Archive for the ‘Saving Money’ Category

5 Money Saving Strategies to Save You Thousands of Dollars in 2012

If you spent most of last year barely reaching your financial goals and struggling with your budget, pay attention to your spending and saving habits.

You need to start socking away some of your monthly income into a “no touch” savings account, no matter what your income level may be. But that’s easier said than done for most.

Still, you can successfully save big bucks in a number of ways. For example, you can trim your household budget, grocery bill, entertainment expenses, and several other costs to build a sizeable savings account in 2012.

Here are five easy money saving strategies to help you save thousands of dollars this year: Continue reading “5 Money Saving Strategies to Save You Thousands of Dollars in 2012” »

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IDA Programs: Where to Find Matching Funds for Your Financial Goals

Q: Are there any organizations in the Philadelphia, PA area are participating in the IDA Program?

A: For those of you that have never heard of this before, an IDA is:

An Individual Development Account (or IDA) that lets low-to-moderate income earners save money for a specific goal – such as a down payment on a house or starting a business – and receive matching funds from non-profit groups, corporations, and government agencies. Continue reading “IDA Programs: Where to Find Matching Funds for Your Financial Goals” »

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Guest Post: Turn Spending into Saving

Special thanks to Marlene Ware, a certified credit counselor at The National Foundation for Debt Management for contributing this article to AskTheMoneyCoach.com.

From birth to 18, a girl needs good parents. From 18 to 35, she needs good looks, from 35 to 55, good personality. From 55 on, she needs good cash. I’m saving my money.   ~ Sophie Tucker

Well, I better start saving my money. I’m too old to get help from my parents and I am beyond the threshold for good looks and personality. It happens in a flash – one day your entire future is in front of you and the next your toes are on the doorstep of retirement!  Sophie Tucker knew what she was talking about!

Continue reading “Guest Post: Turn Spending into Saving” »

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Ten Ways to Cut Your Spending

Today I want you to come up with 10 ways to cut your spending. Don’t complain about it or say it’s impossible. Just put your thinking cap on and get busy. If you really had to – and at this point, you probably really do have to in order to survive the current economy – I’m sure you could be really creative.

But just to jump start your thinking, I’ll start you out with 10 ideas:

  • Do your own home maintenance
  • Only go to your bank’s ATMs
  • Bring lunch to work daily or a few days a week
  • Visit www.cardratings.com to get a better credit card deal
  • Stop smoking (or drinking)
  • Carpool
  • Use coupons (always or from time to time)
  • Buy in bulk (but only on items you will consume in 1 month, tops; avoid the triple pack of 64 oz ketchup, you don’t need all of that sodium anyway)
  • Raise your insurance deductibles
  • Plan and pay for travel in advance

Saving Money Doesn’t Have To Be a Big Hassle

I’m constantly amazed at how many people pay full price for products and services – when they could so readily get the things they need for a lot less money.

For many consumers, though, the idea of saving big bucks on everything from soap and toilet paper to a new car or medical insurance means either hours of coupon clipping and haggling with salesmen. Neither tactic is especially attractive for busy people who have family, career and other demands on their time.

Thankfully, there are some fast, painless and – dare I say it? – fun ways to save money, simply by hopping on the Internet. After all, who doesn’t relish snagging a true bargain?

Take your homeowner’s or auto insurance. To save money there, check out www.insure.com. It’s a great free site to find the best insurance rates, as well as read interesting articles and tips about all types of insurance. Since homeowner’s coverage averages $700 a year, and auto insurance another $880, (according to the Insurance Information Institute) if you spend 20 minutes surfing the web to save 10% on these insurance expenses, you can readily put $150 or so back into your bank account.

And don’t forget to look for ways to curb costs on big-ticket items, such as your mortgage or car note. If you want to slash the amount of money you’re doling out for your monthly car payment, it is well worth it to visit www.capitaloneauto.com. They let you refinance your existing auto loan. Typical time it takes to fill out the application: 10 to 15 minutes. Average savings: $404 per year, and $1,353 over the life of the car loan.

If you’re a person who gets into a grocery or clothing store and loses your mind, buying indiscriminately and not getting a lot of value for your hard-earned money, get some help from the experts at www.thefrugalshopper.com. This site also gives you great tips on how to save money on a variety of products and services. Yes, they tell you to use coupons – but that’s just one strategy!

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Disclaimer

All information on this blog is for educational purposes only.  

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, is not a certified financial planner, registered investment adviser, or attorney.

If you need specialty financial, investment or legal advice, please consult the appropriate professional.

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