Could you wear only 6 items for 30 days? This morning on Today we reviewed my Sixperiment. What can you live with? What can’t you live without? How would you accessorize? Would anyone notice? Watch the video clip below to see what I discovered.
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This morning’s expert panel looked into your financial emergencies. How can a single parent save money for college? What is the process to remove negative activity from your credit report? For answers to these questions and more watch the video clip below.
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“I desperately need your help to create a budget for my husband and I. Can you direct me to a simple easy budget worksheet where I can enter what we bring home and what we pay out and this will show me what I need to save or how to save?” – Anonymous
Setting up a budget is a must – so I’m glad you’re reaching out for help! It’s a matter of figuring out where you are, and where you want to be. You need to ask yourself how much you’re bringing in each month, how much goes out each month – and when you spend that money, where it’s going.
How much you’re bringing into your household each month should include your take home pay, and any other sources of income you might have. Do you run a small business on the side? Do you have rental properties? Do you sell old books on eBay? Add it all up. If it varies, come up with the average over the past year. That will let you know exactly More…
They don’t call it smart shopping for nothing but these days it’s not the money we spend that’s making us feel brainy – it’s the money we save. That’s what the researchers from Deloitte and The Harrison group learned. They surveyed 2,000-plus consumers and learned that four out of five say they find saving money using techniques like coupons and loyalty programs “fun.” So fun, in fact, that 93 percent don’t plan to return to their frivolous spending habits when the economy improves.
The research – which is called The New American Pantry Study (PDF) – pointed to five different, new consumer behaviors. Take a look. Join in. You may be more satisfied with how you’re using your money if you do. More…
It’s not new news that kids are a big investment. According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it’ll cost parents anywhere between $205,460 and $475,680 to support a child born in 2009 until they’re 17 – estimates that do not include college tuition (an expense I’ll be facing in the next few years). And it’s not just money you’re expending, it’s time. The financial impact, researchers note, corresponds with the time spent on kids and their various activities.
The mother of a tennis player and a horseback rider, I know all too well what a new racket or pair of riding boots will set me back, in both minutes and dollars. But after a recent conversation with a friend, who’s three children participate in a collective 13 extracurricular activities, including (but not limited to) youth hockey, lacrosse, ballet, and swimming – I feel like I might be getting off easy. More…
Do you have enough money saved for your retirement? New research from the Employee Benefits Research Institute says that many Americans, including Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers, will run out of money for their basic needs like rent and putting food on the table within 10-20 years of going into retirement. Regardless of your income, you could be at risk if you haven’t saved enough. Watch the clip below to see where you stand – and for some tips for saving to ensure a long and happy retirement.
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Some major U.S. retail chains have started to offer some incentives to their customers to boost spending. Sam’s Club is offering some small business loans, Target is giving discounts to their card members, and Toys R’ Us is encouraging customers to earn interest on their holiday shopping savings. Want to learn more about these programs and how they work? Watch my clip from the TODAY show yesterday!
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Home sales in May plummeted after the end of the new home-buyer tax credit. Last week, I spoke with Matt Lauer on the TODAY Show about why that tax credit helped home sales stabilize, and I also shared a few tips about how you can manage your money to be prepared financially in the case that another government “safety net” is eliminated.
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My friend Jeff Yeager knows all about living happily within his means, so I was excited when he agreed to write a post here on my blog to share some of his research and experience on the topic. Check out his post below, and for even more “Cheapskate” tips, check out his new book, The Cheapskate Next Door.
“Sure, we could afford to spend more, but why would we? It wouldn’t make us any happier.”
Those are the words I’ve spent the last two and a half years traveling the country to hear. It’s a simple but rare statement, given that nearly half of all Americans say that they literally live paycheck-to-paycheck and have little if any savings. How can some people live not only within their means, but substantially below their means, even when their incomes are often less than the national average? And here’s the biggest question of all: How can some of those same people insist that they are happier – joyous really – because of their thrift and frugality?
I traveled thousands of miles – nearly 3,000 of them by bicycle! – and surveyed more than 300 of my beloved “Miser Advisers” to find the answers. In my new book, The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily below Their Means, I share More…
We’re well into summer, and in just a few short months, your kids may be heading off to college – many for the first time. I know the to-do list is a mile long at this point, on it everything from purchasing a shower caddy to sorting out those student loans.
But at some point before you drop your freshman off, I encourage you to sit down, together, and make a budget. Whether she’s getting a job, you’re providing her with spending cash, or a combination of the two, you want to make sure that the well hasn’t run dry come October. Here’s a crash course in how to do it, as well as some sample budgets and a worksheet to get you started. More…
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