The Spirit of Giving Should Not Produce Bankruptcies!
December 4, 2007
by Cara at Cara’s Coffee Break
The holidays are the giving season, and all of us enjoy spreading holiday joy by supplying loved ones with gifts. However, it is important to approach your holiday shopping with a firm budget in mind—and to abide by it.
can lead to a great deal of holiday stress and concern—as well as even
more stress down the line when the credit card bills come due. One
of the most important things you can do to minimize the stress (and
potential adverse financial impact) of the holidays is to develop a
firm budget for gifts. Even Santa Claus is careful enough to check his list twice! You should do the same, making sure you have established a budget that fits your financial needs.
Everything You Need to Know About Budgeting
July 25, 2007
Pop quiz: How much money did you spend last month and on what? Sure, most of us have a rough idea how much we paid for the basics, such as utilities, groceries, rent or mortgage. But do you know how much you spent — down to the penny — on little things, such as coffee, dining out, movies or drinks after work? Have you ever taken the time to keep a running tally of everything you shelled out cash for or charged to a credit card in a week, month or even a year?
Spending too much? Try this 7-day money challenge.
June 26, 2007
Bankrate.com issued a 7-day money challenge recently which caught my eye.
Here are the basics of the challenge:
Step 1: Figure out how much cash you need to cover a week’s worth of gas, groceries, entertainment, dinner on the town, breakfast at McDonald’s, books, music CDs, cosmetics, gifts — the whole gamut of casual expenses.
Step 2: Be honest. Don’t deliberately overestimate so that you’re sure to have enough cash to get through the week.
Step 3: Set the anticipated amount aside and don’t use debit or credit cards.
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