Six Fast Ways To Keep More Cash In Your Pocket

Six Fast Ways To Keep More Cash In Your Pocket Every Month

Twenty bucks here and ten bucks there can really add up over the course of a year to significant savings. There are lots of ways in which we waste money without even realizing it, or could be saving and don’t know it. Check out the following tips to save you twenty bucks here and ten bucks there that will add up to much more cash in your pocket every month!

Personal Financial: Keep More Cash In Your Pocket

Cash In Your Pocket1. Organize a car-pool and consolidate errands

Fuel is a huge expense for most people and sadly, there is much room for improvement in this area. Hook up with a few co-workers and see how much you all can save by pooling the expense. Also, make a list of your weekly errands and get them done all at the same time. This will save you a ton on gas and even give you some extra time to play with as well.

2. Reduce your energy bills by adjusting the thermostat

Just a few degrees will shave off quite a few dollars each month and you should hardly notice the difference. Transition the temperature by one degree a week until you see a nice drop in the bill, but before you feel uncomfortable. Dress in cool shorts and tanks in summer and slip on a sweater in the winter; once you see the savings, you will find ways to keep the cash coming your way and not to the utility company!

3. Give cable a second look

This can be a big bill for most households, but if you weigh what you watch in comparison to what you are paying for, you will probably find a lot of waste and room for improvement. Drop a few premium channels and find better ways to spend your time than on old re-runs, and you will quickly have an extra $10-20 bucks in your pocket or savings account!

4. Take the time to clip coupons

No matter how tedious you might think it is, cutting coupons can save you serious cash and that makes it well worth the effort. Coupons can save you hundreds of dollars a year on everything you need in life, so why not take advantage of this method of keeping more of your hard earned money where it belongs: cash in your pocket!

5. Opt for cash over convenience

Shopping at the corner store may be quicker than waiting in line at a produce market, but you really pay for it when the register rings you up. Plan your purchases accordingly and don’t buy anything except gas at a convenience store. Also, skip the gourmet coffee and keep up to a whopping $1200 a year more of your money!

6. Don’t dine out and save left-overs – Cash In Your Pocket

Now that you’re using coupons and paying rock-bottom prices for your food, don’t blow all the savings on restaurants! Dining out can cost you exorbitant amounts annually, so enjoy the comfort of your own home and watch the pennies pile up! Also, stop throwing left-overs out. If they usually just gather green fuzz in your fridge, plan portions better when you prepare the food.

Once you see the savings and start experiencing the exhilaration that smart cost-cutting can provide, you will become a more thoughtful spender! This will add up to serious savings you can put toward bills, an emergency fund or retirement account. Whatever you chose to do with the money, you will find that the effort you put in is well worth the cash you get out!

Maintaining Family Financial Fitness

Maintaining Your Financial Fitness

Financial FitnessEveryone desires to have a harmonious family life; but life can often be unexpected and the unexpected causes stress in family life. One of the things that can frustrate a stressful situation is poor finances. Having financial fitness is a way that families can avoid unnecessary stress. Financial fitness is a family affair; all members of the family can and should participate in ways to keep the family finances healthy.

One of the hardest parts of having a family is saying no on the extras. There have been many conflicts in the aisles of stores because a parent says no and a child throws a tantrum about not getting what they want. Many adults feel that children are unable to understand finances; however, teaching children simple ways to save money can help avoid these unnecessary and embarrassing moments. Try to explain the concept of money to your children, a perfect time to start is when children are learning to count. A favorite resource is the good old fashioned piggy bank. By teaching your child to save at an early age, you are establishing positive financial practices that will last a lifetime. If each time you go into a store your child wants you to buy something, having them use money from his or her piggy bank is a great way to teach them the value of money. This is a wonderful exercise to begin to include your children in financial decisions.

You do not need to be a financial advisor to teach your children about finances; remember, this is simply a way to improve family life. This does not mean that your thirteen year old will call the bank and find lower mortgage rates; however, you can say that to go on vacation, you cannot buy three video games at fifty dollars each. Inform your children, especially as they approach teenage years, exactly how much certain things cost. Most children when they first go away to college get their first credit card and have problems with spending it all too fast and keeping a high balance. Inform your teens of the dangers, responsibilities, and advantages of credit. Making them aware how credit can affect their lives will save them money in the future. Keep your lessons simple and remember that depending on the age of your child, there is only so much they will understand. A six year old will most likely not understand interest rates, but teenagers will soon learn about interest rates, so be the first to explain it to them.

Keeping Your Financial Fitness Resolution

To keep a family financial fitness you do not need to share the bad with your children, but you want them to have a realistic expectation of what money is and how it is good and can be bad if not properly managed. By teaching children how to use money responsibly, you lower your stress of overextending the family financially. Maintaining family financial fitness does not have to be a difficult job. Once you establish the basics, every member in your family plays an important role.

Pay It All Off!

The time to spend frivolously and borrow excessively has long since passed. In today’s economy the financial advice that is most prevalent is to save and spend conservatively. Trying to switch gears and think that way can be difficult, but this advice will help.

Tips for Pay It All off!

Pay It All OffTrack the amount you are spending each month. You can never gain control of how much you are spending if you do not know what you are spending your money on. Take some time to write down your bills and track all of your frivolous spending habits too. Whether it is a five dollar cup of coffee or a thousand dollar sofa, write it down so you can understand where your money is going. A paper notebook is a fine tool to use for this, or you can track with a number of different software programs of your choosing.

Start saving some money every month. Once you understand where you are spending your money, you can make some positive changes so that you are spending less than you are bringing in. When you have a bit of excess money in your account, make efforts to save it for a rainy day. Your goal should be to eventually save enough to pay it all off your expenses for a period of six months, so that you are covered if unemployment or loss of income should ever strike.

When you are looking for ways to save, one of the easiest things you can do is reduce the cost of your bank accounts. Talk to your bank about a free checking account and if they will not offer one, find a bank that does. A free checking account can save you up well over a hundred dollars a year, leaving that money free for pay it all off down debt and saving.

Stop using your credit cards. Another important part of managing your finances is to control your debt. Credit cards equal debt and large credit card balances are often the result of frivolous spending. Lock your credit cards up, or better yet cut them up, so you cannot use them. Work to pay it all off your balances and then only use your credit cards if you can pay it all off them in full at the end of each billing cycle. This will improve your credit score and eliminate a large portion of your debt.

If you are having difficulty with these steps, consider turning to a professional financial adviser. Sometimes finding the path to fiscal responsibility is difficult. Even when you try, you cannot seem to save enough or reduce expenditures enough to really make a difference. If this describes you, then it might be time to turn to a financial professional. These individuals can help you to create a budget, make contact with your creditors and learn to save. Make sure to only work with someone who is reputable and avoid anyone who tells you they can instantly eliminate your debt or improve your credit score.

It is not impossible to get your finances in order. Following the right steps and becoming diligent in managing your finances will go a long way toward helping you to reduce debt, increase savings and get yourself on the path to financial freedom.

Live Frugally to Stretch Your Dollars

Millions of Americans are struggling financially. Despite improvement in the economy, many are still living paycheck-to-paycheck, and that paycheck doesn’t go very far. Before you cancel your cable service or have a yard sale, consider some of the following tips on starting to live frugally and get the most out of every penny you’ve earned.

How to Tips on Starting to Live Frugally and Save Money

Live FrugallyWhen it comes time to by a car, consider buying it used. There might be a lot of enticing offers available on new cars, but that may mean a bigger car payment that you just can’t afford. A used car is always cheaper, and will also be cheaper to insure as well. Many used cars are still in excellent condition and will last you many years. Do your research online to find a trustworthy dealership, as well as things to look for while car shopping. If you can, save up the money for a car first. Many banks let you open a savings account for free or with a deposit of only a few dollars.

Anyone familiar with living frugal knows you should never throw out the coupon inserts that come with your Sunday paper. Savvy couponers use them to get items for mere pennies, or even free in some cases. To make the most of your coupons, take note of which store near you has the best prices. Then, review that store’s coupon policy. Some stores may let you double a coupon’s value, which means even more savings! Watch for when an item you need goes on sale, and buy it with a coupon even if you don’t need it right away. Coupons can let you stock up at low prices, meaning you’ll pay a fraction of the item’s usual cost. You’ll also save on gas by not having to make an extra trip to the store for one or two items that may not be on sale and that you may not have a coupon for.

You can save at the store in other ways besides using coupons. If high gas prices are gobbling up your paycheck, shop at a store that rewards you in gas discounts. More grocery stores are including gas stations, and offering lower prices per gallon based on how much you spent at the store.

Smartphones, tablets and e-readers might be all the rage, but they’re just one of many items that you’ll keep paying for over time. Smartphones usually require data plans, and additional fees for apps and internet use. If you already have a computer with internet access at home, you won’t need all the same features on your phone as well. Trim down your cell phone plan to what you really need, or ask your provider for special offers on calling plans.

Does your bank charge you fees to use your debit card, or if your balance is too low? You may think a dollar (or more) here or there isn’t bad, but it can add up quickly over the course of a month. Switch to a bank that doesn’t charge you fees, and keep more of your hard-earned money.

You can save money at home, too, by make changes to reduce your utility costs. Ask about budget plans that let you pay one flat rate each month, calculated from your usual usage. To reduce your energy consumption, switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, and rely on natural daylight during the day. If it’s time to replace any of your appliances, look for ones that are rated for more energy efficient use. Unplug small appliances and electronics when not in use. Install a low-flow shower head and skip your showers on occasion to lower the water bill. Only run your dishwasher, washer and dryer when they’re full.

Buying “out of season” can help you save money. Look for sales on winter clothing and accessories when the spring line comes out. Look for after-Christmas sales on items that didn’t sell as well during the holiday rush. If you have a sweet tooth, look for Halloween, Easter, and Valentine’s Day candy on sale when the holidays are over.

Live frugally can make the all the difference between surviving and thriving in a struggling economy. If you stick to your plan, you’ll see your savings add up and see your paycheck go much further than you expected.

Get Determined to Start Saving Money

Many people find it difficult to save money. If you want to save, however, you need to begin by letting go of the idea that it’s impossible. There’s all sorts of ways you can cut corners and save money once you get determined to do it. Read on for some tips about how to start saving money.

Ways to Start Saving Money

One of the easiest ways to start saving money is to bring your lunch to work every day. It’s tempting to go out to local restaurants to eat, especially if your co-workers go out regularly. However, eating out is more expensive than bringing your lunch, so if you want to save money you should consider changing this habit.

You can make it fun to bring your lunch to work by choosing interesting and exciting food and packing it the night before. This also gives you something to look forward to while you’re doing your morning activities. Then, at lunch time, consider taking your bagged lunch to a local park or other peaceful place away from the office. That way, you can get some fresh air while saving money, and you’ll still make it out of the office for a little while.

How to Start Saving Money on Your Everyday

Start Saving MoneyIf you can’t bear the thought of bringing your lunch to work every day, limit the amount of times per week that you go out to lunch. It can be motivating to go out to lunch on Fridays as a reward for eating in during the rest of the week or for concentrating on what you’re supposed to be doing. You’ll still save a substantial amount of money if you limit going out to once a week instead of eating out every day.

If you keep track of your spending, you’ll soon find other little expenses that you can eliminate or reduce to save money. You may pay for some things without even thinking about it; for example, you might park at a meter because its closer to where you have to go than a free parking spot down the street or buy candy while waiting in the checkout line in the supermarket. These small expenses add up over time, so if you can eliminate them, you might be able to save a significant amount each month.

When you eliminate an expense, estimate how much you are likely to save each week by refraining from the expense. Divide this amount in half and put half of it in a special savings account designated for rewards. You can use the money in this account to save for a vacation or other expensive reward for yourself or to buy small presents for yourself to motivate yourself to keep working on your saving habits.

So what age is the right age to start saving money for your future? The practical answer is any age when you start to work and earn money for yourself, whether it’s being paid for chores at age 5 or entering the workforce after law school at age 25. Saving money is a wise financial practice at any age.

It sometimes feels impossible to save, but if you keep your savings journal diligently, you’ll find that isn’t the case at all. Have the attitude that you are going to start saving money and soon you will find yourself doing it. Your finances will be better and you’ll be a lot happier once you start engaging in some simple savings techniques.

Simple Solutions For Helping You Save Money For The Future

Tips on Save Money for the Future

If you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck like most other people, or you are just having a hard time save money for your future, it might be a good idea to make some major changes to your personal finances. Having a savings account and other accounts with reserve money in them is very important, especially in the economy we now live in. Follow the save money tips and strategies you are about to read in order to get your personal finances on the right track.

Save coins that you have left over at the end of each day and each month. You can put the coins into a piggy bank or even a small jar. You can deposit the coins into your bank account to save money each year long term.

Best Way Save Money Emergency Fund

Save MoneyYou need to make sure you are putting money into an emergency fund for unexpected events that occur. If you do not, then you are constantly susceptible to unexpected events that can wreck financial building blocks that you have been putting into place. People end up getting fast loans and other things to help them take care of business if they are without an emergency fund. This can really set them back, and it can be detrimental to someone ever getting in control of their finances. Therefore, set up an emergency fund, and pay yourself first. This is a good way to stay disciplined and get some liquid cash put away for your future.

Setting up automatic deductions from your paycheck to go into an account for savings can really help you pay yourself first. This way you are doing it without ever having seen the money. With automatic deductions, the money is put away before you are able to do anything else. Therefore, paying yourself automatically comes first. People tend to forget about this method after they start, and the money stacks up before they know it. This is because it is automatically being saved without you having to make the decision to save every time. This takes the control away from you, and it ensures that you have a savings. Now all you have to do is leave it be, and let it grow.

You do not need any savings, checking, or any other accounts that charge you fees just to have that account. There are plenty of fee-free options, and you should definitely look into those options. Online banks are providing very beneficial variations of different accounts in which the benefits are extremely satisfactory. Research your options, and make sure you do not have any accounts in which you are paying unnecessary maintenance fees. There is no need for this.

If you have credit cards with high interest rates, tackle the balances and pay them off as fast as possible. Only use credit vehicles that are beneficial to you, and make sure you secure a low interest rate. You also want to make sure you only use credit that you can pay off by the end of the grace period. This keeps you from paying any costly interest charges at all.

Without having a savings, any unexpected event can derail your personal finances into disrepair. In order to be financially prepared for any type of situation, you need to keep the save money tips and advice that you have read in this article in mind.

Keeping Your Money In Your Wallet

Keeping your had earned money in your wallet can be quite a challenge. Luckily, it does not have to be difficult. With some simple changes, anyone can be successful in having their money where they want it. Read the following article and you will find out just how you can keep more of your money in your wallet.

Keep Your Hard Earned Money In Your Wallet

Money In Your WalletOne way you can begin to see immediate savings is to stop buying name brand products. Many times, generic items are just as good as their brand name counterparts, but they cost less because the company does not spend a lot of money on things like advertising. Store brand, or generic foods are usually just as good as the name brands. Try out the store brands and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Another way to save money is to slow down, or stop eating out. Eating meals at restaurants is quite expensive in relation to eating at home, or eating foods brought from home. If you are used to buying your lunch every work day, plan on bringing lunch from home. This can save you quite a bit of money. Or maybe you find yourself out and about at meal times and you decide to stop at a restaurant because you are hungry. With a little bit of planning, you can have a snack ready for times like this.

Scour your budget for items or services you waste money on. Do you have a gym membership, but have not stepped foot in the gym in several months? This is something you can do without. Do you stop and buy breakfast or coffee on your way to work? If so, get up a few minutes early and make your own coffee or your own breakfast. Continue looking at your budget to find little ways you can save money, you might surprise yourself.

If you are having a hard time making ends meet, get another job. Getting a part time job can be helpful in having enough money in your budget to cover all of your expenses. Maybe you have a friend who does seasonal work and could use a helping hand. You can also check with local stores or restaurants to see if they need any part time help. This extra income may be just what you need to not only cover your expenses, but to ease some stress.

Coupon Tips To Keep Money In Your Wallet

One of the best ways to keep up with your money is to write down each and every cent you spend. While this may seem tedious, it will help you figure out what you are spending money on, why you are spending money, and where you can cut back. Try this for a few weeks and your eyes may be opened to where your money is going and how you can begin saving even more.

Keeping your money out of someone else’s hands can pose a challenge, but it does not have to. Use the tips and suggestions in this article and you will find yourself with more money in your wallet.

Being Practical About Your Finances

The economy can be unpredictable, so it’s more important than ever to handle your money in a practical manner. Here are some practical ways to handle your money so you can continue to thrive.

How to Manage Your Money – A practical About Your Finances

Finances1. Don’t outspend what you earn. This seems very simple, but many people do indeed spend more than they earn, especially if they have a credit card. It can be really easy to fall into a credit card trap, so be very careful about keeping your spending to a fraction of the total income you have every month.

2. Set a clear budget. This way, you know what is coming out and what is going into your bank account. Getting a clear picture of what things truly cost will help you think before you pay for them. You will get a good idea of what is important and what is not.

3. Pay your credit card in full and then consider cutting it up. Credit cards can be a trap, as mentioned, because you usually don’t have to pay the entire card balance off at the end of the month. The amount you don’t pay accrues interest until you are paying double or triple what you spent on what you bought! Do your best to eliminate the interest headache by paying off the entire balance as soon as you can.

4. Think about your retirement. This is a topic most people don’t think about until they are of retirement age, but planning early is better overall for your finances. Planning early gives you more time to save, but it also allows you to start with smaller amounts.

5. Have some savings. People also overlook this, but it is imperative that you have money set aside in case of an emergency. Put some money aside every month and eventually you will have a substantial amount to spend on anything that goes wrong.

6. Consider investing. There can be safe investments, so you needn’t worry that your finances will get even worse! You can invest in bonds, mutual funds, and real estate, all of which will give you more income, which will make your finances easier to handle.

7. Make the most of your insurance. Investigate your health insurance to find out where you could be saving money, and whether it would make more sense financially for you to buy another health insurance plan. A lot of people just go with the health insurance plan they are given, when some research might prove that they could save money elsewhere.

8. Keep your financial records well. Good financial records indicate that you know exactly what is going on with your money. You know where every dollar is, and that can be helpful when you feel tempted by impulse purchases that aren’t good for your financial picture.

Keep these guidelines in mind, and you will find that your financial picture starts to come into focus. Be careful with your finances and you will be able to relax in your life, as your finances are in order.

Small Ways to Save Big Money

How To Save Big Money & Saving Tips

Save big money is often viewed as a painful thing, something that denies you of the ability to spend freely and enjoy your life. However, there are many small things you can do to make the process easier and to help your savings grow more quickly. Read on for some ideas on using simple tactics to reach your save big money.

Save Big Money

Paying your existing bills on time can be a big boost to saving money in the long run. Even the smallest of late fees will add up over the course of a year and can also affect your credit rating. The more dings on your national credit file, the higher rates you will pay for credit, insurance and other daily things. Pay bills at least one week before they are due to relieve the stress associated with getting payments in on time. This will also avoid fees incurred as a result of making instant payments online. From utility companies to mortgages and credit cards, most institutions charge fees from $3 to $15 or more for making same-day payments. Also, make sure that you pay before the weekend if your due date falls on a Saturday or Sunday because it will likely not be recorded until the next business day, making your payment late and incurring late fees.

Many banks or credit unions offer auto-save programs which transfer money from your checking account to your savings account on a predetermined day each month. Take advantage of these programs for several reasons. First of all, they encourage you to save and relieve you of the burden of instigating it yourself. They also save you money in another way: the removal of checking account fees from your bank. Most auto-save programs offer free checking and some even provide free checks if you are part of a savings program. In addition, these savings accounts are typically linked to your checking account, preventing you from accidentally getting overdrawn and incurring high overdraft fees if funds are not available when you make a purchase. Remember, however, that there are usually “cash advance” fees of $10 or more if the bank transfers money from your checking account to cover these purchases.

One good way to limit your spending habits is to remember that each dollar you spent was earned by time working for it. Consider how much you are paid per hour at your job, then relate that to any amount of money you are tempted to spend. For example, a pricey pair of jeans could take all the money you earned in an entire day. The same thing applies for going to to eat; a single meal out can reduce your savings considerably that month.

Important Tricks To Save Big Money

One of the most important mental tricks to saving money is to never spend it until you have saved it first. You will be much less likely to spend frivolously if you have worked hard to earn and save that money. Pulling it out of a reserved savings account will feel like an important event, and force you to evaluate whether or not you really want to do that.

Reaching your savings goals does not have to be painful, if you alter your attitude on the small things in daily life. Apply some of the attitudes and insights here to see your savings accumulate, and don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done.

Saving Your Money

Money Saving Tips

saving your moneyYou want to be a responsible individual in society and learning how to manage your finances is a good indicator of how much of a responsible person you are. When you do not manage your finances properly, you neglect to take care of things like bills and credit card payments which gives you bad credit. If you have bad tendencies when it comes to managing your finances and don’t saving your money enough, then you are going to want to take note from this article. The tips here can help you manage a promising financial future.

You want to have money to fall back on just in case an emergency occurs. The last thing you need is to have something like your car break down or a medical condition that is going to cost you a lot of money to fix. Saving your money is a good way to ensure that all of your finances are in check and makes sure you are ready for any surprises that come your way.

You want to establish a savings account that is going to produce a lot of money for you to grow. Find a bank account that offers you a high yield savings account. Do your research and ask friends if they have or know anyone who has a savings account that is yielding a high amount of interest.

You do not want to be paying a lot of money in checking account fees. Over a year, $25 dollars a month to pay to have a checking account can add up. If you are a student, a lot of banks offer you an option to enroll in a free checking account. Also, credit unions usually let you keep low amounts of money in your checking account and tend to not charge you a fee so check into those banks as well.

Take a look at your bank statements for the past few months. You might notice a trend in your spending habits, like letting a friend influence you to spend a lot of money when you go out with them. Or you might notice that you spend a lot of money on lunch every day at work. So look at your spending habits and see what actions you can take to reduce your spending.

You want to chip away at your credit cards as much as possible. This is a good way to make sure that you have some extra saving your money up for a rainy day. When you pay off your credit cards, you also increase your credit score, which can open many more options for you in the future.

You want to have an account that is dedicated to spending your money. You should open a flex spending account with one bank and use that money specifically to go out with. This is a good way to manage your money correctly.

With all of the information you learned about managing your personal finances, your bank and wallet should be happier in a few months. Apply all of the strategies and tips that you got from this article and before you know it you’re going to be a personal financial master.