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7 Strategies for Cutting Your Grocery Bill
7 Strategies for Cutting Your Grocery Bill Looking for a way to save more money each month? You might want to start with a long, thorough review of your grocery spending habits. Are you overspending on fancy items you can’t really afford and don’t really need? Are you going to the store without a plan? If you’re like most people, you can probably answer “yes” to more than one... -
Not-So-Frugal Mistakes that Frugal People Make
Not-So-Frugal Mistakes that Frugal People Make A new year is just around the corner, and for a lot of folks that means a fresh start on finances: A chance to pay down credit card debt, save money, and create a budget. And if you’re planning on making 2016 the year of living frugally it’s important to make sure that your attempts to save money and scale back spending don’t... -
8 Tips to Save During the Holiday Season
8 Tips to Save During the Holiday Season It’s official: The holiday season is here. There’s a lot to love about that festive stretch of time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day: The parties, the food, the over-the-top decorations, and the gift exchanges are all part of what makes this time of year so much fun. But if you’re not careful, all of that partying, eating, decorating, and gift... -
8 Spending Habits that Can Cost You
You’re not a big spender. You don’t drive a fancy car. Your rent/mortgage payments aren’t astronomical. In fact, you consider yourself to be fairly frugal. You should have no problem saving money. But somehow, all that extra cash you should have seems to disappear by the end of the month. Why? Where does it go? And how does it get there? Is there some kind of financial Bermuda Triangle... -
How To Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
When you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, few things are as stressful as the last day or two before your next payday: Your bank account is running on empty – and so is your gas tank. You’ve got a stack of bills waiting to be paid, and your refrigerator is looking pretty bare. And when payday finally comes, you find that by the time you fill the car, pay the bills, and... -
What is APR? CRA? FICO? A Guide to Common Credit Acronyms
As someone who works in finance and gives debt advice for a living, I’ve gotten used to all of the acronyms that tend to go along with discussions about debt and credit cards. And I think that, as a result, I sometimes lose sight of just how confusing a lot of these terms can be to everyday people. That’s why I decided to kick off this month with a... -
Maxed Out Credit Cards? Advice for Undoing the Damage
One of the worst parts about credit card debt is that, if you’re not careful, it can creep up on you: You start out with the best intentions. You plan to pay off your credit card in full every month. You plan to treat your credit card like cash, and to use it responsibly, as a tool to help you build a solid credit history. It’s so easy to... -
Pay Off Credit Card Debt with a Debt Consolidation Loan
If you’re struggling with loads of high-interest credit card debt, there’s a good chance that you’ve at least thought about taking out a debt consolidation loan. And, I understand the appeal of a consolidation loan, especially if you’re juggling multiple credit cards with hefty balances. But is a consolidation loan a good idea? Is it something you should consider as you work toward your goal of being debt-free? Well... -
Credit Card Balance Transfer Pros and Cons
If you’re carrying a substantial amount of credit card debt, there’s a good chance that you’ve probably at least considered using a credit card balance transfer to pay off credit card debt that have high interest rates. And with good reason: With super-low interest rates, balance transfer offers can seem like a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak debt situation. But are credit card balance transfers a good... -
Credit Cards: Are You Using or Abusing Them?
There’s no denying that credit cards are super-convenient: With a single swipe, you can pay for everything from a tank of gas to your morning coffee. You can use them to pay bills and earn reward points. And when you use them responsibly, they can help you boost your credit score. In other words, when it comes to easy payments, it’s really hard to beat a credit card. Unless,...