Search Results for: blog do you have trouble saving money

Frugal Is as Frugal Does

Life may be a like a box of chocolates, but for the really frugal minded, those chocolates were half price and purchased with a coupon. Pick a random group of 25 people and ask them what it means to be frugal and how they make choices to be good stewards of their money. Chances are that you will get a lot of different answers all across the board concerning frugality and saving money. It tends to mean different things to different people. I recently read an article in a national women’s magazine about a family that decided to be frugal, … Continue reading →

Five Signs that You Are Living Beyond Your Means

You could be living beyond your means and not realize it. Why is this a problem? Well, when we live beyond our means, we can quickly run up debt. This debt can snowball until it becomes hard to manage, a real crisis. That is why it is so important to recognize the early warning signs and make the changes that are necessary to get your finances back on track. Sometimes it seems as though you are supporting your lifestyle and don’t have a problem paying for anything. After all, your credit cards aren’t being turned down at the store, and … Continue reading →

What’s New at RedPlum? – Week of April 29, 2012

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Do you use RedPlum as a source of coupons? A while ago, I signed up for their email. I cannot recall when the last time was that they sent me an email, but today, they did. It looks like they have made several changes to their website since the last time I visited. I find that having companies or websites send me email can either be a blessing or a curse. If they send me things that I am interested in, then it is a blessing. For example, some companies will send me coupons in my email, which saves me … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Makeup

Just shopping at Target the other day, I couldn’t believe the price of makeup! I’m afraid that it has been a while since I bought some. Sadly, I usually only remember to wear makeup for special occasions. As a work at home mom, it usually seems like more trouble than it is worth. Of course, I’d like to take advantage of makeup to bring out my features and make me look a little nicer. So, I’ve had to do some research and some brainstorming on how to get the most for my money and then make that makeup last as … Continue reading →

Daily Deal Web Sites and Health Care Deals

Did you know that some of the same daily deal type web sites that you use to help keep little luxuries like spa services and dinners out within your budget can also help you to afford health care services? I was surprised to learn that sites like Groupon and LivingSocial can help consumers to fill in the spaces that are often left by their health insurance coverage. You know, those things that make you wonder why you pay so much for health insurance that does not include them. Things like dental exams and cleanings, eyewear, and the like are often … Continue reading →

Is Your Bank Failing? Interview with a Banker

We’ve all been watching the news with some trepidation, I’m sure. It seems that banks are failing right and left. How do we know if our bank is safe, and what should we do if we hear a rumor that our bank is hitting the skids? I sent these questions to a friend of mine, who is the manager of a major bank. He willingly answered them for me, but he asked that I not share his name. It’s not a very popular time to be a banker. I asked him, “What are the signs that my bank is struggling?” … Continue reading →

Kroger Gas Savings

When we moved to Texas there was a Tom Thumb supermarket in the city where we lived. I fell in love with Tom Thumb for everything that it is but also because it’s a Safeway store. Vons was always my favorite store in Southern California and I’d often drive out of my way to go there. Like a lot of merchants, Tom Thumb has a loyalty rewards card. With the card, shoppers get discounts on items in the store. Shoppers can load additional coupons on the card too for extra savings. Coupons and in-store discounts aren’t the only savings, though. … Continue reading →

Emergency Fund

Many of the things we consider emergencies are not really unforeseen at all. Whatever you own, it’s going to run into trouble or break down eventually. Cars need tune-ups and tires. Appliances need maintenance. Taxes need to be paid. All of these things can be planned for. Planning ahead is not sexy or fun. We can find lots of things in the short term that our money can go to that would bring more pleasure. Unfortunately, then when the timing belt on the car breaks during rush-hour morning traffic on the freeway, you’re left with a $1500 bill you can’t … Continue reading →

We’re Broke! Why Do We Need a Financial Planner?! Part 1

After my divorce, the financial planner who had worked with my former husband and I continued to call me every six months or so, wondering if I was ready to put a new financial plan into place. I was flattered, if a little confused, about why he was bothering with me. I had primary physical custody of our infant daughter, I was receiving no financial support from her dad, and I was working for a notoriously underpaying local non-profit. Let’s face it, I was broke. The answer to the question, of course, is that it is an undisputed fact that … Continue reading →

Communicating about Money

One day, my husband attended a seminar and came home with two huge bags in his hands. He had been very impressed with what the instructor had to say, and purchased the learning materials he would need to embark on this course of study. He had indebted us for over $900.00, and hadn’t said one word to me beforehand. You can imagine, I was not the most amused person on the planet. In my husband’s defense, he studied the materials carefully and went on to excel in his studies. The time he invested in those studies, and the money we … Continue reading →