The pandemic forced us to change the way we live in so many ways. It’s been a difficult time of change but we have to live with this new normal. From social distancing and distant learning to cancelled trips and vacations, we all had to make changes. What are some of the changes you’ve made that are saving you money? Here are some inexpensive changes I’ve made to help entertain the family at a minimum cost. Play Board Games Pre-pandemic…
Impulse buying, that immediate gratification, satisfaction, on cloud nine feeling you get when you purchase something unexpectedly due to temptations or without much consideration. You can experience this in the grocery store, a gas station, clothing store, a car dealership, warehouse stores, on vacation…essentially anywhere. Wherever there’s something to sell, there’s someone who will fall to impulse buying. Don’t get me wrong, impulse buying is not always bad and very appropriate at times. I’m talking about those purchases you regret…
I consider myself to be a pretty savvy shopper and I try to find the best deals as much as possible even if it means going with a generic brand. Have you stared a products, a brand name and a store brand, and asked yourself should I go with the less expensive brand? I find myself doing this all the time and my answer to the question is, it depends. It depends on a number of factors and the worst…
For the longest time, I’ve been trying to figure out the quickest way to make money. I always thought that it takes money to make money. So in order to make money quick, I need to already have the money. I’ve been looking at this wrong the entire time. I realize there’s no quick way to make money. Unless you’re really lucky and win the lottery, receive an inheritance, or some other way to get a lump sum, to make…
The economy has been like a roller coaster, going up and down, up and down due to worries over the pandemic. We are now officially in a recession. The market had a huge loss on 6/11/2020. What has my roller coaster ride been like? As the economy was falling in March 2020, I had a loss of approximately 18% in my investments. That’s a huge hit! As I experienced from the last recession, my thoughts are that the economy will…
Do It Yourself (DIY) projects are a good way to learn some new handy techniques, do some needed fixings, upgrade the aesthetics, and best of all save money that you would have paid someone else to do it. I’ve had my share of DIY projects like house painting, backsplash, hardwood flooring, and plumbing. And there will be DIY tasks that you learn and do on a regular basis like car oil changes, changing filters, patching drywall, and anything else that…
Are you one who likes the latest gadgets or like upgrading to the latest model of anything? Like a car, phone, camera, or computer? An article about the iPhone 12 was posted and I’m sure many people who like iPhones will enjoy the new design and features. You’ve probably seen the images of consumers waiting in long lines. This got me thinking about how can we enjoy the latest models of a phone, car, camera, computer, or any other item…
I cannot emphasize the importance of monitoring and maintaining your health. Adopting healthy habits, not only can provide a quality of life, it can also save you money. Think about the recurring costs that you may be paying for doctor visits and prescriptions. Yes, I do realize that getting sick is not avoidable but if you try to adopt a healthy lifestyle, it could help reduce the amount of prescriptions you’re taking, the number of trips to the doctor’s office,…
In a previous post I wrote that I opened up 529 plans for my children during the COVID-19 pandemic when the economy was impacted. I made the decision to open up these accounts because I thought the economy was going to recover and it was a good time to invest. The reason I opened a 529 versus an individual account is because of the potential tax breaks and that the gains are not taxable if used towards education. I didn’t…
While you are shopping either in person or online, have you asked yourself, “Am I getting a good deal or am I getting the best deal?” Do you find yourself at the checkout line register or in your final checkout cart ready to make your purchase, asking yourself, “Is this a good buy?” Whether we’re buying groceries, filling up our gas tank, reserving a rental car, purchasing a vacation, or finding a repairman, you want to get the best deal….