Let’s be honest. A whole slew of Americans, almost two-thirds by several counts, have no idea how much money they spend in a month. They also have little idea where their money goes. Yes, taxes and other deductions take a chunk right off the top of their paychecks, but the rest seems to just evaporate. If this sounds familiar, the first piece of good news is that it’s not just you.
You know it’s coming. Without fail, it happens every year in late December and spills over well into January. Call it the Raging River of Resolutions or the Betterment Blitz. Whatever name you use, you surely know the feeling of being bombarded with self-empowerment content and ads for ways to make the upcoming year better than the one before.
emergency fund for whatever life throws at us. If you’re still recovering from the financial fallout of COVID, saving for a future emergency may still seem like a distant dream for “one of these days”, but there are creative ways to start adding to your stash now that won’t impact your daily life, even when times are tight.
When you and your partner are focusing on paying the bills and trimming debt, it’s easy to put fun on the back burner. After all, dining out is a sure-fire way to blow the budget. Expensive vacations? Entirely out of the question!
There is something about the dawn of a new year that brings out our willingness to kick old habits to the curb and start afresh. If you’re ready to create impactful and effective financial resolutions that best serve you and your goals, it’s time to lean in. With a few tweaks, a little planning and some disciplined effort, 2023 can be the year you start to make your money goals come to life.
Because of their omnipresence in our society, you’ve probably read about financial scams over the years. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that criminals put a lot of effort into developing fresh ways to defraud victims.
Winter has abundant opportunities for outdoor family fun. But with limited daylight and stretches of severe weather, how do you keep your kiddos entertained when going outside isn’t an option? It’s a tricky question for parents on a budget—you can’t just take your little ones to the movies day after day.
Year in, year out, most of us work hard to make a living. And we hope this diligent effort leads one day to financial freedom. But what exactly is this?
One of the best things about a vacation is taking your mind off mundane, day-to-day concerns and responsibilities, and focusing on pleasure. Trips are the time to live it up! If you put a little effort into making your money stretch farther on your getaway, you can have just as much fun and save enough to take additional excursions each year.
Budgeting, especially during times of inflation, can mean looking for ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality of life. Relying less on take-out or ready-to-eat food and more on your own meal prep can help achieve this. However, even these costs can spiral if you aren’t careful. Here are six ways home cooks can spend less on the food they prepare.