RSS FeedAffordable Cell Phones
Everyone seems to have a cell phone today, and if you don’t, others seem to feel there is something lacking in you. The truth is that some people don’t have a cell phone due to things like not so perfect credit, or not enough money to pay for a monthly contract. Believe it or not, there is a way you can still have a cell phone that is affordable.
While not quite as fancy as some of the contract cell phones, the pre-paid, or pay as you go, type of cell phone will still offer you the same advantages of owning a cell phone. These are quite affordable as the phone itself usually sells for around $10. Some of these even come with specials that give you free $10 of talk minutes once you have purchased minutes for the phone. You are in charge of how much these types of phones end up costing you. But if you manage your minutes wisely, you will be able to keep down the cost of owning your very own cell phone.
Pre-paid cell phones are also a great idea for teenagers. As a parent, you can control the amount of time and money spent with these phones. However, your teenagers can enjoy being just like all their friends who have cell phones. They will have their own phone number to give out when asked, and get to feel as important and special as the rest of their friends. It’s also impossible for these phones to run up high bills. The pre-pay option works out well to keep costs manageable. When your teenager is old enough to start making money at a job of some sort, the cost of the minutes can then be passed on to him or her.
Even if you have a land line that you use to conduct 90 percent of your phone business, one of these cell phones can still come in handy. You can’t take the landline with you when you leave home, but you CAN take along a pre-paid cell phone in case of emergencies. All you need to do is make sure that you have some minutes on the phone, and you’re all set.
These cell phones can also work well for older children, who are not yet teenagers, but may be able to use a phone. You will need to monitor this pretty carefully, but they can come in quite handy if the child needs to get in touch with you while they are away at a friend’s. It’s a very small amount of money to spend per month for peace of mind.
The Library: Cheapest Entertainment Around
Entertainment is a very important part of the lives of most people. It’s something that you do to relax, de-stress, or simply to have fun. However, it is this entertainment that tends to be a budget breaker. Movies cost an arm and a leg to buy admission, and that’s just to get in the door. Add popcorn and drinks, and you have spent enough to pay for dinner in a nice restaurant. Concerts are fun but those are also very expensive. What’s a person with little money to do for fun?
Surprisingly enough, your public library could very well be the answer. This is especially true if you happen to live in a large city because these libraries are a wonderland unto themselves. There is rarely a fee to get a library card, but even if there is, it is an amount that you can easily afford. Libraries are not just about books. They have branched out into offering all sorts of ways to enjoy yourself, and they are all free.
Obviously, libraries have books, and lots of them. For a reader, the library can be one of the most amazing places on the planet. Reading for pleasure is one of the best past times you can indulge in. There is nothing better than getting lost in a great book and you will most likely find so many books you will love in the library that you can’t imagine having time to read them all.
Everyone enjoys a good movie. Libraries have lending programs just for the many DVDs they have on hand. These usually have a shorter check out time than books, but they are reasonable, and will give you plenty of time to enjoy a new movie, or an old favorite. You can pick up some inexpensive soda and microwave popcorn, and enjoy a movie night at a fraction of the price of going to the theater.
The library also has music. Popular CDs, as well as older cassette favorites, are usually many and of varied tastes. The check out time on these is normally about the same as books. This is a great way to find out if a CD you think you want to buy for your personal collection is actually worth the money. It’s also nice to just get to enjoy new music without having to pay a lot of money to do so.
The next time you are bored and broke, take a trip to the library. You may be amazed at all the entertainment you will find there. And the best part is that it’s all free!
How to Eat Out Without Leaving Home
One of the big budget killers is the almost undeniable urge to eat at a restaurant rather than at home. It’s something that everyone just HAS to do once in awhile, which is fine if you can afford it. The problem comes in when you and your family dine out knowing that you cannot afford to do it. There is a compromise that can keep you from spending needed money, yet enjoy the “feeling” of dining out.
A lot of people like dining out due to the change of scenery, as well as being able to relax and let someone else do the cooking, serving and cleaning up. While you may still need to cook, serve and clean, you can still have the atmosphere of dining out and never have to leave your home. Plan one night each week for a “theme” meal. Take turns among the family members in choosing what the theme will be for the week. Make the menu planning a family affair, as well. Incorporate the food items needed into the weekly grocery shopping trip.
On the evening of the special meal, do some simple things to set the scene. For example, if pizza or spaghetti was chosen, use an inexpensive red and white checkered table cloth for the table, and either light a couple of candles or use small battery operated lanterns. If you have some music that is fitting for this Italian meal, play it on low in the background. Just like that, you will have the appearance of a small, cozy Italian restaurant. For extra fun, serve grape juice from a wine bottle. You will have the feeling of dining out without spending a lot of money.
This can be done with any type of food just by adjusting the setting. To make it fair, encourage the rest of the family to help with the cooking and cleaning up afterwards. As for serving, everyone can simply fill their own plates. When done this way, all the work is not put on one person and it is fun for everyone. Before long, this can become something that the entire family will look forward to even more than going out to a restaurant to eat an expensive meal.
If you want to make it even more of a money saving venture, calculate how much this meal would have cost you in a restaurant. Then subtract from that the amount spent on the special at home dinner. Take that amount and stash it in a safe place to start a fund for something special. You will be amazed at how quickly it will add up.
How to Make Spare Change Count
You most likely have come home at the end of the day to find you have amassed quite an impressive amount of change. This includes quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Many people need to spend their pennies as well as count them. If that’s you, there is still a way that you can save this change and turn it into something impressive.
First of all, you will need to find a container for your change. If you want to keep them in separate denominations, you will need a container for each one. Some people keep a gallon jug on hand, as it has been found that when you fill one of these to the brim with quarters, you will have $1,000. That’s a pretty nice chunk of change, no matter how long it may take you to save it. Other containers that work are large mayonnaise jars, pickle jars, or large jelly jars. Anything that is somewhat large and has a lid will do.
Once you have your containers, you need to work on your mindset. Don’t think of your change as something that will buy you an extra soda. Start thinking of it as “not yours.” This means that when you get some change back from something, make up your mind that you are not allowed to spend it. The change no longer is yours to spend because it now belongs to the jar. As soon as you get home, take the change out of your pocket or purse and put it in the container. Before you know it, you will find that container is completely full.
It sometimes helps to have a goal that you are saving for. This will provide some willpower when you are tempted to spend some of those quarters. You simply think of what you are saving the money for and that temptation should fade away. If you are someone who has extremely low willpower, it may help to find a picture of your goal and attach it to the container. You will be able to see what you are saving that money for, which can make it easier to keep from spending any of the change.
Once you have your container full, pay a visit to the bank to get some coin rolls. It will be much easier to cash your change in if you have them all nicely rolled so that they can be counted as dollars. You collect your cash for the change and you’re on your way to that special goal.
Are You Insurance Poor?
Insurance is a great thing to have when the unexpected happens. Some types of insurance are not only necessary, but required as well. Liability auto insurance would fall into that category. There are certain types of insurance required by landlords if you are a renter. Homeowners are smart to get a certain amount of insurance to protect their property and home contents in the event of a disaster of some sort. There IS such a thing as having too much insurance, however.
The type of insurance that usually falls into the category of “nice to have but not really needed” is life insurance. Yes, life insurance is wonderful to have so that your loved ones are taken care of should something happen to you unexpectedly, but do you really need as much as certain insurance agents will talk you into buying? Probably not. People usually start with a basic type of life insurance that will cover certain things in the event of their passing. There is usually enough insurance in this policy to cover funeral expenses along with enough money left over to take care of other things. If you keep adding on to this policy, you will find your monthly premiums almost as much as your salary.
Homeowners and renters insurance can also be over purchased. As a renter, you will want to make sure that all of your possessions are covered in the event of fire or flood damage. However, there is really no reason to carry more than the minimum. As long as you are careful with your things and the way you conduct yourself in your environment, you maintain a certain amount of control over whether or not your things are harmed. Homeowners may want to purchase a bit more to insure not only their property but their possessions as well. This is usually a wise move, but still does not need to be over done.
Unless you have a brand new car, you are usually able to get by with liability insurance. This protects you if you are involved in an accident and is required in many states before you are allowed to even drive your car off the lot. New cars require physical damage by the lender to cover their interest but if your car is an older one or is used, it’s possible that you can avoid this premium altogether.
The simple way to avoid paying too much for insurance is by doing your own research. Once you have talked to your insurance agent and received recommendations for what you need, have a look and see if you REALLY need all of it. Chances are you will be adequately covered at a fraction of the cost your agent suggests you pay.
Entertainment to Fit Your Budget
Entertainment is most likely not at the top of your priority list when you are low on funds. It can be very depressing when you work so hard for your money, and yet, you never get to really enjoy any of it. Take heart, though, because there are a few things in the way of having fun that can be made to fit into your budget.
Nearly everyone enjoys a good movie. That is evident by the number of people who continue flocking to the theaters when a new movie is released. It is also a well known fact that going to a movie these days can cost nearly as much as a dinner in a 4 start restaurant. It may cheer you up a bit to know that there are cheaper alternatives.
One such alternative is the introduction of renting movie DVDs online in recent years. Both Netflix and Blockbuster have membership programs that you can join online. For a reasonable and affordable monthly fee, you can choose movies from the comfort of your home and they will be mailed right to your door. There is no time limit on how long you can keep the movies, so there is no late fee ever. Using either of these services makes it possible to have affordable entertainment that you can actually budget each month.
There is another version of this type of online service. It works the same way but you are borrowing, or renting, video games instead of DVD movies. The same rules apply. You pay a monthly fee for the plan of your choice, and begin choosing the games you want to play.
If you are an avid reader with a less than exciting local library, there are some online book sites you may be interested in joining. Booksfree offers a variety of plans for which you pay a monthly fee. Each plan gives you different amounts of books you can have borrowed at once. These are all paperback books, and there is an amazing selection to choose from. They also offer audio books to borrow.
Paperbackswap is another book site. With this one, you do have to register but there is no monthly fee. You are simply required to list some books you own but are ready to part with. When someone chooses a book from your list, you are responsible for mailing it to that member. When the member receives the book, you get a credit for a free book of your own. It’s a wonderful little system that offers many hours of happy reading for the price of mailing a book once in awhile.
You should be feeling a little better now that you know what’s available for people on a budget. Just because you aren’t rich doesn’t mean that you can’t have some pleasure and entertainment in your life.
Is Your Teenager Ready for a Pre-Paid Credit Card
When you think about credit cards and teenagers, most likely your heart starts to beat a bit faster just from the very idea of putting these two together. Teenagers have all kinds of things to spend money on. They all need things such as music CDs, clothes, shoes, DVDs, video games, and junk food. It’s scary to think of just how much trouble a teenager with a credit card could get into. You might be relieved to know that there are actually prepaid credit cards made just for teenagers.
Should you decide to get a credit like this for your teenager, it is good to keep in mind that this might actually be a good thing to do. Having the responsibility of a credit card can teach a lot about how to manage money. A regular credit card would be too tempting for most teenagers to handle, but a pre-paid credit card can be a very positive experience.
There are several programs that offer these pre-paid credit cards to teenagers. The best way to make an informed decision is by gathering information on each program. Then you can select the one you feel works best for you and your teenager.
One such program is offered by First Bank & Trust of Brookings, SD. Teenagers and high school students are eligible for their Allow Prepaid Mastercard. The activation fee is $19.95 along with a reload fee of $2.50 per $100, and a $3.50 monthly maintenance fee. There is a parental control option to monitor your teenager’s spending.
For teenagers 13 years and older, there is the US Bank Visa Buxx Card. Designed with teenagers in mind, this is a prepaid credit card that requires an enrollment fee of $10 to $15 and a $2.50 reload fee. While there is not a monthly maintenance fee, there is a $2 fee for any inactive account which will be applied monthly if necessary.
These are just examples of prepaid credit cards that are available for teenagers. If you decide to get one for your teen, you will want to explore more options. Checking with your own bank may be the simplest route to take. They may have something to offer your teenager in the way of a pre-paid credit card. Whatever card you decide to get for your teenager, make sure you utilize the parental monitoring of their spending. Your teenager will not learn the best money management skills if they are going on spending sprees.
Playing the Stock Market
If you are involved in trading stocks, you probably already know that if you are able to analyze the market and predict price movement accurately, you will be more successful in this money making past time. This is true whether your trading is stocks, commodities, currency, or bonds. The two types of analysis are technical analysis and fundamental analysis, with one being just as important as the other one.
Technical analysis is the study of prices. This is what you use to go over the history of price movement so you can predict future prices more accurately. Fundamental analysis takes in the overall economic health of a nation. This is due to the fact that a nation’s economy will impact the supply and demand for that nation’s currency. Of course, this affects the price of that currency.
People who trade in currency will watch to see if the US economy is in an upswing, causing the economy to become strong. This pushes the value of the dollar up. When the currency traders see this, they will invest heavily in the dollar. This raises the dollar value even more.
This concept sounds really simple, but there is nothing simple about judging the health of a nation’s economy. There are various economic indicators that are used to study the economic strength. Fundamental analysts watch this data closely for the interest rate, consumer price index, unemployment rate, and gross domestic product or GDP.
These reports are regularly released to the public by both government agencies and non-government agencies. The best way is to just do your own analysis. You will see the information right in front of you and not have to depend on the interpretation of others. If you choose to do this, remember that the numbers turning up in a report is not what always has the biggest impact. Rather,it’s the relation of the numbers when compared to what was initially forecasted that is most important.
A rise in the interest rates may not be felt in a big way if the forecasters expected it. On the other hand, if they were not expecting a change,and an unexpected increase occurred, this could significantly impact the currency prices.
Fundamental analysis can sometimes be a bit too broad. It works well for predicting an overall economic growth and price changes, but there is not enough detail to target specific entry and exit points. It is at this time, a trader would turn to technical analysis.
If you are new to the whole trading arena, it would help you to have a mentor or the advice of someone who has done it a long time. You may find that this is something you are meant to do as a way to pad your bank account.
Buying Foreclosed Homes
You may not like to think about profiting from someone else’s loss, but you can find many homes that have been foreclosed on at bargain basement prices. These are homes that were repossessed due to their owners not keeping up with their mortgage payments. They are sold at discounted prices because the lenders involved just want to get their money back with out worrying about making a profit. A lot of times this means that you can get foreclosure rates that are too good pass up.
You will need to be sure to do your research before writing that check though. It’s important to find something that will meet your needs as well as your budget. Many times these foreclosed houses will need a lot of repairs. It also seems that the banks are not responsible for any damages to the properties.
Foreclosures come in all shapes and sizes. You might even find some that are totally run down, with mold and structural damage. The problem with buying these properties is that it can take a lot of money and time to fix them. The mold can actually be hidden in the walls and this is something you don’t want to deal with. The good news is that you will also find foreclosures that are located in good neighborhoods. This property will be worth the price if you only buy it for the land. There may be some other wonderful traits that can make the property an amazing find.
Whatever type of foreclosures you may be ready to buy, you will need to sign several addendums and other clauses that will exonerate the bank from any responsibility for the home’s condition, once the sale has been finalized. This will all be done before any contracts are signed. Because of this, it’s always a good idea to have the property of interest inspected to make sure the home is in good living condition.
Since banks and lending institutions don’t view foreclosures as a way to own the property, you can usually get a very nice deal. They are not interested in fixing up these properties. Their interest is just to get a return on their money. This way of thinking is what motivates them into selling great properties at bargain prices. While this does happen often, there will be situations where it isn’t the case. Before deciding to buy a foreclosure, it will be necessary for you to do your research to make sure the property is worth the money.
The Benefits of Buying in Bulk
Buying different items in bulk amounts can be quite a money saver when it is done the right way. This works especially well for large families, but it can also be advantageous to couples and single individuals. People are paid at different times depending on where they work, and those who receive their pay every 2 weeks or once a month seem to manage their money better when they buy needed items in bulk.
Items such as toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, boxed food, and other things that have long expiration dates, are all good things to purchase in bulk amounts. Once the paper goods are bought, you can put them away and not have to worry about replacing them for 2 weeks to a month. As for the canned and boxed goods, these usually have quite a long shelf life. These may start to build up after awhile, so be sure to sort them according to their expiration dates.
As for frozen foods, these can also be purchased in bulk depending on what sort of food it is. Buying frozen foods in bulk usually makes more sense for larger families, as you can be sure it won’t go to waste. However, it can be also put to cost saving use by smaller families as well. When you find a meat pack containing family favorites, buying more than one large package is a good idea. Frozen fruit can also be stocked for quite awhile as long as it is protected from freezer burn.
It is also possible to buy bread products in bulk. Fresh bread can be bought, frozen, and thawed out as needed. There is some bread that comes frozen. You can buy these in bulk amounts and store them to use as you need or want to.
Drink mixes such as Kool-Aid or Crystal Light can be bought in bulk and stored for months. These are much cheaper than sodas and can actually be much better for you if you are using the sugar free mixes. Different types of juices can be bought as either frozen or bottled, and will last for at least a month at a time.
As you slowly stock your pantry and freezer, you will start to see the money savings add up. This will become evident as you need to purchase less and less of certain items on each shopping trip. In order to do this type of shopping, consider getting a membership at a store such as Sam’s Club or Costco’s. Bulk shopping is a specialty at these stores.
