How Your Backyard can Help You to Live Frugally

September 7, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Many people try to live a frugal lifestyle, but often find it hard to put their plans into practice, or are unsure how to get started in the first place. Everyone likes to grab a bargain and save money, but to live completely frugally takes a more focused approach. The great news is that saving money is all about getting back to basics, so you don’t need to look far to make your dreams of living a frugal lifestyle a reality.

 

Are you fortunate enough to have a home with some outside space? If so, are you using it to its full potential? Utilizing your yard is an excellent way to save money. Outdoor space provides you with so many opportunities to reduce your costs; here are some of the ways that you can use your outside area to enhance your frugal lifestyle:

 

Spending More Time at Home

 

The pandemic has helped many people to appreciate their time spent in their homes and caused them to realize that they don’t always need to venture out to stay entertained. Many people have found that they have inadvertently saved a lot of cash by merely staying home more during the pandemic. If your attitude towards going out and spending money has changed, you may decide to continue being at home more often. Investing just a little time and money on improving your backyard right now can save you lots of cash in the future. Once you have created an outdoor space that you love to spend time in, you can enjoy life at home even more, saving you money on going out.

 

Get Gardening

 

Gardening is an excellent hobby, even if you don’t have a naturally green thumb. Being out in your garden and taking care of your plants is beneficial to your health and well-being. Gardening is excellent exercise, and a whole lot cheaper than a gym membership!

 

To get your backyard looking beautiful, you will need the right tools and equipment to help you. Finding tools that perform well and last will save you money in the long term, and also make tasks in the garden far easier. To ensure you save money and choose the right tool for the job, it is useful to make an informed purchase by looking at reviews and carrying out research before buying, such as this ego trimmer review.

 

Grow Your Own

 

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is not only a really enjoyable hobby, but is also a really simple way to save cash on your grocery shopping. The great news is that it is also good for the environment, as your food miles will be zero, and packaging is eliminated, so you will be actively reducing your carbon footprint while saving money at the same time! Many fruit and veggies can be grown in containers and don’t take up too much space in your yard. Why not get the kids involved too? They will love helping out and watching the produce grow.

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Foreign Exchange Trading Strategies That Work, Even If You’re A Part-Timer

April 2, 2020 Leave a Comment

The price of one currency relative to another isn’t fixed. The value of money, when priced in terms of others, tends to hop around depending on the situation in the home country. 

 

The Brexit referendum result, for instance, caused the value of the pound to plummet in the days and weeks afterwards before it eventually popped back up. Problems concerning Deutsche bank led to issues with the euro. And similar examples exist all over the world. 

 

Because prices float up and down in response to new information, there are opportunities to make money. If you can see a problem emerging in a particular currency and get out fast, you can potentially make a lot of money when you buy again. The investors, for instance, who sold pounds before the Brexit referendum result and then bought back the day after made a lot of money. 

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Trading on the international currency markets without a forex broker, however, is a massive challenge. The average person simply can’t access the markets without going through a professional agency.

 

Furthermore, trading as an individual is tricky too. Most people try to buy and sell whenever they have the chance during the day, usually before work or at lunchtime. It means that the average person misses out on multiple opportunities. Very few people can trade forex full-time. And even fewer can keep their eyes on markets 24 hours per day. 

 

With that said, there is still money to be made trading currencies. So, what strategies should you use to increase your likelihood of success? 

 

Create Stop-Loss Orders

 

Most investors in forex markets are prepared to take a small hit. The market naturally fizzes up and down throughout the day. That’s the nature of markets. Relatively few, though, are prepared to take big hits to their position. 

 

For that reason, a lot of traders put stop-loss orders in place. The idea here is to sell currency and cut your losses if the price falls below a certain level. Computers carry out the trade automatically, so even if you’re part-time, you can get out quickly. 

 

Take Fewer Positions

 

It is tempting to take multiple positions the moment you jump into forex trading. But do you really understand all the currency dynamics at play? Probably not. 

 

For this reason, many professional investors recommend that beginners start with a few positions and work from there. Where possible, focus on the big stories first and then drill down into the details. If you think that there’s a good reason that the yen will fall against the dollar, then investigate this thoroughly instead of taking a piecemeal approach. 

 

Use Technology

 

The technology available to amateur traders is better than ever before, thanks to smartphones and email. Where possible, take advantage of alerts. Often news organizations will issue stories that warn investors of impending dangers and opportunities, allowing you to get in and out ahead of the crowd. 

The bottom line is that the forex market is volatile. You need to have nerves of steel to trade in an environment like that. But with the right approach, there’s money to be made.

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Stuck with your Social Security Disability Claim? 5 Ways a Disability Lawyer Can help

March 16, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Many people today are at risk of disability or premature death. Thousands of debilitating accidents occur every day, leaving a trail of disabilities and destitute families. Such accidents and ensuing injuries are a major cause of money problems. For instance, in June 2019, 1 in every 6 U.S. residents received Social Security benefits.

Social security benefits are a godsend for people who can’t work due to disability. However, there are millions out there who can’t access these benefits because their claims have been denied. If you or a loved one has suffered a life-altering injury and you can’t work, these benefits come in handy to cater for daily expenses.

When filing a social security disability claim, it is advisable to work with an experienced disability lawyer. This post looks at the role of this legal professional in your claim.

Professional Assessment of Your Claim

Millions of claims pass through the Social Security Administration (SSA) system. For any of these claims to pass, the SSA officers analyze the medical evidence to back the claim and other pertinent issues.

A disability lawyer has the resources to assess your claim before filing it with the SSA. They can give you an objective and professional overview of the claim and help collect more evidence to boost the claim.

Guiding You Through Social Security Disability Process

Most people expect their claims to go through though there’s evidence to suggest a high rate of original claim denials. The main problem is that claimants don’t understand the process. If you are in San Jose, CA, you can find more details here about the role of a disability lawyer. They will walk you through the eligibility criteria, the process of filing a claim, medical documents required and other important matters.

Work With You on a Contingent Fee Basis

Disability lawyers are mandated to work on a contingent basis. Payment is dependent on the outcome of a claim. If the court awards you with Social Security disability benefits, your lawyer gets paid a percentage of the benefits.

Leveraging Legal Expertise

Working with a disability lawyer when filing a Social Security disability claim can increase the chances of winning the case. Your attorney has a better understanding of the legal requirement, the application process and will help you meet the criteria on the Blue Book Listing. 

The “Disability Evaluation under Social Security”, or the Blue Book is the key to qualifying for Social Security disability benefits. Most claims are denied due to enough medical proof of disability.

Appealing a Denial 

In case of denial of your original social security disability, your disability lawyer can file an appeal. The lawyer can first try reconsideration as the first step and an SSA hearing if the review fails. They carry out further research and collect more evidence to boost the chances of your appeal.

Wrapping Up

Filing for social security disability benefits is a daunting and complicated process. Your claim undergoes thorough scrutiny before you qualify and there’s a big risk of denial. Using a disability lawyer is a smart strategy as this legal professional will guide you through the process, help you with evidence collection and other steps for a successful claim.

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Making The Most Of A Big Move Overseas

February 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

Moving home is challenging for just about anyone, no matter where you’re moving to. It’s a big decision, and it gets even bigger when you decide to pack up and take everything to a new country. Here, we’re going to look at how you manage the overseas move without letting stress overtake the whole process.

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Visit ahead of time

Culture shock is a very real and surprisingly profound experience and it can completely destroy your experience of a place if you’re unprepared for it. The best way to get around culture shock is to visit and stay at a location for an extended period to really get to experience it. You will also want to network a little and make some friends who can help you transition to life over there more easily.

 

Spend plenty of time finding the right home

Much of your quality of life is going to be determined by where, exactly, you live. This might be determined in part by where you get a job or where a spouse might live. However, look at house listings and apartment sales to get a thorough idea of what kind of property prices you can expect.  Looking with a local estate agent is a good idea as well, as they can help you better navigate the market.

 

Get a good idea of the costs of living

Save, save, and save. Moving can be costly and moving overseas can be doubly so, so save as much money as you possibly can. However, you can plan a little by doing some research on the costs of living in the country that you’re moving to, as well, seeing how far you would be able to stretch your existing budget over there.

 

Get to know the health care system

Governments run things very differently in other countries, and the health care system of the country you’re moving to is likely to be drastically different. You may have to budget for a different kind of private insurance, or you might find yourself covered by the state, with optional insurance or even total coverage that’s taken out of your taxes instead. Just do your research because finding yourself suddenly without health care or paying more than you expected in taxes without knowing why can be quite the surprise.

 

Make some final touches

Once you’ve taken care of all of the essentials and know what you’re getting into, then it’s time to take a few final steps. For one, get in touch with your bank and phone provider. You may not want to get rid of your current account just yet as you may have some bills and outstanding loans to deal with. Make sure to make copies of essential documents like your passport, birth certificate, and driver’s license as you’re likely to need them.

 

Of course, the one thing that we’re not going into is what it takes to move overseas legally. Each country has its own approach to immigration law and getting a visa or permanent citizenship, so it’s important to do your research and know your way in. Otherwise, keep the tips above in mind.

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Stop Struggling With Money: 3 Things to Try

February 5, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Do you struggle to make ends meet? Most of us feel like this at least some of the time, but if you’re constantly living hand to mouth then things need to change. Struggling with money can be really stressful, and it prevents you from living the life you want. You don’t need to win the lottery or even land your dream career, making a few simple changes can make a big difference. You’ll be happier, you’ll have a little more money in your pocket and won’t be stressing quite as much about the bills. Here’s what you need to know. 

 

Get out of debt

Being in debt is expensive, not only are you paying back what you’ve borrowed but every month you carry a balance, you’re paying interest too. If your debt is out of control, you might find that all you’re able to pay back each month is the interest, and you’re not bringing down the balance at all. Getting out of debt might involve using savings or making cutbacks in your budget, but if it’s out of control you may need to speak to a debt management company. These can speak to creditors on your behalf and work to get interest frozen and repayments reduced to a much more manageable amount. It can mean a huge weight is lifted off your shoulders and you can get your finances back under control. This allows you to start getting other areas of your money sorted again and puts you in a much better position.

 

Claim everything you’re entitled to

Did you know you may have money available to you which you’re not getting right now? If you’re on a low income, have a disability or even are entitled compensation from an accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s important to find out what you’re owed. This can compensate you for time you’ve had to have off work, or help you to make ends meet if you’re unable to work. It’s not always a smooth journey, for example you might need an attorney for disability appeal if you feel you’ve been wrongly rejected but keep at it until you get what’s rightfully yours. 

 

Earn some money from home

Making changes and cutbacks in your budget is always going to be useful, but if you can earn some extra money too then even better. This day in age, it’s perfectly possible to make cash from home, in your spare time and in a fun way. You could start and monetize a blog or YouTube channel. You could become a freelancer and monetize your skills, or you could take on a flexible job as a remote worker in the evenings. All of the money you earn could be used towards debt, to save up or just to make everything a little easier financially. You don’t even need to leave the house, and can hugely improve your situation with money.

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Convincing Reasons To Give Up Your Car

January 10, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Ask yourself this one important question.

 

Do you need a car?

 

It might be that you do, especially if you travel on a regular basis. But if you rarely use your car, and if you could manage quite well without one, then you might want to consider giving it up.

 

Here are just some of the reasons why.

 

#1: You will save money

 

When looking at your monthly bank statements, consider how much money you spend on your car. With fuel, tax, insurance, and possibly even maintenance costs to add up, consider where that money could have been better spent. So, rather than relying on a car to get you from A to B, consider other forms of transport instead, such as the bus, train, or even your bicycle. And for those times when you do need a car, consider borrowing one from a friend or family member, or consider the types of car you can book now at Burswood Car Rentals and similar places, and hire something instead.

 

#2: You will face less stress

 

Let’s face it; driving can be stressful. You will know this yourself if you have ever had to deal with road rage from yourself or another driver, if you have been stuck in rush hour traffic for an age, or if you have found yourself dealing with the aftermath of a car accident. If you didn’t have a car, you wouldn’t have to face such stresses, so if you don’t need to rely on your four wheels, get rid of it for the sake of your sanity!

 

#3: You will do your bit to save the world

 

Road transport is responsible for around a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions, and you become part of this equation every time you step foot into your car. Sorry for the guilt trip! To reduce your carbon footprint, you could use your car less, switch to an electric car, or give up your car entirely. With one less car on the roads, the world will become a slightly safer place, and you will have less need to feel guilty about the part you have had to play in damaging the environment. 

 

#4: You will experience the health benefits

 

The more we rely on our cars, the less exercise we do, and the unhealthier we become. So, if one of your goals has been to keep fit this year, you might consider giving up your car for either the short or the long-term to help you achieve your targets. By walking or cycling more, you will improve your physical health. And because of the fresh air you will be getting, as well as the added exercise, you will do much to improve your mental health too. So, think about yourself and your own health needs. Then think about the health needs of your family. By using your car less or by giving it up, you will all start to benefit from the exercise you will be receiving. 

 

So, what do you think? Could you give up your car? We have listed some very good reasons as to why you should, so consider the option, even if it’s only for a short time.

 

Thanks for reading!

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How To Avoid Money Worries After An Injury

January 8, 2020 Leave a Comment

A serious injury can change your life in a big way, especially if you are unable to work. It can have a big impact on your mental well being if you struggle to do things that you would normally take for granted. People often lose their sense of purpose when they are out of work as well, and that can lead to mental health issues. After a serious injury like this, it’s important that you focus on your recovery and get back to normal as soon as possible, and you take steps to manage your mental health along the way. But that is hard to do if you don’t manage your finances properly as well. 

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When you are suddenly unable to work, it can put a real strain on your finances and that causes a lot of stress. If you don’t have a clue how you’re going to pay any of your bills and you are constantly worried about money, that will make your recovery a lot more difficult and increase the likelihood of developing a mental health problem. 

 

If you are out of work for a long time, you may end up relying on credit cards to pay your bills and that will lead to a lot of unnecessary stress. But if you follow these simple tips, you can easily avoid that situation.   

 

Make A Compensation Claim 

 

If you think that somebody else was to blame for your injury, especially if you were injured at work, you should consider making a compensation claim. If you get in touch with somebody like alex hernandez lawyer and speak with them about your situation, they will be able to help you make your claim. It’s important that you do this right away because the more evidence you can gather, the more likely you will be to win a settlement. The process can take a long time, so the sooner you get started, the sooner you will benefit from the money. Having that extra financial help there will make life a lot easier for you while you recover from your injury and get back to normal. 

 

Keep Working If Possible 

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In some cases, your injury will be too severe for you to work at all and you will have to take time off until you are fully recovered. However, you may still be able to work in some capacity and that will make it easier to manage your finances. For example, you might not be able to do any heavy lifting but that doesn’t mean you can’t do admin work. You should speak with your employer and see whether you can continue working in some capacity. It’s easier than ever for people to work remotely, so you may be able to work from home instead of going into the office. 

 

If there is no way that you can continue working at your current job, you should look into your other options for working. There are a lot of freelance jobs that you can do from home like being a virtual assistant, for example. If you can find ways to earn a bit of extra income from home, you will find it a lot easier to manage your money while you recover. 

 

Cut Back Your Budget 

 

If you are not earning or you are only earning a fraction of what you normally would, you need to rethink your budget. If you continue spending at the same rate as normal, you will soon find yourself in financial difficulty. You need to cut back on your budget and get rid of some of the luxuries that you can’t afford right now. Draw up a list of all of your spending and look for things that you can easily cut out. The more you can cut down on your budget, the longer you will be able to survive without borrowing money. 

 

Speak With A Financial Advisor 

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If you do manage to win a settlement, it’s a good idea to speak with a financial advisor because they will help you to get the most out of it. If you just put it in the bank and start spending it, you’ll be surprised how quickly it disappears. If your injury is going to have a long term impact, you need to start thinking ahead with your money. A financial adviser will be able to assess your finances with you and give you some good advice on how best to spend the money that you do have. They will be able to help you with investments if you have a lump sum so you can secure your finances in the long term. 

 

Borrow Sensibly 

 

It’s easy to fall into the trap of borrowing money when you are out of work, but you need to be very careful. If you start relying on credit cards too much, your financial situation will get worse and worse. However, there will be some situations where you need to borrow a little bit of money to make ends meet. That’s fine, as long as you do it sensibly and you don’t make a habit of it. You should only be borrowing money to pay urgent bills, not to spend on luxuries. When you do use a credit card, make sure to shop around and get the best deals, and avoid high interest payday loans at all costs. If you do find yourself in a situation where you need to borrow money, you need to work out how you are going to pay it back. If you won’t be able to comfortably pay back the debt, you should think twice about borrowing. 

 

Once you have recovered from your injury and you are back at work, paying off your debts should be your first priority. The best way to do that is by using the debt snowball method. By prioritizing the smallest debt and clearing it as soon as possible, you free up more money to put towards the next debt on the list, and so on. The sooner you can clear all of your debts and get back to normal, the better. 

 

As long as you follow these simple rules, you can stay on top of your finances and focus all of your attention on making a recovery.

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Growing Your Property Portfolio in the Best Possible Way

December 20, 2019 Leave a Comment

Property is one of the safest markets to invest in if you have the money to do so. This is why so many people every year are looking at the ways in which they can invest in property or real estate, and start making serious money. But, if you are new to this process, it can seem pretty daunting, especially with the sums of money that are being talked about. 

 

Make sure you think about the different ideas you’ll need to consider if you want to get involved in the world of real estate. Growing your property portfolio is one of the key things you are going to need to consider, and this is something you can work on right now. These are some of the best things you can do to achieve that, and you should use these ideas to help grow your portfolio. 

 

Diversify

 

One of the key things we would recommend would be to make sure you aim to diversify as much as possible with your portfolio. There are a lot of things that play a part in the process, and this is going to help you when it comes to making the most of your property portfolio. This means looking to invest in things like mobile homes as well as traditional apartments and houses. This is a great way of attracting more people and giving you a more unique edge to your portfolio. 

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Rent Out for a While

 

When you are getting involved in the world of property investment, you will generally have two choices; you buy a property, fix it up, and sell for a profit, or you buy and then rent for a while before selling. Renting is a good way to build up your portfolio because it is providing you with passive income on a monthly basis, and this is important. Make sure you do what you can to make the most of this and try to rent out several properties at the same time, so you increase your cash flow. 

 

Maintenance & Upgrades are Key

 

Maintaining and upgrading your properties is also really important when looking at how you can grow your portfolio. Just because you own a property doesn’t mean you can overlook basic improvements. Saving money on home improvements is important, but you definitely need to make sure you maintain and upgrade the properties as much as you can. This can make a massive difference to making your portfolio more appealing to prospective buyers and tenants. 

 

Cash Flow!

 

Cash flow is one of the most important things to consider here because, without money, you can’t purchase property. As we suggested earlier, renting is a good way of bringing in some cash flow, but you need to consider other ideas as well, such as buying positive cash flow property and coming up with side-gigs to help you supplement your income. 

 

As you might imagine, creating a strong and diverse property portfolio is a challenge, and this is something you need to make sure you consider as much as possible. There are a lot of factors that play a part in helping you achieve success in the property market, and these are some ideas that will help you to get started as much as possible.

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Smart Ways To Teach Children About Money

November 14, 2019 Leave a Comment

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Being able to make good financial decisions doesn’t just happen. We have to teach our children the value of money and do so in ways appropriate to their ages. It’s never too early to get these lessons started, especially nowadays. Since marketers have begun aiming ads at children with every media channel, they must understand that certain purchases aren’t worth the investment. If you don’t teach your children how to manage money, someone else surely will. But that isn’t a risk you want to take. With that in mind, here are ten smart ways to teach children about money. 

 

Play Classic Board Games

Many classic board games are more educational than most people realize. Rather than just teaching board game etiquette, Monopoly introduces children to important life skills, like saving for retirement and purchasing real estate. Playing these games as a family gives you a chance to explain to your children how the rules of the game apply in real life. Other childhood games, like house and grocery store, also teach kids about finances, along with cooking and cleaning. 

 

Write Letters To Santa

Once the weather turns frosty, children get excited for Christmas. They want to decorate the house, make gingerbread houses, and, most importantly, write letters to Santa. Although this is a fun annual activity, it could be an educational experience too. Rather than letting your children ask for whatever they want, give them a spending limit. Having a spending limit makes your kids consider what gifts are really important to them. This is a great opportunity to practice math too. 

 

Make Them Earn Money

Although Christmas is a time for giving, that rule doesn’t apply for the rest of the year. Instead of handing over money whenever your children ask for it, you should make them earn it. Depending on their ages, there are a few ways to do this. Teenagers can take on summer jobs, while younger children carry out chores at home. Entrepreneurship is another option to consider. Even a lemonade stand throughout the summer is a business, so teaches many important lessons. 

 

Chat With Financial Experts

A financial adviser is an important resource, both for adults and children. Taking your kids with you the next time you speak to money experts gives them a chance to ask questions. If you have a living trust set up for your children, allow them to meet your living trust attorney too. At this meeting, you can explain what a living trust is and under what circumstances your child would be given money from it. Having these meetings now will make financial experts seem less scary. 

 

Open A Savings Account

After meeting with your financial adviser, you might decide to open a savings account for your child. When you do so, make sure that you take them to the meeting. Explain exactly what a savings account is, how interest works, and how to access that money. If your child has earned their own money, ask if they would like to invest that into their savings. Once your child is old enough, you can open a checking account. This would give them greater control of their money. 

 

Shop For Groceries Together

Certain chores take much longer with children in tow. Shopping for groceries certainly makes that list. However, that doesn’t mean that you should leave your little ones at home. After all, shopping is an important chore and life skill. Unless your children know how to shop smartly, they’ll waste money when they’re older. Before heading to the store, write a grocery list, make a budget, and gather coupons. Each of these tasks is important and helps with money management.

 

Download Money-Related Videos

Most parents are always trying and failing at limiting their child’s screen time. While you shouldn’t give up this battle entirely, you could be flexible. The internet doesn’t just waste time and can instead be incredibly educational. YouTube is a great example. Although there are many pointless videos on the platform, you can find a few that teach children about money. These are fun, interactive, and fairly short, which means your child could easily see one during a car ride. 

 

Choose Different Bedtime Stories

Just like videos, books can be both fun and informational. When choosing your child’s bedtime story, pick a book that talks about money. There are hundreds out there that focus on different financial topics, including entrepreneurship, investing, and money trouble. If you don’t own any books about money, then head to your local library. Without having to spend a penny, you can take home a variety of books. Alternatively, you can download and listen to audiobooks. 

 

Set A Good Example

Children learn by what they see. This means that, if they see you managing money well, they will understand that they must do the same. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Overspending, lying about money, and other bad financial habits can make your kids question your teachings. That is why you must set a good example for them. Make sure you also explain what you’re doing when using an ATM or writing a check to help your children learn basic money concepts. 

 

Leave Room For Mistakes

Part of allowing your kids control of their money is letting them make mistakes. While you can explain to someone the consequences of bad money management, they’ll never truly understand them until faced with them. While it’s tempting to step in and steer children away from costly errors, doing so could hold them back. A mistake might seem disastrous to them now, but the lessons they learn from it would benefit them later and keep them from making a bigger blunder. 

 

Money is a topic many children think very little about. With parents buying everything they need, kids usually assume that money comes easily. Teaching your children the value of money will not only benefit them in the future but help you now. Once a child knows that things cost, they usually become less demanding. Hopefully, the tips above help you teach your kids about money.

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4 Ways To Boost Your Savings With Change

October 21, 2019 Leave a Comment

When you’re trying to save money, drawing up a good budget is the best thing that you can do. But making small savings here and there is also a good way to boost your savings account. A lot of people don’t bother saving small change because they don’t think that it’s worth it, but that isn’t true. If you do it right, you can actually earn a lot of money by saving your small change, and it’s a great way to add to your savings without having to make any changes to your overall budget. There are a few simple tricks that will help you get the most out of your change. These are some of the best ways to save more change. 

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Save Bigger Change 

 

When people save change, they usually just put their small change in a jar, but you should consider saving bigger change. The best way to save a lot of change is to empty your pockets whenever you come back home. If you start putting in dollars instead of pennies, your change jar will build up a lot quicker. All of that change you have in your pocket is likely to get wasted anyway, so you may as well save it. 

 

Get More Change Jars 

 

When you find loose change lying around the house, it’s easy to shove it in your pocket but you’ll end up spending it later on. But if you have change jars dotted around the house, you’ll be more likely to save all of that change. It’s a good idea to put on in each room to encourage you to save more regularly. 

 

Small Investments

 

Now that you’ve boosted your change, you need to start doing something with it so you can turn it into a more substantial amount. When people think about investing their money, they usually assume that you need a huge amount of money, but that isn’t the case. You can get started with small amounts, so if you save your change for a year and invest that money, you can watch it grow. 

 

If you want to make a bigger return on your money, you could even put the money into casino sites. If you look for deals at deluxcasinobonus.com, you can get free games when you put money in. Ordinarily, it’s not the best way to spend your savings, but if you have extra money from saving change, it could be a good way to earn more. 

 

Change Apps 

 

It’s not just physical change that you should think about either, you should try to save change when you are spending on a card as well. A lot of people find that they don’t have much change because they hardly ever use cash. But if you use prepaid cards like Revolut or round-up apps like Acorn, each purchase that you make will be rounded up to the nearest dollar, and the spare change will be saved. Check out Forbes.com for a good list of the best round-up apps. Some of these apps even put the money into investments automatically.   

 

These are all great ways that you can turn a bit of spare change into some real savings for the future.

Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: , ,

20 Ways to Save Money on Everyday Items….

February 12, 2018 Leave a Comment

Growing up money was tight, I learned at a very young age you had to work hard for everything you want in life. This also taught me the importance of money. Saving it, making it and especially how to spend it.

After marriage and graduating college money issues were not as “tight”, but I still took those young values I learned with me and it has paid off!

Here are ways I like to save money!

Pic Credit

  1. Cell Phone bill – I had AT&T for years, I would call every so often and explain that I will have to cancel my account since the prices were constantly going up. It wasn’t until a blog conference that I recently found out Cricket is owned by AT&T. I did my research and found out they use the same towers and covered the same area. So I switched from a 160.00 for two lines to 100.00 for four lines.
  2.  Cable bill – I hated writing the 124.00 a month check to Directv every month so I did a little research and sure enough if you call them when they have promotions and ask for it, you can cut your bill to half of what it is. I now pay around 60.00 a month. The only reason we keep it is the husbands wants the SEC channel.
  3. Filters – Changing out your air conditioner/heater filters often will help save on the electricity bill. The more clogged they are the more the air conditioner/heater will have to run.
  4. Shop wisely – When I am browsing in a boutique, I usually take a picture of the tag of something I really, really, like 99% of the time I can find it online way cheaper than in the store!
  5. Dollar Tree – This place will save you 5.00 – 10.00 a week if you shop there first. I buy all my cards and gift bags from here and every now and then you will find something on your grocery list there for a dollar!!
  6. Wash your sheets – Keeping your bed clean will help you not to get sick as much. Besides the fact that clean bed is amazing!
  7. Coupons or Sales– Check for printable or app coupons before leaving to shop, plan meals around what is for sale that week. Regardless of how great the coupon is, only buy what you will use.
  8. Bulk – Take a calculator with you, if it is a lot cheaper to buy it in bulk then do it. I love when something in bulk is on sale and I have a coupon, I stock up!
  9. Budget – Make and stay on a budget regardless!! This is important to learn, I remember weeks when I would say we are going to have a “leftover” night or let’s find a meal at the “Dollar Store”. Really what I meant is that is all we could afford but wanted it to seem like a fun activity. Staying on the budget meant getting creative.
  10. Electricity – It is important to seal off any air leaks or making sure your home is insulated to reduce the electricity bill.
  11. Intrest Rate – Negotiate those as often as possible.  You will be amazed at how willing a company will be to work with you if you make payments timely.
  12. Pyramid payment – This took us several years to master but now I am happy to say we are debt free! You take your smallest bill rather if it is a 300.00 jewelry store account or 500.00 hospital account and you pay extra until it is paid and continue this until everything is paid off. We paid cash this year for my new Cadillac and it sure felt good!
  13. Savings – Regardless if you put 5.00 a week away, make sure you start and have a savings account. You need something to fall back on when you have an emergency!
  14. Education Degree – The more education you have or can receive the more you make in life, as a general rule. Try and get some type of degree even if you can only take one class a semester. There are so many grants and aids that can help you with this.
  15. Church – Most churches have a ton of really fun free activities you can do as a family. Church communities love to help out.
  16. Yard Sales – I can’t tell you how many times, my new wardrobe consisted of my latest yard sale finds. Most yard sales have clothes really reasonably priced. I clothed my children for years from yard sale finds.
  17. Garden – Plant a small garden of veggies your family likes. If you don’t have room for a garden put them in a pot, people love fresh veggies and it is a great way to give to others.
  18. Fix broken items – If there is an issue with something like a vacuum or dripping water faucet, fix it immediately. You will save money in the long run by taking care of it right away.
  19. Money saving sites – Shop sites like slickdeals.net before making online purchases to see if there are any great deal or prices. I recently found a 99.00 gift that I wanted to get my grandson for his birthday on there for 25.00 at a certain store. I was so excited!!
  20. Ebates – If you download Ebates to your dashboard every time you shop online it will pop up and tell you how much $$ you will make from the purchase not only that but it will find if there is any money saving coupons out there. I use it for every purchase and get a check in the mail!!

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These are a few of my favorite ways to save money! I am sure there are a ton more ideas and would love to hear yours!!

Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Big Problems With Living In A Big Mansion

July 10, 2017 Leave a Comment

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We have all dreamed of living in a huge house – a mansion – because we have always dreamed of more space. The idea of having eleven bedrooms and twelve bathrooms and three kitchens, all with Aga’s, and a garden that would rival Central Park in New York. However, for all the dreams that swirl around the world, the reality is often very different, and that is the case with mansion life. It just isn’t the simple life of luxury we all imagine it to be.

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Too Much Space

Yes, we want to enjoy more space, but not to the point that our home feels empty and bare no matter how much furniture we throw at it. Even if you just living in part of a mansion, one wing or one floor on one wing, trying to make two sofas fill a ballroom is like trying to make two drops of water fill an ocean.

 

Never Feel Cozy

High ceilings and vast spaces don’t add to the cozy feeling in any way whatsoever and this only gets worse when winter starts to creep in. Even in the height of summer, a mansion can feel abysmally cold as you spend a large fortune on logs for your fireplace and oil for your ancient heating system.

 

Never Enough Internet

Having the internet reach every corner of every room in your home is a luxury. Anyone that lives in a big house will know that this is hard to disagree with because in order to enjoy that same nuisance-free existence they have had to invest in multiple wifi extenders if they want any chance of getting any web browsing done. As for 4G, well, either it hasn’t reached that part of the countryside yet or it can’t penetrate the thick walls.

 

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Gardening Never Stops

If you live in a mansion with a mansion-sized garden then trying to keep on top of the lawn alone is like having a full-time job, except you don’t get paid to do it (and you don’t get paid to do your normal job because you are spending your entire life mowing). Not to mention that, once you’re done, you’re more out of breath than an amateur marathon runner that decided they could participate without any training.

 

Money, Money, Money

The only thing that leaks more than your roof is your money, with every cent you have seemingly being pumped into your home. Trying to repair broken beams, or replace another shattered pane of glass, or the leak in the roof, or discover where that god awful smell is coming from, or trying to keep the place warm, or whatever. It is a constant drain on finances, and we mean constant.

 

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Permanent Paranoia

Big, old houses make loads of noises, and most of them are really eerie noises. Something will fall down between the walls or the sound of a ghost will interrupt your dinner. But that isn’t all because there is also the constant worry that someone will break in through any number of easy to lift windows or shrunken doors that don’t seem to lock properly anymore. Just walking around a big house can be terrifying and you’ll start to curse your own imagination as time goes on.

Filed Under: Home Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Retiring Into Old Age Successfully

June 27, 2017 Leave a Comment

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We don’t realize it, but retirement is a game. And, like all games, there is a winner and a loser. Now, no one likes to lose because winning is fun and addictive. But, no one wants to lose at retirement because a loss can have a major impact on the rest of your life.

 

There is no doubt that you don’t want this to happen. After all, our golden years are supposed to be the time when we enjoy the fruits of decades of hard labor. Still, it happens to people all of the time, and it happens because they are ill prepared.

 

As such, you have to be ready if you want to win. And, to do that, you have to know the tricks of the retirement trade. So, here is everything that you need to know to retire into successful bliss.

 

Good luck.

 

Be Mentally Prepared

 

The biggest mistake everyone makes is to assume that retirement isn’t a big deal. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it is a huge deal because your life is about to change forever. Yes, the idea of slowing down and pottering around the garden is appealing, yet it is still a transition. Indeed, when was the last time you took the time to relax? Exactly, and now you’re going to do it for the rest of your life, which can be intimidating. To avoid any scares, you should try and get used to the idea. Then, there is no need to wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. People often focus on the physical, yet the mental aspect of retiring is just as important.

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Continue To Work

 

‘What?! I’m never going to work again!’ Okay, you have every right to think this way, particularly after 40 years of hard work. However, not to be critical, but it is a little short-sighted. Although working hasn’t always been enjoyable, it has given your life structure. And, sweeping that structure from under your feet is a recipe for disaster. It is no secret that the golden generation suffers from boredom, and working is one way to relieve the monotony of life. Plus, it adds value because it gives you something to look forward to every week. Of course, it is your decision how much to take on because you are not fully employed. Still, one or two days should break up the week nicely.

 

Stay Physically Active

 

Again, ‘letting yourself go’ is another benefit of quitting work and getting old. But, again, it isn’t a good idea if you want to win the war as well as the battle. Staying healthy is the key to a long and happy life, and that never changes. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many dues you have paid in the past. Your body still needs maintaining, and exercise is the only method that works. Now, there is no reason to get down with the kids because that is too much. But, there are ways to get the blood pumping without encouraging a heart attack. Walking is the ultimate example, as is gardening. Try and opt for activities that are active but not too strenuous.

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Get Your Finances In Order

 

Anyone that doesn’t work full-time has to be financially savvy or else retirement could be more of a nightmare than a dream. One thing you have to understand is that your earning potential has limits. As a result, it’s imperative to use what you have to your advantage. To do that, you need a working total of all your assets, and you need to write them down. Next, work out your expenses and how much you pay out every month. The total that is left is your overall budget and the trick is to stick to it as much as possible. Sure, there will be some expenses that are bigger than others, yet these are the anomalies. On average, your monthly payments must hit a certain figure. If the number is too low, consider cutting back. It isn’t nice, but it is necessary.

 

Consider Living Arrangements

 

An example of cutting back is moving out of your home. Let’s face it – a house is expensive and may be too big for your needs. The logical thing to do is to downsize or consider the alternatives. For example, living with one of your children may be on the cards if they have the room. Or, moving into a residence with in-home care facilities is also a popular choice. Whatever you decide, it’s essential to be logical and analytical if possible. No one likes the idea of leaving their home, especially if it has sentimental value. However, sometimes it is the only option if your finances are not in order. Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep your independence for the foreseeable future, but you shouldn’t assume that to be the case.

 

Talk It Through

 

The important aspect of a successful retirement is making an informed decision. Usually, this can’t happen without having a conversation with the people you love. Quite simply, your life and theirs are intertwined, so your actions impact their lives. As a result, you need to sit down and inform them that you plan on retiring. That way, everyone can bounce positives and negatives off one another and cover all of the issues. It may be that you’re not ready to quit work for financial reasons, or you’re only doing it because you think it is right. At least when you have a discussion, you will realize if it is the right move or a mistake. Don’t forget that people do make retirement mistakes all of the time, and you don’t want to be another statistic.

 

Finally, don’t do it too early. The idea of retiring and emigrating to somewhere hot is always appealing. However, it also means you have a lot of time to sit around and do nothing. Even if you work part-time and look after the grandkids, it is still a long time.

Filed Under: Budget Tagged With: , , ,

It’s a Family Thing #wowsummit #blogher17

June 3, 2017 1 Comment

I have blogged part-time, on and off, for the last 6 years. My first site was Reviewing For You. It crashed when e-rice closed. I was ready for a change anyway and decided to start my new site in November 2014.

My sister Terri @ http://shabbychicboho.com/ has blogged full-time for over 10 years, she was my inspiration. So when I sold my business last year, I decided to blog full-time and I haven’t looked back since!!

Recently, we have enlisted our mom to help be our VA and have since introduced Terri’s daughter Tiffany @ http://www.itstotallytiffany.com/ and my daughter Hannah @ http://beachylady.com to the blogging world.

I love it, I love meeting new people, promoting my page and still get excited when I receive emails about working with a new company. Of course, I didn’t really expect to make money doing it, I was mostly doing it because I have to stay active. The main perk was receiving cool stuff for my three amazing grandsons.

This last month, I decided I would start tracking my income and was surprised at the amount my site is making. I wanted to get a little more organized since we decided to go to two blogging conferences this year #blogher17 and #wowsummit.

Hopefully, I will learn even more at the conferences and plan to do a monthly budget and set goals. I know most people do this to make money, I just wanted something to do to stay busy and find some amazing products, the making money part is just a plus.

I love the flexibility blogging offers me. I can help my daughter to build her blog site and spend time with my grandsons. Mostly I love working by the pool. If you are wondering if you can make money blogging, the answer it yes. If you have patience, work a lot of hours and don’t expect to be rich over night. You have to have a passion for it and enjoy what you do to be successful in anything.

 

Filed Under: Family, Pictures Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Top Three Worst Excuses For Not Tackling Home Repairs

June 2, 2017 Leave a Comment

 

[geralt / pixabay]

 

Household repairs are a pain. As much as they’re necessary, they’re also just plain annoying.

 

For one thing, it’s a financial cost on something that is just so unsatisfying. If you go through a redevelopment or renovate a room, then you at least have all the disturbance in exchange for a shiny new area of your house. However, with repairs, you have all the disturbance but none of the newness. All you get is your house returning to how it should be – and that, no matter which way you slice it, just isn’t as exciting.

 

Given this reality, it can be tempted to convince yourself that putting repairs off is a tempting and viable way of managing your house. Doing this tends to involve a series of carefully calculated little white lies; the untruths you try to convince yourself are reasonable.

 

Now, not to burst a bubble, but… that’s not going to work for long. If you find yourself recognizing any of the below excuses, then it might be time to finally launch yourself at that repair work. A little DIY or calling in the right pro could mean you no longer have to convince yourself of the below “truths”, which – as you will see – don’t stack up to that much scrutiny anyway…

 

“It costs too much money!”

 

Finances are tight. Everyone gets that; it’s been awhile since the populace as a whole seemed to have plenty of money to spend on whatever they chose. However, the immediate way of responding to this instinct is… it’s never not going to cost money. There’s no way you’re suddenly going to be able to find yourself considering the costs and realize everyone is charged $0 for the work.

 

Then there is the fact that it could end up costing you more in the long run. If you let issues go unmanaged, they will continue to deteriorate to the point where they will cost far more than they would have done to fix initially. If you have major structural issues with the foundations or external structure of your home, then these costs could spiral from the ‘expensive’ bracket and into the ‘can we afford to live here’ section. The cost of foundation repair and other major structural work is only going to increase.

 

“I don’t have time!”

 

This is the constant – and sure, we’re all busy people… but are you going to get any less busy any time soon? It seems unlikely. There’s never a ‘good time’ for a household repair; it’s always going to involve juggling other commitments and demands on your household finances.

 

Unless you have a block of time coming up when you will have nothing to do but your household repairs (and we’re talking weeks here), then not having enough time simply isn’t a believable reason for not getting down to the work.

 

“It’s such a big job!”

 

Well – as above – the one thing to keep in mind is that that’s not going to change any time soon. Leaving it isn’t going to make the job any smaller. In fact, as covered, time is probably going to make the issue even bigger. So tackle it now while it’s still as small and as manageable as it’s ever going to get.

Filed Under: DIY Interior, Home Tagged With: , ,

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