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Notice that the jarring displays of Christmas items appeared in retail stores before Halloween this year? Americans love their stuff, but too much commercialism can sour the most ardent consumer. There is a growing sentiment that holidays (Christmas, in particular) have been usurped by business owners trying to make a buck off the public’s sentimentalism. Not only is this putting more Americans in debt, but the trend is undermining the very spirit of the holidays. More and more families are choosing to downsize their holidays in favor of experiences that produce lasting memories, instead of more commercial products that may end up in a landfill when all is said and done. Here are a few tips to help you downsize your holidays and save some cash too.

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Raising children is both rewarding and expensive. As children progress through middle school into high school, their expenses increase too. While you may be on a tight budget and trying to live within your means, there are plenty of people out there that haven’t a clue what budgeting is. As the consumerism of high school carries your child away, you may have to instill some good spending habits to ensure your kids know the value of a dollar. When they ask for a $150 pair of sneakers, explain to them the difference between a need and a luxury. They should understand that some types of credit is best used to fund emergency purchases and not luxury items.
We raise our children to be safe when crossing streets, to stay away from strangers and to be discriminating with their relationships, but very few parents teach their children about money. If you cannot provide an allowance for them, help them learn why you make the money choices you do. They might even find it fun to learn how to spot a good deal.

One of the best things to teach a child is the concept of a budget. If you begin to show them what a typical budget looks like, they may become more familiar with how to save and how to spend wisely. Show them that a negative balance typically costs more in terms of fees than those that are imposed on late bills and the inability to get future credit.

You should explain the importance of credit and discuss credit cards and the debt that comes along with them. Be sure to explain how a job builds a credit rating and gives a person some leeway when emergencies arise. If they become informed in all types of credit and how to budget and spend wisely, they will be far ahead of their peers in knowing how to manage their lives in comfort.

With the high cost of everything, there is no surprise when people resort to payday loans to get by. With the cost of food slowly rising and the cost of living getting higher by the day, people are certainly not getting the raises they need to make these ends meet. While they find inventive ways to make things happen for them, it is still expensive to live, no matter where you are, whether here in the U.S. or abroad. The one thing that is constant and must be noted is that entertainment costs are also going up. Have you seen the price for a one-day Disney World pass?! It is well worth the money, but it is very expensive. You do get a lot of bang for your buck when you go to a theme park, but you can’t do that every weekend, it would ruin you financially and your would be very tired. When the weekend comes, many people opt to do something a bit more reasonably priced. Going to the mall is free, but it is not that entertaining unless you buy something, which can also be very expensive. (more…)

In this day and age it seems like we never have enough money to do all the things we plan as a family and we end up having to get payday loans to pay bills. From family vacations to weekend jaunts, it seems we have to cut corners on everything we do. While it may seem important to spend and spend without limitations on vacations, the reality is we must try to find ways to save even when we are vacationing. There are many ways to save money wi8th little effect on the vacation itself and there are also everyday ways to save money that can help us with our trip or other family functions. Sometimes we become so obsessed with the family trip that we forget about other events that can be very costly to us as a family. As our children get older, they have functions that they would like to attend that can cost quite a bit of money and may affect how much we can spend on our family vacations. Prom is one of those costly events that can but a dent in our savings for sure, costing over $800 on average, which is quite a large sum of money for such a young child.
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Don’t worry; this post isn’t about buying a baby. If that’s what you were looking for, I’m sorry to disappoint you. It is, however, about how much it will cost to carry, birth, and raise a baby for the first year. Everyone knows that babies are expensive, and most people admit they can’t really afford to have one. But if everyone waited until they could definitely afford a child, almost no one would have children! So what’s the breakdown of the cost of having a baby?

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You can count on it; gas prices will rise in the summer. If you are like most people, you plan your vacations during the summer. The kids are out of school and the sun is shining. Time to go have some fun, and hopefully not break the family budget while you’re at it! Before you head out on a summer road trip, consider the these options to locate emergency cash or defray expenses while you’re away from home.

Ready Cash For Emergencies

If you’re traveling and you lose your wallet, you may just have lost all your credit cards and have to stop payments on your checking account. What you need is a fast easy source of cash. Before you go on vacation, locate an emergency source of easy cash to help get you home in case of an emergency.

Check Plane Prices

If you know how far your trip is and you’re not interested in the road trip as much as getting there, check the price of flying. As long as you schedule your trip one month in advance, you can get a good price on tickets and then rent a car when you land. You may find that this saves you money on gas. If there is only one or two of you going, it also saves wear and tear on your vehicle.

Doing The Road Trip Thing

If you really have your heart set on a road trip, don’t let the gas prices get you down. There are a few ways to make up the difference in cost.

Pack A Cooler – This is an obvious and fun thing to do. Many people like to have roadside picnics on their road trips and you get to eat what you want at the prices you can afford! What you may not realize is that once you pick your hotel, you can continue using the cooler for snacks or meals that you don’t want to pay restaurant prices for, not to mention you can pack options that are far healthier than most road food.

Vary Your Lodging – Before you go, you should know where you plan on staying. Getting somewhere without a reservation can kill your budget. You will be forced to take whatever is left at last-minute prices. Instead, be smart and choose locations that you reserve for the right price or even pack a tent and do some camping along your trip. The most comfortable way to do a road trip on the cheap is to visit family and relatives for a day or two. Just don’t overstay your welcome!

Plan Your Activities Before You Go – While you don’t want to make your trip a military operation, you do want to have some idea of the things you hope to see on the trip. Plan for a few low-cost side trips; nature stops are not only free, but also inspirational. A little hiking here, some biking there and you’ll be exhausted and content with not going to an expensive show, even if you have the money.

Make Memories – Focus on making memories, not spending money. That means that some of the awful things can be just as memorable as the good ones. Take a camera and take plenty of pictures. Can’t believe the room you got? Take pictures and put funny captions on them when you put them on Facebook.

It’s not hard to have a great road trip. The key is to be safe and plan ahead. You don’t have to be rich, even if gas prices are high. Think of your trip as an adventure. Invest in things like AAA’s roadside assistance in case you get a flat in an unfamiliar area or don’t know how to change it out. They can also give you great tips on maps and different routes to take

5 Ways to Vacation on a Budget

With your fast-paced lifestyle, you definitely need a good rest or, better yet, a getaway. However, with prices going up these days, it’s no wonder you’re getting apprehensive.

Here are 5 ways to go on a vacation with the least possible cost:

1. Plan everything. You will never know how much you will likely spend or even where to cut costs if you don’t make a plan. Make sure that you already know where to stay and what to do weeks or even months before you leave.

2. Travel during the off -seasons. Besides the fact that there are fewer people and less hassle, you can also take advantage of the very low prices of hotels and airplane tickets during off-peak seasons.

3. Go with a group. There’s beauty in traveling with some of your best friends. You don’t have to shoulder all of the expenses. All of you can contribute a particular amount to be used during the trip. What’s more, being with a group makes for the most fun.

4. Settle for what is free. A real backpacker knows how to look for opportunities where he doesn’t have to spend on anything. One of the major costs when traveling is your accommodation. However, rather than spending hundreds of dollars on cheap motels, why don’t you befriend a local instead? There are so many locals who are very open and hospitable to tourists and they may offer you a place to stay for the night for free. Most of all, you have gained a new friend.

5. Ride the bus, not the taxi. In case you don’t know, taxis are very expensive and there’s always the possibility that drivers will unscrupulously trick you into paying more. To save travel expenses, find the nearest station and ride the bus. Besides being able to see more of what the place has to offer, you can keep some of your cash for something more essential like food, or even something fun, like neat souvenirs.

Fun and Frugal Beach Vacations

Summer vacation is high tide for families to head to the beach. It’s also the worst time to get a good deal on beach vacations. If you like the beach, but hate the cost and hassle of too many sun bathers, why not choose to create a beach vacation that is a little out of the ordinary? You can do this by choosing your dates slightly off-season, finding a spot off the beaten path, or traveling with companions to split the bills.

Choose Your Dates Carefully

If you think you have to go to the beach in the summer because of school schedules, think again! You can go to the beach in the middle of the winter, around the Christmas holiday season, either at a destination you normally would frequent in the summer or to an entirely new location on the other side of the world (where it really is summer!). Beach rentals do get cheaper when they are not in season. If you choose a rental prior to the April through May or September to October periods, you might miss the big crowds but still have enough attractions open to make it a splendid vacation. If you really just want to get away from it all then visit the beach at Christmas time. There’s usually no one there and you can have a very quiet and peaceful holiday, even though the attractions will be closed by that time.

Find A Spot Off The Beaten Path

There are some places on the other side of the planet that are in full summer when you might be in winter. Of course, that means additional cost in travel fares. There are ways to cut the costs here too. When you are booking a flight, always check to see if you get miles or some other perk. Look for midweek fares, as they are cheaper. Book a flight to a destination where the currency exchange rate helps your buck buy more. Check to see what works best for getting foreign currency ahead of time, through credit cards or by ordering it through a currency exchange. Avoid currency exchange traders at the airports as they charge the highest rates.

If you don’t mind doing some couch-surfing, you can sign up for websites that allow you to bunk with a family for very little. Or, you can get a working vacation that provides you with accommodations for some work in return. Finally, you can also house swap. Who knows, what you consider an ordinary place to live may be just the place someone was hoping to visit that year!

Travel With Companions

Companions are great for sharing the cost of rooms and gas. They also provide you with some group security. If you have a large circle of friends, you might find that at least one of them owns a timeshare package. See if they want some company on their next vacation and you might get some lodging for free or in exchange for gas. Opting for accommodations that have a small kitchenette can save lots of money on meals. Try to focus on having fun with shared experiences that don’t all revolve around food.

The earlier we lead our children to learn the concept of money, the higher the chances that they will grow into fiscally responsible consumers. Some experts recommend that our kids should not get an allowance, but a “work pay” since the word “allowance” implies a sense of entitlement.

“Work pay” should be more about chores such as mowing the lawn, washing the car or vacuum cleaning.  If they are to little for jobs like that, then let them take over watering the plants. Things such as, making their own beds or keeping their room in order is not something that should be rewarded with money.  Making the bed or tidying up their own personal space should not fall under the category of “work pay” since those are tasks that keep a household running smoothly and are a part of learning personal responsibility and hygiene.
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It seems that many college graduates are moving back in with their parents while they try to get their feet planted in the professional world. Most parents want to do everything they can to help their children, but at what cost? If your child is moving back in, don’t roll out the red carpet just yet. Think about what financing their lifestyle is going to do to your retirement years. Instead, opt for gentle, but firm strategies to help your children start supporting themselves. It will be better for everyone in the long run.

You can help them to identify sources of credit and jobs that might help resolve their issues. Discuss the pros and cons of different types of credit and impress on them the importance of maintaining a good credit score. Don’t just cosign or pay off a debt that is only going to enable your children to delay taking responsibility for their financial future.

Ask For Rent

So, maybe your kid got a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and is waiting to make the big job score. That doesn’t mean that in the meantime he or she can’t work a part-time job to help pay the rent. Ask for rent if they choose to move back home. You can still cut them a great deal, but make it clear that rent is not free and they are now adults. They need to start learning how to support themselves.

Don’t Get Involved With Their Finances

Don’t pay off their late bills or take collection calls for them. If they are having trouble making ends meet, then ask them how they plan on paying their debts and engage in financial discussions if you are knowledgeable about different financial strategies. It’s important that you don’t offer to solve their problems for them and let them find ways to creatively manage their own life. If they keep leaning on Mom and Dad, they may never learn how to grow up.

Don’t Borrow From Your Retirement

If you have extra in the bank that is not in a retirement account, then this can be used however you see fit. The cost of borrowing from your retirement account, however, is much too high. Once this is gone, how will you take care of yourself during your golden years? Don’t expect the same generosity to you when you get older. By then, your children will most likely be wrapped up in their own lives with spouses and children to remember the money they borrowed from your IRA.

Talk About Money

It’s still the great taboo: Talking about money. It’s very important that your children learn how to manage money at an early age. It should be done at the very least as they are getting into high school. They should understand how a loan works, what a credit score is, and why credit cards may be difficult to pay off. You should discuss the difference between good debt and bad debt. Hopefully, your children will learn how to manage their resources from your example so that they can live well within their means. It’s amazing how much impact a parent can have on a child’s mindset when it comes to keeping up with the Joneses. If you weren’t that motivated to do so, your children may find it’s not necessary for them to do so as well.

Teach your children the value of good habits. Knowing how to cook at home and eat healthy are habits that pay well as time goes on. The less they eat out, the more money they have. The healthier they eat, the better their health and the lower their chance to develop certain cancers or diseases that are affected by poor diets. Not smoking is one way not only to save tons of money in cigarette prices, but it adds years to your life as well.

Good Boundaries Can Save You Money

When teenagers run amok, they generally are quite astonished at your lack of congeniality. When you ask them why your home pc has viruses from online downloading or when you are faced with cell phone charges that are ridiculously high because they couldn’t stop texting with their best friend while they were out-of-state, they might flip their hair and wonder glibly why all grown-ups are so tight-fisted. If you are facing budget problems with your phone, your pc or other electronics because your teenager or kid thinks they are free toys, you need to set some boundaries and save your sanity while saving your budget.

Don’t Rely on Your Kid’s Good Nature

The first thing that you should remember is that they are just kids. Many teenagers have no concept of economics, nor do they care about the cost of overages on a cell phone. Just realize that it’s beyond them at this stage of life. Until they are the ones paying the bills, you will have to be the adult and set the boundaries. Here are a few ways to stop the arguments from happening:

• Lock it up
  You bought it, it’s yours. When they buy it, it’s theirs. This is especially important if you work at home and have laptops that they want to use. Keep your work separate from your home life, especially your teenager’s inquisitive fingers.

• Password Protect/Lock code
  Password protect your phone and your pc. Don’t write that information down and don’t use anything too obvious like the word ‘password.’ Check to see that the password works and you can’t cancel out of it and still access your equipment.

• Review the plan
  Cell phones are particularly tricky. Many cell phone providers have great plans for unlimited minutes on nights and weekends. Sometimes this works great and other times the child still refuses to abide by the rules. If they can’t stay within the guidelines, you can get a prepaid cell phone that limits their time based on different plans. Once they go over, they can either fill up from their allowance or earnings when it gets low or it goes dead.

• A private office
  Having a private office in the home is a good way to set a boundary that should be respected. Get a good set of keys and lock the door to keep them out of it.

• Review the rules
  No downloading from unsafe sites. Decide which equipment is in danger of being abused or neglected and review the rules for each. No installing of new applications on the pc without approval. No taking laptops to school to share with friends. Use whatever works for your family.

• Infractions mean loss of privileges
  Using electronic equipment is not a right it’s a privilege. If they defy the rules, take away their phone or computer privileges. After a few days (or minutes) of being disconnected, they’ll get the message.

Your family is possibly the most cherished aspect of your life and you make sure that you take care of their happiness, even if your income is not really colossal. Owing to this dedication and devotion, it is highly likely that you made a promise to your family about a family vacation and are now finding it difficult to come through on it because of your current financial state. However, you know that by the end of this month, which is also the end of this holiday season, you would get your paycheck that would improve your financial state. This is a situation that occurs in virtually every corner of the world. However, many people simply fold under the pressure and lack of knowledge and end up defaulting on their promises to their families. This lack of knowledge is referring to the person not knowing about a funding instrument known as payday loans.
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During the holidays, it is always beneficial to find ways to make a little extra cash for those times when you want to buy gifts for your friends and family. Often, our salaries are not high enough to allow us to save enough money for these occasions and we have to lean on cash advances and loans to buy our gifts. It is usually part-time jobs that get us the money we need, but in certain economic conditions, jobs are difficult to find. As we start to look for jobs during this period, it is helpful to think out-of-the box in order to find a suitable part-time seasonal job that will provide us with the right amount of income and also fit our schedule during this period. (more…)