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Learn 5 Ways To Live Frugal from The Great Depression
Perhaps you have an older family member – a grandparent or a great-grandparent, maybe – who can remember life during the Great Depression. If so, you’ve no doubt heard stories about how tough things were back then: People struggled to find work. Finances were tight. Budgets were tighter. You didn’t spend money unless you absolutely had to – and when you did, you paid cash. If you’re looking for... -
6 Financial Missteps You’ll Regret
If you’re like most people, you probably have a regret or two. It’s only natural to look back and think, “If only I’d done XX instead of YY,” or “I wish I’d known about YY before I decided ZZ.” Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. And everyone makes mistakes. But some mistakes are costlier than others – literally. For example, the financial decisions you make today can affect your... -
Debt Reduction Mistakes to Avoid
Do a quick Google search of something like “pay down debt” or “debt advice” or “credit card payoff” and one thing becomes very clear: Just about everyone has an opinion about the best way to pay down debt. Some folks are huge proponents of the snowball method; others are staunch believers in tackling the debt with the highest interest rate first – no matter what. Most debt repayment methods... -
Best Apps and Websites for Budgeting and Saving
It’s easy to spend money online – too easy, really. It’s near-impossible to surf the web without being bombarded by advertisements and sales emails targeted to your exact preferences and interests. With a few clicks, you can find yourself spending money you don’t have on things you don’t really need. But that’s only part of the story. When it comes to your finances, there’s more to the Internet than... -
Friending and Spending Social Media and Money
There’s more to social sharing sites than witty status updates, silly memes, and cat photos. Social media can influence our behavior in all kinds of ways, including our spending habits. This makes sense, if you think about it: There’s the friend whose Instagram feed is an endless stream of perfectly filtered shots of gourmet meals. And the cousin whose Facebook feed seems to be completely composed of pricy home... -
Purchases you should NEVER Make with Your Credit Card
I’ve written several blogs about how to use credit cards the right way – paying off your balance in full; not applying for too many accounts; not treating credit cards like an emergency fund or a source of supplementary income. But credit card use isn’t just about behavior and spending habits. It’s also about knowing what you should and (perhaps more importantly) shouldn’t buy with a credit card. Part... -
Curb Impulse Buying to Stop Overspending
If you want to save more money, pay down debt, and become all-around more financially responsible, all you have to do is stop spending money on stuff you don’t need. Sure, that sounds easy. Just stop spending. End of story. But if changing your spending behavior were as simple as flipping a switch, there wouldn’t be people out there struggling with budget problems and credit card debt. Nobody would... -
7 Tactics for a Financially Sound Year
It’s official: The New Year is here. What better time to give your finances a fresh start? Maybe you’d like to make this year the year you pay off that high-interest credit card debt or the year that you finally buy a home or bulk up your emergency fund. Maybe you’d just like create a better budget or get your finances a little more organized. Whatever your goal, you... -
5 Not-So-Rewarding Credit Card Rewards
Five Not-So-Rewarding Credit Card “Rewards” Have you shopped around for a credit card recently? If you have, you probably noticed that there’s a mind-boggling selection of cards out there, each offering a unique combination of terms, interest rates, and – of course – extra perks. Credit card companies know you’ve got tons of options to choose from – especially if you’ve got a solid credit history and a decent... -
Cut These Expenses and Watch Your Savings Grow
Want to make this a great year for your finances? The new year is a great time to set some money-related goals, whether you’d like to pay off your high interest credit card debt, beef up your emergency fund, or save up for a big purchase like a vacation or a down payment on a house. Of course, whatever your goal is, you’ll need to free up some extra...