The following is a guest post by Aaron at Three Thrifty Guys. I'm all for tricky ways to help myself save more money. To me, savings is just as important as paying down debt. When you have a cushion (or emergency stash) you will be better equipped to manage life's unpredictable moments. Because, Lord knows, they will happen. One way I save more is by treating savings like a bill payment. When we receive our automatic deposit into our bank each week from work, I go online and transfer … [Read more...]

Back when I was really, really broke, I kept running out of money and didn't know quite why. I decided that the best way to know where my money was going was to write it down. So, I got and kept a receipt for every purchase I made and entered it all in a spread sheet. While tracking my spending didn't increase my income, after a month or two I was able to see where I could cut back and where exactly my money was going. I was able to make better decisions and felt much more in control of my … [Read more...]

Have your paycheck automatically deposited. Sign up for auto bill pay.  Set up your retirement accounts and let them sit. These are things many people say will save you money. And they will. But you won't save any money if you're just blindly automating your finances.  You can simplify your finances (and save money) by automating certain tasks, but you can't just expect your finances to take care of themselves. No one cares about your money as much as you do.  So it's up to you to keep … [Read more...]

Today I’m participating in the Ultimate Blog Swap at Life..Your Way. You’ll find me posting over at Moments On Our Journey about Frugal Ways to Reduce Stress, and I’m excited to welcome Lindsay from Pandora's Deals to Northern Cheapskate. Lindsay's taking a break from her usual store match-ups, coupons, daily deals and discounts to share some frugal tips and tidbits for you. All that glitters is gold I recently condensed my three small jewelry boxes into one large one. I forgot I had most … [Read more...]

The following is a guest post by Kyle Chezum, a content specialist at Lender411.com.  Lender411.com helps homebuyers compare mortgage rates, find local lenders, and locate the best mortgage packages available. If you're taking out a mortgage, you'll pay closing costs on the loan.  We all know this and expect it.  Your lender has probably already provided you with a list of what closing costs you'll have to pay and their respective amounts. But you don't have to pay every fee on the list.  … [Read more...]