Archive for the ‘budgeting’ Category
Monday, January 7th, 2008
According to the Federal Reserve, the number of debit card transactions is increasing by more than 20% each year. Debit cards seem to be the ideal balance between carrying cash and using credit cards (i.e. increased debt and interest charges). After all, don't debit cards look, act and get accepted like credit ...
Posted in banking, budgeting, credit cards, finances, money, money management | No Comments »
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
It's the time of year when DEBT becomes a "four letter" word. Consumers that spent more than they should have for Christmas gifts are dreading the arrival of the next credit card bills. This dread and a promise to not get into this financial situation "ever again" has become an ...
Posted in budgeting, credit cards, debt, money management | No Comments »
Thursday, December 20th, 2007
For several weeks, there have been lots of "doom and gloom" press reports regarding the state of the U.S. economy and consumers holiday spending...predictions of desperate retailers "hoping" that holiday sales will get and/or keep them in the "black" for the year; stories of mortgage troubles; evaluations of the subprime ...
Posted in budgeting, finances, gifts, money, money management | No Comments »
Monday, December 17th, 2007
Living on a budget is not nearly as difficult at the beginning and end of the month as it is in the middle. The days between the 10th and the 20th can be the most challenging for maintaining focus and discipline toward financial goals. These 5 strategies will help you stay motivated during the middle ...
Posted in budgeting, finances, financial records, money, money management | 1 Comment »
Thursday, December 13th, 2007
One of the worst things that can happen to a holiday budget is "last minute" shopping. As the number of shopping days dwindle, credit card balances grow! Despite the commercial emphasis that has become Christmas, you don't have to go to the extreme (like not giving gifts AT ALL) to give gifts within ...
Posted in budgeting, finances, gifts, money | 1 Comment »
Thursday, December 6th, 2007
With gas and grocery prices on the way up, it seems that all the necessities are costing more with each passing day. Even if we have no control over prices, there are things we can do to lower our bills in other ways. Use these ideas to start saving money today!
Posted in budgeting, finances, money, money management | No Comments »
Thursday, November 29th, 2007
Thanksgiving is over and the end of the budget month has come again. The refrigerator holds remnants of last week’s feast while the bank contains what little remains of your last paycheck. It’s a shame to throw the "leftovers" away but what choice is there? What’s left is enough to ...
Posted in budgeting, finances, money, money management | 3 Comments »
Monday, November 26th, 2007
For longer than I would like to admit, my holiday budgets have consisted of buying gifts now and figuring out how to pay for them later! I have always STARTED my holiday shopping with specific spending limits in mind but I have not stayed within those limits very well. Even ...
Posted in budgeting, credit cards, debt, finances, gifts, money, money management | 1 Comment »
Monday, November 19th, 2007
For the first time in our 10 year marriage, my husband and I will purchase all of our Christmas gifts this year with cash. There will not be any huge credit cards bills arriving in January and we will not have regrets about spending too much money (that we didn't ...
Posted in budgeting, finances, gifts, money, money management | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007
Just having a written budget does not guarantee that all financial issues will be easily controlled. Even with a well-built budget, stretching those last dollars until the next paycheck can be a struggle. These questions and answers highlight effective techniques for creating a little "breathing room" in any budget.
Posted in budgeting, finances, money, money management | No Comments »