It seems that every time you turn on a talk show or news program, an economist is making dire predictions because Americans aren’t saving enough. No one plans to live out their golden years as a Wal-Mart greeter, but with a large portion of the American workforce living from paycheck to paycheck, that might be the sad reality. The truth is that pretty much everyone — no matter how low-paying your job — can put money aside for a rainy day. Have you ever heard one of these excuses coming out of your own mouth? If so, take the time to really think about your money habits and budget. Your future self will thank you.
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I went to get the flu shot the other day, a trip I make once a year to keep not just me but those around me safer. And oh man I felt so sluggish afterward! I got the shot in the morning and I was only half functional for pretty much the rest of the day. The nurse said it’s normal to feel tired though and not something I needed to worry about. Luckily, I’m back to 100% now and everything seems to be a-ok.
This year, we changed where we got the flu shot. We found out that our county’s health agency offers the vaccine for free, so I saved $18 since we normally go to Costco and pay the fee.
The experience was great too. Unlike Costco where the pharmacists/nurse there are really young and inexperienced, the nurse at the health agency was really good at administering shots so it was quick and it didn’t hurt at all.
Plus, I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the pandemic but I made an appointment and was in and out of the place in 5 minutes.
Score!
What are you paying for that’s probably free?
Most people have health insurance through their work, and most plans cover the cost of basic vaccines like flu shots already so not many people are missing out on free vaccines. Still, there are plenty of other stuff people pay for regularly that are free.
For instance:
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When we built our home in 2004, we paid attention to the details we thought were important at the time. We found a floor plan we liked with the right number of bedrooms and an ample sized kitchen on a lot adjacent to a park. Unfortunately, we didn’t think a lot about how our needs would change over time. A lower level basement that had been the kids’ toy room when we first moved in now sits almost empty. That’s because the kid’s main source of entertainment is their computers (which reside in their rooms), or socializing with friends outside of the house.
Our lower level basement, which is 1/4th the total square footage of our home, is used for nothing more than storage and the home of our cats’ food and litter boxes. Every time I feed the cats, I look at the large empty room and wonder how much money we could save by downsizing our home. I did a little estimating, and the amount is staggering.
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In today’s career world, where negative publicity can cause serious problems for companies, it’s difficult to get excited about hiring someone who might turn out to be a liability.
Teachers whose drunken party pictures end up on Facebook, or top level executives whose nasty comment ends up being posted online, can really set an employer (and their reputation) back.
Not only that, but there are some jobs, like truck driving, in which your driving record might be applicable. No trucking company wants to hire someone with a string of DUI arrests.
So, when you apply for a job, what will the employer look for in background checks? Are there limitations to what information they can see?
As with almost everything else in life, the answer depends on where you are, and what job you’re applying for.
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Retirement might seem ways away and years in the distant future. But even so, it’s one of those things in life that requires lots and lots of planning.
Retirement can last anywhere from 20 to 30 years but shockingly, a third of Americans have less than $1,000 saved up. It’s easy to see that the sum won’t be enough, but many people still don’t take the time to bump up their savings. If you don’t want to end up like many Americans and instead want to live comfortably in retirement, then you have to start thinking about, and planning for it, right now.
Here are seven questions you need to ask yourself to get started.
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