Saving

7 Sneaky Simple Ways To Trick Yourself Into Saving Money

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Sneaky Ways To Trick Yourself Into Saving Money

The savings rate in America is dismal, and it’s heading in the wrong direction. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the personal savings rate in America is 4.5%, down from 5.6% the previous year. But do you know what’s the greatest hindrance to you increasing your savings? You. Your brain is the biggest thing holding you back from saving more, and one of the best ways to combat this is to trick yourself into saving money every day. You have to make savings a game. Here are five sneaky ways to do so. Saving money isn’t easy. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into saving money if you want to get it done at all. You have … Read more

Why Now Is the Time to Start Saving for Next Christmas

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Christmas Gifts For Children That Keep On Giving

Are you still reeling from your credit card bill after buying Christmas presents? You’re not alone. Many Americans continue to put holiday spending on credit cards despite the warning signs of building consumer debt. But, you need to be saving for Christmas again already! According to the National Retail Federation, holiday retail sales increased 3.8% to $601.8 billion. More than $42 billion was spent online, a 10% increase in last year. We give generously to our friends and family members each holiday season. That’s fine until you reach for your credit cards to give the gifts and spend months paying the balances off. Far too many people give from their heart even when their wallet can’t afford it. Don’t make … Read more

The Budget Traveler: Travel Tricks on the Internet

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Cheap Cruise Tips for Your Summer

To Save Money On Your Next VacationThe following post was written by Jeffery Hernandez. Coming from a Humble Background, Jeffery completed his Master’s in Business Administration and now works as an Independent Financial Advisor. He loves playing chess, reading novels and spending time with his wife and kids.  Follow him on Twitter @_JeffHernandez0

Getting out and hitting the open road is a common American fantasy, maybe the most common one there is. But how many of us are actually taking the time to get out there and experience the wonderful diversity of the world. The truth is probably fewer than we’d like to admit.

Of course traveling isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. It requires some expendable income and a flexible work schedule that just isn’t attainable for a lot of people.

I’ve always wanted to do some more traveling myself, but paying for rent, groceries, and car payments always gets in the way. I couldn’t help but wonder, are we really unable to afford travel, or are we just not looking in the right places for ways to do it inexpensively?

I did a little investigating around the web and found some tools that make traveling accessible to the masses. Thankfully, the Internet provides prospective travelers a great source for new tools that can help to make traveling an affordable and feasible reality. Let’s take a look at what I found to make seeing the world a little bit easier on the wallet.

Sharing Economy Apps

As the tech industry continues to dominate economic headlines with an ever increasing number of smartphone apps to save the world, it can be hard to parse out the quality ones from the not-so-impressive (We’re looking at you, Yo).

However, startup companies like Uber, Lyft, and AirBnb are making traveling more affordable and accessible to a lower tier of the economic bracket. Although these rapidly growing companies are seeing their fair share of critics, they can save users a fortune when compared to the traditional stalwarts they seek to replace.

Take AirBnb for example, those looking for a cheap place to stay in a new city can temporarily rent out a regular person’s apartment, often for significant lower prices than those charged by hotels. While hostels are always an option for travelers on a budget, AirBnB gives its users the opportunity to rent an apartment without dealing with raucous bunkmates who want to party until the wee hours of the morning.

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Top 4 Easy Ways to Save Money Every Month in Your Budget

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Save Money Every Month

Most people do not think that they have enough money to save for retirement. I can remember asking my mother if she had any investments, stocks, bonds, and the like as a little boy. She told me that we barely pay the bills, let alone invest for retirement. I’m here to tell you that everyone can find easy ways to save money from funds leftover in their budget to begin investing. The real problem is if you want to make room in your budget. Do you want to do without 200 cable channels? Do you want to skip the trip to the coffee bar every morning and brew your coffee yourself? Many people say no, and that is why they … Read more