Financial Tips #6: Half Portions Are Your Friend
Usually when you’re on a budget crunch one of the first things you cut back on is eating out. It’s definitely a great way to spend less money. However, there are times that you do have to go out to eat whether it be for a special occasion or to reward yourself for a big milestone in your life. One easy way to stretch your dollar further is to either order just a half portion or box up half of the order. Most restaurants serve a pretty big portion whenever you order a Steak, Seafood, or Pasta dish. I’ve gone to Olive Garden, Logan’s Roadhouse and other places that have...
read moreAdventures Into the World of Penny Auctions
So this isn’t exactly an inspiring story but it’s an interesting one for those who have always been curious about penny auctions. I decided that one day I should investigate and see what it was all about and if you could really get some prizes. For those of you who are not familiar with the concept of penny auctions, basically you have a site that has 15-20 live auctions going on. Each thing being auctioned off starts at $0 and goes up a penny whenever someone bids on the item. Every bid in the last 20 or so seconds will add time back to the timer. The last person that bids...
read moreFinancial Tip #5: Do you really need a large drink?
I try to stay away from fast food whenever I can but sometimes when you’re coming home late from work and you don’t want to cook for yourself, you just inevitably end up going for fast food. One of the problems with fast food is that it’s really not healthy for you. The problem gets compounded when you think about the combo meals and upsizing or supersizing your meal. However, have you really stopped to consider whether you need a large drink or a drink at all when you buy a meal? Consider not getting a drink at all if you are just heading back home with your meal. You can...
read moreFinancial Tip #4 – Strategies to Paying Down Credit Card Debt
In my own experience there’s three perspectives that I take on in order to pay down credit card debt: 1. Pay the account that has the largest interest rate This one is a simple concept. The account that has the largest interest will continue to pull the most interest from you percentage wise. Most of the time the smartest idea is to get rid of this account to ensure that the interest you pay in the long run will be smaller. 2. Pay the account with the smallest balance This is a more interesting concept. Sometimes when you’re paying down a lot of debt, you need to have a few moral...
read moreFinancial Tip #3: Never pay just the minimum balance
It’s a trap! If you ever have a credit card balance and are in the process of paying it off, never pay just the minimum balance. Keep in mind that with credit cards comes interest on the balance that you keep. Paying the minimum balance ensures that you pay the most interest on your balance and is exactly what the credit card companies want. Another thing that is considered is when looking at credit, if you consistently report that you paid above your minimum balance, you look like a more responsible person and might even get a bit of a bump on your credit score. If you pay even $10-$20...
read moreFinancial Tip #2: Do not spend over what you have
So this tip seems like a no brainer tip as well. It’s a simple concept really.. If you don’t have the money for something, don’t go and buy it. As simple as it is, this could be one of the hardest concepts for people to grasp, especially if you don’t have a budget set (see tip #1). So what’s the worst that can happen if you just happen to splurge a bit one month on a pair of shoes and then maybe decide to get a fancy new iPad from your local Apple store the next month. With each item that you purchase that is above your means, you’re putting yourself at...
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