Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
Teaching kids about money is one of the most difficult tasks we’re faced with when parenting. It’s a challenge to raise kids who are financially aware, and who will hopefully make better decisions than we do.
Often that’s because we spend our time telling our children how they should do things, rather than letting them follow in our footsteps. It’s difficult for us to change. We’ve settled into not-so-wise routines and are creatures of habit.
We live our lives hoping they’ll hear our words instead of watching our actions — so they’ll live their lives out better than we lived ours.
And even if we’re taking the right steps, we often don’t explain why we’re doing so. By using small tasks like grocery shopping as a teaching tool, we can help our children understand our thought processes and learn to make solid financial choices.
You have probably heard the age-old cliché, “time is money,” a few times in your life. That saying could not be any truer for money-saving habits. There are so many great money-saving tips out there, but not all of them are worth your time. Here are a few serious time-suckers you should avoid.
Clipping Physical Coupons
I used to play the “grocery game” and used to get a lot of food and utilities for free through coupons. The problem was that I was also compulsively looking at deal matching sites, as well as driving to many different stores each week. While I scored a lot of great deals, I also ended up not using the majority of my free shampoo and toothpaste stash.
I have found that digital coupons are much faster, though I will only look up deal matching sites a few times a month, rather than daily. I prefer to save money by shopping Von’s clearance items (today I scored 50% off frozen organic vegetables and petite sirloin steaks just because the store is clearing them out). I also will look at the front page of Slickdeals daily and order any Amazon deal that is at an amazing point and that I know I will use. [ continue reading… ]
Minimalism as a counter-cultural movement has been increasing in recent years. Perhaps you’ve jumped on the minimalist bandwagon and are happily downsizing, reducing your consumerism, and creating less waste – all of which gift you with more time and energy to enjoy the most meaningful things in life.
But now it’s time for Christmas.
If you’ve recently begun converting to a more minimalist lifestyle, the holidays present a formidable challenge in the form of traditions, ‘obligatory’ shopping, and avoiding hurt feelings.
The core values of the holiday season – giving, expressing love, cherishing faith, and spending time with family and friends – can still be enjoyed as a minimalist, but the more visible elements of consumerism, debt, waste, excessive marketing, and the accumulation of useless possessions are in direct opposition to its key principles.
How do you enjoy the core values of Christmas without succumbing to all the rest? Here’s how to have yourself a minimalist little Christmas. [ continue reading… ]
Here comes the end of the year. Are you ready financially?
I’ve been lax in paying attention to my finances lately. I’ve been slow to reconcile my accounts, and I haven’t done any planning to see where I stand with some of my goals. It’s been that crazy around here.
I’m changing my tune a bit now that it’s the final stretch though. I know I need to change things up and get my finances in shape for the end of the year.
If you’re wondering what to do with your money now, then this article is for you. Here are five moves that can position you for the coming year: [ continue reading… ]
When most of us think of earning more money, we think of working overtime or of going in to see the boss and asking for a raise. While these are effective ways to earn more, they are a little less effective in some environments. Some companies limit overtime during times of economic difficulty. And depending on whether your industry was affected negatively by the pandemic, you may be thanking your lucky stars that you still have a job, let alone get a raise during the last couple of years.
The Problem with Relying on Someone Else
The problem with relying on these methods of earning more is that you are, in fact, limited by what others are willing to provide you with. While you can try to convince someone else that you deserve a raise or the chance to work longer hours by hard work and competency, your ability to earn more is largely out of your hands.
Instead of relying on someone else to decide your financial future, you can find creative ways to earn money on your own. When your earning power is limited only by your creativity and the time you are willing to put in, you have a better chance of earning more over time. [ continue reading… ]
When it comes to your finances, your credit score can be a big deal.
A good credit score can mean big savings (or costs) if you take out a loan. Good credit can also mean lower costs when you get car insurance in some states.
If you have good credit, you’ve worked hard to manage your finances and your loans in a way that shows you are responsible. You are proving that you are a solid risk.
But what happens if you slip up? How much could that ruin your score?
According to Equifax, the damage affects different people differently. One late payment will affect a person with a lower score, but it’ll have a much bigger impact on someone with a really high score.
That’s right: if you have great credit now, a mistake could mean a bigger hit to your credit score. Someone with mediocre credit won’t see the same impact as the result of a mistake.
Do you have an excellent credit history and want to keep it that way? Here are some things to avoid if you want to keep that credit score in the good to excellent range: [ continue reading… ]
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