Search Results for: blog do you have trouble saving money

Saving? Don’t Go Shopping.

It seems obvious. I mean, you save money by saving money, don’t you? Yes and no. In previous blogs, I’ve written about investing in home renovations and new appliances that can help you save on your energy bill. There’s also bulk buying of food, which saves us a lot of money. However, there’s one trick that I need to use more often, and it’s totally effective. To save, don’t go shopping. I can hear you rolling in the aisles. It’s so simple. Of course you know that. However, when I’m trying to save money, one of the first things that … Continue reading →

Car Insurance from My Alumni Association?

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I never expected to open mail from an Alumni Association, and find an advertisement for car insurance. However, that is exactly what I found in my mailbox today. It was unexpected. Every once in a while, I get some kind of mail from the Alumni Association where I got my B.S. in Education several years ago. Sometimes, they send me a magazine like newsletter, that describes what some of the other people who graduated from the same university as me are up to now. I see marriage announcements of people I do not know. I am informed about the awesome … Continue reading →

Thinking Ahead to Save Money

A little thinking ahead can save you a lot of money. for example, have you ever had to pay a late fee for not getting a bill or a form in on time? Don’t put things off. Make thinking ahead a part of your normal lifestyle, and you will reap the rewards. Recently, my daughter has been taking ice skating lessons. I was chatting with one of the other parents while the kids were pretending to eat a pizza off of the ice (sound strange, but it is way to practice balance). I found out that we actually paid 10 … Continue reading →

Coupon Pitfalls to Avoid Part 2

If you aren’t careful, clipping coupons can wind up costing you money! Just like an adventurer that gets caught in quicksand, you could quickly fall into trouble. Make sure that you are armed with the knowledge to avoid the common coupon pitfalls. The next time you are ready to cut those coupons and do your shopping, keep this next coupon pitfall in mind. Not comparing prices I’m not very brand conscious on most things. Still, I often find myself reaching more for recognizable brand names over the generics because I trust them more, even if I haven’t tried the generic … Continue reading →

Realtors Are Going Green

With a more eco-friendly trend on the rise it would only make sense that certain professions would follow suit. Realtors are starting to recognize the need to understand industry trends and green living. As a result, the National Association of Realtors has created a training program called “EcoBroker.” Realtors can actually earn a green designation through this training program. Once a realtor has successfully completed the program they are referred to as “ecobrokers.” They do everything that a typical real estate agent does; however, the added benefit is that they do everything through the eyes of an environmentalist. They look … Continue reading →

Credit Card Companies Can’t Bully Frugal People

In watching the Today Show Money 911 segment, I noticed a person ask what to do as a credit card company raised her rate to 29%. She always paid the credit card on time and had a zero balance. She seemed panicked. I was amused. Frankly I have no respect for credit cards, so I am looking at the question for a jaded point of view. I feel that credit got the nation into this trouble (the recession) in the first place, and so I don’t feel it is worth holding onto. To me, the easy answer to having the … Continue reading →

How Much Should You Spend on Christmas Gifts?

We talk a lot about ways to save money, don’t we? And since we are in the holiday season, we’ll be sharing more ideas that focus on saving money during the holidays. But one thing that I notice is missing in the frugal living posts is an actual guideline about how much, in a dollar amount, that you should be spending on Christmas gifts. We all tend to go a little bit overboard during the holidays, and we figure that we will just cut back on other things later. Each of our families have their own financial limitations when it … Continue reading →

Five Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medication

Even with insurance that covers prescriptions, medication can be expensive. Here are some tips to help you save a little money on your prescriptions! Money saving tip number one: Go generic! Many name brand medications are now available in a generic form. Generic medications are tested for safety and ability to treat diseases the same way name brand medications are. They work the same… for a LOT less. For example: my name brand Zoloft used to cost around $90 per month (without insurance). The generic version cost less than half that when I first made the switch. If you do … Continue reading →

Planning for a Frugal Retirement

I used to think about retirement as a time when you get to live luxuriously and spend all of the money that you spend so many years saving. As my dad got closer to retirement I got scared because I knew that he had not saved alot of money. I knew that he had spent all of his money on us, his kids. I wanted him to come live with my so that I could give him a comfortable retirement. He wanted not part of this. Instead he chose to live frugally and he is very comfortable and happy in … Continue reading →

Lifestyle Maintenance on a Budget

For many people the financial crisis hit home. Soon, things that we were able to afford before without a blink could get us into financial harm now. Still, we get used to living the way we normally live, and it can get tough trying to get used to living differently. As a result, we can get into real trouble when we continue to maintain that level of lifestyle, even if it means a ton of debt or even bankruptcy. So the trick here, is to find ways to maintain your lifestyle without spending the same amount of money that you … Continue reading →