Shopping

Don’t Let The Economy Beat You!

During these tough economic times many consumers are afraid to spend money like they would have one or two years ago. A lot of jobs are uncertain and many people are losing confidence in their ability to buy the products that they would like. New movies, more advanced gadgets, and fuel efficient vehicles are being unveiled every month but a large percentage of the population are having to miss out because they are too worried about spending their money. Even families that have been preparing for a time like this and have the funds saved are holding back and living very basic lives.

Why Miss Out?

You should not have to miss out on buying the things that you want to buy! While it is not okay to go out and purchase everything you want, everyone deserves to enjoy at least a few luxuries. But how do we know what is worth the money or what will leave us disappointed? Is there really a tool that will help consumers shop smarter?

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June 27, 2009
Money Saving Tips

Quick Tips When Filling Up With Gas

Here are some interesting tips that I read in Shameless Shortcuts that I thought were worth sharing.  Taking good care of your car will always pay off in the long run.  Try these simple tips below:

1. Make sure that you keep at least a quarter tank of gas in your car at all times.  By doing so, you are keeping the electric fuel pump lubricated and it will last much longer.  If you drive near empty often you can wear out the fuel pump and they are expensive to replace.

2.  Once you hear the click on the nozzle, stop pumping.  You can damage the emissions canister if you overfill your tank too often.

3.  The best time to buy gas is in the cool of the morning or late evening because gas pumps measure gasoline by volume, not density, and gasoline is densest when it’s cool.

4.  Check your owner’s manual to check what the best octane level is for your car.  There’s no need to buy the most expensive gas if you don’t need to.

June 25, 2009
Money Saving Tips

Save Money & Bake Your Own Cookies

save money and bake your own cookiesHave you ever noticed how the cookies you buy in grocery stores are not only expensive, but they aren’t nearly as good as homemade?  Why not try baking your own instead?  They are not as expensive and it doesn’t take that much of your time.

I have a weakness for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  So, once in a while I make them and it takes less than 10 minutes to mix the ingredients together to make the dough.  The next step is to form balls and place them on cookie sheets.  Flatten them with a fork and bake them in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes.  All it takes is about a half hour of your time and you can enjoy freshly baked delicious cookies.  I’ve found they make a great snack for work when you are craving a chocolate bar.   Freshly baked cookies also make a great gift for a neighbor or friend!

In case you want to try out the recipe, here it is:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup butter or margarine

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups flour

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

For more recipe ideas, no need to purchase a recipe book, just do a Google search for the type of recipes you are looking for and you can find all kinds of ideas for free.  Print out the ones you like and make your own recipe book.

June 23, 2009
Family

Marriage & Money Tips

I recently read an article that is worth checking out if you are planning on tying the knot in the near future.  It also would be helpful for newly married couples that are trying to figure out how to deal with their finances.

The article is titled Six Money Mistakes of Newlyweds and the author, Erin Burt, discusses the importance of being honest from the beginning about your financial situation.  You can only hide your credit card debt from your spouse for so long anyway, so it’s better to just be up front from the start. 

The author also emphasizes the need for couples to create a budget, taking into account their current debt as well as their financial goals.  She also suggests setting up a “money date” once a month to keep each other in the loop on how their finances are going. 

Another must do, according to the article, is to make sure to have an emergency fund in place so that couples are prepared in the event that something unexpected happens.  My favorite suggestion found in the article is to not sweat the small stuff.  There’s no point in arguing over small money matters.  It’s important to pick your battles carefully.  For more details, you can find the article posted on Kiplinger.com.

June 21, 2009
Money Saving Tips

8 Ways I Saved Money As A University Student

ways I saved money as a university studentWhen I attended university I lived on a tight budget.  Here are just a few of the things that I did to help me save money while studying:

1. I lived with roommates to share the rent and utility costs.  Four of us girls all lived in a house and the rent was less than $200 each.  Splitting the utility bills 4 ways made it a lot easier on the budget.

2.  I did a lot of tutoring and then got a part time job that worked with my school schedule.  Tutoring is great because when you are your own boss you can pick and choose when you work.

3. I took a bus rather than buying a car.  Rather than spending money on gas, car maintenance, and insurance, I took advantage of the student rate for a monthly bus pass.  Whenever possible, I also rode my bicycle or walked.

4. I packed my own lunches rather than buying food at the university cafeterias and shops.  I also brought along snacks so I wouldn’t be tempted to buy junk food from the expensive vending machines.

5.  For my English literature classes, rather than buying all of the required novels, I borrowed some of them from the library.  Whenever possible I bought used textbooks from other students or from the Archive bookstore on campus.  I also took as many full year classes as I could because it reduced the amount of textbooks I would have to purchase.

6.  I informed my bank that I was a student and got great discounts, paying very few fees.   I also took advantage of other student discounts at retail stores, etc.  Students get a lot of great deals!

7.  When we first moved into the house we were renting, we had almost no furniture.  We went to a few yard sales and it didn’t take a lot of money to furnish our home.  I still have the rocking chair I bought at a yard sale for $10!

8.  I reused my binders and other supplies every year rather than buying new ones.

June 19, 2009