Here in the U.S., summer is quickly coming to a close. Many great things happen around this time, one of which is Tax Free Weekend. Tax Free Weekend is when the government gives it’s hard working taxpayers a break on necessary items and eliminates sales taxes for a weekend. The first sales tax free weekend was in New York state in 1997. This is done to promote shopping or consumerism…
Technology is advancing at an increasingly fast pace, which causes the turnover for electronics to also increase. New electronics come out every few months and many only last for 2-4 years before you have to replace it. The average lifespan of a smart phone is 18 months. The average lifespan of a desktop computer is 3-5 years. Most laptops are replaced before they become obsolete (better software usually requires a…
Money management requires some discipline. Personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% knowledge, so that behavior needs to include some discipline about spending, saving and tracking your money. This normally includes developing a touch of frugality. Don’t immediately think miserly ways, think ability to make sound economic decisions about money. Think luxury in frugal living, spending more on the things that are important to you and less on the things…
No matter your income level, you need a spending plan. It’s not how much money, it’s how you work it. You may have seen the reports that a huge company like Wal-Mart and others didn’t meet their projections last quarter. Two points or takeaways for you: 1) They had projections of how much revenue (for you likely income) they were going to have. 2) Sometimes things don’t go according to…
I was scrolling through Entrepreneur magazine and came across the article 6 Steps to Salvage an Unproductive Day, you can check out the original article to get those tips. As I read through this article occurred to me that all the steps can also be applied to being productive with your finances. Read the six steps below to help you better manage your finances. Step 1: Clear the clutter.…
Some of you have asked so let’s talk about it. No matter how much your income, whether it’s $30,000 or $200,000, you have likely experienced financial hardship at some point. It comes in many forms. Perhaps you’ve had to file for bankruptcy, have had an unexpected financial disaster or emergency that wiped you out, or perhaps you started a business and are going through lean times. During and after financial…
It’s almost Thanksgiving Day, just two weeks left. Many of us celebrate Thanksgiving by eating large meals with friends and family. We have our traditional dishes that are made special for the holiday or that special someone who’s finally home for a visit. The special dishes and meals themselves also need to feed a large number of people. Getting so much food can get expensive especially around a time of…
As soon as October hits, marketing for the holidays starts. We are bombarded with commercials and ads for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. No matter what your religion or which holidays you celebrate or observe, the commercials and ads get you thinking of your upcoming holidays and traditions. The marketers and companies that have paid the marketers good money to create the campaigns are hoping to direct your thoughts and emotions…
Over 80% of Americans have debt: mortgages, car loans, credit card loans etc. You likely fall in that number and you likely want to pay off your debt. Whether you’re the type of person who is really good about making sure you pay more than the minimum payment every month or you’re struggling to do better with making the payments, most of us falter around the holidays and rack up…
We’ve all seen the lists that come out every year naming the wealthiest people in the world and the country. The billionaires and millionaires, individuals whose net worth are in the millions and billions not the people who simply make millions (yes there is a big difference). People who build wealth tend to be focused. They keep their eyes on the prize and most think big and outside the box.…
