summer
Can Adding a Pool Increase Your Home Value?
While having a swimming pool just steps from your back door may sound appealing, there are a lot of factors to consider before adding, or even before buying a home with one. Here’s what you need to know.
The post Can Adding a Pool Increase Your Home Value? appeared first on Homes.com.
7 Inexpensive Ways To Have Fun With Your Kids This Summer
Some of the best summer memories are made from free activities. These activities will allow you to spend time with your kids and have fun too!
The post 7 Inexpensive Ways To Have Fun With Your Kids This Summer appeared first on Bible Money Matters and was written by Melissa. Copyright © Bible Money Matters – please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.
Should You Make Payments During Coronavirus Student Loan Deferment?
As Americans grappled with the financial consequences of the pandemic in March of this year, the federal government took several actions to help cash-strapped consumers. For starters, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in late March of 2020, which included a temporary suspension of payments and interest for government-owned student […]
The post Should You Make Payments During Coronavirus Student Loan Deferment? appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.
How To Budget for a Staycation
The post How To Budget for a Staycation appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
Whether youâre dreaming of an hour-long massage or lazy days lounging under the summer sun, youâll want to budget wisely for your staycation. After all, youâve worked hard for this well-deserved treat, and the last thing you want is for your savings account to plummet just when youâve begun to relax. (Overspending can also tank your credit if you … Read More about How To Budget for a Staycation
The post How To Budget for a Staycation appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
The Cheapest Places to Live in Washington
You don’t need to live in Seattle to get the best culture or the prettiest views.
The post The Cheapest Places to Live in Washington appeared first on Rent Blog.
Can’t-Miss May Events in DC | Apartminty
Zillow forecasts strong housing demand for years to come
Real estate giant Zillow said in a report last week that it believes housing demand will remain strong for years to come as buyers try to make up for lost time caused by the impact of the Great Recession last decade. In its most recent analysis, Zillow said that low rates of household formation since […]
The post Zillow forecasts strong housing demand for years to come appeared first on RealtyBizNews: Real Estate News.
Game Changing Mom Life Must Haves!
As busy moms, we need to cut the time, trim the cost, and lessen the mental load, and here are the mom life must haves to help you do it! Ugh! You just crossed off two items on your to-do list (yaaa!), and then you immediately added four more on to it! #momlife Seriously, you […]
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The post Game Changing Mom Life Must Haves! appeared first on Money for the Mamas.
Money-Saving Hacks to Implement Now
Redo your monthly budget (and stick to it)
You can do plenty of things to improve your budget, and it's not all about pain and suffering, as many would have you believe. Everyone has a few things they overspend on. The challenge lies in identifying those particular items and weeding them out. A good place to begin is with restaurant spending, grocery bills, and impulse buying. A wise general philosophy is to assign a destination for every dollar you earn and place that category on your budget. Try cutting restaurant expenditures in half, reducing impulse buys at convenience stores, and shopping for groceries just once each week to regulate what goes toward food items.
Refinance your education debt
If you have any education debt still hanging around after all these years, refinancing student loans through a private lender is a way to lessen your monthly expenses. Not only can you get a longer repayment period, but have the chance to snag a favorable interest rate. But the clincher for money-saving enthusiasts is that your monthly payments can instantly go way down. That means extra cash for whatever you want. Use the excess to fatten savings or IRA accounts, or pay off high-interest credit card debt.
Install a programmable thermostat
For less than $20, it's possible to chop at least three percent off your utility bills and perhaps much more than that.
Programmable thermostats are easy to install. You don't need special tools or advanced skills. Be sensible about summer and winter settings and you'll see a difference in your electric bill almost immediately, especially during the hottest months of the year. Don't forget to program the device to go into low-use mode while you're away for long weekends or longer vacations.
Join a shopping club
Although shopping clubs come with annual membership fees, the savings on groceries, household items, and gasoline usually offset them within a month or two of actively using the membership. That leaves the other months of the year for you to save money on household necessities.
For people who drive a lot, shopping clubs with on-site gas stations offer one of the best deals going. Not only do the clubs offer gasoline for about 10 cents off the regular price, but some also offer free car washes and coupons for repair work at participating shops. Although shopping clubs are a win for most anyone, a family of three or more can log thousands per year in savings.
Refinance your home or car
If you have owned your home or car long enough to ride the interest rate waves, you likely qualify for a refinancing agreement. This strategy is excellent for consumers who have better credit now than when they made the original purchase.
Young couples are perfectly positioned to refinance a home after several years of making payments on it. Likewise, anyone who still owes on a vehicle and can get a lower interest rate should look into a car or truck refi. Not only can you get additional months to pay off the obligation, but with a lower rate, you stand to save a nice chunk of money.
Take bagged lunches to work
One of the oldest, more reliable ways to instantly cut personal expenses is to prepare and take your own lunch to work each day. Not only do you save money by not eating out or buying lunch in the company cafeteria, but you also have added control over what you eat. That means you're doing a favor for your wallet and your health at the same time.
Don't fall into the rut of eating at your desk. Consider taking your bagged meal outside and enjoying the scenery, taking a walk after eating, or joining friends in the cafeteria to socialize.
Use public transportation as often as possible
If you live on or near a bus or light-rail route, do the logistical planning necessary to travel to work at least a few times each week by public transit instead of by car.
Unless you reside in a small town, chances are you have access to buses and trains for commuting purposes. Once you get into a habit of using the public transit system, consider buying a one-month or annual pass, which can represent a major discount on one-time fare prices. Public transportation can take a bit longer to get you to your destination, but it's easy enough to make use of the time reading, catching up on work, or just relaxing.
Use credit cards wisely
If you use credit cards to make purchases you can't afford, you're headed for trouble. But if you use your plastic wisely, you can reap real benefits.
If you have a good credit rating, you'll likely qualify for cashback cards that give a percentage of your money back on some or all of your purchases. You can use that cash to pay for a portion of your monthly credit card bill. You could also let your cashback savings accumulate and use it to pay for larger purchases in the future.
Just make sure not to outspend your monthly budget so you're able to pay your credit card balance off in full each month. Keeping a balance on your cards is counterproductive because you'll also be paying interest fees.