Tips and ideas about saving time and money by creating and sticking to a budget.
Reducing Your Household BudgetThis is a page about reducing your household budget. It is important to budget for your household at all times, but it is especially vital during lean financial times. Reviewing your budget and finding places to eliminate or decrease outgoing funds will greatly help bring it into balance.
Creating a Food BudgetThis is a page about creating a food budget. Food is a large part of just about everyone's budget. Whether you eat out a lot or always make meals at home, knowing your food budget will help you maintain your household budget.
Struggling With a Small BudgetIf your paychecks are being stretched, look for places to tighten the belt. This is a page about struggling with a small budget.
Teaching a Teen to Budget?Budgeting is often difficult for many of us. We want to buy new things and have fun. Learning to budget as a teen is a good time to develop lifelong practices. This is a page about teaching a teen to budget.
Setting Up a Household Budget?This is a page about setting up a household budget. Preparing a budget can help you see how much money you need each month to cover your basic household expenses.
Budgeting Advice for High School Seniors?This is a page about budgeting advice for high school seniors. After high school begins a new stage in a person't life, whether they plan to go to college or move out and find a job.
Avoiding Spending More Than You MakeThis is a page about avoiding spending more than you make. With all of the merchandise available on-line and in the stores, coupled with the bombardment we get from ads and email alerts for sales, it is hard not to overspend.
Create a Budget With the Envelope SystemThis is a page about create a budget with the envelope system. Before credit and debit cards most of people made purchases and paid bills either with cash or by check. The envelope budget system allows you to set aside money for certain expenses without the risk of running short.
Advice on Canceling Cable and Phone...This is a page about advice on canceling cable and phone service. Deciding to cut your cable and phone service is one way to save on expenses, or an option to seeking other service providers.
Estate Planning TipsThis page contains estate planning tips. It's important to plan your estate so your loved ones can carry out your wishes.
Staying Out of DebtThis is a page about staying out of debt. The best way to not be in debt is to stay out of it in the first place but that is easier said than done. Use these helpful tips and tricks stay out of debt.
Creating a BudgetThis is a page about creating a budget. Creating a budget allows you to see where you spend your money and helps you live within your means. With a budget you can learn how to save regardless of your income bracket.
Filing for Bankruptcy?Have any of you declared bankruptcy? What was the experience like for you? We are possibly going to have to declare bankruptcy for our business due to husband's poor money management skills. He won't let me see the bills.
Making a Budget Tracker?How can make a budget tracker without purchasing one on the internet?
Making a Family Food Budget?My husband and I run a small business. We are a family of 3 and really being affected by the recession. I really feel alone in this budgeting process. I do not have anyone to talk to about this, so I could really use the help. Is it possible to live on a food budget of $50 for 3 of us?
Creating a Budget on Waitress Wages?I am about to move out of my parent's house soon. I am trying to form a budget and need some help. The problem is that I am a waitress, so my net pay can vary immensely from week to week. I'm trying to figure out how much I can afford for rent each month. Any thoughts? Thank you.
Advice For Managing Budget With 2 Houses?Both my husband and I own separate homes. Mine was bought in 2003 for 62k @ 5.9% before we got married and his house was bought in 2006 one month before we got married for 161k @ 7.0%. What should we do since both houses are 30 yr mortgages and our combined income in 72k yearly. Any suggestions? Note: I recently invested a personal inheritance of 5k in Money market and Roth IRA. Was this wise?
How do I set up a budget?How do I set up a budget? I work in construction so there is no set amount I make each week. I have tried the Microsoft Money and a couple others but usually run out of time during the week to enter all the information in.
Look at the Dollar a DayFace it, budgeting is hard. Sometimes what makes it so difficult is the "big picture." Paying $50 a month for something doesn't seem so bad until you realize how many things cost $50 a month. Now the $50 turned itself into $250 a month.
Making a Money MapAt the end of the month, you'll have a money map. You'll know how much you're spending, and on what. And then you'll be able to make some changes (and perhaps even spare your "special Coffee Drinks").
Why Is My $20 Bill Only Worth $5 Bucks?With a $1000.00 balance on your card and $20.00 minimum payment due ($15.00 will be for interest. Only $5.00 will be for the principal to actually pay down the balance. Your new balance is $995.00. Yep! You paid $20.00, but it was only worth $5.00
Year End Budget AnalysisEven if you didn't save all your receipts from last year, you still can analyze your expenses and use that information to help save money next year. For example, did you buy a latte every day before work? The average latte costs about three dollars. That works out to $15 per week for a grand total of $780 a year.
Create a Birthday BudgetBudget for other people's birthdays every year by saving a small amount out of each paycheck and putting it into a birthday budget.
Should I Declare Bankruptcy?My husband and I have been married for 14 years and we have a 28k damage, 20k is all medical. I almost died and three kids and four miscarriages will do this to you.
Don't Buy Items On TimeNever buy anything you can't pay for, at the time, except a house.
401k Tips and AdviceTips and advice for managing your 401k. Post your ideas.
Shopping As A JobIf shopping is your thing and you're looking for a part time or full time job.. You might consider shopping for others. There's always people who can't get out and shop like they'd like to, for health reasons. There's people that simply do not have the time to shop.
More Tips to Avoid Identity TheftBe safe, don't carry a purse. Use your pockets. Organize your multi-pocket jeans and slacks. Most women are wearing slacks or jeans now. Only buy slacks with deep pockets and eliminate carrying a purse. After all men carry their wallet on their person which is much safer!
Destroying Credit CardsWhen the time comes to destroy a credit card. We run them thru our shredder, which cuts both in vertical and horizontally. If it's still not to our liking, we'll cut even more with scissors. But we don't drop them all in one waste can, we scatter them in various places, in the trash. While also, saving some for another trash day.
Staying Prepared for Tax SeasonTax season is here. I've learned the hard way to stay prepared. Throughout the year I save ALL receipts. I use a bookkeeping program and enter the receipts into it weekly or more often as needed.
Watch Your Receipts and Your Bank AccountI hired a mechanic through a friend at work. I thought he was a little "odd" but the price was right so I asked him to put brakes on my Jeep. As soon as he had my vehicle he searched it and found my debit card receipts in the console. I kept them in there, never reading them, not paying attention to the fact that many of them had my full account number and exp. date printed on them.
When should I provide my Social Security number?Your employer and financial institution will likely need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. Other businesses may ask you for your SSN to do a credit check, like when you apply for a car loan. Sometimes, however, they simply want your SSN for general record keeping.
ID Theft, What fun!I have been there and I am still digging out of it. What your not hearing anywhere is the person who took your ID may be as close as a near relative.
Identity Theft StoryMy friend had her purse stolen. She had parked her car in an out of the way place in a local state park's parking lot. The park recreational area was situated a long way from the parking lot and by parking it where she did in the large parking lot, there were few cars nearby.
How Much Work Does It Cost?Before buying a big ticket item or anything that might not need, calculate how many hours it will take you to earn the money to buy the item. It helps me put the cost of purchases in perspective.
Lost My Job, Need Frugal Advice?I have a large family, I have recently lost my job. Its really hard to find work. We only have 1 income. I was curious on what everyone thought.
Problems With MyFreeCheck?I just bought a program called MyFreeCheck. I registered it on line. I bought this program in order to write checks on my computer but everytime I tried to print a check it says no check marked for payment. Then I get an e-mail about hoq I have an account with MyFreeCheck.
Real Estate Tip - A Thorough Walk ThroughWhen thinking of purchasing a previously owned home, when doing a "walk through", you might want to move certain items that are strategically placed (ex. a big flower pot, a picture on the wall, prepacked boxes, etc.) to make sure the house is in as good of shape as it looks.
Thinking About Large PurchasesWait a day before making a large purchase.
By Denise
Picture on Your Debit CardOur bank recently began offering a debit/ATM card with a photo of the carrier on the card. It helps a great deal to fight against identity theft, which has become a real problem. Also, they provide $10,000 insurance along with the card and this was no cost to us at all. Might be worth checking with your bank to find out if something like this is available.
By Robin
Evaluating Monthly ExpensesThe BEST way for me to evaluate my monthly expenses is to track every expense, no matter how small on an MS Excel spreadsheet. I compare those numbers to my budget and re-evaluate for the next month's budget. If I am over, I look to cut back and if I am under, I put the excess into savings.
By Cindy Graham
I have seen so many different ways to make a budget but none of them ever worked for me. So I made my own.
I used Microsoft Word and made a table of 3 columns and 4 rows. Each column is one month. Each box in that column is payday and what bills are due that week.
Our Budget Safety NetMy husband and I have a separate bank account. I try my hardest to pay all of our bills from my account and we try to never touch his except for extras. Sometimes we might have an extra bill and I have to use money from his account, but rarely. This has helped us save alot of money. I don't know why it works, but it does. If we split the bills, we could never save money!(?) Plus, if one of us loses our jobs, we can learn to survive on 1 paycheck. Works great.
Erin
Looking for Good Job Listing Site?I wish there could be job listings on this website. The other sites will send you emails about jobs you have no interest in or that are too far to travel. I feel it would be very useful if people could view jobs that are actually around the area that they may live.
By tamsfun1
Lower Premiums with Higher DeductiblesIf at all possible keep house and car insurance deductibles at $1000.00 to lower your monthly premiums.
By Melanie
Luck With Finances"Luck comes to all who work at making it happen." I think this is especially true when it comes to finances.
Save Money and Pay YourselfEstablish a savings account and pay yourself first. Get in the habit of saving money and having money. Make money for you and don't pay interest to someone else.
LivingOnADime.comHow can you cut your budget without depriving your family? http://www.LivingOnADime.com is a collection of frugal recipes and tips from the expertise of Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. She shows many of the ways they did it.
Markdown BinsFor years I have sought out the markdown bins at grocery and retails stores. Many times I can get an item at half off or more just because the box or can is crushed or one item is missing from a package.
Looking for Budget Advice?I wanted to know if anyone could tell me some websites where we could go to make a budget. Something that would help us step by step. We are in the process of buying our own home, and have a child. We are new to this budget thing, considering we never thought about it until now, when everyone is saying we need to do it!
Nine Ways to Stretch Your Income
These days, many of us are finding ourselves having to stretch the ends until they meet.
And anything's possible. Vicki Robin, author of Your Money or Your Life lives on the $6,000 that her investments generate each year.
Need Help with Expenses and Prescriptions?I am trying to find someone or organization to help me with any free items to help me. My husband passed 3 years ago. I am disabled and my medication costs me 100%. Medicare pays 80% for dr. care (thank God). I just don't have enough to meet my common needs.
Why are there so many books written on "getting out of debt" and
"saving for retirement"? Why do so many people study these subjects or
subscribe to newsletters that address these issues?
Budgeting for Entertainment?Hi,
I am trying to set up a strict budget and wonder how much is normal to set aside for entertainment?
Starting Over With Your Household BudgetWhen organizing your household budget, things can get a bit overwhelming. Do you know where your money goes? If you can't account for it, try scrapping everything you're doing with your money this month and start over.
How To Create A Monthly Budget For...Food is not something we can do without. Cutting back on your food bill, though, can leave you with a substantial amount of money left in your pocket at the end of the month.
Spending ListsWhen it comes to our finances, they're very abstract. Check cards and electronic bill paying don't make it much easier; the concept of exactly how much money is spent is a difficult one to grasp.
Sharing Living Expenses with Boyfriend?My fiance and I moved into his house with his 3 children who go back and forth between him and their mom every week. They are in elementary school, but I am responsible for their care, i.e., breakfast, packing school lunches, attending school functions, field trips, homework, making dinner, cleaning house, laundry, etc.
Saving for Emergencies on a Tight Budget?How is it that I am only making $1185.00 per month, for I am on disability and I always come up short? I have done everything I can think of to budget my money to make it possible to have a few dollars to put aside for an emergency.
Tips for Living on Social Security?How do seniors that live on Social Security only live on a tight budget? What are some ideas to stretch your dollar?
Setting Up a Household Budget?Here's my situation; I am currently unemployed and can't seem to find a job. I need help with money management. I need a budget. Is there a dependable budget online I could use to survive on 1600.00 a month?
Sharing Expenses with a Boyfriend?I have been living with my boyfriend now for 2 years. About a month after I moved in his new child support took affect. He says he didn't know, but I find that hard to believe. To make a long story short he went from bringing home $500.00 a week to now only bringing home $120.00 a week.
Sharing Expenses After Marriage?I have lived with my boyfriend and his two children ages 7 and 12 in his house, that is paid off, for several years.
