I just had my second daughter a week ago, and I forgot how amazing and equally draining a newborn can be.
A new baby can make even the most frugal a spendthrift. However, there are three big purchases that I think every new mom should have before or right after the baby comes.
The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter, and everyone is thinking about airing out their houses and washing windows.
Spring cleaning holds a different meaning for everyone, but usually involves a routine of once-a-year chores, purging, organizing, and refreshing. While you’re doing your spring cleaning around the house this year, don’t forget that your finances also need a spring refresh.
Once you set up your budget, your files, your payment plans, and your savings or investment contributions, it’s easy to let them run themselves, and in so doing, remain unaware of simple updates or improvements that could be saving you more money.
Here are a few aspects of your financial household you should be dusting off and giving a refresh this spring.
Driving down the road with my son, I heard a, “ding” as a light illuminated on the dashboard. One of the tires on our van had low air pressure. This is the second time in a week that the driver’s side rear tire has lost pressure.
The first time I attributed it to a drastic drop in temperature, but twice in such a short period of time likely means it has a leak. We immediately went to the tire center, where I only recently had two new tires put on the van.
Not only were we going to have the tires repaired, my newly licensed son was going to get a lesson in car maintenance as we waited for our tire to be looked at.
If your car’s in need of new tires, here’s how to get biggest bang for your buck and ensure the mileage is fully expended before replacing them.
Depreciation is one of the biggest downsides of buying a car. The longer you own your car, the less value it retains due to wear, tear, and the environment. Unlike a home, a car does not increase in value (unless it’s a collectible item).
On top of that, we’ve all heard that buying a new car is a bad idea because once you drive it off the lot, it loses a significant portion of its value instantly.
Because of the threat of depreciation, many money experts recommend you buy a used car, or perhaps a lease return. That way, most of the depreciation is already complete, and you don’t have to worry about how much value you lose.
If you do buy a new car, though, paying attention to the resale value can get rid of some of the sting associated with depreciation.
The one show many of us love to hate (myself included), is TLC’s “Extreme Couponing”. If you’ve ever seen the show, you definitely know what I mean.
Each episode follows a couple self proclaimed extreme couponers who head to the grocery stores with binders full of coupons and return with truckloads of stuff, most of it free.
The show has certainly started a couponing phenomenon. But becoming an extreme couponer can take up a lot of time — it’s almost like a full-time job.
Plus, you end up buying tons of stuff you don’t really need. However, using coupons is a great way to get good deals, save money, and stock up on items you’ll use in the near future. You just have to figure out how to do it moderately.
Here are 5 tips for couponing without going to the extreme.
So much of the application and interview process for new employment is focused on what you, the prospective employee, can bring to the company, and the task of convincing them you’re the right person for the position.
But what happens when you turn the tables? With the focus on getting in a new company or career, it’s easy to overlook very important signs that you don’t want the job. Now, this idea might seem silly.
Of course you want the job…you’re applying for it! But in your eagerness (or desperation) to get hired, you might not see the signs that you should take your resume somewhere else.
Here’s how to avoid unhappiness or recurring unemployment by turning the tables in the interview process.
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