Posts Tagged: saving money

spending — No Comments
21
May 10

Saving Money If You Decide To Pursue Home Schooling

Home schooling can be a gratifying experience for the whole family. However, it can also be tough on your wallet. Frugal home schooling is becoming a popular term among the majority of families living on limited income or for those wanting to cut back on expenses. Below are several ways you can save money and still offer your child a wonderful education.

The Internet is a valuable source that most families can’t live without. From researching essay papers to curriculum, anything you need to search for is available online for free and right in the convenience of your own home. Online auctions are a great way to purchase used curriculum programs and books. A trip to your local library will probably fit most of your needs. Not only do you get to borrow books for free but also it makes a fun family outing. Before heading off, make a list of the books and topics you need to borrow so you don’t forget what’s needed.

If you are a member of a home school group, suggest starting a swap meet or book sale of used curriculum and other teaching aids. This is a great way to buy good material for reasonable prices as well as selling some material you no longer use. Do you know someone that has a book or program you would like to use? If they’re not using it, then ask them if they wouldn’t mind you borrowing it. If you have a book or program that they could use, consider either trading or just borrowing from each other for a short time.

Look in your local paper for garage sales and yard sales that have books and craft supplies. Be creative while looking around, something you may not normally think about using could be perfect for a certain craft or science project.

cars and autos — No Comments
22
Jan 10

Car Maintenance is Important if You Want To Save Your Money

You don’t want to fool around when choosing a mechanic for your car.  Keep an ear open for recommendations and warnings when your friends and family have car troubles.  If you know beforehand of a body shop you feel comfortable with, you won’t need to make a rushed or incomplete decision when you need one. Ask friends and associates for their recommendations. I stay in touch with homeschooling families.  They’re often part of a larger group that can share recommendations for mechanics they’ve felt were honest and reputable.

Check with your local Better Business Bureau regarding the reputation of a particular body shop. Ask about the number of complaints, if there were any, and how the complaints were resolved.  Don’t be too anxious if there were some complaints.  No one pleases everybody, and there are some people you can’t satisfy no matter what.  But if you see a pattern of the same kinds of problems, beware. Next, pay a visit to the shop and ask if they handle your vehicle make and model. Check to see how long they’ve been in business.  What kind of feel do you get about the place?  Are you treated with courtesy?  Does the staff behave professionally?

You don’t need to “white glove test” the place, but it should be neat, and organized.  Also, times are a’changin’, and modern equipment is an absolute must. Sometimes, vehicle manufacturers recommend specific repair procedures and tools for the repair of their vehicles. Ask if the shop is trained in these procedures and has the necessary equipment. Are there any civic and community service awards hanging on the walls?  It’s a nice touch. Do you see diplomas or certificates of competence?  You want a technically competent staff.

Look around the place.  What kinds of vehicles seem to be in the repair stage?  Does everything look like it’s being handled professionally?   Don’t be shy about talking to folks in the waiting room to see they’ve tried the shop before and how pleased they are with the service they’ve received in the past. My number one suggestion is to ask around and see where others have had satisfactory car repair work done.  Even if you’re feeling stressed and in a hurry, ask at least 15 people.  That way, you’re likely to get the same place mentioned more than once.  A little time spent on the basics can save you a load of trouble in the long run.  And once you find mechanic you trust, your car’s future looks a lot brighter.

spending — No Comments
16
Nov 09

Putting In the Effort to Save Money

There are lots of ways to save money, no matter how much of it you have – or don’t have. All you need to know is where to look to find the savings.  The first thing you need to do is eliminate ALL of your unnecessary expenses such as eating out on the weekends, buying lunch at work every day subscribing to magazines and newspapers and cable television.

It’s OK to reward yourself once in a while, but if you are really looking to live frugally, you owe it to yourself to save every single penny you can!  To find other ways to reduce your expenses, take a close look at your checkbook and credit card statements. You should also call your credit card companies to see if they will lower your interest rates.

You’ll be amazed at how many ways you can save money, especially once you start looking carefully at how you spend your money every month.  For those expenses you can’t eliminate, it’s time to start shopping around for the best prices. Things like car insurance, groceries, clothing and gifts can be found at very reasonable prices if you take the time to seek out the bargains.

The same is true of many of your monthly expenses – like long distance telephone service, internet service, all types of insurance, mortgages, and in some places even your utility bills.  So, if you’d like to save yourself lots of money every month – and who doesn’t – start shopping around and looking for ways to lower your monthly bills right away.  Add this to cutting out unnecessary expenses and you could find yourself being able to save thousands of dollars each year. The initial investment of time to seek out the best values will be well worth it in the long run.

spending — No Comments
14
Oct 09

Don’t Become an Impulse Spender in This Economy

Answer these questions truthfully:

1.)    Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?

2.)    Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?

3.)    Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?

4.)    Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailerís shelf?

5.)    Do you buy things you didnít know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?

If you answered ìyesî to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in retail therapy.

This is not a good thing. It will prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and resist spending money on items that really donít matter in the long run.

Impulse spending will not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well. To overcome the problem, the first thing to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.

Advertisers blitz us hawking their products at us 24/7. The trick is to give yourself a cooling-off period before you buy anything that you have not planned for.

When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home.

If you see something you think you really need, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. By following this simple solution, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships.