You CAN Eat Healthy on a Budget

Healthy eating should be one of your top priorities. Even though the cost of food is skyrocketing, it’s still cheaper in the long term to give your body the fuel and nutrition it needs. Trying to save money by eating a diet full of the cheapest processed foods is a one way ticket to poor health and less than optimum mental and physical functioning.

That said, there is no reason to feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars every week to eat a healthful diet. Good, nourishing food can fit comfortably into almost any budget as long as you educate yourself and put for the effort to make it happen.

Before You go to the Grocery Store

Going to the supermarket without a plan is just asking for trouble. Not only will your bill likely balloon, but you might very well come home with lots of food but nothing to eat! Take the time before you shop to come up with a plan.

Start by going through the weekly sales flyers for all of the grocery stores in your area. Most stores now publish these online along with sending them via bulk mail to your house .These ads will allow you to plan your menu for the next week or so based on what’s on sale.

Bonus: most of the produce on sale is more likely to be in season and perhaps even locally grown, which is not only good for your wallet, but will probably also be fresher and more nutritious.

Feel free to search online and through your cookbooks for new recipes, but be aware that new herbs and spices and other ingredients can really bulk up your total. Balance new with tried and true and always look for ways to use up new ingredients in the coming weeks before they go to waste.

The second step is to make a list. Look through your meal plans and write down each ingredient you’ll need to prepare them. Then, go through your cabinets, fridge and freezers and cross off every item that you already have. Be sure to add staples that you are running low on. Once you’ve written the list, make a promise to yourself that you’ll keep it!

Couponing can be an excellent way to save money, but only clip those coupons for items that you really need. Don’t just buy things because they have a coupon, especially nutrient poor junk food.

Plan your grocery trips for right after meals. Your willpower flags when you are hungry and it also makes it more likely that you’ll rush through and not take the time to make the best choices. If you can’t eat at home right before shopping, try to at least bring a snack to tide you over and help you avoid hunger-driven impulse buys.

Choose foods that are less processed. Manufacturers realize that there is a limit to how much food one person can eat, so they try to increase profits by processing the food so that they can charge more. The very cheapest processed foods might seem like a deal, but they are often low on high quality ingredients, high on filler and preservatives and cheap salt and high fructose corn syrup. Higher quality processed foods might not be such a nutritional disaster but they are generally magnitudes more expensive than choosing to cook whole foods from scratch.

Pay close attention to the unit sizes and bring a calculator with you if you do not have a cell phone with that function. Don’t always assume that buying in bulk is cheaper! Sometimes the per unit cost is higher on larger packages. It’s also a waste to buy in bulk if there is no way you can use all of the product.

Store brands and generic products can also be money savers and usually are the same quality as name brand products. Many stores have a money back guarantee on their store brands, leaving you nothing to lose if you try then and decide they weren’t for you.

More Tips to Fit Healthy Living Into Your Budget

Brown bag snacks and lunches as much as possible. Not only will you save money, you and your family will be able to enjoy healthier choices.

Resist the temptation to eat out. Restaurant meals are expensive and often serve up a massive amount of calories. Have a few meals in your arsenal that can be prepared ahead of time and frozen or quickly thrown together from pantry staples to help you cope on especially busy days.

Don’t drink your calories! Even 100% fruit juice has more sugar and calories than most people need. Water is your cheapest choice, followed by tea. If you don’t care for the taste of your tap water, try using a filter. If you must buy water, look for grocery stores that will allow you to refill a large container rather than buying individual sized bottles.

These tips will help you save money without sacrificing your health. Food is one area where being penny wise and pound foolish can have devastating effects in the long run.

You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune to Relax

by Tracy · 1 comment

Rest and relaxation are necessary for our long term health and happiness. Without some time to wind down, our mood, creativity and productivity suffer. Trying to go without R&R to save money and increase the amount of work we can do is bound to backfire.

Unfortunately, many of us are not very good of thinking of ways to relax without taking out our wallets. Our minds immediately turn to nights out, beach vacations and being pampered at spas when we think of relaxation. While these things are wonderful splurges when we can afford them, the truth is, they are not necessary for relaxation.

Instead of waiting until you can afford a week at a Caribbean resort to relax, why not incorporate some inexpensive relaxing activities into your daily and weekly routine? Not only will you save money, but you’ll feel better mentally and physically, too!

Here are some of my favorite inexpensive ways to relax and melt away the stress of daily life. Please add yours in the comments section!

Move around! Some light exercise is one of the best ways to relax. It’s a great outlet for stress and helps you stay fit and healthy. Walking, biking and playing sports are all great choices.
Meditation. Your library will have books and instructional videos or you can check out Netflix or Youtube. Mediation might seem a bit silly at first, but as you start reaping the benefits, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.
Take a Nap. It’s amazing how much good a fifteen minute power nap can do. A bit of daytime sleep isn’t just for cranky babies anymore!
Talk to somebody! Many of us are starved for real human interaction, even if we spend the day surrounded by others. Call or visit a friend or family member who you really enjoy talking to and enjoy a nice, relaxing conversation.
Turn on some tunes. Not just as background music; spend some time just listening to beautiful music and losing yourself in the melody.
Read a Book. Even if you think you don’t enjoy reading, you might if you choose the right material. Losing yourself in a book is one of the best ways to feed your mind and shut out the stress of everyday living.
Indulge in a nice hot bath or shower. Let the warm water melt away your stress and help you to feel rejuvenated and reinvigorated.
Take a trip down memory lane. Look at old photos, yearbooks and other memorabilia that will remind you of pleasant memories.
Play Board Games. Low tech board games are a great way for families and couples to relax together and enjoy each other’s company. Board games encourage interaction and will provide many happy memories for years to come.
Just let your mind wander and dream. Often we feel like we have to be doing something at all times. Break free from that notion and take some time to just sit and imagine what if.

These are just a few of the many free and low cost ways that you can use to relax. The most important part is giving yourself permission to let go of stress and let your mind roam free. Don’t try to cram too much into every day or to keep promising yourself that you’ll slow down later. Your long term health and happiness will be improved if you relax a bit every day!

3 Things You Can Do From Home for Additional Income

by Miranda Marquit · 74 comments

An essential ingredient in frugal living is spending less money. However, there is only so much you can cut from your budget before you can’t cut anymore — or you feel so restricted that it becomes difficult to maintain your situation. If you are looking to improve your cash flow, you can look for ways to add a little more income to your budget.

Increasing your income doesn’t mean that you have to go out and find a part-time job, though. There are things you can do from home to make a little extra money. You may have to spend some time getting things started, but after a while, you might find that you can create a steady income from the comfort of your home.

1. Freelancing

One of the most popular things you can do is freelance. You can freelance if you know how to write, if you are knowledgeable about graphic design, or if you know how to program. Technology has made it possible for you to provide your services to people all over the world. Many of my own clients have never even met me in person. Improving your marketable skills will be even more important now that you are taking in clients, and you need to be careful of scams and people who don’t pay you in a timely manner, but with a little perseverance, you can earn some money as a freelancer.

2. Start Your Own Web Site

Another way to make a little extra money is to start your own web site. Think of something that you are passionate about, or that you are knowledgeable about. You can start a blog or web site quickly and fairly inexpensively. Post information that others find useful, and consider tweaking content to focus on certain keywords. You can even look for good information from other sites, and curate it in a way that attracts visitors. Content curation and creation are expected to really take off, and you can be involved.

Monetize your web site/blog with AdSense, as well as affiliate programs. Once you have an established following such as a site like MoneyNing.com, you can even begin offering advertising packages.

3. Consulting

If you know a lot about something, you can offer your services as a consultant. You can do PR and image consulting, or you can provide help as a SEO consultant or social media guru. It doesn’t even have to be online. You can base a consulting business for communications, teamwork, survey design, green living or some other subject of interest out of your home. You may have to travel sometimes, though, so that can get difficult because of the time and money involved in doing so. Luckily for you, we have a ton of travel coupons to help you save a bit at least on the financial side of things.

Consulting is also tricky, since you will have to be able to deliver results and prove your expertise. But if you have the credentials, you can be a successful consultant — and do it all from the comfort of your home.

Other Opportunities

There are plenty of other opportunities to work from home as part of your frugal lifestyle. Companies are outsourcing some call center jobs to home workers or you can be a virtual assistant. I’m sure you can think of plenty of other opportunities to create a little extra income each month.

What thoughts do you have on working from home?

You may also want to read: 10 ways to make extra money.

Dine In or Dine Out: Which Best Suits Your Lifestyle?

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

It’s a general rule of frugal living that it’s cheaper to eat at home. Dining in restaurants or at fast-food places costs more because you’re not only paying for the food but for the establishment’s overhead and profit. While we know it’s hard on our budget to dine out, there are a multitude of reasons why we do:

Convenience — When you’re on the go, it’s often the only option.
Time/schedule — It takes some time investment to prepare meals at home.
Cooking ability — When you don’t know how to cook, it’s an unrealistic expectation.
Food preferences — Preparing certain foods (just the way we like them) is sometimes beyond the purview of home cooks.
Celebration — Dining out is often a celebratory experience, considered more special than eating at home.

Those are valid reasons for dining out and if we don’t overindulge in the privilege, these culinary treats can and should be included in our budgets so we don’t feel deprived.

It’s easy for those who enjoy cooking to espouse the benefits of preparing meals at home to save on food expenses. The fact is, however, that doesn’t describe everyone. It begs this question at it’s core, “Do you spend time to save money – or spend money to save time?” Each individual must answer this for him or herself.

When determining whether cooking at home is a realistic means for you to save money, consider these factors:

Personal taste — How open-minded are you when it comes to food? Do you appreciate the ability you have as a home cook to grill your burger to your own specifications and add your own selection of condiments, or is a burger just not a burger unless it comes from the diner down the block?

Conversely, do you love a pricey dish at a restaurant but aren’t wiling or able to have it as often as you’d like? Purchasing the raw ingredients and making that dish at home will enable you to enjoy your favorite dish more often at a fraction of the price.

Cooking ability — Are you simply a disaster in the kitchen? If you experience stage fright at the stove, consider cooking classes or ask someone to teach you to prepare a couple simple dishes to cook to help you feel more confident in the kitchen.

Willingness to try — If the mere thought of cooking turns you off, there’s no sense putting yourself under undue stress just to save a few bucks.

If you are willing to branch out and expand your home cooking skills, start slowly with a simple recipe for a dish you know and like. Make it the first time exactly according to the recipe, then once you taste your creation, note what changes might improve it (more garlic, less oregano…). Soon you’ll have your own version of a dish you’ll enjoy every time because you’ll have customized it to your particular taste.

Some dedicated cooks try their hand at a homemade version of a dish simply out of curiosity. To these people, the time and effort is justified because cooking has transcended eating and has become a hobby.

Time — Do you have (or are you willing and able to find) the time to cook at home? Yes, it is cheaper to keep you stomach full from your own kitchen but is that a realistic goal for you and your lifestyle? Only you can answer that in relation to your own circumstances.

Cooking at home can be a significant way to cut your expenses, but only if you have the time, inclination and lifestyle to make it happen.

Carpet Your Home in Quality

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Your carpet’s condition can make or break the appearance of your home. Little else can make your house look as dingy as worn, dirty carpet. On the other hand, your house’s appearance can be greatly enhanced by the look of freshly installed, clean carpeting. Starting with good quality carpet, then taking care of it properly, will keep your floors looking good for many years to come.

New carpeting can be an expensive home improvement, so it’s best to consider it a long-term investment in the beauty of your living space. As with most major purchases, paying a bit more for better quality is the wise decision. How can you make the most of your carpet investment?

Choosing the right carpeting for your home

Select appropriate carpet according to these guidelines:

Choose carpeting with well-made backing. The backing is the mesh of woven ‘construction fibers’ which hold the individual carpet yarns together. Since it serves as the carpet’s foundation, the quality of that backing is an important determining factor in the carpet’s durability.
Choose carpet with a tight pile. Pile refers to how densely the carpet fibers are distributed. The tighter the pile, the more durable the carpet. When the pile is tight, less dirt will penetrate and cause the friction on the fibers which leads to wear.
Choose quality padding. Padding is attached directly to the floor and creates a barrier between the floor and carpet, minimizing friction. The thicker the padding, the better for reducing carpet wear. Six pound padding or higher is recommended for optimal carpet life.

Quality of installation matters

Once you’ve chosen quality carpet, ensure that it’s installed properly by hiring a professional installer. There’s a lot more to proper carpet installation than simply laying it on the floor. Poorly installed carpet will move and ripple, causing unnecessary wear. If your carpet moves or has ripples, hire a professional installer to fix it.

Care and feeding of carpets

Ok, your quality carpet is properly installed and your house is looking great. It’s time for the party. Oops — a spill! Can your carpet be saved? Don’t panic: most carpet stains can be easily cleaned, especially when you act quickly. First, remove any solid material by lifting vertically Next, working from the outside in, blot with a clean, white absorbent towel until dry. Never rub. Only blot! Rinse thoroughly with clean water and blot dry again.

Since all stains are not created (or removed) equally, consult a reputable source (such as How to Remove Every Type of Carpet Stain on ThisOldHouse.com) to guide you in the treatment of specific stains.

Be aware that clean carpets not only look better but last longer too. Dirt down in the carpet fibers wears away at the yarn and backing, leading to wear. It’s recommended you vacuum your carpets a minimum of once per week, more often in high-traffic areas.

Steam cleaning is recommended every 12 to 18 months, by a professional service or with a do-it-yourself steam machine. When cleaning them yourself, be certain to rinse and dry carpets thoroughly. Residual soap in the fibers attracts dirt which will actually make your carpet dirtier again sooner. If your carpeting doesn’t dry within 6 to 12 hours, it could become damaged from being wet too long; if it remains wet for more than 24 hours, bacteria and mildew will begin to grow.

Don’t let the cost and care of your carpet ‘floor’ you! These tips will help you choose quality carpet in the first place, then care for it so that you get the most from your flooring investment.

What are your best carpet care suggestions?

Deciding Which Items to Cut from Your Budget

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

Sometimes, you have to cut different items from your budget. When it comes to saving money and living frugally, sometimes sacrifices have to be made. This is especially true if you are serious about getting out of debt, and returning to solid footing. Get yourself financially organized, and make some tough decisions. Here’s what you need to do to help you decide which items to cut from your budget:

What Are Your Priorities?

The first thing you have to do is decide on your financial priorities. What is most important to you? If you watch a lot of sports on TV, getting rid of your special cable package may be out of the question. If you don’t particularly enjoy getting take out or eating out, you might consider what you can do to plan better so that you eat at home more, saving money on eating prepared meals.

Figure out what is important to you. The things that are least important should be the items cut from your list first. Honestly evaluate how you are spending your money. You might be surprised to find that you are spending money on things you don’t really care about. Cutting these items from your budget is usually fairly easy.

Getting Rid of Things that You Want

If your financial situation has changed, or if you feel that getting out of debt or saving up enough for a solid emergency fund, is the most important thing you can do with your discretionary income, you might have to cut down on things that you want.

This is usually only a temporary solution, but it can still be painful. When deciding how to cut items that you want from your budget, you first need to determine whether or not you need it. Basic needs — food, clothing, shelter, a way to get to work — should be taken care of first. Then you need to divert money to obligations that you have made, such as monthly payments, or some other cost. Then you pay what you need to meet your goal.

In some cases, this may mean forgoing a cable TV package, a fancy new iPad, or the more expensive clothes that you want. These might be items that you use and want, but if they aren’t helping you reach your goal, you might need to cut them from the budget. After all, they are not necessities. You either cut them from your budget, you find some other way to make money so that you can afford these things.

Making Tough Decisions

Money management often requires that you make tough decisions. Part of the reason we have so many money problems as a society is due to the fact that for a long time we have relied on credit cards to help us get what we want now, rather than saving up for things and practicing financial discipline. Without financial discipline, it is hard to stay ahead.

If you are ready to trim your budget and take control of your finances, you need to do what you can to cut out the things you don’t want or need, and focus instead on being content with what you have.

7 Super Simples Ways to Stop Cheating on Your Budget

by Tracy · 0 comments

You’re not alone if you find staying faithful to your budget is a real challenge! It might seem impossible, but there are steps you can take to keep yourself on track with your spending and to stop stealing from your future – without sacrificing your lifestyle too much.

Don’t give up if the first budget you try doesn’t work. We’re all different people and one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to personal finance. Keep trying and you’ll find the method that fits with your lifestyle and personality.

Here are a few tips to try to help you keep within your budget.

Stop carrying your credit cards with you! If you really need to buy something, you can always run home and get it. In the meantime, keep temptation out of reach and force yourself to think hard about any impulse buys.

Try an envelope system. The way this works is you mark envelopes with designated expenses such as food, gas and entertainment and put cash in each. When that cash is gone, no more until the next paycheck. No more cheating and fudging!

On that note, use cash as much as possible. You’ll be much more likely to really “see” how much you are spending and feel the impact when you stick to cash. Plus, you won’t have to worry about those costly overdraft fees!

Look for ways to cut back that won’t affect your day to day life. Are you really reading that newspaper you get every day? How many shades of nail polish do you need? Can you go to a matinee instead of seeing movies at night and skip the popcorn and drink while you’re at it?

Dial up savings. Schedule a few hours to call up the cable company, your phone company, insurance providers and other places where you have accounts and ask if you can get a lower cost plan. Do your homework and let them know about the deals the other guys are offering you. You might be able to talk your way into a lower rate or have some extras thrown in for free.

Learn how to save money while grocery shopping. Learn how to write a list and avoid shopping while hungry. Clip coupons and watch the flyers for deals. Cut extras that offer no nutrition, like soda, out of your diet completely. You might find that you’re not only saving money but you’re in better health as well!

Don’t forget an occasional splurge. If you don’t let yourself have treats everyone in a while, you’re setting yourself up for a spending binge. Figure out an amount that you can afford and designate it as your blow money.

Homemade Gifts. Christmas, birthdays and other gift giving occasions can be budget busters. Plain ahead to give yourself time to make something very special for a fraction of the cost of a store bought present. Even if you aren’t crafty, giving yourself time prevents a last minute panicked dash to buy something, anything and will help you stay on budget. Consider talking to your family about doing name-draws or family gifts during the holidays to keep them affordable.

Budgeting is an ongoing process

It can take a while before you find the right budget for you and your situation. Even if you’re having a hard time at first, keep tweaking until you find the right balance for you. Don’t be too proud to ask for help from your financially savvy friends! A professional financial planner or counselor can also offer an objective point of view and give you valuable tips for saving money.

With the right techniques, a budget can be the tool that brings you freedom instead of feeling like a burden that you want to shake off at the first opportunity.

Be a More Empowered Consumer Using Social Media

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Social media — those websites like Facebook and Twitter — that connect us to friends and family can also connect us with companies. Nearly every company today maintains a presence on these social media sites. You can visit their page to see what they’re saying and what others are saying to them.

Companies use this “social media marketing” to create an online community of fans on these sites. They provide benefits to their social media “inner circle,” for following or “friending” them.

Some benefits companies provide their Facebook or Twitter followers are:

Announcements about products
Notifications of events
Special offers to social media followers
Exclusive printable coupons
Private sales
Product information

I recently had a question about the coupons Store A was offering. When they posted about their offer on Facebook, I left my question in the comments. Within a few moments, another fan responded to my question with complete details of the offer. The company didn’t even have to respond itself because the community supports itself, a siituation that happens regularly for many companies.

As valuable as what these companies provide their fans is what they receive: immediate feedback. It’s extremely simple for followers of these companies to express opinions about the companies and their products. Don’t underestimate the power in these communication channels! People do express their opinions and the companies do listen. Most companies are set up with automatic alerts so they’re notified when their company receives feedback on a social media site, allowing them to “monitor the temperature” of their customers in real time.

This feedback is important to companies as an integral part of their overall customer service offering. How can consumers use this increased availability to our favorite companies to our advantage to become more empowered consumers?

Because companies have their eyes peeled for any mention, they’re especially responsive to comments consumers make about them on social media.

Here’s an interaction I recently had with a company on social media:

I purchased some half and half at Store X to make some creamy chicken soup. When I poured it into my pot of soup (even though it was well before its expiration date), I discovered it had gone sour — ruining my entire pot of soup! I returned the remaining half and half to the store, explained how it had ruined an entire pot of soup and asked for a refund. I also asked if there was some type of “compensation” the store could offer me for the ruined pot of soup and for the inconvenience of having to return to the store. The clerk refunded my purchase price but never offered an apology for my inconvenience, explaining there was nothing more he could do. When I got home, I “tweeted” on Twitter about how disappointed I was in Store X’s customer care — that I was offered nothing beyond my purchase price, although I’d incurred much greater loss as a result of the spoiled product. Within minutes I received a message from someone at their corporate customer service department with a sincere apology and an offer of a gift card for my inconvenience. She seemed genuinely concerned that not only was a customer unhappy but also that said customer had raised this issue where others would be influenced by my impression of their store. Now that’s consumer power!

The use of social media marketing will keep companies more responsive to the needs and wants of consumers. For consumers, this new technology represents a lot of power: The power of knowledge, the power to benefit from the community’s collective wisdom and opinion and the power to gain closer access to the companies themselves.

15 Great Opencourseware Options to Improve Your Knowledge for Free

by Miranda Marquit · 5 comments

One of the great things about technology is the ability you have to access a great deal of useful information. Additionally, you can learn just about anything with the help of the Internet. This includes access to a world class education. Many colleges and universities offer full courses online, allowing you to study at Harvard or MIT.

Naturally, you can’t expect to get credit when you access free open courseware. And you certainly won’t end up with a degree. But if you are looking for is a little extra knowledge and some enrichment, there are plenty of free options out there. Some collections even include complete syllabi, assignments, tests and labs. Here are 15 great opencourseware options that can help you improve your knowledge:

MIT: The prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology has one of the best opencourseware collections in the world. Take online classes from the institution that started it all.
iTunes U: iTunes offers audio and video files of more than 350,000 lectures from around the world. Includes such schools as Standford and Harvard.
UC Berkeley: Get access to a number of webcasts from UC Berkeley. Includes course lectures as well as special lectures and events.
The Open University: A number of options from this U.K. based online university. Interesting courses from art to psychology to physics.
YouTube EDU: This awesome resource is for legit courseware only. No videos of cats doing silly things. Includes lectures from UCLA, Stanford, Purdue, Auburn and more.
Khan Academy: This is one of my favorite educational sites. There are plenty of videos on different subjects and concepts, and self-pace exercises. One of the biggest boosters for Khan Academy? Bill Gates.
Connexions: This opencourseware collection is offered by Rice University. You can learn about a number of different subjects, and even collaborate to share your own knowledge and expertise.
Columbia Interactive: Check out the opencourseware from Columbia University. Plenty of interesting events, courses, lectures and materials to keep you learning.
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health: If health issues are of interest to you, this is a great option. You can learn about a variety of health subjects through these open courses.
MyCourses: This initiative from Harvard offers access to some of the Ivy League school’s offerings. Not overly extensive, the quality makes up for the lack of quantity.
Academic Earth: A great collection of online courses, as well as video lectures and more. A fabulous collection of thousands of resources from around the world.
BBC – Languages: This is awesome. The BBC offers free audio and video courses on different languages. Some of the most popular languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian and Chinese are offered.
Einztein: This is a social learning network that allows you to find courses from around the world. A great curator of information related to all things free online learning.
OCW Consortium: Check out this consortium of different resources related to open courseware. A great way to get access to a number of courses from some of the best schools out there.
Open Culture: This site represents a guide to free educational resources. Find out more about audiobooks, podcasts, videos, language lessons and more when you visit this web site.

Good Organization is the Key to Financial Success

by Tracy · 0 comments

It’s easy to let ourselves get disorganized. After all, who isn’t busy these days? It often feels like we simply can’t afford the time it would take to get ourselves organized and so we waste time and money by doing everything on the fly.

Unfortunately, this can cost us real money. Late bills come with hefty fees and putting off investing for our future costs untold compound interest in the long run. If you’re serious about your financial future, making the time to get organized should be a top priority.

Your Bills

Make sure that you have a complete list of all of your monthly bills, including the due date. A spreadsheet will make it easy to see at a glance what you need to pay and the amount.

If your bank offers automatic bill pay, you can use it to schedule your bills to be paid without having to go through the hassle of getting it in the mail or going through each payees website. Make sure that you understand how the system works and what will happen if the due date falls on a holiday.

For those who prefer to do it the old fashioned way, use a calendar program to remind you well in advance of each bill’s due date so that you can pay it on time.

Be especially vigilant about paying insurance policies on time as any lapse in coverage can cost you dearly if the worst should happen.

Your Paperwork

It’s important to keep all your paperwork in order so that you can easily find anything that you are looking for. This is especially important if you’ll need receipts to get reimbursement or for tax purposes.

It’s just as important to toss everything that you don’t need to avoid clutter and make it easier to keep track of the things that you do need. Every day clear off your desk or tabletop and sort through to find the things that can be tossed. Be sure to shred items that have personal information on them, to reduce the risk of identity theft.

Depending on your needs, a file cabinet or accordion file will work well to keep your receipts, contracts, old bills and other important items in order. Vital items like birth certificates, passports, insurance policies should be kept in a fire safe or safety deposit box.

Investments

A good financial adviser can help you finally take the steps that you need to start saving for your retirement and other long term goals. Don’t procrastinate, even a small savings now can add big dividends in the future.

If you’ve been putting off participating in your employers 401K or other retirement account, now is the time to ask for information and make the decision on whether or not to participate. Every year you delay can mean thousands or tens of thousands less for you to live on in your retirement.

Get the Best Deal

Most of us simply stay with the same providers for our telephone service, television, insurance and so on simply because of inertia. It can be worth the time to call around and see if anyone can beat the deal that you are currently getting.

However, before you sign up, give your current company a chance to beat the competition’s offer to keep you as a customer. This way you avoid the hassle of having to change providers and get a great deal!

Photo Credit: TAK

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