With the amount of credit card offers that come in the mail, probably on a daily basis, you really have your pick at which card that you select.  Ignore the name of the card when they throw in “black”, “platinum”, or “diamond” on there, it hardly means anything, especially if there is an annual fee.  What you really should focus on is the APR, which dictates the amount of interest you pay if you carry a balance over, which depending on the balance, could add up pretty quickly, and rewards, which … [Read more...]

When it comes to freeing up extra money each month, it really comes down to the simple dollars and sense of needing more money to come in instead of going out.  With all of the monthly expenses that we have, busy family life, it can be easy to fall out of a budget and start to carelessly spending.  The problem is that no longer will your budget be out of whack, but you could be putting yourself into debt further, most likely jeopardizing your future savings.  In order to maximize earnings each … [Read more...]

Here at Northern Cheapskate, we are dedicated to finding the most decisive ways to save money. What if we told you that buy a new mattress would do just that? While we realize this is a rather large purchase that is seemingly taking you in the opposite direction of saving money, we feel that in the long run, all the ailments that are caused by a bad night’s sleep are costing you far more than the cost of a new mattress. There is no denying that our time spent at work, at home, or anywhere for … [Read more...]

Financial stability can easily be in jeopardy as a result of shopping.  Maybe not overnight, but years of overspending on unnecessary expenses and impulse purchases can lead to maxed out credit cards, paying interest without decreasing balances, and leaving nothing to show for in savings accounts.  Bad shopping habits can be tough to break, especially if you are used to a certain lifestyle, but finding ways to avoid impulse purchases is a needed adjustment. Stick to a Shopping List You … [Read more...]