Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
Do you have a bad habit that’s flushing your money down the drain?
If so, you’re in good company. Everyone has their own set of faults, addictions, and bad habits. Some, however, are more costly than others.
I’m usually not the person to offer the “skip your daily latte” type of financial advice. Recently though, I was thinking about a friend’s smoking habit and just how much money he was wasting.
When I added it up, it was quite shocking. He smokes two packs of cigarettes per day at $6 a pack. Though it may not sound like a lot, that adds up to $12/day, $84/week, and $4,068/year. Now, that is a lot of money!
My habits are a bit different: I tend to purchase energy shots more than I should. This habit is a little less costly than smoking, but is still unhealthy and a waste of money.
One of the most frustrating activities you can engage in is car shopping. (I’m not very fond of any type of shopping, and car shopping is the worst of all.) At least it’s not something you have to do very often.
If you are car shopping, it’s important to avoid the following pitfalls, as they could get you locked into a loan you don’t want:
1. Sitting down to talk numbers
Once you enter the dealership and sit across from the salesperson at the desk, you’re on someone else’s turf. Not only does the pressure to buy go up, but the longer you’re there, the more inclined you are to buy the car. Sometimes the salesperson will even leave to “see what can be done.”
My friend Geoff, who runs FindTheBestCarPrice.com, once told me to negotiate via email or phone — especially for a new car — rather than going in to the car dealership to talk numbers. [ continue reading… ]
Whether you agree or disagree with the Affordable Care Act (more commonly known as Obamacare), one important provision of the Act will officially begin on October 1, 2013. As of that date, individuals may purchase insurance through the ACA’s Health Insurance Exchange (HIX).
Here’s a basic introduction to what you can expect through this new marketplace:
Pricing & Eligibility
Many people are suspicious of insurance because of long-standing practices throughout the industry — such as denying insurance to those with pre-existing conditions, assigning higher prices to individuals like the elderly and women of child-bearing age, refusing claims based on pre-existing conditions, and placing annual and lifetime spending limits on health care. [ continue reading… ]
Telematics devices are all the rage with car insurance companies. They promise that if you install a little gadget in your car, you’ll get discounts galore on your monthly premiums. But do these gadgets really save you money? Perhaps not.
With back-to-school in full swing, parents are researching how to give their children a head start in paying for college. Many look to 529 plans.
With education costs increasing, and more students using loans to cover their university needs, it makes sense to consider a 529 plan.
And, as we approach the end of the third quarter of the year, it’s also a good time to do a little tax planning. Not only could your contributions to a child’s 529 college savings plan help him or her save for the future — but it could also mean a tax deduction for you right now. [ continue reading… ]
A recent Gallup poll found that only 30% of working Americans are actively engaged in their jobs. Not only is it troubling that this many people hate their jobs, but this disengagement costs the US economy billions of dollars.
If you’re disengaged at work, you’re probably one of those people that goes in, has their morning coffee, chats up the cubicle worker next door, then sits and runs his cubicle on autopilot. You stand for lunch and bathroom breaks only, while not accomplishing all that much in between.
It’s not your fault. You have no reason to be motivated toward more, no reason to put in extra effort. You don’t get raises or bonuses. What’s the point in working hard, right? [ continue reading… ]
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