Free eBook: New Beginnings in the New Year - Money Management

Free eBook: New Beginnings in the New Year - Money Management

Whether deterred by uncontrollable forces (like the economy and job loss) or just fear of lacking the self-discipline to follow through, the New Beginnings eBook  from Monemanagement.org aims at helping consumers start the new year off right by setting and keeping financial resolutions that not only improve their finances, but also improve their life.  

New Beginnings covers:  

• Ten financial resolutions worth keeping
• Steps to get a grip on financial clutter
• How to set realistic financial goals and resolutions
• How to personalize goals to make them more achievable

New Beginnings offers a step-by-step guide to turning resolutions into action-oriented steps that make achieving financial success in a reality. 

The New Beginnings eBook can be downloaded for free by visiting:

 Free eBook: New Beginnings in the New Year - Money Management

Source: 

moneymanagment.org

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Posted in: ebook , free , New Year's Resolution , resolution

10 Money Saving Tips

1. Consider your needs vs. your wants. Think about items you purchase on a regular basis. These add up. Where can you save?

• Do you eat out at restaurants a lot?
• Can you cut back on daily expenses, such as coffee, candy, soda, or cigarettes?
• Do you have services you do not really need, such as cable television or a cell phone?

2. Set up a direct deposit and an automatic transfer to your savings account.

• When you get paid, put a portion in savings through direct deposit or automatic transfer.
• If you have a checking account, you can sign up to have money moved into your savings account every month. What you don’t see, you don’t miss!
• U.S. Savings Bonds can be purchased through payroll deduction.

3. Pay your bills on time. This saves the added expense of:

• Late fees
• Extra finance charges
• Disconnection fees for phone, electricity, or other services
• Fees to reestablish connection if your service is disconnected
• The cost of eviction
• Repossession
• Bill collectors

4. If you use check-cashing stores regularly, you might be paying $3 - $5 for each check you cash. This can easily add up to several hundred dollars in fees every year. Consider opening a checking account at a bank or credit union.

5. If you get a raise or bonus from your employer, save that extra money.

6. If you have paid off a loan, keep making the monthly payments to yourself. You can save or invest the money for your future goals.

7. If you receive cash as a gift, save at least part of it.

8. Avoid debt that does not help build long-term financial security. For example, avoid borrowing money for things that do not provide financial benefits or that do not last as long as the loan. Examples include: a vacation, clothing, and dinners out in restaurants. 

Examples of debt that helps build long-term financial security include:

• Paying for a college education (for you or your child)
• Buying or remodeling a house
• Buying a car to get to work

9. Save your change at the end of the day. Take that change and deposit it into the bank (every week or month).

10. When you get a tax refund, save as much of it as possible.

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King Solomon's Wisdom

God inspired the wisest and richest king to write witty sayings full of advise for us to prosper in every part of our life.  The writings of King Solomon are practical, hard-hitting, current, and spiritual.  There is not a better book for financial advise than the words of King Solomon.

Financial planners charge a bundle for their sometimes bad advise, but what would the wisest man who ever lived charge for answering not just financial questions, but questions about all our problems?  $100 an hour? $300 and hour? Gods inspired wisdom from King Solomon's life is priceless and absolutely, 100% free! (Who doesn't love getting something free?).

King Solomon was incredibly rich, and he gave inspired advise to his children and citizens to be fiancially wise.  Some of his rules are well known, but others are not taught in any business school.

Before you can save or invest money, you must earn it. Solomon emphasized diligence as a key to financial success. A lazy person will be poor, and there are many people who are poor because they are relatively lazy, of course not all who are poor are lazy. But the labors of the diligent man will acquire riches.  Proverbs 10 verse 4 says, " He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the deligent maketh rich."  Poverty or riches, the choice is yours! You will be faced with this choice for your entire life.  The one who applies her self diligently to her family, career, home, or other duties will be rich, but the one who is a slacker, or is lazy, will be poor.

As Christians we should  to be the most deligent workers in any situation.  We have to show the world a physical example of focused energy, intense persistence, and careful zeal to do what's  necessary to finish even the most unpleasant tasks. We should never consider the excuses of the slacker, as they are opposite of God's inspired wisdom given to King Solomon.

The Lord Jesus Christ himself was exceptionally diligent. And his Apostles followed His great example. In fact, Paul boasted in the grace of God that he labored more abundantly than all others.

Can you boast of your diligence?

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Posted in: Biblical Financial advise , Proverbs , Solomon on Money

5 Easy Ways you Can Save Money on Gas

Heard about the latest gizmos to improve your gas mileage?

Well… studies show they don’t deliver as promised… and some can even damage your car’s engine.

The latest gas saving gizmos don't deliver as promised, and may lead to you  spending more than  you save. But there are easy steps you can take to increase your gas mileage and stretch your gas dollars.

Here are five easy ways you CAN save money when it comes to your car:

1. Clean out your trunk. Don’t carry what you don’t need.

2.  Slow down. Every five miles per hour over 60 costs you a quarter extra for a gallon of gas.

3.  Go online to find the least expensive gas stations in your area

4.  Turn off your engine if you’re parked and waiting.

5.  Keep your tires inflated to the recommended level to get better gas mileage.

So, always check out offers that promise to lower your gas millage before spending your hard earn money.

Do you have any great tips for saving money on gas?

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Posted in: gas , Save , Saving , shopping

How to Save Money on Heating your Home

More than HALF our household energy costs go to heating? Energy efficiency isn’t just good for the environment, it means lower utility bills, too.

One way to reduce your energy waste is a home energy assessment. Your utility company can help – or you can learn how to do it yourself at EnergySavers.gov.

You’ll learn to look for air leaks around windows and doors, check ducts for holes and to improve your insulation.

Another time to cut energy costs is when you shop for a new appliance.  Look for the Energy Star logo and read the EnergyGuide label.

And there are day-to-day things you can do. Lower your thermostat in winter and raise it in the summer. Close fireplace dampers when they’re not in use. And keep air filters clean.

What tips do you use to save on your heating costs?

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Posted in: Bills , Save , Saving

Online Shopping Tips

Image Credit- www.corpoclothes.com

More people are shopping online. It’s convenient, and you can bring a world of choices to your computer, phone or tablet.

Are you one of the millions of people looking to buy something online? If you are, there are steps you can take to avoid hassles, get the right product at the right price, and protect your financial information.

First, plan ahead by setting a budget. Ask yourself, “How much do I want to spend?” Be sure to include delivery costs in your budget.

Second, determine what’s most important to you about the item you’re thinking about buying. What are the “must-have” product features? Are there features that would be nice to have, but you can live without? This will help you choose the product that meets your needs.

Take a few minutes to compare products. Type the name into a search engine along with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.”

Read online reviews from other people who bought the item or from product experts. Look for feedback about how well the product works and its overall quality.

If you’ve never heard of the company selling the product, look for reviews about their reputation and customer service. Read a few reviews so you’re not relying on just one source.

Of course, you’ll also want to know the total cost of the product.

Check shopping comparison sites to compare the price of the product at different websites. Remember, shipping costs and other “add-ons” may not be included in these prices. Look for online coupon codes. Search the store’s name with terms like “coupons,” “discounts,” or “free shipping.”

Before you decide where to buy, check out the terms of the deal. When will you get your order? The law requires sellers to ship items within 30 days of the sale. If you have to return the item, can you get a refund? Who pays for return shipping? Is there a restocking fee?

Next, decide how to pay.

Paying by credit card gives you some protections that other methods of payment may not. If there’s a problem, the law gives you the right to dispute charges and temporarily withhold payment while your dispute is investigated. If someone uses your credit card without your permission, some companies will cap your liability at $50. Others will waive the charges entirely.

Before you enter your credit card or other financial information online, check if the website address starts with “https”. The “s” stands for “secure” and means that your information is encrypted before it’s transmitted.

Now, you should be ready to enjoy whatever you’ve bought online. If you have a problem with an online purchase or charge, try to work it out with the seller first.

If you can’t resolve the problem, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, at ftc.gov/complaint.

By planning, comparing products and costs, and making sure you check out securely, you can make your online shopping experience safer—and more enjoyable.

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Posted in: Online , refund , review , sale , shopping

How to Save on Groceries (Infographic)

Looking for ways to save money on groceries? Start by knowing when grocery stores are tricking you into spending more money than you intended, and adjust your shopping strategy accordingly.

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Posted in: frugal , groceries , personal finance , Save , shopping

Your Email Etiquette Could be Hurting your Progress

Nearly everyone uses e-mail, but do they use the proper etiquette for email? This graphic takes an evaluation of the how tos and how nots of emailing.

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Posted in: career , email , etiquette