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Get Rich!

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Okay, yes, I know… we all want to get rich, right? Well, like all good things, money comes to those who wait. Just like anything worth working for, losing weight or gaining income, the slow turtle is the one who wins the race. There is no real get rich quick scheme. Certainly every so often, someone does win the lottery, but the chances that would be you are so slim – you can’t even plan on it. However, you can do some things where you can plan to gain money from them. 1. Start now; start young! The sooner you … Continue reading →

Net Worth

Have you ever taken the time to figure out your net worth? Most people haven’t, but it is an easy formula and often quite interesting. Your net worth is a snapshot into your current financial picture. In order to calculate your personal net worth, you either want a calculator and paper or a spreadsheet program. Some budgeting software packages also have a net worth document. Basically, your net worth is the comparison between your assets and liabilities. For an individual, your assets are the things you own. This could be anything from a possession like a house or car to … Continue reading →

Break the Paycheck to Paycheck Cycle

How can you break the cycle of living from paycheck to paycheck? It is an awful feeling to know that you need the next paycheck to come in so that you can pay groceries and cover your bills for the month. It can be quite stressful to be counting your pennies and just hoping that your car won’t break down or that some other disaster won’t hit. So how can you break that cycle? Here are five steps that you can take to stop living from paycheck to paycheck. 1) Start by living within your means. At first you may … Continue reading →

Five Changes When You Go From Two Incomes to One Income

If you are considering switching from a two-income family to a one-income family, there are several things that you will need to consider as you make the change. You need to make sure that you can afford to make the change. If you feel that you can here are five things to consider to make the transition smoother. 1) You need to make sure that your entire family still has health insurance coverage. It is important to take this factor into account when you are considering your new budget. Health insurance coverage can vary widely from company to company and … Continue reading →

Debt Free! Now What?

If you are close to paying your debts off completely or just recently have, you may be wondering what to do next. It is true that you can start to live a little more comfortably. However, it would not be wise to fritter away all of that extra money in your budget. Here are five suggestions on what to do with the extra money. 1) Begin saving for a great vacation. You have earned it. You worked hard to pay off your debt and made many sacrifices. It is time to reward yourself. It is important that you reward yourself … Continue reading →

My Peppermint Mocha – A Budget Necessity. Yumm

I remodeled our kitchen this past year, and took on a whole pile of debt that propelled me into budgeting and saving. One of the things I did was treated myself, (and Hubby) and we spent a lot of money on a coffee machine. Now this isn’t just any old machine. It grinds, presses, froths, and blends coffee with milk to make the perfect latte. When I add a bit of chocolate syrup I’ve got a mocha. With another press of a button I’ve got a mocha cappuccino. What does this have to do with budgeting? Well, surprisingly, since I … Continue reading →

Are You Living Paycheck to Paycheck?

Are you living paycheck to paycheck? If you lost your job tomorrow would you be okay? How long could you last without a paycheck? While many of us hope to never be put in this situation, it is important to realize that it could happen to anyone. When I was first married, my husband was laid off for about six months, because the building he worked in burned down. He had just started the job, and so he did not qualify for unemployment. He did find another temporary job with a major cut in pay, but it took him over … Continue reading →

It’s My Budget and I’ll Cry if I Want To.

About a month ago we got an unexpected bill in the mail. Yes, we did purchase the new refrigerator, and yes we did take delivery of it, but really, we thought we’d already paid for it a couple of months ago. Really. I know this sounds incredibly irresponsible and very unlike anything you’d ever do, but we really just sort of forgot to …budget for it. We needed a new fridge – the other one was really old and didn’t go with our new kitchen cabinets, so we had to have a new one. (Do I sound a bit like … Continue reading →

Five Additional Expenses to Consider When Buying a Home

If you have never bought a house before, or you are considering moving up in house size and price, there are several factors that you will need to take into consideration. It is important that as you take this important financial step that you do not overextend yourself, and end up in a negative situation. Here are five things you should consider. 1) The bank will be willing to loan you more than you can really afford. Most experts feel that housing should not take up more than twenty five percent of your budget. If you make $2000.00 a month … Continue reading →