This is the trap that some people fall for. They wait for things to happen to them. In order to succeed in life, of course you have to be positive, be in tune with your environment, visualize a great outcome; but you also need to be realistic and WORK to achieve your goals.
That would have increased the cost of the weekend, but with careful spending we could make it work within the budget of the funds we had saved for the weekend.
One of the best ways to improve your finances is to take charge of your earnings, cultivating additional income sources. However, in order to find a way to make more money, you are going to have to show some resourcefulness. Think about your abilities and talents, and consider that someone might be willing to pay you for what you know how to do - and even for what you know.
Is it time to inject some creativity into your closest relationships? Even the strongest connections -- with friends, family, a spouse -- can get stale at times. It's too easy for us to take our loved ones for granted, or to think that we know everything there is to be known about them.
If a long vacation doesn't interest you, and neither does the idea of no vacation at all, and you're feeling bored and suffering from a mild case of "cabin fever," maybe a day trip would be just the thing to spark up your day.
Suzanne is experimenting with popular savings tips.
Recently, I decided to "treat myself" to a much needed bedroom set. I have not had an actual set in many years due to several state moves and wanting to start over in every area on my life. So after much debate and deliberation I knew it was time to make the purchase.
Our employees are sharing their stories about how they have struggled with debt.
I had at least four or five credit cards, because I had excellent credit.I bought a car that was a little out of my price range, but I really wanted it.I had the best clothes, from the trendiest stores.I had it all, and I wasn't really paying for it.
When it comes to personal finance my mom has taught me that you should never spend more than you have, thus using credit cards for "wants" is just not acceptable.
Meet our latest Community Member Spotlight, Philip.
Not only have I been personally affected by debt but so has my family. My wife and I spent the first years of our marriage living the "American Dream". That dream was bought and paid for using debt. We had credit cards, student loans, car payments, and a bloated sub-prime mortgage payment coupled with a financial mindset that said we were doing everything right.
Enrolling in the wine club is essentially purchasing a discount card that is valid for 12 months from the time of purchase. Truth be told, we actually hadn't renewed it in a couple of years because I questioned whether it was worth it.
Now this may seem silly to many of you already living on a budget. Believe me when I tell you that I don't have the room for these kinds of purchases either, yet it does not prevent me from making them. I live with a lot of shopping regret because I have very poor impulse control. Frankly, I am a little frustrated with myself over my weakness when shopping, so I was pretty excited about this test.
Well, I am no master of the needle, but I can pinpoint the best time to buy during a sale. My scissors are not for cutting cloth or snipping thread, but for clipping coupons. A finely sharpened pencil will not find paper for drawing or sketching, but for double-checking my budget and grocery list
Avoiding boredom will keep you mentally focused on your training, and it could prevent you from training too hard in any one mode. You want to keep mixing it up so that your body can continue to recover and your fitness will continue to improve.
In this stage of life, it is very important not to become stagnant and never try anything new. In my life, creativity counts!
Some of them are just common sense but you might not have given them much thought before.
Going through a divorce as a stay at home parent makes finances even more difficult to manage-not impossible, but definitely difficult.
My motto is: You can afford anything. You just can't afford everything. My blog is about ruthlessly cutting back on things that aren't important so that you have the freedom to spend lavishly on the things that matter most.
We are placing the spotlight on some of the familiar members you see engaging in the Community.
We are all talking about these rising gas prices, but no one knows what to do about it.
I must start out by saying that some of you are going to feel as if I have lost my mind, and the rest of you are just going to be shocked completely about what I am about to say. Not because it doesn't make sense, but because it is coming from ME.
I try to budget year round for the added summer month expenses, but sometimes still find myself coming up short.