Taking a break for just a few days with our closest family -- no gifts to exchange, no religious ceremonies, just enjoying good food and each other's company -- can be wonderful.
It's hard to sacrifice. We're a full year into our projected five-year Debt Management Plan to get out of debt, and after all the budget cutting, downsizing, and life-simplification projects, I'm finding that I'm not yet done cutting the excess fat out of my life in order to effectively live within my means.
There comes a time in many of our lives where we realize we are in over our heads, financially speaking. We come to the conclusion we need to do something about our finances, but what?
There are several options when it comes to debt relief and one of them is right for you, your situation, and your family. When deciding what to do there are a few questions you should ask yourself first; your answers may help you determine what you need to do, where to turn and how to get help if you need it.
Download the Free Guide, Nine Things You Must Know to Succeed on a CareOne Debt Settlement Plan
If you take a critical look at absolutely every penny you spend - a really detailed examination - you might realize that your money is going to a number of places that it doesn't need to go.
Your final payment has been made, and you've contacted your CareOne representative to let them know you will be finished with your plan. Wow! You are officially debt free!
When I signed on, I had A LOT of debt. When I learned I would not be debt free for five years, I was discouraged and thought about not doing it...then I figured out how long it would take me if I tried to do it on my own. Yikes. Now, in a blink of an eye, I am about two years away from being completely debt free.
I would like to share with you some of the things we have done to improve our limited income situation. It has been a long journey and we have learned that to be successful in supplementing a limited income you need to change the way you think about money and everything around you.
Is it just me or does this winter seem even colder than last year? I have decided to refuse to leave my apartment for anything other than a warm, satisfying meal.
So, my savings goal has certainly changed; however, the remaining habits have stuck and should continue not only throughout the rest of the year, but for the rest of my life.
Across America, the sounds of school buses are again filling the crisp morning air. Children run toward the bus stop with backpacks filled with pencil boxes, folders, notebooks, and lunch boxes. School lunch proposes a dilemma for many parents. Should you send a lunch from home, or have them eat school lunch?
After thinking about the situations I've experienced in the last 12 months, there are five specific lessons that stand out, which I'd like to pass along to you.
People buy used cars and houses all the time, why would purchasing other items used be any different?
Track your spending and identify expenses which can be cut. A budget or spending plan should be built to change, as our financial lives are very rarely steady. Set a realistic goal for savings, and work towards it every day.
I find myself looking back on the last twelve months and reflecting on the experiences of the year. Our experiences make us who we are and shape how we will handle future situations.
As I discussed in a previous blog, Debt Settlement may be the right choice for people who; cannot afford a traditional DMP, do not qualify for bankruptcy, or simply do not want to file for bankruptcy. Debt Settlement is an attempt to negotiate with creditors to accept a lesser amount than what is truly owed based on a customer's budget and payment.
This happened only by pure luck, but was there a way to have this sort of lunch available to me all the time? As I was pulling out of the driveway, I noticed a squirrel climbing the tree in my front yard with a nut in his mouth, and my new lunch strategy was born. I was going to be a squirrel.
Bringing up financial issues with your spouse or significant other is never easy. In many relationships, couples differ when it comes to finances.
February is real life, and it's probably how things are going to stay at least until summer starts, unless we take action to change them.
While I do love making braises and soups and eating the tender and flavorful meals that result, in the spring and summer I am looking for faster food. By this I do not mean hamburgers and fries, I mean food that can be made in a hurry, leaving me and my husband more time to enjoy the warmer outdoor temperatures.
One of the reasons budgets fail is because a crucial first (and ongoing) step is missed in the budgeting process: tracking your expenses.
I have a new favorite website that I just recently discovered!
I have a strange confession to make; I have turned into quite the non-consumerist, in fact I have spent less than twenty dollars on myself since the first of the year.
In keeping with my last post about the veritable rainbow of colors now available on the produce stands for spring, I want to provide another recipe for an easy and tasty soup that will let you take advantage of the fresh flavors and the inexpensive produce in peak season right now.
If you're a big fan of the internet, you already know that you can get lots of free information and entertainment online-free encyclopedias, maps, videos, music, and much more. But did you know that the internet also abounds in legitimate offers of free stuff and even a little cash? Check out these sites I've come across!