Take control of your finances with budgeting tips, spending strategies, and everyday money management tools. Whether you’re saving more, spending less, or setting new goals, this section helps you build a solid financial life.
It’s here! The beginning of my new fiscal year, and in my new fiscal year I hereby resolve to get control of my finances. In order to accomplish that I have to be smart, or rather S.M.A.R.T. As in, that acronym that gets touted so often as The Formula for successful goal setting it’s almost … Read more
I have an embarrassing confession. It has taken me nearly eight months to write this. I’ve written and rewritten this column–heck, this sentence–more times than I care to admit. My original plan was to write a blog-like series in which I presented money management tips that I would actually follow myself, to be kicked off … Read more
A recent survey from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling revealed a surprising misconception that may explain why so few consumers take time to create a budget. More than half of survey respondents – 57% – considered a budget to be a restriction on their spending. Less than half – 43% – said a budget … Read more
If you want a quick, cheap meal while you’re on the go, McDonald’s may be the first place that crosses your mind. But, it’s probably not a good idea to rely on the billion-dollar fast food chain for financial advice. McDonald’s recently partnered with Visa to release personal finance advice via a website named Practical … Read more
Living paycheck to paycheck and making just enough money to pay the bills is no fun. Living this way month after month, year after year can take a toll on your emotional well-being. The financial strain you’ve lived under for weeks can make you unhappy. That’s no way to live. If you’re tired of living … Read more
You may be one of the millions of people who received one of those annoying phone calls, or several phone calls, from “Rachel” from “Cardholder Services” promising to help you reduce your credit card interest rate. Unfortunately, many consumers found out after spending hundreds of dollars that “Rachel” was just part of a scam. The … Read more
Though budgeting has repeatedly been touted as one of the basic financial habits, not many Americans are budgeting their monthly income. According to a recent poll from Gallup, only 32% of Americans budget each month. Based on that statistic, it’s safe to assume the remaining 68% either don’t budget at all or don’t budget monthly. … Read more
People are taking more time paying off their auto loans. Auto lenders, in an effort to get more people to buy more cars, are giving people more time to pay off their loans. The result is lower monthly payments. At the end of 2012, average new car loans were 65 months, just shy of five … Read more
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Time is money,” but do we really believe this? Do we behave this way? If you’re having financial trouble, consider whether your time management may be, at least partially, to blame. Mismanaging your time can impact your money in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. Do You Spend Enough Time on … Read more
How many times have you said to yourself “If I only had more money?” as you poured over a stack of bills or laid awake thinking about your finances? It may not be much consolation, but you’re not alone. Lots of people have the same thought, that having more money would solve all their money … Read more
