The End of the Overspend: How to Create a Budget and Stick to It
College diploma? Check. Official job and title? Check. Regular income? Check. Now that you’ve got a steady stream of paychecks, your next question is: What to do with the cash? New furniture for your new digs, a work-appropriate wardrobe, weekly fancy dinners out, or even a trek across Europe (once you accrue those vacation days, […]
How to Make a Big Impact in the Community Without Writing a Big Check
It’s a terrible feeling when you grab your wallet in hopes to donate to the bell-ringing Salvation Army Santa at your local grocery store or to the food pantry collection box at work only to realize you don’t have the extra cash to drop in. When it comes to charitable donations, it can be disheartening […]
How to Talk Finances With Your Fiancé Without Freaking Out
When you’re getting ready to head down the aisle, finances can be the furthest thing from your mind. Before you say “I do,” however, it’s imperative to get on the same page about how you and your spouse will approach spending, investments, debt, and budgeting as a wedded couple. And perhaps for sound reason: in […]
4 Tips to Get Fit on a Budget
There’s a strong connection between your money and your health—the more physically fit you are the more financially fit you can be. But working out these days can get pretty expensive. Between gym fees, gear, and trainers, it’s costing us an arm and a leg before we set an arm or leg in the gym. […]
Eat Organic on a Budget – 5 Tips to Help You Start
Eating organic is often considered healthier, but if you have hesitated, thinking that it’s too expensive, think again. With a little bit of planning and strategy, you could get the best fuel for your body without breaking the bank. Here are five ways you can eat organic on any budget. Go Big Time Shop the […]
Track Spending and Eliminate Debt
In the past, the best way to balance a checkbook was by hand, recording daily spending habits to ensure accounts were not overdrawn. But with the growth of technology, tracking spending habits is now as easy as clicking a mouse or opening an app. Banking online is a great way to conveniently track spending, pay […]
Tips for Reducing Credit Card Debt
The key to reducing credit card debt is either to pay off your balances every month or—when you can’t do that—make higher-than-minimum payments without adding to your balance. Although this may seem like a challenge if your credit card debt is very high, a determined and disciplined approach will go a long way toward helping […]
Understanding Your Debt-to-Income Ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio compares the amount of money you earn to the amount of money you owe to your creditors. It's an important indicator of your financial health and whether you have control of your spending. To calculate your own debt-to-income ratio, tally up your predictable, recurring debts, your mortgage, car payment, insurance, etc. and […]
Tips for Improving Your Credit Score
Whether you’re just starting to build a credit history or you’re working to improve your credit score, opening a savings account may help. That’s because lenders see bank accounts as a sign of stability. Stability, in turn, helps them see you as a good credit risk, which helps make it easier for you to receive […]
Budget Smart: How to Stick To a Budget
Ringing in the New Year is now a distant memory. Winter is nearly over, another season awaits, and resolutions made in high spirits at the end of 2015 may have already fallen by the wayside. We’re here to help. There’s no need to give up just yet. It’s perfectly understandable if you started 2016 a […]
