Save Money Easily

In this down economy, learning how to budget and save money can make the difference between paying the mortgage and living on the street, having food or being hungry, and being able to retire versus working until you die.

If you think about it, no matter how hard things get, there is always a way to save money for those that are willing to put in the hard work. It’s those that refuse to compromise that end up suffering.

To start with, if you really want to learn how to budget and save money then you need to accept the reality that you won’t be able to buy everything you want. You often hear of people saying to cut out the latte or eating out, but I find that it’s those experiences that make budgeting worthwhile.

The trick to setting a budget isn’t in cutting out every pleasurable item in your life, but in finding ways to pay for those items, which means you can do two things:

1. Earn more
2. Spend less

Today, we’ll talk about the second point, because it’s the easiest to fix. My strategy is to find the sweet spot between having fun and still having enough money to pay the bills.

Analyze Your Buying Behavior

Start by analyzing your purchasing behavior to look for moments of weakness. When do you spend more than you can afford to? Is it when you are hungry, or after a few beers? Do you spend money when you’re depressed, or when you are happy?

Learn to isolate and eliminate the types of behaviors that put you in the hole.

Make Small Cuts

Rather than dropping cable or satellite TV all together, why not cut down to the next smallest plan to see how you get by. If you’re paying for cell phone minutes that you don’t use, then look into a lower rate plan.

Are you paying for high speed Internet when something slower will do?

Essentially, make small changes that don’t hurt as bad, and see how they effect your morale. It’s important that you don’t cut too much, which usually leads people to over-react and binge-shop.

Save First

The best way to save money is to start putting it away before you have the chance to spend it. If you really want to learn how to budget and save money then it starts with the actual saving.

Put aside as much of your paycheck as you can afford to, and try to pretend that it doesn’t exist. I like to use a separate bank account for that reason, and check it so little that I rarely remember the password. This is a nice way to keep my money away from my own dangerous spending habits.

Relax

Just remember that what goes down, must come up. If you budget well and live below your means for a time, you are bound to bounce back up and find a renewed vigor. The trick is making it through the tough times without going broke.

If you want to know how to budget and save money, then start by relaxing and not letting your finances dictate how you feel about yourself. 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Financial planning can be a scary word to some, but once you understand what it encompasses, you’ll be glad you took the time to delve into it. No one likes living pay check to paycheck, and with the proper financial planning, you can set your self and your family up for success. Let’s take a brief look at some of the basic aspects of proper financial planning. Keep in mind that it is always recommended that you find a trusted financial planner to help you through major financial decisions.

Solid financial planning starts with a proper and realistic budget. Budgets are often times not realistic. A budget basically allows you to see a clearer picture of what monies are available and what that money is used for. When you go to spend money on thing you realize that the same money is not available for something else. Secondly cutting down on your expenses helps to lay out a better foundation for you financial plan. You actually use your budget to see what expenses can be cut down. Do really want to pay for the mega channel list, when you only to watch the basics? A small cut back on a several things adds up to a large savings. Thirdly, start pulling out of debt. Let’s face it, we don’t want debt, but most of us do. Start by paying more than the minimum amount due each month. That will cut down on the time it takes to pay off the debt and also save you interest dollars as well.

Start planning for your retirement. Yes, unfortunately we will all get older and changes are, we aren’t going to want to work well into our sixties, seventies, and eighties. The time to plan for retirement isn’t then, it’s now.

Your biggest desire during retirement is probably the ability to lead a happy, comfortable life and enjoy retirement luxuries, such as vacations. A home loan may be the only way for you to increase your income to live comfortably during your retirement, but not the type of home loan you might expect. Rather than applying for a standard loan and having to pay it back constantly from almost the point you are approved, you should apply for a reverse mortgage. A reverse loan is a mortgage designed to assist during retirement by providing you with home equity in the form of cash. A reverse mortgage calculator can be used to see how much cash you can borrow based on the worth of your home. Repaying that money will not be an immediate concern for you because you cannot default on the loan and cause it to become due as long as you adhere to reverse loan rules. For example, you must be the homeowner. You must also use the home as your main residence. If you vacate the property for an established period of time, which is usually one year, the loan will become due.

The Internal Revenue Service has stepped up and provided tax advantages like the employer 401K plans, retirement accounts for individuals, and even retirement plans for individuals who are self-employed. You can actually earn credits, qualify for deductions, and tax free earnings in some cases.

The last thing you want after setting up your budget, cutting your expenses, working on eliminating debt, and preparing for retirement, is an unexpected disaster. Proper insurance for your home, income, car, and life aren’t simply a suggestion, they are a necessity. Better to invest small amount toward insurance and be protected in the case of an accident, or pay nothing until the accident takes place and watch all your hard work go down the drain?

Taking these simple steps and applying them to your financial life will certainly get you on the right track, no matter were you live, how big your family, or what you income. Keep a focused eye on your finances, it will be well worth it both today and in later years.

Insuring your vehicle is not just a legal necessity. It is also just plain good sense. Unfortunately, car insurance is fairly expensive and what a plan does and doesn’t cover isn’t always obvious to the untrained eye. Therefore, to ensure that you the best possible protection for your dollar, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

You do not want to pay for something that’s unnecessary, of course. But how do you determine how much car insurance you really need? Nearly all states require a certain minimum amount of coverage. State minimum coverage is the very least you can get away with while still being able to drive legally, and it is generally the least expensive package to purchase. Least expensive is not always the best idea, though. If something happens, you may find that you’re in a lot of hot water and your state minimum coverage just isn’t enough.

A state minimum plan generally covers personal injury if you should be in an accident, as well as medical costs for your passengers and the other motorists involved in the accident, repair fees, attorney fees, and sometimes even monetary compensation for pain and suffering. The limits on these are often too low to do you any good, though, unless you have a very small income and no assets to speak of. For example, if you find yourself in an accident where you are responsible for the damage done to the other motorist’s car, your minimum coverage might only extend to half the cost of a new car. In order to avoid paying thousands of dollars out of pocket, you should aim for at least $25,000 in property damages coverage.

You’ll also want coverage that will get you a new set of wheels in the event of an accident. How much you decide to get, however, depends on how much your car is worth. If the car is worth under $5000, the insurance payments are likely going to be too high to make it worth it for you. Even if you total that car completely, it’ll be less expensive to just replace it in comparison to the premiums, and if the accident was the other guy’s fault, his insurance is the insurance that’s going to get you taken care of.

All in all, how much car insurance you need depends on how much your car is worth and how much you can afford. Shop around to find the best coverage at the best price, and you’ll feel much safer being out there on the roads.

Recently there’s a new show on TLC that has been driving men and women crazy with excitement. It has to do with something they call “extreme couponing,” and it appears to be a way to walk out of the grocery store with hundreds of dollars worth of items, for a fraction of retail cost.

And while many people probably don’t have the time and energy to devote themselves to a lifestyle of extreme coupon clipping, there is something to be said for using coupons as a way to save money. Taking even a casual approach could lead to savings of 20-40% savings per month, and that adds up fast!

Analyzing the best tips from the experts, I’d like to present the best tips for how to save money with coupons.

1. Sunday Paper

   Much of the week’s specials and deals will be announced in the Sunday newspaper. This is also where the best coupons arrive. If you really want to save money with coupons, then it starts with actually having them. The Sunday paper is where you start.

   The Sunday paper also contains advertisements of sales and specials, and even if you don’t find any coupons, you can see where you should visit for the best deals.

2. Take Advantage of Coupon Matching

   Many stores will offer to double or match coupons that you bring from the paper. If your current grocery store is missing this fantastic option, then look around until you find one that does. Even if you have to drive an extra twenty minutes, it’s well worth the extra time to save $100 in groceries per week.

3. Buy in Bulk

   The best couponers make their best gains by buying as many sale items as they can and then storing them for later. Though this doesn’t work with produce and dairy, it works with things like toiletries and boxed items. Buy as much as you can afford, and save so you don’t have to buy it next time.

4. Coupon Clipping Services

   If you search the web, you’ll find a host of coupon clipping services that allow you to buy coupons for use in your local grocery. You can search for products you buy regularly, and buy as many coupons as you need. They usually cost between 10% and 20% of the money they save.

5. Organization

   The most important tip from extreme couponers to learn how to save money with coupons is to be organized. Get a coupon book that you can use to store and organize coupons. Use this to make your grocery lists so that you set out to get exactly what you need. It also helps to know how much of each item you want, and where you can go to get the best deal.

The trick for learning how to save money with coupons is by getting active and paying attention to the way groceries price and sell items. If you learn the game, then you can win every time.

The United States Energy Information Administration has reported that in 2010, the average price per gallon of gas was $2.78, and in 2011, is expected to reach almost a dollar more at $3.70 per gallon.

For people that still remember paying 99 cents per gallon back in the nineties, this is a big shocker, and a sign that things are changing and changing fast. Learning to save money on gas is no longer just an option, but a necessary way of life.

But how do you do it, especially as gas prices continue to rise? We’ll show you how in the next few steps.

1. Drive Less

   Yes, it’s obvious, but almost so obvious that people don’t think about it. Consider grabbing a bicycle for short rides to the store or walking children to school instead of driving them (if you can).

2. Ride on Two Wheels

   Motorcycles and scooters get great gas mileage, so if you’ve ever had the thought of buying one then now is the perfect time to do so. You can often find a new or used motorcycle for less than $10,000.

3. Trade in for a Hybrid

   If your car is killing you on gas, then consider trading it in for a hybrid. This is tough to do if your car is new or you owe more than it’s worth, but if you crunch the numbers, it might make sense to make the change so you can save money on gas.

4. Buy Low

   Treat gas prices like the stock market, and try to stock up on fuel when it drops. Buy gas cans and fill them up too. It never hurts to have an abundance of gas if you can buy low and use high.

5. Pay Cash

   Many gas stations offer discounts for paying at the pump with cash. If you find one that does, get in the habit of carrying around some spare cash explicitly for this purpose.

6. Specialty Cards

   Some gas stations offer discounts for paying with their credit cards or their special members cards. The trick here is to make sure you pay it off as soon as you can so that the bills don’t pile up on you.

7. Rideshare

   On Craiglist you will find plenty of people looking to bring an extra person on board to help save money on gas. If you don’t trust Craigslist, it wouldn’t hurt to ask a co-worker, friend, or neighbor to go 50/50 with you on daily commutes or long trips.

8. Public Transportation

   Many cities have bus routes and train routes that ride through most of the major areas. If you’re having a hard time paying for gas, then looking into this option will help you get around without filling up the tank.

9. Cheap Gas Websites

   There are nearly a dozen websites and mobile applications that post regular updates on where you can find the cheapest gas in your area. Use these and you’ll save money on gas every time you fill up.

One of the easiest and most commonly overlooked ways to improve your financial state is to simply organize it. Having something where it should be so that you may find it when you need it is fast, easy, and usually easier on the eyes in your home office!

Experts say that home finances can be broken down into three main categories: bills due, important documents to keep, and trash/shred items. From those three main categories, you are able to break one into subcategories. Important documents to keep can be the one that often becomes tricky and messy.

A good suggestion for keeping this file organized is to invest in a small filing cabinet. If a filing cabinet is not a choice for budget or space reasons, consider either a pendoflex or rubber/plastic filing system. These can usually be purchased at a local superstore or office supply store for as little as seven dollars. You will want to make sure that there is a significant amount of files inside. While you may only need ten or less now, that number will probably change in the future. And example of sub-file categories might include documents like tax returns, mortgage documents, warranties for home items (which can also again be subcategorized by room), retirement documentation, investment statements, and insurance policies.

A simple process for each document that comes your way would follow this process:

Is this documents a bill to pay, important document to file, or should it be discarded/shredded? If it is to be filed as an important document it could be categorized as monthly documents (to include bills paid, automobile payments, monthly insurance, monthly investments, etc.), yearly documents (tax returns), and warranty/product information. Other classifications could include education, organizations/clubs/activities, or religious documents.

Each and every home should have a basic organizational structure for their finances, yet still be custom designed to the individual. The point of this organization is to keep you on track of what is where. This will also aid in research for the future. You may want to sum up all of you spending in a certain area for last year. In the unlucky even that you are ever audited by the Internal Revenue Service, the inspector will be impressed that you maintain such an organized financial department. Setting up a solid financial organization can also ease the process for your heirs after you are gone. This creates less of a burden on them and makes the overall process simpler and easier.

Buying different items in bulk amounts can be quite a money saver when it is done the right way. This works especially well for large families, but it can also be advantageous to couples and single individuals. People are paid at different times depending on where they work, and those who receive their pay every 2 weeks or once a month seem to manage their money better when they buy needed items in bulk.

Items such as toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, boxed food, and other things that have long expiration dates, are all good things to purchase in bulk amounts. Once the paper goods are bought, you can put them away and not have to worry about replacing them for 2 weeks to a month. As for the canned and boxed goods, these usually have quite a long shelf life. These may start to build up after awhile, so be sure to sort them according to their expiration dates.

As for frozen foods, these can also be purchased in bulk depending on what sort of food it is. Buying frozen foods in bulk usually makes more sense for larger families, as you can be sure it won’t go to waste. However, it can be also put to cost saving use by smaller families as well. When you find a meat pack containing family favorites, buying more than one large package is a good idea. Frozen fruit can also be stocked for quite awhile as long as it is protected from freezer burn.

It is also possible to buy bread products in bulk. Fresh bread can be bought, frozen, and thawed out as needed. There is some bread that comes frozen. You can buy these in bulk amounts and store them to use as you need or want to.

Drink mixes such as Kool-Aid or Crystal Light can be bought in bulk and stored for months. These are much cheaper than sodas and can actually be much better for you if you are using the sugar free mixes. Different types of juices can be bought as either frozen or bottled, and will last for at least a month at a time.

As you slowly stock your pantry and freezer, you will start to see the money savings add up. This will become evident as you need to purchase less and less of certain items on each shopping trip. In order to do this type of shopping, consider getting a membership at a store such as Sam’s Club or Costco’s. Bulk shopping is a specialty at these stores.

Money is a great thing and even better when it stays in our pocket. Keeping your finances under control isn’t easy especially with the economy the way it is currently. A few back to the basics ideas can really help with putting some money back into our financial pockets.

The two largest variable expenses are gas and food. Gas prices are at an all time high. It is important now, more than ever, to keep your car in good shape. Make sure you have given it a tune up, oil change, and the tires have been rotated. Experts say that 55-60 miles per hour is the best range for achieving better gas mileage. While this isn’t’ always possible, just keeping it in mind can assist in the gas bill. Also, this might be a fun experiment to try for a few days. Place a half filled cup of water in your cup holder with no lid. Driving with the cup prevents you from sudden bursts of speed. This alone can increase your gas mileage. As for cruising with the windows down and the A/C off, experts agree this is more myth than anything else. While turning off the air conditioner does save some on gas mileage, rolling down the windows disturbs the aerodynamics of the car. We suggest leaving the A/C on until you hit stopped traffic, then cut it of and get some fresh air.

As for food, well, we all probably eat out more than we should. My soft stop is Olive Garden’s Tuscan soup. But the next time you get the urge to visit your favorite restaurant, try this instead. Call your buddy over and look up copykat recipes online for some great eat-out recipes, for eating in. Not only does it usually cost less to make it at home, we are saving gas money, and best of all, we have another meal for lunch tomorrow.

Don’t forget, that the local grocery store still runs some great deals in the weekly paper. It’s probably been years since you picked one up and had a look at it, but you would be surprised how much money you can save just in meats alone. Pick up several of the really great deals and throw them in the freezer. When you’re savoring the flavors of a delicious steak three weeks from now, you’ll remember what a great deal you got on these babies.