan terms, interest rates and loan amounts. The loan you choose to apply for will affect your immediate budget, the amount of interest you will pay on your consolidation loan and how quickly you can achieve the status of being debt-free. The right calculator can help you to make a more informed decision about your finances.<p>
<h2>Managing Your Budget</h2>
You may be trying to decide if you want to seek debt relief, such as with a consolidation loan, or if you want to pay your debts off on your own. A debt calculator can help you to compare the pros and cons of both options. Consider factors such as how long it will take to pay off your debts in full, how much interest you will pay over that period of time and how your budget will be affected by the two options. While you want to pay off your debts, you also want to make sure that your budget isn't too constrained by your efforts. Those who live on a tight budget are more likely to fall of track with their repayment efforts. Even the smallest unexpected expense, for example, can cause those living on a tight budget to struggle financially. The best option for debt repayment is often one that allows you to pay off debts without significant struggling.<p>
If you are like so many others who have used a <a href="http://www.debt.ca/calculators/debt-repayment-calculator" rel="nofollow" title="Debt Repayment Calculator">debt repayment calculator</a>, such as the calculator found at <a href="http://www.debt.ca" title="Debt.ca">http://www.Debt.ca</a>, you will make the decision that debt consolidation is your best option. This method typically allows consumers to pay off debts more quickly and easily while also providing for immediate relief in their budget. You can use this calculator and explore the debt consolidation programs offered through this website.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-70764428729259390562012-03-07T06:54:00.000-08:002014-02-08T11:49:28.214-08:00Put Online Calculators to Good UseWe could all use a helping hand when it comes to improving money management. The problem is that such assistance, usually in the form of books and advice, tends to cost money. Luckily the World Wide Web offers an array of free information and tools at your disposal in the pursuit of perfected personal finance. In addition to blogs such as the one you are reading right now, online calculators are particularly helpful in your journey toward economic enlightenment. <p>
Virtually every avenue of personal finance has an online calculator to go along with it. When organizing a plan for credit card repayment, why not run it through the <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator/">Federal Reserve repayment calculator</a> first to see just how much interest you will end up paying? Find yourself in the middle of salary negotiations with a new employer? Gain the upper hand with a <a href="http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/costofliving/costofliving.html">cost-of-living calculator</a>.<p>
There also exist online calculators that help you <a href="http://hes.lbl.gov/consumer/">lower your energy bills</a>, as well as for finding the most fuel efficient automobile in your price range. With oil prices expected to explode this summer, very few people can afford to not care about saving on energy costs in the coming months. Otherwise you may be forced to use credit cards in order to afford getting to and from work. As far as smart personal finances go, this is a no-no. <p>
But don’t forget about student loan repayment calculators, retirement calculators, cost-of-smoking calculators, and websites that estimate the likely cost of raising a child in a particular region. There are countless calculators available for free online just waiting to be used. If you’re serious about improving your personal finances, then there is no reason why you shouldn't have these handy tools bookmarked.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-84951375169434474362012-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:002012-02-28T09:00:08.448-08:00Reduce The Cost of SmokingThere is no doubt that <a href="http://www.costofsmoking.com">smoking cots a lot</a>. If you are looking to save money with smoking, your best option is to just give smoking up. There are a large number of costs associated with smoking beyond the cost of buying cigarettes, but this is not always the easiest option for a lot of people. For others, quitting smoking can only seem like a distant dream. Even if you know you aren't ready to quit smoking completely, it does make sense to try and learn how to cut down on your smoking costs.<p>
One of the easiest ways that you can cut down the amount of money that you spend on smoking is to just roll your own cigarettes. This may seem somewhat hassle-filled, but this can actually be a positive. If you must roll your own cigarettes, you're likely to smoke less which will help to save you at least a little bit of money. <p>
Rolling your own cigarettes means that you will actually have to spend the time to roll a cigarette. In turn, this means there will be certain times when you would normally take a smoking break when you will no longer smoke simply because you can't really be bothered to roll a cigarette. This can significantly cut down on the amount that you smoke during the day while not depriving yourself from smoking since you can at any point you want. This can be the first step in breaking the smoking habit by showing how much you do smoke simply out of habit. <p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-14237494241422361722012-02-21T09:00:00.000-08:002012-02-21T09:00:08.443-08:00Go GenericHealth care can be expensive and one of the last things that you want to worry about when you are sick is paying for any prescribed drugs after you have been diagnosed and given medication instructions. There is nothing worse than getting to the pharmacist and having to pay a small fortune just to make yourself feel better. <p>
One of the things that you can do when you have been told you need prescription medication from your health care professional is to ask for the generic equivalent of the medication rather than a named brand. Name brand prescription drugs are a lot more expensive. If you explain to your health care professional that you are struggling with money or looking to save a few pennies, they will be happy to prescribe an generic prescription if they feel it will do the same job. <p>
Both generic and brand named medication will all work the same, much in a similar way as store brands are the same as the more expensive "named" brands. It's just the label that is different – they do the same job, have the same effect and they contain the same active ingredients. The only difference is that the name brand prescription drugs cost a lot more than their generic equivalents. It doesn't make a lot of sense to pay a lot more for something that is exactly the same you can get for cheaper. <p>
Since all medication must be FDA approved, you can be sure that the difference between the two will be incredibly minimal, if at all. Of course, if you do have any questions about the potential differences between generic and brand medication, you can always ask your health care professional who will be more than happy to explain their feelings on the two.
If generic is not an option, always check to see if there is are <a href="http://www.reduceprescriptioncosts.com/">prescription drug coupons</a> available for the brand named drug as this can also save you quite a bit of money.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-61031246270962364772012-02-16T14:00:00.000-08:002012-02-16T15:04:52.414-08:00Recycle in Your GardenEveryone with a yard wants theirs to look as beautiful as possible. The problem is that most people believe that a beautiful garden means they have to spend a small fortune. The truth is that you could have the prettiest little garden of your dreams without spending an arm and a leg if you start to incorporate <a href="http://www.frugalgardening.com">frugal garden tips</a> into your repertoire. One of these frugal tips is to recycle<p>
There are a wide variety of things that cost little to no money which you can use to spruce up the appearance of your garden. For example, you can get an old newspaper, shred it into strips and place at the bottom of containers and plant pots to retain the moisture. This is an especially great tip for the summer if you do not have the time that you would like to dedicate to your yard. This way you ensure that your plants stay alive even if you forget to water them once in awhile. Newspapers can also be a great barrier against weeds. When you read your weekend newspapers, rather than throwing them away, save them for future use in your garden. <p>
Recycling can come in many forms. If you renovate a bathroom in your home, consider using the old sink as a display feature in your yard. You can add flowers to create a unique garden display that everyone will marvel at. it's definitely worthwhile thinking about how all the things that you throw away may be able to be used in your garden before you actually throw them away and help <a href="http://onecentatatime.com/25-everyday-techniques-to-save-environment/">save environment</a>. <p>
There really very few things that you can't recycle to spruce up an unloved garden if you are willing to use your imagination. There are plenty of websites on the Internet that can give you ideas on how to <a href="http://www.frugalgardening.com/reuse-stuff-in-your-garden.html">recycle stuff in your garden</a> to create a nicer looking yard.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-63713310454623992962012-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:002012-02-14T15:25:41.599-08:00IRA FeesIndividual Retirement Accounts or IRA's are the perfect way to save money for retirement. However, like most things in life, if not used or invested properly, they prove to be more of a hindrance than a help, especially when it comes time for retirement. For this reason, it is important to know <a href="http://www.goodfinancialcents.com/ira-rules-traditional-contibution-limits/">traditional Ira rules</a>. <p>
These have become one of the most popular types of investment plans for those looking to save for their retirement so it makes sense to know how to use them properly. One of the things that many people ignore or forget to ask about when looking to invest in an IRA are the fees and deductions that may occur, and this leads to the biggest IRA financial tip that you should know – check the fine print! <p>
There are many IRA's out there that will charge an administration fee per year. These can be as small as around twenty-five dollars per year, but can be up to as much as a few hundred dollars. If you are thinking of investing your money in this manner, this is one of the first things that you should check. Unless, of course, you want a nasty surprise at the end of the year. There are some companies out there that will forget about this yearly administration fee as long as there is a large sum of money (usually around one hundred thousand dollars), but for most of us, this sum of money will not be present in the IRA for a long time. <p>
There are some ways in which you can forget about the IRA fees. Those that are eligible for certain deductions can have them written off on their 1040 form. However, not all people will be allowed to write these payments off so it always makes sense to check the fine print and to make sure that the fees you are going to have to pay makes sense for your investments.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-17269602577615515842012-02-07T14:19:00.000-08:002012-02-15T14:23:36.998-08:00Change Your TV SubscriptionsTV is something that many people believe they cannot live without. Even when people do not actually sit down and watch the TV, it often provides background noise, as well as providing a place to relax and chill after a long day. This is not to mention the entertainment purposes. It is a place where the whole family gathers at night, so it would seem relatively unheard of to suggest eliminating the cost completely from your daily life (although it is possible to <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2012/01/17/108885_20-ways-to-break-your-tv-habit-and-save-a-fortune.html">break the TV habit</a>). <p>
Luckily, you can save money on your TV without having to get rid of it, and all you really need to do is to take a look at the subscription package you currently have! Eliminating some of the channels from your monthly package does not have to mean the end of the world. It's all really about common sense. <p>
Do you really need all of those channels? Be honest with yourself. How many of them do you actually watch on a regular basis? Take the premium channels such as sports and movies. You may have subscribed to them with the idea that you will have friends over for a few beers but really, how many times has this ever happened? You might have all the movie channels because you were adamant you were going to have a "movie night" with the family, but again, how many times has this actually happened? <p>
If you can remove a few of the channels that you have in your monthly cable subscription, you can save a considerable amount of money per month. it very well may be more than you would first have realized. Even by downsizing to the package one lower from the one you currently have can free up money that could be better spent elsewhere such as paying off credit card debt or other necessary expenses.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-74702940294698417412012-02-01T14:39:00.000-08:002012-02-15T14:41:12.610-08:00Save Money On PetsWe all love having pets in our homes and for the most part, our furry little friends are considered to be just as much a part of the family as our siblings or our partners. That's the thing about pets -- we love them and they love us unconditionally. The only problem is, it's very easy to over react to the slightest pet ailments, and this is where most people find themselves spending a lot of money. The one tip that you should know about if you're looking to <a href="http://www.inexpensivepets.com/">save money on your pets</a> to not rush down to the vet too quickly when symptoms are not serious. The key is being able to distinguish between what is serious and what is not.<p>
You wouldn't rush to the doctor's office every time you got a runny nose, so it's important no to panic when your pet gets ill. Pets get common ailments just the same as humans do, so it pays to invest in a book on on pet ailments so you can understand when your pet is in need of care and when he simply needs rest. For example, if you own a dog, buy a book on dog health care (or at least read up on common pet conditions online from a reputable website). Investing in a quality pet health book will pay for itself many times over the first time you reference it and realize that there is no need to rush off to the pet emergency room. Beyond the cost of the vet bill, you will also save the transportation costs, any medications and even costs of losing a day at work. <p>
If you take the time to educate yourself on the different types of ailments that your pet is likely to come across in his or her lifetime, you can be assured that you will not rush to seek medical advice for your furry little friend too soon. If the ailment can be treated without a trip to the vet such as worms or fleas you will save yourself a bundle of money and your pet will be all the better because you caught the problem early.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-22398792900556673152012-01-02T20:10:00.000-08:002012-01-02T20:10:03.207-08:00Looking for a great way to save money and find more time all in one move? Stop watching TV (or greatly limit the amount of TV that you watch). Here are a few ways that <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2007/07/17/101625_how-dumping-tv-allowed-me-to-quit-my-job-create-an-online-business-and-fund-my-retirement-account.html">reducing the number of hours of TV you watch can help your finances</a>: <p>
1. You won't be exposed to as many advertisements. <p>
2. You will have additional time to focus on more important things in your life with the amount of time you save (the average person watches TV for 4.5 hours a day) from not watching TV. <p>
3. Not watching TV will reduce electrical use. <p>
4. You can cut or reduce the cost of cable TV since you won't be watching TV as much. <p>
5. You have the opportunity to build wealth with the extra time you have. <p>
It's amazing how much you can save (and what you can accomplish) when you decide to reduce or eliminate TV from your schedule.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1181191217464081102011-12-26T05:00:00.000-08:002011-12-26T05:00:09.708-08:00Save Water and Money With AppliancesHere are a few simple ways to save water and money when you use appliances: <p>
Remember to only use appliances such as your washing machine and dishwasher when they are completely full to save water and money. Some appliances come with different size settings, but even when they do, a full load is always more water efficient than a smaller load. There may be times when you need to use an appliance when it is not full. In these instances, try to make the water level size setting so that it matches the size of the load you're doing.<p>
When it''s time to replace an older appliance with a newer model, opt for an appliance that offers the option of both cycle and load size adjustments. Appliances that offer these settings are more water-efficient and energy-efficient than older appliance models.<p>
Instead of getting a new glass every time you want to drink water or any other beverage, get into the habit of use a single, specific cup or glass throughout the day. By doing so, you will reduce the amount of times that it's necessary to run the dishwasher.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-90510094606419717122011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:002011-12-19T05:00:06.047-08:00SimplicityOne of the best ways to get a balance sheet and your finances in order to to <a href="http://www.financialhack.com/we-could-all-edit-a-bit-more/">embrace simplicity</a>. We all have a lot more than we really need and if we can see this instead of trying to always buy more, we can find a lot more financial peace in our lives. Here are a few ways to simplify your life: <p>
1. Throw out anything you haven't used in a year.<p>
2. Clean out your garage.<p>
3. Clean out your car trunk.<p>
4. Clean out your closets.<p>
5. Have a garage sale.<p>
6. If you buy something new, get rid of 2 old things.<p>
7. Downsize your living space.<p>
8. Downsize your car.<p>
9. If you are paying for storage space, stop.<p>
10. Try to live with less.<p>
These are just a few tips that can help you realize that you don't need nearly as much as you think you need.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-46506394605088928152011-12-12T15:23:00.000-08:002011-12-14T15:24:34.826-08:00What The Army Can Teach About MoneyHave you ever thought about what the <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2011/12/14/108428_10-things-the-army-taught-me-about-finances.html">Army can teach you about your finances</a>? Here are ten things that a former soldier says he learned about money from the army:<p>
Leadership <br>
Integrity<br>
Prioritizing<br>
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)<br>
Accountability<br>
Sacrifice<br>
Planning<br>
Flexibility<br>
Team work<br>
Determination<br><br>
These are all helpful skills to better your finances and your balance sheet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-88033550261178039172011-12-06T15:45:00.000-08:002011-12-14T15:46:45.939-08:00Tax InformationOne important area that people often don't pay enough attention to when it comes to their finances is taxes and how taxes effect their budget. A good way to keep on top of all the changes happening is to read the <a href="http://www.taxpressrelease.com">IRS press releases</a> and updates. This will be especially important at the beginning of the new year when people begin to prepare their 2011 taxes. Here are some helpful hints to remember while doing your taxes: <p>
1. Start preparing you taxes early.<p>
2. Use free online tax software to double check your taxes.<p>
3. Always check your math twice.<p>
4. Don't waste your money getting tax refund loan.<p>
5. Check that you signed your tax return.<p>
Even though everyone hates taxes, taking the time to prepare early will ensure that you don't make any mistakes (or have time to correct them if you do) and get your tax refund in a timely manner.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-59825532332834599522011-11-29T16:54:00.001-08:002012-03-26T20:16:36.692-07:00Five-Minute, Short-Term Cash Shortage SolutionsMany of the personal financial advice "gurus" get it wrong. They think that the reason people are dealing with debt or an inability to pay bills is due to over-consumption – buying more than income allows. The real statistics tell a more nuanced tale, one which can be broken into different types of financial dilemmas.<p>
1. Sudden reduction in household income before the cost structure can be changed - For example, if your hours are cut due to the recession, or if there formerly were two wage earners in a house but now there is only one, the simple answer is "cut your costs!" But that's overly simplistic. If you rent an apartment, it's difficult to suddenly move to a cheaper place if you are in a 12-month lease. You might have car payments – selling the car might make it harder to change jobs or keep the job you have. Some items (entertainment, expensive foods) can be cut back, but not some of the bigger ones.<p>
2. Complexity and time requirements overwhelm the busy working person – Bill paying has gotten more complicated in the digital era. You might pay everything online, but there are times when deposits and debits do not post in real time. You still need to keep offline records if you want to be completely accurate. But in a busy time period, it’s easy to make errors or forget to check your balances.<p>
3. "Pig in a python" expense accumulations – You can budget for all the predictable expenses and allow for $200 or $500 of "surprise" expenses some months. But a quarterly insurance payment, a medical emergency and a car repair in one month can add up to a lot of trouble in paying bills.<p>
The important thing to understand is each of these comes with a different solution. One solution that covers several of these dilemmas, however, is online payday loans. Particularly when you face a "pig in a python" scenario, it can be hard to pay for it all at once. But with fast cash advances – loans based on your employment status, not a collateral or credit score – you can flatten out that snake, so to speak.<p>
Paycheck loans need to be paid back in one, sometimes two pay periods. They must be thought only of as short-term loans. Otherwise, that snake stretches out and follows you around!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1159292666081464962011-11-25T10:41:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:20:34.348-08:00Trying To Become Debt FreeHi, I am presently working full-time and do house and petsitting on the side for extra income. I have been doing this for over a year now and find that I am paying rent for an apartment I am hardly ever at.<br /><br />I have an upcoming job for two months at two places. I am thinking about leaving my apartment when my lease is up and maybe rent a room for cheaper rent. I feel like I am throwing away rent when I am never there anyway.<br /><br />So for the two months I am living in other people's homes I will be rent free and can put my stuff in storage. During those two months I will save over $1000.<br /><br />I am guessing you probably want me to go through my financial past a little bit.<br /><br />I am 27 years old and have been discharged from bankruptcy for 2+ years. I am slowly rebuilding my credit and have made some poor choices during this process and as a result I have a car loan to pay for and a high interest personal loan.<br /><br />I really want to be as debt free as possible. I am into month two of the envelope system and this month is a bit more of a struggle than the previous month. <br />Any other questions - just ask. I just want to know if anyone has any advice for me.<br /><br />Read the discussion <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21978" rel="nofollow">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1159108800510672662011-11-21T07:38:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:20:02.676-08:00Some Saving Advice WantedHey, just looking for some advice.<br /><br />I'm 21 years old, just graduating from college luckily with $0 debt....thank you scholarships.<br /><br />Current value:<br /><br />Mutual funds: 12k<br />Savings: 5k<br />Debt: 0<br /><br />I'm looking at expanding into roth IRA, but being self-employed no 401k will be available. Is there anything else I should look at investing in?<br /><br />Thanks a lot...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21886" rel="nofollow">See the discussion</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1155210616917353552011-11-18T04:46:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:19:40.025-08:00Housing Budget DilemmaI'm in a dilemma. My husband has just received a raise and we have put an offer on the house. We have exactly £9,000 saved up. <br /><br />We put an offer on a house which is £160,000 and needs a 16,000 down payment. We are hoping to borrow the rest of the down payment from my mother in law. <br /><br />However the house is not in a very good school area. Actually the worst in the whole northeast.. Schools are a huge issue here in England because of bullying and low class uneducated families. (they are not as open minded as families on lesser incomes in America). <br /><br />So my daughter would have to go to private school. The payment would be £815 a month. and on the tightest budget where you couldn't even crack my ass cheeks open with a walnut cracker cost of living that we could possibly have is £1000. <br /><br />We could possibly have a rental income of £300 a month.. however we need to fix up our rental property to the cost of at least £2,000. <br /><br />And most importantly I need a car. We can buy one for about £4,000.. a good quality car that we needn't fear would break down as soon as be bought it. <br /><br />My priorities are <br /><br />Car <br />Education for me as well as my daughter <br />House <br />another car for my husband because his is breaking down<br /><br /><br />Now as you may have noticed.. there is no way my budget would be able to handle all my expenses and take care of the priorities that we have in one shot. I have put an offer on the house (that I would just have to move out in a year and half anyway) and I am thinking of backing out of the purchase. <br /><br />If I back out of the purchase.. then I can save about £24k by next august plus keep my £9,000 in the bank. My mother in law has promised to give me a bit of help in fixing up the house I live in at the moment. I will also secure a car for myself, my husband, and have money for education and keeping my sanity (i.e. daycare, exercise,) and my daughters education. <br /><br />If I don't back out of the house we will only save at most 14,000 by Jan of next year. Without being able to afford childcare for my son.. and therefore stalling my own education efforts. However, we would have more of a social life with friends as their will be room for entertainment and a garden for the children to play in. In selling the house we would prob. break even to have our 16k down payment back.. <br /><br />I just think it makes sense to take care of my priorities first. The housing market isn't going to go so drastically up that it will be unaffordable .. Will it??? And a better area would mean I would not have to pay for private school for my daughter. <br /><br />Any words of reason out there??<br /><br />You can comment or to see what others have to say about this <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20283">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1155207935279578042011-11-14T04:01:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:19:15.092-08:00Balance Sheet Ruined By ClothesI'm 17 and I have a problem with my spending habit, it's nothing compare to my friends and they see me as a cheap person that's always finding ways to save my money. It may seems true but I have a very big spending problem, for the past 7 months, I have spent 923.10$ on clothes alone, that's way over the limit and I really regret buying a 200$ jeans because my friend encouraged me to buy it, since it looks really good on me... Later, I found jeans that are 30$-50$. <br /><br />I keep my spending on track with my notebook, and I review it at the end of the month to see what area I need improve, so far, I stopped eating out and start buying groceries and cooking meals at home. I don't know how much I save so far, I stopped eating out for two weeks already except today, I bought Mcdo because I was very very hungry and I lost my appetite at lunch time when a fly touched my meal, I also killed it with my spoon... I hate eating at my dad work place, so much flies flying around. <br /><br />I don't go out often to hang out with my friends, the activities they ask are very expensive and I don't work anymore, so I have to watch my money, more importantly my savings that I have saved for the last six months, so far, I had around 700$, plus my change that make 420$ (I saved it separately for my future around the world trip that I'll talk about it later), that makes 1120$ in my saving account. I recently went shopping for clothes for my interview today, I applied for H&M, a very trendy store and I refused to work 20 hours/week starting in September, so I got refused to do the interview... I don't care anymore, their clothes are not really my taste anyways, and the hours they asked me to do will take away my study. <br /><br />Anyways, the point is, when I went shopping, I was only thinking about buying a shirt or two from the H&M store, and I end up buying a shirt, a sweater and some weird looking gloves that I found pretty and cheap, that makes 52.07$. After that, I wanted to leave right away, but the mall was having a BIG sale... I told myself, what the heck I still have 147.93$ on me, I'll only spend 100$ today. I've found some lucky find, like a shirt for 5$ at American Eagle, 4$ tank top from the kids section (I can actually fit them... I was surprise. o.O)... But at the end of the day, I've spent 190.83$, then I realized I have a big problem in this area... I look at my spending this month, the total is 368.77$ in July. I shouldn't have step into the American Eagle store or the other stores as well... Or even go shopping at all.<br /><br />I am happy with my purchase though, I have a very colourful wardrobe now. I just want to avoid spending too much money at the same time and later, regret about it... So I decide to spend 100$ every three months, to avoid frustration at the end, but I'm not completely sure if I can follow it. I go to the other forum where there's people that are the same age as me, I remembered seeing their wardrobe where they have full of clothes, they said that they have a lot of clothes that they don't wear, but I want to have a full wardrobe too... When I look at mine, it looks empty, and I want to load my wardrobe slowly, I try choosing my clothes wisely when I go shopping, to avoid wasting my money for nothing. If I take my own advice, I'll spend about 400$/ year. I won't shop at thrift store or garage sale... Sorry, I'm not use to the used clothing from other people other than my own family, although, I can't ask clothes from anybody in my family since I am VERY picky in clothes and my mom tried the hand me down, out of ten clothes she gave me, I only accepted one, her other clothes are broken or really not my taste... I feel like I'm a garbage to my mom when I found one or two holes in some of her shirts that she gave me. Honestly, my mom don't know my taste or don't really know me, so she always assume things about me and tell everyone else, when they see me, they claimed things that my mom said and half of it it's not even true or she don't know why I did that. I want to sew my own clothes, but I hardly have any time and money now, #1 : I'm going to college soon, I need to study a lot for the first two terms to get good grades. #2 : I'm going to find a part-time job to earn money for my long-term saving in three years and I don't want to ask for my parents money too often because I feel really guilty always asking them to pay me stuff. #3 I don't have the money for the sewing machine, lessons and any other things... It's going to cost me a lot in the end, but it'll save a heap of money later on because I'll be making my own clothes in my taste, but I'm going to think about later, when I have enough money for my goal. <br /><br />Entertainment should be no problem for me, I only spend less than 300$ these past 7 months, but I'm planning to do only 200$/year if possible and stop listening to my cousin who's constantly asking me to join her in her expensive activities like seeing a movie every Friday at 10$ at night (Tuesday and Wednesday are only 6$, my local video store have pretty recent movies, it costs 3$ for 3 movies), going to the amusement park for only a few hours that cost 34$ for the entry (I went there 10 times in my life, and all I remember is waiting in line for more than 40 min to get on a ride, I hate that and I don't plan on going back anytime soon, maybe for a special friend , I'll consider it.), going swimming in the Olympic stadium (cost 4,50$ to go in and at my school, it costs 1,50$ for the entry.) and going out to eat two meals in the same day. Her parents give her the money like 20$ every time she goes out. She respects some of my frugal ways like taking the bus, while she's free (Her uncle sell bus card) and I have to pay 1.80$ to take, last time, I suggested going on roller, and she agreed. <br /><br />Food so far is 379.17 included going out to eat, buying my own food for cooking and... Buying drink once or twice so far in seven months. I've decided to buy my own groceries when school start, my mom usually give me 80$ for my lunch card (cost 76$) for a month, and I think I'm going to stretch my money and make my own lunch from now on... The rest of the money, I'll put it on my long-term goal. yay! If I can survive 22$ in groceries for 2 weeks, I think I can survive 44$ for a month for lunch and breakfast, there's even enough to make two lunches a day for my brother or sister and I. . yay!. I don't know about eating out... It'll be my own expense though. For the past 7 months, I eat out like 3 times/ month...I think it's okay, since I don't go out often, so I don't eat out often either. About 10$ eating out and that makes 30$/ month.... That makes 360$/year. I think it's okay. I'll see if I can follow it. <br /><br />I don't think I need money for emergency. I still live with my parents. I can't think of anything that's considering emergency for a teen... All the superficial things. Do I need it in case? For what exactly? <br /><br />Charity money... I don't know what organisation I want to donate my money to. I believe in many things that have to be solve, but the people in Africa always touch me, when I think about it, I need to help things that's more near me like the Aid and other sickness. I remember reading something in a book, to donate 10% of my paycheck or something. It's okay with me.. Any suggestions? <br /><br />Saving my money... I called it saving money for nothing, since I already save my 50$ off my paycheck weekly to go directly to my savings, I don't know what to do with it, and I'm satisfied with it because I know I have money that I don't need. <br /><br />Saving for long-term goal ; I want to travel around the world in three years. That's one of my main dream. I'm thinking before I enter University, I take a year or two off and go travel the world with only a backpack with me and traveling cheaply... It's going to cost me a lot, but I really really want to do it, it been my dream to travel when I was six years old and still is. I know it's not possible with my busy scheduled, I'm going to college soon and I can't work more than 15 hours a week... I'm thinking of investing somewhere to watch my money grow, but I don't want to lose my money in the process either, so any suggestions on where I should invest in ? <br /><br />I think that's all for now...I hope you guys can give me suggestions on my budget or comment on it ._." or even criticize it hehe... I need help with my spending money on clothes the most, I can't seem to tone it down a bit.<br /><br />If you want to comment or see how others have responded, you can do so <a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20218">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1155207525947851772011-11-11T03:53:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:18:46.402-08:00Negative Numbers Each Month<i>I will be posting the finances of a variety of people on this blog who are seeking help in getting their balance sheets in order</i>: <br /><br />Even though I read a lot of money saving tips and try to be good with my money I end up being in the negative every month. <br /><br />I don't have a too serious problem yet. I have a credit card but don't use it in case of emergencies. <br /><br />I just spend a lot of money. When I go somewhere I buy anything I want without even thinking. I always think I have the money for it because when I look at my checking account I see $900, not $800 for rent, $100 for insurance, $30 for gas. I just see the money and think oh, I'll be fine when the bill comes. I end up having to go into my savings every month and pay rent. I never been able to save more then $2000 in my life. <br /><br />I was wondering if you could help me out? I really need someone to teach me how to manage my money. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20441">To comment and see suggestions from others</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1153500824643283192011-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:002011-11-25T23:18:14.413-08:00What Is A Balance Sheet?A balance sheet is usually used for businesses and is basically a financial "snapshot" of the business at any specific date in time. It includes the business's assets and liabilities which are added together to calculate the business's net worth. <br /><br />For individuals, the balance sheet is often referred to as net worth which also lists a person's assets and liabilities. The entire concept isn't too difficult although many people don't take the time to calculate their assets and liabilities. Having a clear view of your balance sheet can go a long way to helping you budget and it is highly recommended that everyone take the time to gather this information and do the calculations to see where they stand. This allows you to track your finances and see how you are doing toward your stated goals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31442720.post-1153469122219355102011-11-01T00:59:00.000-07:002011-11-25T23:24:13.382-08:00Balance Sheet BeginningOne of the most important aspects of personal finance is knowing where your money is going. Having a balance sheet of all your debts and assets is a great way to track where your money is going and how financially healthy your are. <br /><br />I will be looking at our balance sheet and also those of others to help highlight areas that may be of concern for the average person and how using and knowing the numbers of a balance sheet can help.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0