Anniversary plans on a budget
January 9, 2012
How do you celebrate with the one you love while staying within your monetary means? If you are on a budget and watching your spending, you might think it’s impossible to have a good time while pinching pennies. That’s just not the case but you do have to be a little creative.
Have a fun filled evening without breaking the bank.
The first step is planning out your night. Create a total spending budget for your evening. Ask yourself this, “What can I afford to spend right now”? Make a list of places you want to go, how you are going to get there, what gifts you might buy, etc. This can help eliminate some places or things to avoid because they’re just too expensive.
Some ways to save money while having a wonderful time.
- You could have a romantic dinner at home and really save some money. If you can’t cook, then order out from your favorite restaurant. Decorate the table, light candles, dim the lights and set the mood. Use your best dishware and silverware to make it fancy. Have an intimate meal in the privacy of your home.
- Look for free shows in your area instead of paying for tickets. There are many local theaters, bars, coffee houses, and clubs that host open mic night for comedians, musicians, poets, and other performers. This is a cost effective way to see a free show and have a good time.
- Movies are another activity that can be cheap, if done correctly. You don’t have to drive to a movie theater, pay for the tickets, and buy overpriced snacks and drinks. Do it all from the comfort of your own living room. The library is a great source of free entertainment. You can also borrow DVDs from neighbors, friends and family.
- Go on a picnic or take a nice long walk. Eat in your local park or even your own back yard. Walk around your city or neighborhood and reminisce about why you decided to live there. It will bring back wonderful memories and feelings. Walking is not only free and enjoyable; it’s also healthy for you.
You can always find free and fun things to do in your area. Don’t be tempted to get more money out or to use credit cards because your money is running low. Just remember to make a budget, create a list of places to go and things to do, stick to your budget and enjoy this time with your loved one. You are going to have a great anniversary while keeping your bank account in check.
Holiday spending has got you down in the dumps
January 4, 2012
Did you spend way more on the holidays than you had originally planned? Believe me, you are not alone. The NRF (National Retail Federation) said that the average American is projected to spend around $704.18 on holiday shopping this year. That is a big number and sometimes we don’t realize how much we’ve spent until it’s too late.
So where does that leave you now that the holidays are over? If you’ve used credit cards for your purchases, you might start falling behind on your bills. Maybe you can’t make the minimum payment anymore and then the extra fees come. You could feel like you’re in over your head. This is the case for many people after the holiday season. Here are some tips that could help:
Set up a realistic budget for shopping.
Budgets are easy to create but a little harder to stick with. That’s why you have to be honest with yourself and set obtainable goals. Think about what you spent last year during the holidays. If you have old receipts, checkbook entries or credit card statements from the previous year, look over them. They will help you figure out what you’ve spent in the past and where you might be able to cut corners.
Heading out to go shopping with a budget plan is a smart idea. How many times have you purchased things for yourself while shopping for others? Those unexpected things can really add up. If it’s not in your budget, it doesn’t go in the shopping cart. You may need some wiggle room for unforeseen expenses after the holidays.
Really try hard to stick to your budget.
Eliminate impulse buying to help you stay on track. If you set a limit to spend $25 or less per person, don’t spend $50 on a friend just because they spent a lot on your gift last year. Be strict and mindful when you are at the mall, boutique or shopping online.
Budgeting isn’t about how much money you have, but how you handle the money you do have. It can be scary when you find out how much you’ve been spending on coffee, clothing and accessories but you need to know. That’s the first and most important step to fixing your personal finances.
If you need help with planning a budget or you need some free counseling, contact Advantage Credit Counseling Services. We are a non-profit organization. AdvantageCCS educates consumers on debt management and the responsible use of credit. We assist thousands of people each year through free, confidential credit counseling, debt management program and various community education presentations.
Involve Your Family in Financial Plans
December 28, 2011
You’ve thought about your financial goals for the upcoming year. You’ve made a good plan, you have your goals written down and your budget ready. So now it’s time to put your plan into action. You start to do this when all of the sudden you hear, “Mom, I need new shoes for basketball.” Or, “Honey, we need to change the oil in the car.” You can already feel control over your well planned budget starting to slip away. Let’s regain some of that control with these tips on involving your family in your budget.
Sharing Your Goals
A main key to reaching your families’ financial goals is letting everyone know what those goals are in the first place. If no one in your family is aware that you’re working towards financial goals, they’re not going to be able to help you to reach those goals. Remember that you’re going to have a much easier time reaching your goals if you work as a team rather than just by yourself. Also, if you or another member of your family is having a tough day, you can be there to pick them up a bit. Sharing goals also leads to more accountability when it comes to your goals. When you share a goal with a family member you’re then going to be accountable not just to yourself but to that family member also. It creates a network of support and encouragement which is only going to help you to reach your goals.
Keep Track of Progress
It’s a good idea to chart your progress towards your goals as it can be very reassuring to know that you’re on the right track. Keeping a daily journal can also help your progress, especially if you’re just getting started. You can use it to reassure yourself that you’re making progress during those times when it seems like you aren’t getting anywhere. Also make sure that you’re communicating or sharing success. A dry erase board on the fridge can be the perfect forum to share financial successes that you had that day with the rest of the family.
Being clear, open, and honest with your family about your financial plans will definitely help you to reach more of your financial goals in the future.
A Successful Savings Plan for 2012
December 21, 2011
You’ve already started to think about your financial goals for the New Year. You’ve decided that you want to put more money into savings in 2012. With 70% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck right now, where do you start? Proper planning is the number one factor in reaching financial goals, so let’s start by creating a proper plan for your savings goals.
How to Get Started
Saving money when times are tough can be a difficult task. If you think about saving money in “big” terms, you’ll never save a dime. Why? See if this thought sounds familiar: “Well, I don’t make 100k per year; I can barely afford my bills now. So I can’t save any money, forget it.” You just defeated yourself before you put one penny in the bank. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, you have to start somewhere. The key with saving is starting where it’s easy, where it’s comfortable for you. Let’s say you start off saying, “I’m going to save 500 dollars a month.” Then a month goes by, you don’t get to 500 dollars, and you just defeated yourself again. Start with a small amount, something that’s easy so you don’t defeat yourself right off the bat. After a few weeks go by and you have some success, then you can start to push yourself a little bit.
Set Specific Amounts
If you want to save more, you might be thinking, “I’d like to save more money this year.” A general thought like this in your head as a goal is doomed to fail. Try to be more specific like saying, “I’m going to save 5 extra dollars per week this year.” By doing this it leaves a specific action to follow, and it is also a realistic amount so you won’t fail before you start. Remember 5 dollars a week adds up to 260 dollars in a year. Mind those pennies; the dollars will take care of themselves.
If you’re trying to save a little more this year, believe in yourself, have a good plan, and you will certainly be successful.
Financial New Years’ Resolutions
December 19, 2011
What happened to 2011? 2012 is almost here and it’s amazing how time flies. Think back to this time last year, what was going through your mind then? Did you make some financially related new years’ resolutions last year only to see them not be reached? How do you make sure that you reach your goals this year? Remember that most people don’t keep most of their new years’ resolutions every year, so you’re not alone. Financial resolutions can be the toughest ones to keep, so here’s some advice on how to get them done this year.
Simplify Larger Goals
The main key to reaching financial goals is to set them so that it is realistic to think they can be reached. A lot of times thinking about financial issues and goals can be overwhelming. You have the best of intentions but you don’t know where to begin. For example, you might say, “I want to get out of debt this year.” Break that statement down. Ask yourself; is it realistic to be able to totally pay off my debts this year given my current budget? If the answer is no, you might want to set a more realistic goal. Maybe you could say, “I want to reduce my unsecured debts by 25%.” Now that goal becomes much more attainable. And, if you’re able to surpass your goal, you’re going to get a boost by achieving what you thought was realistic.
Specific Is Terrific
If you have a goal in mind, and you don’t have specific actions planned out to meet that goal, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. Try to think of specific actions that you’re going to use to reach your goals. For example, your goal might be to pay off some debt this year, but how are you going to go about doing that? Try to be more specific like saying, “I’m not going to pay any late or overdraft fees this year.” Then you can get a calendar for the fridge to mark your due dates. Be specific not only about the goals themselves, but also in the actions needed to attain those goals. It will help you to be more successful.
Simple and specific goals are much easier to follow and attain than goals that are not. So begin where it’s easy and then start pushing yourself in 2012.
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