What we spend on food, especially depending on the size of the family, can really put a dent into our available funds for the month.  Sure, little things like grabbing coffee, stopping at the gas station for snacks or energy drinks, all add up to big costs over the course of the month, but even if you can avoid those small expenses, how can you save even more off your total food budget?  There are a plenty of ways that by making a few tweaks and a little proper planning can add up to significant … [Read more...]

I remember always going grocery shopping with my dad, maybe that’s why I don’t mind going now as an adult subconsciously, but it taught me about purchases at a young age.  Grocery shopping wasn’t always about filling up the cart with whatever we want and unloading at home, and that somewhere in between there was actually making the purchase, which of course wasn’t coming out of my bank account at the time so I didn’t feel that burden back then as I do now.  Of course, kids shouldn’t have the … [Read more...]

Summer is a great time of the year and typically that means opening up the wallet a little more, taking it down to the last penny to get every last ounce of fun in while the weather is warm, the kids are out of school, and make great memories.  While you may be a little more liberal in spending money that may throw your budget out of whack, there are just certain purchases that you avoid making, as the peak prices hit and you end up paying more than you should.  In order to not have your bank … [Read more...]

According to a recent study by GoBankingRates, 69% of adults do have less than a thousand dollars in the bank, at which 34% said they have no savings whatsoever.  Things look even more bleak in future, at which a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research show that nearly half of American retirees pass away with less than $10,000 in savings, even more than half for retirees that are single.  In order to avoid any hardship during the period when you are supposed to be living life to its … [Read more...]

Debt is a scary thing.  For those that have never been in deep, I applaud you.  It took years of financial irresponsibility to finally admit to myself that there is a problem, and to figure out quickly what the solution was, and how to get out.  Managing debt should be taught at a young age.  Not talking about college courses that you need to pass the class, but real life lessons, that I will no doubt pass on to my children when they become of spending age.  To avoid making money mistakes like … [Read more...]

Let’s not sugarcoat things; money is stressful, whether you have it, and have greater responsibilities that come along with it, or if you’re like most of us, you are not sitting on piles of cash and worry about making ends meet every month.  Studies have shown that most Americans actually live paycheck to paycheck, so in order to break the norm and have a little cushion to sit on, it is time to make some changes.  That does not mean you are doing anything wrong when it comes to paying bills or … [Read more...]

There are certain things that just are not taught in school, and personal finance is one of them.  If you do get a chance to learn, it is probably in college, and by then you will only be focused on spending your student loan money to party.  If we are able to engrain it into our children early on, there is at least a better chance that once they are old enough to start spending their own money, they can be responsible and not dig themselves a hole like I did.  My parents were great, don’t get … [Read more...]