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My husband and I have tried a few different budget apps the last few years, and the latest one we’ve settled on is YNAB: “You Need a Budget.” In light of our recent cross-country move and job changes, we decided to make the switch from free platforms such as Good Budget (which offers a lot for a free app) to a paid service that would allow us more options for fine-tuning our new budget. So far we’re happy with its performance and are learning more about the available features as we go. Here’s the lowdown on YNAB, and why you might want to check it out for your own budget needs.
How it Works
YNAB operates very similar to other budget apps, with a few extra perks. Its Cloud Sync technology connects your accounts across all devices to maintain to-the-second accuracy on your balances. You do have to manually download the transactions into YNAB from the banking websites though. As with any budget app, the sooner you enter the details, the more accurate your categories. Entering transactions immediately is by far the best habit to get in to. [ continue reading… ]
It’s been a crazy five months in my life. Since my husband asked for a divorce, I’ve had to re-evaluate my life and my priorities and try to figure out how to rebuild. While I don’t have everything figured out yet, I do feel like I’m on the right track. Here’s how I’m working to rebuild my life:
Move to a New Place
The first thing I decided to do after my now-ex-husband asked for a divorce was move to a new town. I moved across the country. Moving to Idaho from the Philadelphia area wasn’t my first choice, but I thought a clean break would help my son and me make our fresh start. Plus, Idaho has the following benefits:
My family nearby for support
Lower cost of living
Smaller population and land area allowing us to settle in and be more involved to help with the transition
I’m fortunate I have the income to allow me to make a big cross-country move and resettle. My career as a freelancer allows me to work from anywhere, so I’m not constrained by geography. Additionally, I am also fortunate I have good credit, so getting a rental in the neighborhood I had my eye on wasn’t a problem.
It’s not always possible to move to a new place, but if you can manage it, a new location can help you adjust your mindset so you can rebuild your life. [ continue reading… ]
In August of 2015, the stock market suffered the 8th and 10th largest drops ever recorded. In fact, it was the first time in history that the stock market declined more than 500 points on two consecutive days. Overall, from 8/17/2015 to 8/25/2015 the stock market dropped nearly 1900 points, wiping out nearly two years worth of gains. The loss represented 10.2% of the stock market’s total value, earning it the designation of an official market correction.
Not Just a Bad Week
First, we need to realize the losses during that period in August wasn’t just an isolated bad week. While August 17th through the 25th saw a sudden and drastic decline, the stock market had actually been declining since it closed at an all time high of 18312.39 on May 19th, 2015. [ continue reading… ]
In the past, I wrote about how to make money by flipping yard sale and thrift store finds. I have also had success in the past few years flipping Target clearance finds. It is always nice to turn your Target shopping trip into a moneymaker. Here’s what I do:
Look for Exclusive Brands
Target has had several expensive designers agree to make a line just for them. These designers are even more valuable when their items are no longer being sold in the store. My first success with reselling Target exclusive brands happened when I heard that Missoni was going to do a line with Target. The launch was much bigger than Target anticipated, and they sold out quickly. I was able to order a few things, but many of my orders ended up being delayed or canceled. I ended up getting a $25 gift card from Target as an apology, and I made about $30 profit from my two Missoni buys.
Lily Pulitzer just had a line with Target too. I was not aware of it until one of my friends texted me a picture of a clearance kid’s jumper asking how much it went for on eBay. When I saw the reselling opportunity, I searched my local Targets for clearance Lily Pulitzer. I found 4 pieces and made $65 in profit after eBay and Paypal’s fees. [ continue reading… ]
Not too long ago Bankrate.com released the results of a survey indicating that a large number of adults are delaying “traditional” life and financial milestones because of their student debt.
According to the survey, 56 percent of millennials with current or past student loans have delayed life events because of student debt, while 43 percent of older adults have done the same. This is a pretty significant portion of adults who push back their timelines for marriage, home buying and starting a family.
What’s more is that student debt isn’t the only type of debt that can force your timelines back. Credit card debt, and even big mortgages can have a huge impact on your life. [ continue reading… ]
Just this month, retail chain Target announced that it is joining Amazon, Costco, Whole Foods, Petco, and a host of other private companies in what is becoming an increasingly popular and profitable market: grocery delivery service. They’re not the only ones. Wal-Mart also indicated its plans to explore grocery delivery in a a few markets, and jack-of-all-trades Google is launching its own version of rival Amazon’s “Fresh” called “Google Express” in test markets later this year.
Target plans to partner with start-up success InstaCart, an online service that currently works with 18 chain stores. Along with similar companies like Peapod and Shipt, InstaCart partners with grocery stores to delivery goods right to your door. Although this type of service has been available for years in wealthier demographics, it’s now becoming increasingly demanded by the middle class, and retailers are responding.
Here’s how it works. Customers such as yourself get on either the delivery service or affiliated grocery store’s website, select the items you want, place your order, and receive home delivery in 1-2 hours based on our selection. It’s as simple as that. [ continue reading… ]
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