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As unemployment drops and the demand for workers continues to increase, the ball is in the employee’s court to attract potential employees. Companies in similar industries are increasingly competing amongst each other for the best-qualified applicants — even to the point of courting people before they’ve moved on from their current jobs. With comparable positions and tempting salaries at your fingertips, it’s only natural to consider switching jobs, especially if you’re being personally recruited by a friend or former colleague.
Switching jobs might not seem like as much of a leap as switching careers, but job hopping can still be detrimental to your career path and your finances. Before you jump at that new opportunity, take these tips to heart. [ continue reading… ]
We all know in theory that brown bagging is a great way to save money and eat a bit healthier. However, for a lot of us, it’s hard to find the motivation and energy to pack a lunch, especially if it’s going to be the same old ham and cheese on wheat every day. Before long, we lose momentum and it’s back to eating burgers and subs five days a week.
If that sounds like you, here are some tips to help you pack an inexpensive lunch that will make you forget all about the allure of restaurant meals. [ continue reading… ]
The same walls. The same floor. The same stinking everything!
You’re sick of looking at it. You want out. Now.
But moving to your dream home isn’t an option.
So what do you do? You can’t stay miserable, but you CAN change your perspective. That doesn’t mean accepting where you are; it means accepting that you can change things for the better immediately.
I’m a sucker for a good deal and feel proud when I avoid spending money I don’t have to. More than once, I’ve let eagerness to save money lead me to do things that eat up any perceived savings, and then some. I learn from my mistakes, but it’s even better to avoid these pitfalls in the first place. I’d like to help you do the same. Here are a few ways we might think we’re saving money that actually cost us more.
Taking Advantage of Deals Without A Plan
Store Credit Card Sign-Up Offers
Almost every time I visit a retail store, I’m asked if I’d like to sign up for their store credit card and save 30% (or more) today. My personal aversion to credit cards has helped me avoid this one, but it’s easy to see how people fall for the pitch. Sure, it’s a deal… if you plan to pay the balance off immediately. If not, that 30% you ‘saved’ translates into the additional expense of interest (and store credit cards average rates of 15% or more). [ continue reading… ]
Have you looked at your budget lately? I took a peek at my friend’s expense tracker, and it’s scary how many items on there are totally unnecessary. Unused gym membership? Check. Triple play cable TV package? Double check. There are so many ways my friend is overspending I could run out of ink if I needed to cross out each line item on the budget with a pen.
How about your budget? Everyone overspends at least some of the time. Here are a few favorite ways people like paying more than they should.
Overpaying for Convenience
Amazon prime anybody? I’m just about the last person on planet earth to not pay for a membership, but the convenience of ordering anything whenever I want and having the product shipped to me quickly is very tempting. Then again, why do I have to pay the retailer to give my trigger happy brain an easy way to spend more money with them? Plus, shipping is still free as long as I plan a bit and group the items together to qualify for free shipping and I order ahead of time so the shipping time isn’t a concern. [ continue reading… ]
With the growing popularity of Pinterest and shabby-chic decorating, consumers are finding out that unconventional decorating is fun and money-saving.
Pottery Barn is a big source of inspiration for recycling old worktables and mason jars into useful parts of your home. An old wine bottle collection can become your new chandelier, or an antique baby bed can serve as a desk for your toddler.
When it comes to unconventional decor, the best approach is to start with what you can find and use your creativity to craft something useful. Estate sales, flea markets, and yard sales are great sources of fodder for your redecorating project. And if you have the ability to sandblast or weld your treasures, you can also shop around at the local junkyard.
Here are twenty ideas for unconventional decorating:
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