Posts tagged as:

budget

How to Budget Your Money for Debt Relief

by BlondieWrites on March 13, 2010

How to Budget Your Money for Debt Relief

Creating a budget can help you to achieve debt elimination and get you out of debt. In fact it is not a difficult process. You need a piece of paper, a pen, copies of your bills and expenses, and a little time and determination. And to do it successfully requires you to set up a budget which you can live with, adjusting it as needed and follow it.

Create Your Budgeting Plan

Use simple household budgeting tips to get out of debt and get your finances under control. Estimate your housing costs, utilities, food, clothing, transportation and vehicle costs, medical and/or family expenses, entertainment and online services, credit card payments and debt priorities, and lastly, other expenses. In your budgeting plan, allocate a portion of your money under safety net account. The money in your safety net account can only be used on emergencies, to recover for unforeseen expenses, for income lost protection and for myriad of other financial busters.

Track Your Spending

After you have allocated your money, apply all extra funds to pay ahead on your debts. In using your money toward debt reduction instead of treating yourself to another fancy dinner or extra pair of shoes, you can watch your debt dissolve quicker than you might imagine.

Once you have set up your budget plan, track you spending to know where your money is actual going and whether it is within your budget. Keep a record of all money spent, whether it is by cash, check, credit card, etc. Once you know where your extra money is going, and oftentimes, realize how you can save hundreds of dollars that can apply directly to your debts and make huge strides to reducing your debt away.

Monitor & Review Your Budget Plan

Budgeting is a process of create a living plan and managing your money to meet your short and long-term goals. Your budget plan should be flexible and being review from time to time and make the necessary change in line with your current needs and circumstances. A static plan that never changes could doom you to failure right at the beginning.

Online Resources

There are tons of budgeting tips and tools which you can find from internet. From budget calculators and worksheets, to detailed software programs, research your options online for the one that best suits your needs. Use these extra information and help on your budgeting process.

Happy Budgeting!

Creating a budget doesn’t have to be a painful restricting process, what you need to do it to make it a habit to know whether your money is going; and by knowing the flow of your money, you have a better control on your money and eliminate unnecessary expenses and the saved money can by dump debt accounts to reduce your debts and get rid of it one day. You may not create a perfect budget plan at your starting stage, continue to review and make necessary changes to in line with your needs and financial capability and the most important is follow your budget plan to make it successfully relief you from debts.

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Winterization Within a Budget

by BlondieWrites on March 2, 2010

Energy bills could run very high during winter. Winterizing or preparing for the winter may also be a problem for your purse. There are ways in which you could increase your home’s heating efficiency but at the same time, cur down a little from your previous winter electric bill.

There are things which you could do on your own. There are some homeowners who would hire professional help from plumbers, electricians and contractors. But during this stage of crisis and financial hardship, we can use some simple, do-it-your own and within the budget winterization process.

• Hiring somebody to winterize your home could be expensive. You could start learning on how you could do it from books in your local library or by tackling some cracks and holes. You could also visit websites that could give you sufficient information and even step-by-step procedures.

• You could use plastic sheets when covering unused windows and doors. They could easily be bought in different stores like home improvement shops.

• Do not forget the dryer vent and the area surrounding your washing machine and kitchen sink pipes. Any holes would let the cold wind in and is wasted energy. You could use foam or foam board which can be bought in hardware stores.

• Avoid using your ventilating fans in the kitchen and bathroom since it would suck your heated air out.

• If you have rooms that are not occupied, then it is better to seal off the vent and the doors of these rooms. Imagine keeping the room heated when nobody is even using or going in it.

• Dirty filters are not only dirty, they could also mean more money. Dirt could clog the filters and would eventually cause the filters to work harder and longer.

• You could pull your curtains off the window every morning to let the sunshine and some warmth in the room. At night, your could draw back the curtains to contain the heat and separate the windows from the rest of the heated house.

Preparing your home and your property is not the only thing that you would have to winterize. You would also need to prepare your freezer and your family members for the winter. Summer is a great time for buying sales of fresh produce. You could start stocking up during summer for the winter. You could buy canned fruits, vegetables and meat. Having enough food is important since winter would often mean roads closed, power outages, and harsh weather to be outside. Some would even have extra money with them in case of emergencies.

Aside from fresh produce, you could also start buying equipment that you may need, for example some tape to cover cracks where cold air could pass through. You could also start washing your blankets even before winter strikes. This would save you enough time and at the same time the hassle of preparing the blankets once the first freeze comes in.

Winterizing frugally can be pretty hard. Besides, winter is the most expensive season there is. Energy bills could take a chunk out of your funds. Anyway, it is important to put your family’s comfort and health before anything else.

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Money Management for Financial Retirement

by BlondieWrites on January 18, 2010

Learning to manage your money while you have more disposable income is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself when it comes to your retirement. One of the best things you can do in order to prepare yourself for living on a ‘fixed’ income that goes along with retirement is to establish a budget and spending limit each month and live within that budget. In fact, you might wish to establish a smaller budget than you actually think you will need in order to maximize the effect and add a little padding to your savings account. Over time, the little savings can either provide a nice boost to your retirement fund or a great night on the town as an occasional treat.

Living on a budget is one of the most difficult things that many Americans will ever face. As a matter of fact we have the nasty tendency to live at the very edge of our abilities and over extend ourselves heartily. A good method for learning to create and establish a budget is to make a list of all your monthly spending right down to your miscellaneous expenses and convenience store and break room snacks and stops. Then add up the totals and see where you believe you can cut costs. Of course it isn’t enough merely to say you want to cut costs in certain areas, you need to create a plan of action for doing so.

If you are creating greater costs by having an afternoon coffee or snack at work see if you can bring them from home in order cut costs. Cook one extra casserole per week and freeze it in order to eliminate those last minute fast food runs when you simply don’t feel like cooking. Take baby steps when it comes to cutting costs and over time you will find that you have learned to live with even less than you thought possible. In fact you can make it fun by making it a challenge. See who can eliminate the most money from the budget each week and actually stick to it.

The thing you do not want to do is deprive yourself to the point that you will eventually go out and undo all the good by splurging. You need to reward yourself along the way for the small steps you have taken. Set goals for saving as well as your budget and you will find that you are much better prepared to budget your money you are confined within that budget. While you were at it, you just might find that you’ve saved enough to increase your investments enough to bump your budget a good bit when the proper time comes.

You do not have to have an all or nothing approach when you begin learning to manage your money, especially if you are making the effort before you reach the point of retirement. Little things we do on a daily basis that help us make more responsible decisions about our money will become habits over time. Those habits will serve you well throughout life and retirement. They will also help you prioritize your spending once you are living with limited means in order to decide what you can and cannot sacrifice in order to get the most out of life.

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Tighwad Group, Come Join!

by BlondieWrites on January 14, 2010

Tighwad Group, Come Join!

I’ve recently been granted to take over the Tightwad group, a long time Yahoo tightwad living group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tightwad

The group’s owner had disappeared long ago, leaving the group to spammers posting yucky stuff. I have deleted a lot of messages and hopefully got rid of all the nasty ones.

We are wanting to jump start the group again, bring it back to life, to what it was intended for… tightwad tips, frugal living, budgeting, freebies, and coupons. So I am asking my readers here to join up and share their freebies, tightwad tips, frugal recipes, coupons, etc. Basically any and everything that pertains to tightwad living.

The group posts are moderated to keep the icky spam out.

So come on and join and spread the word to your friends!

Tightwad
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tightwad

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Throwing a Christmas Party on a Budget

by BlondieWrites on December 16, 2009

Christmas parties are much less common than they once were. But it’s still great to be able to get together with our friends and family during the holidays. Why not throw a Christmas party of your own?

One reason that many people do not have Christmas parties is because of budget concerns. Throwing a party can be an expensive proposition. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. If you follow these tips, you can have a splendid Christmas party without spending a fortune.

* Sending invitations to your guests can be surprisingly expensive. Store-bought invitations aren’t cheap, and you’ll also have to pay for postage. Keep your costs down by sending them by email or inviting guests by phone.

* Make it clear to guests if they are allowed to bring others to the party, and ask them to let you know how many people they will be bringing. It’s easier to plan for your party if you know how many people to expect.

* Forgo the catering and do the cooking yourself. It will take some work, but cooking everything at home is much less expensive than having someone else to make the food and bring it in. Have the family help to make it a little easier on yourself.

* Better yet, make it a potluck. If each guest brings a dish, there will be plenty to eat at very little expense to you. You could even have some guests bring drinks, plates, cups and plasticware if you like.

* Keep the decorations simple. Your Christmas tree could serve as the focal point. Use inexpensive tinsel or garland and Christmas lights around the house, and hang up a few sprigs of holly or mistletoe here and there. There’s no need to spend lots of money to make your home look festive.

* If there’s snow outside, put some in ice buckets and bring it in to chill drinks with. This adds a nice festive touch and saves you money because you won’t have to buy ice.

* To save money on entertainment, put a karaoke machine to use. If you don’t have one of your own, borrow or rent one. Make sure that get the singing on video if possible!

* Make handmade ornaments to give out as party favors. You can make them quickly and inexpensively out of plastic canvas and yarn in Christmas colors.

* If you want to make Christmas parties at your house a tradition, start planning for next year as soon as Christmas is over. You can get 50% or more off regular prices for decorations after the holiday.

Christmas parties are lots of fun, even if you don’t spend a lot of money on them. A frugal party is no less memorable than one where no expense was spared. So don’t wait for someone else to throw one. Take it upon yourself to organize the festivities!

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Frugal Traveling Budget Tips

by BlondieWrites on November 2, 2009

Travel has a reputation for being expensive. And it certainly can be if you feel it necessary to go first-class all the way. But it’s also possible to travel on a budget. You just have to be vigilant about finding the best prices on everything.

Here are some tips that will allow you to travel without spending a small fortune.

* Find the best deals on flights, hotels and car rentals. Sites like LastMinute.com and Travelocity.com are great for finding deals on these travel essentials. But it’s also a good idea to check with individual airlines and hotels, too. Sometimes they offer deals that you won’t find on such sites.

* Consider traveling by train. It’s less expensive than flying, and you’ll experience fewer security delays. The biggest disadvantage is that it will take you longer to get where you’re going.

* When traveling to a foreign country, do some research on exchange rates. Your best bet is usually to withdraw money from your bank account at an ATM, but different ATMs offer different exchange rates. You’ll also pay some fees to the bank that owns the ATM, and probably your bank as well. Try to find out how much these fees are in advance so you’ll be prepared.

* Consider a traveler’s cheque card. These cards are not linked to your bank account and will be replaced if they are lost or stolen. You’ll have to pay an issuance fee, but withdrawal fees are often lower than those charged by banks.

* Avoid eating in restaurants for every meal. Most hotels include a breakfast of some sort with a room rental, so you can take advantage of that in the morning. If you can get a room with a kitchen, you can cook your own lunch and dinner. Or you could take along some bread and sandwich meat and pack picnic lunches.

* Take vacations in the off-season. If you’re going to a theme park with a small child, for example, plan your trip for the spring or fall. If you check with the ticket office, you’ll often find that admission is discounted. And the school-aged children will be in school, so it will also be much less crowded.

* Consider vacation packages. Travel agencies offer packages that include travel, accommodations, car rental, admission to popular attractions and more for one low price. Some packages even come with gift certificates to restaurants and shops, so you can eat and get souvenirs at no additional charge.

If you’re on a tight budget, travel might seem out of reach. But if you are willing to spend some time finding the best deals, you might be surprised at what you can afford.

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Remodeling Your Bathroom on a Budget

by BlondieWrites on October 23, 2009

Are you one of the many homeowners in the United States who would like to have your bathroom remodeled? If so, how you do plan on paying for it? Unfortunately, a large number of homeowners would like to have their bathrooms remodeled, but not everyone thinks that they can do so. The good news is that you can easily remodel your bathroom, even if you on a budget.

When it comes to bathroom remodeling on a budget, perhaps, the first thing you should do is develop yourself a budget and then a plan. You will want to know exactly how much money you can afford to spend on your next remodeling project. Once you know how much you can spend, you are advised to start the planning. For instance, if you need to hire the services of a professional contractor, you need to keep the cost of doing so in mind. Also, if you would like to have your bathroom toilet replaced, you will need to examine the cost of new, replacement toilets and so on. Once you have got everything planned out, you need to total the costs. If you are lucky, you will find yourself within your budget, but if not, you may just need to make a few changes.

One of the many ways that you can remodel your bathroom while on a budget is by taking everything one step at a time. If you are interested in remodeling every square inch of your bathroom, but you can’t necessarily afford to do so right now, you may want to go one project at a time. By choosing what you would like to have remodeled first, such as your bathtub, you could do that and then move on the next project, when it easier to afford the supplies and the materials needed. Speaking of supplies and materials, where you shop may also have an impact on being able to afford a bathroom remodeling project.

If you are looking to remodel your bathroom on a budget, you will want to shop around for the best prices on bathroom supplies, fixtures, and materials. Perhaps, the easiest way to compare prices is to use the internet. With a few minutes and the click of a mouse you could easily find exactly what you need for your next kitchen remodeling project, but at a relatively affordable price. It is also advised that you checkout your local home improvement stores, particularly ones that are known for having good prices. It may also be a good idea to keep an eye out for any television commercials or store fliers that advertise sales on bathroom fixtures, supplies, and remodeling materials. Purchasing all of your bathroom remodeling supplies at a discounted price is the best way to remodel your bathroom while on a budget.

As previously mentioned, if you are planning on using a professional contactor to remodel your bathroom, you will need to keep the cost of doing so. If you are remodeling your kitchen on a budget, it may be a good idea to do the remodeling yourself. This may be easy if you have prior home improvement experience. If you do not have any home improvement experience, you can easily learn what you need to know. Online, you should be able to find instructions and tips on bathroom remodeling. Also, you can purchase bathroom remodeling books or how-to guides online or from most home improvement stores or bookstores.

If you want to have your bathroom remodeled, but you don’t want to spend more money that you have to or more money than you have, you are advised to keep the above mentioned points in mind. Although it is typically expensive to remodel a bathroom, it is possible to do so while on a budget. In fact, even if you aren’t remodeling on a budget, it may still be a good idea to keep the above mentioned points in mind. Why pay more money for a bathroom remodeling project than you need to?

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Real Ways to Save Money in This Tough Economy

by BlondieWrites on October 10, 2009

In this economy it is getting harder and harder for some families to make ends meet. There are articles galore on how to survive the economy, but many of those aren’t for people that are really in trouble. If you’ve had to take a different, lower-paying job, or if you were used to living on two incomes and you are now living on just one, or if higher prices are just sucking you dry, then you aren’t concerned about stock portfolios, you just want to survive every day. And you might not know how you can do such LITTLE THINGS to save BIG.

There are a lot of things that real families, in real trouble can do to pinch a penny and it will not hurt a bit.

Save on Your Utilities, Cable and Phone Services

We’ve all heard this one before, but I am going to mention it, because it is important. Raise your thermostat a few degrees in the summer and lower it in the winter. This can really add up to a lot of savings over a year’s time!

If you have a home phone, plus cell phones, ditch the home phone. You are paying a bill that has become completely unnecessary. And if you have astronomical cell phone bills due to overages, then consider a prepaid service. Prepaid isn’t what it once was. It is much better and smarter now. Most companies have some excellent prepaid plans that have unlimited options in regards to text messaging, nights and weekends, mobile to mobile, and other unlimited features. Of course with these plans you don’t usually get roll-over minutes, but you don’t get ANY surprises when it is time to pay the bill each month either. If you have Cricket service in your area, then check that one out first. It is perfect for teens!

If you don’t have a water-saving shower head on the shower, then invest in one. If you don’t have the money to invest in one (and many people just don’t right now), you can still save a ton of money by turning the water on only half way when you shower (or at the sink when you wash your hands). There is no reason to have the faucet going “full blast”. You can get just as clean on half the water. You are literally letting your money go down the drain. And never leave the water running while brushing your teeth.

It actually takes more water to fill a tub for a bath than it does to take a short shower. But don’t take hot showers. Very hot water dries your skin out anyway, and it uses way more energy. Take lukewarm showers and use a kitchen timer, especially for the kids. If you want to be really frugal, turn the shower on and wet yourself down, turn it off and soap up, shampoo, shave, etc., then turn it back on and rinse off.

If you don’t have a water-saving toilet, and again, if you have no money to invest in one, you can still save water with every flush. Take a 16-32 oz shampoo bottle and fill it with gravel, sand or water and put it in the back of the toilet tank. This will make the toilet “think” the tank is full and it will stop running more quickly and you will use less with each flush. Try flushing after placing it in the tank and if there isn’t enough water to flush properly, simply remove a little of the sand from the bottle and place it back in the tank. Keep emptying it a bit at a time until you have enough water to make the toilet flush completely.

Run the clothes washer and dishwasher only when full and on the shortest possible cycles. If your clothing or dishes aren’t heavily soiled there is no need to run either machine on a full cycle. And never wash any clothes in hot water. Warm will work just fine for heavy soil, and for anything else use only cold water. And ALWAYS rinse in cold. Never use heat dry on the dishwasher. Once the rinse cycle is finished, prop the door open with a plastic tumbler or bowl to let the steam escape and dry the dishes.

Add 1/2 to 1 cup cheap baking soda to your washing machine and use 1/2 the detergent.

Check your clothes in the dryer half way or ¾ of the way through the drying cycle. You may be able to use much less time than you currently do. You should also have an “automatic” cycle on your dryer that will run only until clothes are dry, also cutting down on the length of time that the dryer is running.

If you don’t have any family members that suffer from allergies, hang your clothes out on a clothesline; especially sheets, blankets, rugs, cloth diapers, etc. Not only will you save money, but they will smell wonderful when you remove them from the line!

Drop your cable service to just basic and your cable internet to the slowest speed. Even the slowest broadband is just as good as or even better than what most people need on a daily basis. If you must have your movies, either borrow from the library or use a mail service such as Netflix. We have Netflix and we LOVE it. Not only do you get movies shipped to your door, they have over 14,000 of them that you can watch online FREE, as part of your already paid service. I can’t say enough good things about it! And the best part, no late charges when you forget to return a movie!

Pay your utilities, cable and rent on time. I know that one can be tough, but if you will look closely at your bills, most charge late fees of $10, $25 or even more when they are late. Do your best to get on track and stay on track and you could save yourself several hundred dollars a year!

TURN IT OFF! I have walked through my house and found three of our televisions all on, all on the same channel, and only one of them being watched! If you are watching the same thing, do it in the same room. And when you aren’t watching, turn it off. Turn off thing such as printers, computers, CD and DVD players, or any electronic item you are not using. Don’t leave your cell phone plugged in after it tells you that the phone is charged. And, ALWAYS turn off lights and lamps when you are not in the room! Use nightlights on sensors so that they go off during the day on their own and come on when it gets dark.

If you or your kids must have the TV on to fall asleep, always use the timer so that it will shut off after you have fallen asleep.

Save When You Spend

Don’t buy refills for your foaming hand soap bottles when you can make it yourself. Save the bottles, then buy regular store-brand liquid soap, place 2 tablespoons in the bottle, fill the rest with water and shake it up. This is a great way to get your kids to use much less body wash in the bath too! Just save your foaming bottles and use their liquid body wash in place of the liquid soap.

Buy store brand products whenever possible. Many things such as sugars (granulated, powdered and brown), cooking oil, flour, corn meal, baking soda, baking powder, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, spices, noodles, cream soups for cooking, and many, many other items are just a waste of money at name brand prices. Skip the brand-name boxed cereals and get the bagged cereals (which are still name brand). My kids liked them better anyway and the price difference is amazing. When you do insist on a name brand, visit the website of the brand and sign up for money saving offers and coupons.

Canned vegetables tend to be cheaper AND healthier than frozen or even fresh because they are cooked right in the can. All of the vitamins stay in the vegetables rather than being boiled or baked out of them.

You will save a lot of money on meat if you use them in soups, stews and casseroles, rather than cooking and serving each family member an entire steak, for example. Use half the steak, and make beef and noodles with off brand noodles and brown gravy mix. Scour the internet for other great recipes, tips and ideas.

If you have the time and inclination, learn to cook in bulk and freeze the meals.

Buy off-brand lawn and leaf bags, instead of name brand garbage bags. Lawn and leaf bags tend to be higher density and the cheap lawn and leaf bags are usually as good as the name brand trash bags. Better yet, if your city is like ours and offers single-sort recycling, take full advantage of it! You will use fewer trash bags and do something so good for the environment! If your city doesn’t have a recycling program, try to get them to start one. I put out 2 to 3 times as many recyclables as I do trash because of our program. That saves me on the bags, and I am doing my part for the environment.

Keep your plastic bags from the grocery store and use them as trash can liners in your small trash cans, or to put wet towels and swimsuits in when you go to the pool or beach. They have a ton of uses if you use your imagination.

Keep your kids entertained this summer by getting them library cards and taking advantage of the summer programs they provide. Some cities also have “free movies in the park” nights. Ask your local chamber of commerce if your city does that and see if you can get a schedule.

When you buy clothing, buy wash and wear ONLY. It doesn’t matter how much it is marked down, it is NOT a bargain if it has to be dry cleaned or takes an hour to iron it!

For your kids, in the summer, at many places, such as Walmart, you can buy mix and match poly-cotton shorts and tops for as little as $2.50 to $3 each. You can get an entire outfit for $5-$6. Better still, when your child has a birthday, limit the toys and have everyone give them clothing as gifts. My great-nieces love to get clothes as gifts and I can buy them several of the mix and match outfits and it is a big help to my niece and her husband when it comes to clothing her kids.

With all the kid’s gadgets and games these days, invest in rechargeable batteries in all sizes. The cost is not that much more in the initial investment and it will save a ton of money in the long run this summer and from now on!

Use your hair conditioner for shaving cream. I started doing this to alleviate my dry skin, and it not only works great for that, it is a cheap shaving cream. Buy a cheap off brand and use it just for shaving.

Stop eating out completely and take your own coffee and lunch to work. A cup or thermos of coffee from home with some flavored creamer is much cheaper that buying Starbucks on the way to work, and a sandwich brought from home can save you $50 a week or more! You could buy a week’s worth of groceries for your family for what you are spending on eating out for lunch!

I do believe for the most part that you get what you pay for, so when you have to make an important large purchase, research all options and don’t necessarily go for the cheapest every time because you may get something that you will have to replace in no time. Make sure you are spending wisely by doing your homework first and finding the best price on the best quality you can afford.

Finding Money When You Need It Now

If you need extra cash now, clear out the closets and garage and have a garage sale. Ask the neighbors to have one the same weekend and you will all benefit from having more customers.

List large items on Craigslist! It is free to list on there! You never know until you try, and it will not cost you anything. You might have something sitting in a closet collecting dust that someone is willing to pay you for today!

Never underestimate the old fashioned “change jar”. Every time you pay with cash and get change, bring it home and toss it in a jelly jar. When it is full, take it to the nearest Coinstar. You will be amazed at how much money all those pennies and nickels will add up to. Use the money to buy something you have really been needing for which you didn’t have the money, to buy groceries, or to reward yourself just for saving it! And don’t forget to check the couch cushions, the bottom of the washing machine or your purses and check your jeans and coat pockets!

If you aren’t afraid of needles, sign up to sell your blood or plasma. Do an internet search for your closest bank to find out what they require, then give an hour or two of your time and get paid for it. You won’t get rich, but you could make gas or grocery money when you have none and help save lives at the same time!

The Bottom Line

If you are having a really hard time making it, then implementing these changes now can make a big difference for you. Even if you aren’t in a financial bind, you can make many of these changes to save a lot of money and you will have a great sense of accomplishment once you start seeing the difference it can and will make and the resources you can save!

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Kandi Traxel is a WAHM and the owner of Shop With a Mom www.shopwithamom.com and Simply Melt Away www.simplymeltaway.com

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Ways to Make a Budget Work for You

by BlondieWrites on October 1, 2009

Whether it’s for your business or personal finances, there’s very little point in having a budget if it is not tailored to meet your needs. If you are trying to make or stick to a budget and having no luck, it may be that you need to make some changes. Here are some things you can try to help your budget work for you.

1. Be flexible
It’s important to understand the significant trial-and-error aspect of making your budget. If you are new at budgeting or trying a new type of budget, be patient with yourself and give yourself time to learn. Be willing to try one thing if another does not work, and to consider making changes in equipment or lifestyle in order to make the numbers add up.

For example, if you find your electric bill is consistently higher than anticipated, you can adjust the numbers or the amount of electricity you use, or invest in more energy-efficient business equipment.

2. Communicate with your family
An important aspect of an effective budget is to include your family. Every family member brings something to the budget process that is important; your budget will work for you far better if you have considered everyone’s income, spending, and input. And be patient with your family’s learning curve. They are probably new at this, too.

3. Err on the side of expenses
In the beginning, there will be some guesswork - over-estimate your spending rather than your income if you need round numbers. It’s always better to discover you have more than you thought rather than less!

4. Don’t ignore your budget
It’s all well and good to prepare a working budget, but if you don’t refer to it monthly it is not much use. In fact, you may want to refer to it weekly or even daily at first, in order to keep track of expenditures (especially cash) that you may not have considered. It’s better to tweak your budget often than experience shock at the end of the month.

5. Remember, it’s *your* budget
When making a budget is no time to try and “keep up with the Joneses.” It’s your budget, not a wish list, and what works for your family or business may not be the same as what works for another.

6. Save, save, save
Yes, you’ve heard this all your life - but when you’re budgeting it’s time to put it into action! Saving should be a part of any budget - life happens, and in an emergency a cash reserve can be a life-saver.

7. Set goals
Remembering why you are doing a budget in the first place is important. Making a bigger profit or streamlining your business? Getting a handle on debt or utility payments? Whatever the reason, knowing why will help you know where you need to cut or increase your spending or income, and will motivate you to keep within your budget.

A budget is a healthy financial tool that everyone can create to fit his or her needs.

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Budget Bass: Discount Car Stereo

by BlondieWrites on September 25, 2009

Dying to satisfy that craving for that boom bass but can’t make the budget? Can’t sleep ‘cuz of that new Clarion head unit? Look no further, you just need to find that discount car stereo to fulfill your car audio needs.

Well, there are probably only two instances where a need for a discount car stereo will come in. These two instances always entail lack of a financial comfort zone (that’s why we call them discount car stereos).

First instance, you don’t have an audio system in your car, and you would like to install one. Following the premise we have above, you’re most probably a car owner who doesn’t have enough cash to spend on a new, top of the line system.

What to do: How do you get a discount car stereo? One way is to go to a car stereo sale. Still, you have to deal with store prices, they’re cheap, but not that cheap. Another is to scour the classifieds and buy and sell for second-hand items. These are real discount car stereos, but you have to have a sharp eye to recognize which is a good deal and which is a swindle. Ask the seller how many years he had it, in what car. Inspect the car where it is installed. If it’s still installed on the car, give it a go. If it’s just a head unit, or a speaker that isn’t installed, just be careful. Research the model of the discount car stereo you’re planning to buy, also find reviews.

Second instance: You already have a car stereo system installed, but you would like to upgrade it. Again, most probably you’re just searching for a discount car stereo/discount car stereo system not far from what you have. Maybe something with higher wattage, or a head unit which can play mp3s? And again, try searching at sales. Take advantage of classifieds, buy and sells, second hands, and also swaps. Chances are, if you’re a car audio enthusiast, someone in your circle currently has a better system than yours and maybe willing to sell it to you. No need for standard pricing here. Or if others have equivalent items which they might be willing to swap, like a head unit for an amplifier, or a nice set of tweeters for a cd changer (i highly doubt it) or your pedigreed pitbull for the whole shebang! You’ll get more discount car stereos if you have a circle of friends/people who share the same interest.

Other tips which might help: Another way to get a discount car stereo is to SUBSTITUTE. Like cars, Japanese made units are often cheaper than German/European/American made units. Also, look at the basics. What is it that you need, as in the most BASIC FEATURES? Do you really need that mesmerizing LED display, or can you do without it? Goes for speakers too. If you’re not going to enter a car audio competition and you just want to hear good treble and bass levels without making your speakers croak, maybe you can do away with a couple of 3way/4 way speakers. A big subwoofer will definitely need an amplifier, and those are already 2 things to buy.

Discount car stereos are always a good deal, you just have to know where to get one.

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