Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
I remember sitting next to my sister-in-law when she was expecting her first child. She spent an hour looking at different furniture sets online and once she found one she liked, she had no problem paying $2,500 for it. Of course, the set was very nice, but the functionality only lasted about two to three years before she sold it for much less.
Baby furniture is normally a huge cost that comes when having a baby. Most of the time, baby furniture is not even essential, but it can be easy to get swept away with the excitement of a new little one on the way.
So while you want your baby’s nursery to look adorable, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to furnish it. Here are my best tips for saving money on baby furniture.
As a college student, my unsubsidized federal loans are definitely weighing on my mind. I’m not required to pay the loans yet, but the time is coming when I will be. At least paying the accrued interest saves me money in the long run.
My goal is to pay as I go, but either way, student loans have to be paid. I’ve seen a lot of advice about how consolidating and refinancing your student loan is a good choice for those struggling to make their loan payments. In general, though, no one recommends paying your student loans with a credit card. Until now. Maybe.
The problem with paying student loans with a credit card, as you may already know, is that student loan servicing companies charge considerably lower interest rates than credit card companies.
It’s usually best to keep your student loans with their third-party servicing company until you’ve paid them off. Right? Maybe not.
On the surface, those who suffer from poor time management seem to have little in common with those who suffer from financial disorganization. After all, whether you’re swimming in millions of dollars or barely have two nickels to rub together, every single person gets the exact same 24 hours each day.
But according to economist Sendhil Mullainathan and psychologist Eldar Shafir, co-authors of the book, Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much, both financial poverty and time poverty cause you to borrow against the future, to your detriment.
In many big cities, like New York, it’s common to work with a real estate broker to find an apartment. In fact, many listings are only shown exclusively through brokers. You can still find one on your own but it’s definitely much more difficult.
Unfortunately, when working with a broker to find a place to live, renters have to pay really high fees. A broker fee can cost anywhere from one months rent to 18% of the yearly rent. Lets put that into perspective; for a $2,500 per month apartment that could cost up to $5,400.
If you do decide to work with a broker, it’s important to know what to expect and what to look for. In a perfect world, brokers have your best interest in mind. But we know that’s not always the case.
Let’s take a look at 5 common broker warning signs to watch out for.
Using a Health Savings Account (HSA) as an investment vehicle can be a great way to prepare for retirement. It requires a high-deductible health insurance plan in order to participate in the HSA, but you can invest the funds however you wish.
I decided to switch to a high-deductible plan with an HSA this year, since my family has low medical expenses, and so far it’s worked out perfectly. We’ve paid for some medical expenses, plus the family’s eyewear for the year, and still have a good sum of money left over.
Realizing that an HSA was the right choice for my family is just part of the story. To fully take advantage of an HSA as an investment vehicle, there are few other things that you and I need to be aware of.
Earlier this year, my husband and I noticed that our nearly twelve-year-old greyhound was limping. Obie is a retired racer, and suffered a broken leg back in his racing days, so we’re used to seeing a slight shuffle to his gait. But this limp was worrisome, particularly since we know that greyhounds are prone to bone cancer.
We took Obie to the vet, who thankfully, assured us that his limp was nothing to worry about — but the scare did get me wondering about pet insurance. Considering our dog’s age, we’re probably going to see some expensive vet bills over the next couple of years.
If you have an older dog or cat, you may be thinking about pet insurance, too. Here’s what you need to know about pet health insurance, and whether your four-legged friends will need coverage.
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