Tips for Creating a Moving Budget
The much-dreaded moving day looms on your calendar. You know what it means: pulling together an entire household of stuff, an exhausting day or two getting it from point A to point B, and setting it all down — hopefully undamaged — in the brand-new…
Teaching Your Teen How to Budget
Whether you give your children an allowance, make them do chores for what they get, or have them earn their spending money from paying jobs, kids need to know how to budget what they have. Instilling good financial skills while your kids are still relatively…
Small Ways to Save Big Money
Often, the biggest budget-busters aren’t things like your mortgage. They’re the smaller expenditures that add up at month’s end, and required expenses such as insurance premiums that seem carved in stone. Both can usually be reduced if you’re determined to save a lot of money,…
Reasons to Keep a Rainy Day Fund
As much as we may try to predict the future, life always comes up with a way to throw us a curveball. Although you might not know what form your next unanticipated expense is going to take, rest assured that it’s going to come at…
How to Save for Holiday Spending
Along with the joy of the holiday season come increases in spending. According to Danny Payne, a certified financial planner practicing in southern California, “Gifts or holiday spending is quite possibly the most overlooked expense that can derail a budget.” Therefore, nailing this budget item…
Financial Planning Tips All Travelers Should Consider
When you travel, you don’t want to be distracted by money problems. You definitely don’t want to miss a great event or experience because you didn’t plan your finances well. Nora Dunn, a financial planner turned full-time world traveler, knows firsthand that planning travel costs…
Budgeting 101: Saving to Buy Your First House
Buying a home is the largest purchase many people will make during their lifetime, so it’s important to have a clear idea of how you are going to pay for the home. Budgeting for your first home means saving enough for the down payment and other purchase costs, but also budgeting for life after you make the big move.
Budgeting Tips for Your Honeymoon
More than a million newly married couples take a honeymoon each year, according to the Real Size Bride website’s 2016 report. Paying for a honeymoon right after a wedding can put a strain on anyone’s finances, but budgeting too tightly can spoil the magic. If you plan and budget carefully, it’s easier to afford a honeymoon you’ll remember without coming home to a pile of bills you can’t forget.
How to Budget for Your First Child
Even if you’re careful with money, having a child isn’t cheap. Raising your first child from birth to age 17 can cost well over $200,000 total, according to Fidelity Investments. “The baby is going to cost a lot more than you ever imagine,” says certified public accountant Cheryl Smith. “It’s going to take more money than you think, but you’re happily going to spend that money.” Making room in the budget for these new expenses can help ease the transition to parenthood.
How to Save for Short-Term Financial Goals
Determine your financial objectives Saving is always easier if you have a plan. When starting your short-term savings program, try to think of real-life expenses that you’d like to have covered. Vacations are a great example. Generally, you’ll know how much time off you have…