If you’re anything like me, you love to save money and do everything yourself. Being frugal has its perks and rewards that literally pay off. Or maybe you just enjoy DIY for the heck of it. It may be your hobby. You love learning useful new skills and you are proud of the work you accomplish when you do something yourself. The question is when you should do it yourself and when you should hire a pro. It’s definitely tempting to do everything … [Read more...]
Amazon Prime Cost Increasing – Is it Worth It?
Amazon Prime costs are going up. Is it worth it to keep your membership?On May 11, the cost of Amazon Prime memberships increased from $99 per year to $119 per year. If you're already a member, you won't pay the increased price until your next renewal. In my case, that's not until December, so I have a while to decide whether or not it's worth it to me to keep my membership. What do you get with Amazon Prime? An Amazon Prime membership … [Read more...]
Keep Your Cash Safe And Protect Your Financial Stability
Good money management is a skill that anybody can learn. There are two types of people in this world: Spenders and Savers. People who spend money are impulse driven individuals with an emphasis on instant gratification. Savers tend to be future oriented and willing to sacrifice instant gratification for long-term security. Unfortunately, neither of these two opposing paradigms are the ideal financial model. A spender runs the risk of financial … [Read more...]
Caring for an aging parent – the budget-friendly way
Having to look after an aging parent can be emotionally challenging, and while you might mage coping with the emotional burden this involves, when it comes to financial implication things become even more difficult. Caring after a senior can turn out to be extremely expensive, and if your financial possibilities are limited, seeking solutions is of course necessary. There are a few things you should know on the topic, who will enable you to keep … [Read more...]
Can You Afford to Buy a House?
If you’ve been renting for a while, you probably are itching to buy a house. Renting can feel like you’re just throwing money away, especially with rising costs of rent in most major American cities. You’re ready to buy your own home, but you’re not sure if you can afford it. Buying a home is not only a big commitment, but it can also be a big financial debt if you’re not properly prepared.There are a lot of things to consider that might keep … [Read more...]
Should I Sign Up for It Works? No!
I find “sell-at-home” businesses, otherwise known as Multi-Level Marketing companies, absolutely fascinating. While there are plenty of ways to make a decent income while working from home, joining an MLM typically isn’t one of them. And some are so much worse than others.A number of people I know have recently gotten sucked into It Works. And since they know I’m someone who tries to live a relatively healthy life, many of them have tried … [Read more...]
Benefits of Living a Frugal Life on Purpose
Simple living and financial independence does not have to do with depriving yourself of money or things. Actually, living a frugal life on purpose can be quite beneficial. Living a frugal lifestyle is all about spending the money that you do have and earn with purpose towards a specific goal such as paying off debt or whatever else that will lead to ultimate happiness. According to an frugal article, being frugal has plenty of benefits that don’t … [Read more...]
Cutting the Cord and Canceling Cable TV – A Three Year Review
In early 2015, I decided to cancel my cable tv subscription. I felt like I was spending way too much on cable tv and it just wasn't worth it. Three years later, I have no regrets. I did, however, end up replacing the cable tv subscription with a few other items and services, so let's do a comparison of the costs. Cable TV Costs When I had cable tv, I was paying about $180 a month for a tv/phone/internet bundle. I didn't use the phone line … [Read more...]
Should I Start a Small Business
For those who have spent an afternoon or evening pondering their career path, the question that often arises is whether they can start a small business and be self-supporting. Generally, the next question that soon follows is how they can pull this off given their current debt.How many of us, as kids, started a lemonade stand, or its equivalent? Perhaps it was the competitive spirit as you sold Girl Scout Cookies, or you “smuggled” candy into … [Read more...]