Search Results for: blog are you living within your income

How Breaking Your Budget is Bad for Your Health

Here is another reason to stay on your budget. Breaking it can actually be bad for your health. Agonizing about how you are going to afford a new purchase can stay with you, even after you solve the problem. Researchers now say that our brains don’t like being in debt. Having fears about money affect our health long term. Whether we realize it or not, debt causes stress, and stress causes poor health. Stress and pain seem to register much more strongly than does pleasure. So, the next time you feel ready to break your budget, keep this in mind. … Continue reading →

Living on One Income

If you are living on one income or want to be, then you will want to read this post. It will give you information on how living on one income may work for you, even if you have your own home and children. Living on one income seems to have become harder and harder to do. Still, many people choose this life as preferable, in order for one person to be able to stay home and care for children and or care for the family home. Others find that they can’t afford the costs of child care even with that … 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 →

Frugal Living Month in Review: August 2008

With August passed, it will be hard to hold on to summer, but fortunately, we have a lot of memories of the “dog days.” We also have lots of great articles about saving money, something that is pretty important these days. Take a look at what was posted in August. August 1st Frugal Living Month in Review: July 2008 July went by so quickly for us! There were so many fun and frugal activities and events for us to explore, from a science camp to free movies and sand sculpting. I hope your July was equally fun and frugal. Summer … Continue reading →

Foster Your Child’s Intellect Through Environment

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It has been shown time and time again that it takes more than a school to highly educate a child. The best education that a child can receive will be a dual relationship between school and home. Those children who are flourishing in academics are receiving positive reinforcement in all areas of their environment. My last article discussed how at one point in time researchers felt that a child’s intellect is a born trait. However studies have shown that a child’s intellect can be enhanced by a positive and nurturing environment. Many studies will group children based on their home’s … Continue reading →

Do You Wish You Had a Personal Accountant?

Have you ever wished that you could hire a personal accountant that would just take care of your finances for you? That way you could simply spend your money, and not worry each week if you were going to overdraw. You could also save money on late fees and the hassle of paying your bills each month. While it is not realistic for most people, there are several things you can do to take the hassle out of your finances. 1) You can sign up for automatic bill pay. You can do this either through your bank or through your … Continue reading →

Have You Considered Downsizing?

Have you considered downsizing in order for you to live comfortably and plan for retirement? Many people are considering doing this. It does mean several quite drastic changes in your lifestyle, but you may be surprised at how pleasant your life is as well. I live in an area where many families are moving because of the relatively low cost of living here. Here are some things to consider before you move. 1) One thing that will likely change is your job. You may have to take a small pay decrease because the median salary is lower in a lower … Continue reading →

Can Cost of Living Affect Your Budget?

Have you ever compared your budget to someone else’s? Or were you surprised at how much your expenses decreased or increased the last time you moved? The cost of living in your area will directly affect how much you spend each month. The price of a gallon on milk varies widely from location to location, not to mention housing, gas prices and taxes. When you are taking a new job or accepting a promotion with a move it is important to take the cost of living considerations along with the new salary. If you are really struggling to make ends … Continue reading →

Do You Have Extra Paychecks?

How often are you paid? If you are paid biweekly then you actually receive twenty-six paychecks a year. If you create your monthly budget on two paychecks a month, you receive two extra paychecks a year. If you are paid weekly you will receive fifty-two. However if you can create your monthly budget on four paychecks a month then you will have four extra paychecks a year. These extra paychecks can really be used to your advantage. If you do not include them in your budget then it is extra money that you can use however you wish. Here are … Continue reading →

Do Your Parents Influence Your Spending Habits?

Were your parents big spenders? Or were they savers? Did your parents ever talk about money to you? Do they talk about money to you now? What about your in-laws’ spending habits? Are they different from the ones you grew up with? Does your spouse have the same money traits as his parents? Do you? Often money is a taboo subject in a parent child relationship. Many parents are not comfortable discussing the finances with their children. This is truer in a family where there is tension surrounding the money issues. If spouses do not openly communicate with each other, … Continue reading →