Money Saving Tips

Buy Your Own Specialty Coffee & Hot Chocolate

buy and mix your own specialty coffee and hot chocolateWhile I was doing my regular grocery shopping this morning, I decided to treat myself and buy some Tim Horton’s English Toffee Cappuccino.  Rather than spend a couple of dollars on just one cup at Timmy’s, I thought I would make my money go further and buy a whole container.  So, for $7.00 I bought a Tim Horton’s cappuccino mix, so now I can make at least 20 cups of cappuccino instead of getting just 2 or 3 at the drive thru.

This works for Starbuck’s fans, too.  If you really like Starbucks coffee or hot chocolate, you can buy their mixes and coffee beans at most grocery stores as well as at Starbuck’s locations.  Although some people find it more convenient to pay the extra money and pick up a coffee on the way to work, I find it far more convenient to be able to make my own at home.  There are no lineups to worry about and if I want to bring it to work, I just bring my thermos.

Why not make your money go further by purchasing your own specialty coffees and hot chocolates? You can enjoy high quality, great tasting coffees for a lot less than you think!

December 28, 2009
General

Keeping An Eye On Your Personal Finances

keep an eye on your personal financesThe majority of us are sticklers for finances at work, but often disregard our personal finance at home. For those who are not accountants, the process of keeping financial records and ensuring all financial items are squared away can be quite boring and often confusing. Instead of ignoring your personal finance until a problem arises, take the initiative today!

The most important aspect of your personal finance is undoubtedly your credit. Your credit score, often a mystical number of much confusion, is critical to your success in the financial realm. Without a respectable credit score, you will be unable to borrow money or obtain a home or vehicle loan. This number can literally hold you back from completing your goals and can severely limit your future.

The credit in your name has a direct bearing on the credit number. Thus people who do not use their credit cards properly and have huge bills running in their names lend a bad streak to their credit. A point to be noted is that it is not the amount you charge but it is the amount that is kept on credit that poses the threat of being harmful. It is important to keep a check on the monthly statement and you should endeavor to pay it in full each month.

In today’s society, identity theft is often a problem. If someone steals your identity, they can wreck your finances, ruin your credit, and tarnish your good name and reputation. In order to prevent identity theft, carefully monitor all your financial statements and safe guard your personal information.

The attitude of most people towards money is spending today and saving later, thus relegating saving for a later part of their life. But this habit catches them unawares in the later part of their life where they get jolted with the rude shocks of a fast approaching retirement date and a non-existent retirement fund. So do not wait for tomorrow, start saving today by putting some portions of your income in the retirement fund account.

One of the best ways to handle the finances is a budget. This is the best way to keep a tab on the finances and keeping the spending in control. When you create a budget you need to make two columns, one meant for the incomes and the second for expenditures. You need to mention all the items of expenditure in the expenses column such as rent or mortgage payment, car payment, insurance, utilities, and food. Whatever is left after deducting all this from the income is the monthly excess that of course can be used in different ways.

It’s a good idea to consult an accountant if you are not sure about setting your personal finance records straight. This person will help you correct any potential problems and ensure nothing goes wrong in the future.

The world of finance is fascinating. There’s no need to be scared of it. Just keep your finances straight and you will be able to build, or rebuild, your credit score.

About the Author

David Neehly is an independent Investment writer for “Investment Finances” at http://InvestmentFinances.com You’ll find all the latest Investment news there.

December 25, 2009
Wealth

The Four Things You Need To Know About Wealth Creation

building wealth begins with positive thinkingExperiencing a life of effortless bliss, abundance and prosperity is not out of the realm of fictional books. You to deserve to have it all and why not. Who would in their right mind want to have the stress, struggles and anxiety associated with financial concerns through lack. So how do we increase the wealth and abundance in our life. Here are four things you need to know that will increase your wealth and abundance.

1. Have a millionaire mindset. If you aren’t yet wealthy then you just don’t believe it is possible. What you focus on is what will be created and confirmed by your circumstances and surroundings. If you focus on your debt, bills, lack or poverty then that is exactly what you will get. If you focus on opportunities, breakthroughs, financial overflow or prosperity then that too is what will be created in your world. It might sound airy fairy but what have you got to lose. Give it a try, focus your thoughts on abundance every day all the time.

2. Discipline your money. Don’t let money control you. Why be at the mercy of money when you should be the one in control. Why have bills overdue, credit cards maxed out and debt overflowing in your life. You’ll only create a situation where money starts to dictate your standard of living and what you can and can’t do. Instead put your money to work for you. Decide on what you will and won’t spend and discipline your money to work through investing it in growth assets like shares or property. If you aren’t in a position to do that right now then at least put it into a high interest account or start a regular savings contribution to a managed fund.

3. Be grateful. Living a life of gratitude is a key to living in abundance and wealth. When you are grateful for what you have then you start to create an environment that appreciates and attracts more of that which you want. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that when harnessed can be immensely powerful. Start a gratitude journal and write down the things you are grateful for each day.

4. Visualise your way to Wealth. Visualizing your wealth before you go to bed each night will reinforce in your mind what you want to create for yourself. Write out a goal or affirmation of where you want to be in a few years time and start to visualize you on the day that it happens. Are you celebrating, where are you and who are you sharing the moment with. Be as creative and as detailed as you can as the more real it is for your mind the more it will work to attain it for your reality.

You have within you the power to create abundance and wealth or the power to create poverty. So why not get on track today and design a future that you want.

 

December 23, 2009
Budgeting

Why Have Fun On A Budget

why have fun on a budgetMost people, when they are on a budget, believe that pain and suffering is the result of being on a budget. That is so far from the truth. The pain and suffering is due to the fact that you don’t live by your budget and the money problems start coming.

We all know that you can only live so long if you are spending more money each month than your income. You can live on your credit cards or other personal loans for so long until they finally catch up with you. Then you not only not have the extra money you have been spending each month, but now you have to start paying back what you have already spent.

So, living on a budget is a smart thing to do. We should all agree to that by now. But why should you have fun while on a budget? If you don’t build some fun into your budget, you will not live on it very long. Without recreation and excitement in our lives, we will start to crave something to do or something to buy or somewhere to go, and that usually involves spending money we don’t have. Someone will invite you out to dinner, or you really feel you deserve a vacation, or that new entertainment system is just the thing you need right now. You look at yourself and how much work you have been doing and talk yourself into spending that money because you deserve it.

Well, there goes the budget. You fell right back into the same rut that you were trying to get out of when you started your budget. Then the guilt falls on you and you just give up trying.

Don’t let this happen to you. Build some fun money into your budget to take the edge off of your desires. Even if you have to scrape by on another category, you need to have some money for fun. It will do you and your family a great service. And, don’t feel guilty about it either, you do deserve some extra things in your life, just make sure you plan for them in advance.

You will be glad you did when the end of the month comes and you have stayed on your budget. Just remind yourself that things will get better when the old debts are paid off and you can start enjoying the extra money you have worked so hard to get.

 

December 21, 2009
General

Lower Your Standard Of Living and LIVE

lower your standard of living and LIVEAre you one of those people who have been suckered into the concept of endless consuming? It can happen without your even realizing it. Ads hit you from every direction telling what you need to buy to be good-looking and successful. The “right” list usually includes the right car, the right neighborhood, the right clothes, even the right schools for your kids. Have you ever noticed that the list is endless? And there’s those “easy” payments, so why not?

In our society consumerism has almost become a religion with heaven being that blessed day when we can relax because we have it all and are, therefore, OK. I suggest that you think again and on your own this time.

Those who have maxed out credit cards only to obtain new ones know that something is missing in the plan to “have it all”. Peace, freedom, even individuality are often sacrificed to the need to keep up and hopefully surpass the norm. Working longer hours, getting more competitive jobs, pushing and stretching are ways to try to win the battle. But then there’s that bigger house and hotter car, offering a rush, momentarily.

There is a way out but it involves reassessing priorities. It’s usually a long, slow process to over-extend to the point of disaster. Likewise, there’s a way out that can slowly take you in the opposite direction. It’s called…less. Believe it or not, most of us can live quite comfortably in a smaller home and used, paid for, cars can get us where we want to go. Plain foods don’t cost what prepared foods do, and a smaller, simpler wardrobe can still be attractive.

My kid’s father was a carpenter. That meant lots of work in the late spring, summer and early fall. The other six months were pretty “iffy”. Bad weather often prevailed, housing starts and sales slowed down and our income either stopped or was drastically reduced. The answer to this was to set up a standard of living that used half of the good-weather income and left the other half for the lean months. We did that and sailed blissfully through the tough times.

The same thing can be done when retiring. Moving into a park model trailer in a camping club might sound like a sacrifice. However, once you have looked inside a new unit and toured a well-appointed park, you may change your mind. Hot tubs, indoor swimming pools, senior centers are all part of the camping club I belong to.

Why not rethink how your life is playing out and factor in some peace and satisfaction? Why not lower your standard of living and LIVE! Why not indeed?

About the Author

Luise Volta’s life has included careers in nursing, teaching pre-school, interior design, Real Estate sales, insurance adjusting, and dairy herd testing.

December 19, 2009