Northern Cheapskate

Frugal. By Nature.

Perks of Using a Credit Card During the Holidays

Perks of Using a Credit Card During the Holidays

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If you haven’t started to rack up the credit card bill, then this week during crunch time before Christmas you will really start to see that balance escalate quickly.  While it’s always a good idea to budget so you can save up throughout the year so it’s less of a burden all at once, getting scared when you see the statement come in, wondering how you are going to pay it on time without carrying over to the next month and collecting interest.  While it does take plenty of discipline using a … [Read more...]

Five Ways to Avoid Holiday Overspending

Five Ways to Avoid Holiday Overspending

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As much as you do not want to admit it, the Christmas music has hit the airwaves, stores are packing decorations, and the holiday sale commercials are running back to back.  Holiday shopping is upon is, and so are the massive expenses that come with.  In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, the average holiday spending last year was $800 per person, and since holiday spending has increased every year since 2009, one can expect another increase this year, so every dollar that you … [Read more...]

5 Personal Finance Tips For College Students

5 Personal Finance Tips For College Students

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The following is a guest post by Andrew Rombach of ScholarshipFly. As you prepare yourself for college, one of the most difficult things to manage will be money.  The broke college kid stereotype is around for a reason, and it is never more relevant any other time than during college. In college, there are two types of expenses: the cost of attendance and the cost of fun.  College is characterized by these two expenses.  Tuition has been skyrocketing, textbooks have been following suit, … [Read more...]

DIY Healthy Patriotic Smoothies

DIY Healthy Patriotic Smoothies

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I have this thing about making red, white and blue crafts, treats, decorations, and food for our patriotic holidays. My kids think it is neat to see what I come up with and certainly enjoy consuming anything I make. I try not to go way overboard, but I like to keep in mind using red, white and blue food items because it can really help decorate the table and make it seem more festive without having to spend money on decorations. … [Read more...]

How to Do a Mid-Year Financial Tune-Up

How to Do a Mid-Year Financial Tune-Up

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Summer marks the half-way point of the year.  It’s that time of year when we dream of road trips and summer vacations.  For some of us, it’s a time to plan for the big move to college or a time to land that first job after graduation. If you’re finding that your New Year’s resolutions haven’t stuck well, or finding the cash for all that summer fun is a challenge, it could be time for a mid-year financial tune-up. … [Read more...]