Personal Finance

When you’re planning your budget for your next holiday, you might be worried about how much you’re going to have to spend. Or, maybe you’re putting off taking a holiday because you can’t afford it. Either way, there are a number of ways that you can ways to save money for your next holiday so you can enjoy it without breaking the bank. How to Save Money for Your Next Holiday Here are the top 5 ways to save money for your next holiday. House Sit House sitting is a great way to save money for your next holiday. Rather than spending money on rent each month, you can live in somebody else’s house for a time. Recently, there has … Read more

In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Captain Barbossa refers to the pirates’ code as “more guidelines than actual rules.” Similarly, many people understand what good personal finance rules are, yet they treat budgeting advice, “live within your means,” and investment strategies from experts more like guidelines that can be loosely followed. 4 Simple Ways to Jumpstart Your Finances The problem with this mentality is that ignoring some personal finance advice can lead to stagnancy: living paycheck-to-paycheck, only meeting minimum payments on debts, and investing the bare minimum amount in retirement accounts. To avoid falling into this trap, here are a few simple ways to jumpstart your finances: 1. Assess Your Financial Situation  First things … Read more

The idea of “keeping up with the Joneses” is less of a financial phenomenon than it is a psychological one. While it certainly involves spending a lot of money to mirror the life of someone you admire (or are jealous of), a lot of it boils down to psychologically-induced spending habits in a misguided race to “have it all.” How to Stop Keeping Up with the Joneses Rather than blowing your money on impulse purchases to maintain a similar lifestyle as your family members, friends, or neighbors, here are some helpful strategies to rein in your spending and feel more content with what you currently have in your life: Acknowledge Your Financial Limitations This seems like an easy task – … Read more

Disclaimer – This is a sponsored post by PSECU, a credit union in Pennsylvania. When was the last time you re-evaluated your budget? The task of reviewing, pruning, and re-allocating our money often gets lost in the minutiae of life. You get too busy earning money that you forget to manage what you already have. What’s the point of going back out to the field to get a bigger harvest if the veggies you picked last week are rotting at home because you didn’t take the time to can, dry, or preserve. Similarly, good money management is about how much you earn and spend and what you do with the rest sitting in your bank account. Use the infographic below … Read more

For the most part, everyone knows that having a great credit score is essential. Credit operates as a major deciding factor when it comes to lending. Banks, more often than not, will review your score before deciding to help you finance major purchases. Items like a house or a car fall into this category, as do other types of big loans. How to Keep Your Credit in Good Condition Beyond that, good credit will come into play when trying to carry out other tasks like getting a job or renting an apartment. So, it’s important to keep your credit in good shape so that you have the widest array of options open to you. Here are a few tips. Don’t … Read more