A budget is one way to consistently manage your money. A budget usually allocates a certain amount of money to each of your expenses such as rent, student loans, car loans, mortgage loans and credit card debt. Learn tips to create an effective budget and what to include in a budget as well as when it’s appropriate to start children on a budget.
How Wearing Heels Can Help You Shop Smarter
Want to make smarter financial decisions? Wear heels when you go shopping. If heels aren’t your thing, then you can try shopping right after yoga class or after a session of escalator riding, or standing on one foot when deciding which big-screen TV you want to buy. What do all these activities accomplish? These actions [...]
Saving Money? Here’s Where You Should Splurge
When you’re saving money, “splurge” is a bad word. Splurges are often perceived as impulse purchases made outside the confines of a household budget—and that’s something savers are told they should avoid. Not every splurge is bad, however. There are times when it makes sense to spend a little more than you would like. The [...]
8 Ways Spending Money Can Buy Happiness
It’s often said that money can’t buy happiness, but new research suggests a twist: It’s how you spend it that matters. At least that’s the contention of Elizabeth Dunn, Daniel Gilbert and Timothy Wilson in their Journal of Consumer Psychology paper, “If money doesn’t make you happy, then you probably aren’t spending it right.” The [...]
Un-budgeting: When Your Household Budget Has Gone Too Far
There’s a lot to be said for simplicity, especially when it comes to your household budget. Micromanaging your money can get messy, and if you’re not careful, you’ll wind up over-budgeting and driving yourself crazy. Our family keeps a pretty detailed monthly spending plan. We’ve used Quicken software to track it in the past, and [...]
The Best Way for First-Time Homebuyers to Search for Their Dream Home
Here’s the best way for a first-time homebuyer to search for their dream home: with a priority list. Being a first-time homebuyer can be daunting, but a priority list can be the best way to help homebuyers with their search for their dream home. To get started, homebuyers should narrow their choices by writing down [...]
How to Rebuild Your Finances in 2014
If you’re wondering how to rebuild your finances in 2014, here are some money-saving strategies you can use. Now is the perfect time of year to start saving money and making smart financial decisions by taking a hard look at where you are with your money this year. Here are a couple examples to give you [...]
Six Ways to Save on Getting Healthy in the New Year
Six ways to save on getting healthy in the new year. Make the most of your motivation to get healthy in the new year and save money while doing it. It’s that special time of year again: All the folks who made New Year’s resolutions are busily lacing up their running shoes to get fit, [...]
Financial and Tax Planning for the New Year
Financial and tax planning for the New Year are discussed on Ilyce Glink's radio show. Financial experts Virginia Savage McAlester, Steve Repak and Paddy Hirsch join Ilyce to discuss financial and tax planning for 2014 on the Ilyce Glink Show on December 22, 2013 on WSB Radio. Ilyce's show always contains various forms of financial and [...]
Tax Tips: Hidden Taxes That Can Bust Your Budget
Paying taxes is a part of life, but taxes can be easy to budget for when you know about them well in advance. Unfortunately, you may be on the hook for taxes you don’t regularly take into account—and these so-called “hidden taxes” can quickly bust your budget. Tax tips: Scan your receipts for hidden taxes [...]
How to Stick to Your Budget During Holiday Shopping
How to stick to your budget during holiday shopping. 8 tips to help you get into the spirit of the holiday season without going overboard. As you wander around the festively decorated stores with your eggnog latte in hand, it’s easy to get carried away by the season. Before you know it, your shopping cart [...]