What if a financial emergency, crisis, or sudden need requires more cash than you have available in your savings account? It could be a large medical expense not covered by your health insurance plan, a large down payment on a house, or an extended period of unemployment. You may be tempted to simply turn to your credit… Continue reading Tips to deal with financial emergencies
Tag: spending
Should I use Quicken, Mint, or other software to manage personal finances?
Quicken, Mint, Check, and other services offer the ability to aggregate and track all of your financial and spending information in one place. The basic idea behind these services is similar. After registering, provide the login details for various accounts — banking, credit card, loans, bills, etc. The software connects to these accounts, downloads the… Continue reading Should I use Quicken, Mint, or other software to manage personal finances?
How to cut utility costs: My 10% solution
The following post was excerpted from Personal Finance For Beginners In 30 Minutes, Vol. 1, by Ian Lamont. All rights reserved. When it comes to saving on other types of utility bills, the experts tend to get into home improvement projects such as adding insulation to your attic, installing double-glazed windows or energy-efficient heating systems,… Continue reading How to cut utility costs: My 10% solution
Internet bundles are not as cheap as you think
The following post was excerpted from Personal Finance For Beginners In 30 Minutes, Vol. 1, by Ian Lamont. All rights reserved. Home Internet service is a necessity for most people. Internet service providers and cable companies know this. To get you to pay more, they offer “Internet bundles” that combine Internet, phone, and cable TV.… Continue reading Internet bundles are not as cheap as you think
How to cut car costs
The following post was excerpted from Personal Finance For Beginners In 30 Minutes, Vol. 1, by Ian Lamont. All rights reserved. Autos dominate our lives. We depend on cars for work and pleasure. We plan our cities and new homes around them. Even when we’re relaxing in front of the television, advertisements for new cars… Continue reading How to cut car costs
How to limit spending on luxuries
It may sound easy to limit spending on luxuries, especially if you are someone who doesn’t do much shopping in the first place. But if you have a shopping habit, or a family member who likes to buy luxury items such as high-end laptops or expensive clothes, it’s not so easy. Here are some tactics for… Continue reading How to limit spending on luxuries
Do you really need cable TV?
According to the Television Bureau of Advertising, nearly 60% of U.S. households subscribe to cable television. More than 30% use alternate delivery systems, including satellite TV. If you get full-service cable TV or satellite television, ask yourself the following questions: Do you really need hundreds of channels of cable TV programming? Are you actually watching… Continue reading Do you really need cable TV?