Category: Money

Saving Money All Year Round-August Hints and Tips

August 1-31
Family Fun Month.
Celebrate your family all month by planning a fun activity for your family each week: a barbecue one week, a walk through the park the next, and more. Take advantage of the family time together to teach your kids about managing money – a skill that will benefit them the rest of their life.

August 1st-Take time today to find out if your state has a sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping. Mark your calendar with the dates and plan to do your shopping then. Set a goal to save big money on back to school-shopping this year.

7th-National Sisters’ Day. If you’re lucky enough to have a sister on this day, plan to spend some time with her. You can swap savvy saving and shopping tips to help save even more money.

12th-International Youth Day. This United Nations observance day pays homage to the world’s youth – their achievements and incredible impact on the world. Talk with your kids today and listen to their dreams for the future. Emphasize the importance of education and employment in creating their best lives possible. Discuss how your family saving for their goals needs to start now and might mean sacrifices today for a better tomorrow.

13th-National Garage Sale Day.
Believe it or not, there’s a day to celebrate the garage sale. Definitely plan to have yours this month. Use the money that you earn to make a difference to your family budget. For example, apply your takings to back-to-school shopping, save it, or invest it.

19th World Humanitarian Day.
This day observes the incredible perseverance by all the world’s humanitarian workers and to promote humanitarian causes. In particular, those who have lost their lives in the fight for humanitarian reasons are honored on this day. Consider a donation to the humanitarian effort of your choice. Think how you can make a difference in the world through your time and efforts. Also remember that wealth is relative. You may not think you have a lot, but you are far better off than many people around the world and there are some things that money can’t buy. Freedom is one of them.

24-Start shopping for a new car.
At this time of year, dealers are selling their remaining inventory of this year’s models at great savings to make room for next year’s new cars. To save some real money on your next new car, shop now for the best deals. Do your research carefully and see if now is the right time to buy.

26th-Women’s Equality Day. Celebrate the date that women were first given the right to vote in 1920 by purchasing a $50 savings bond for each of the favorite women in your life, such as your wife, sisters, and daughters. Women can treat themselves to their own $50 savings bond to celebrate this landmark day. Or, put the money into an interest bearing account and add to it, setting your own goals, hopes and dreams to improve your future.

31th. Make a call to reduce the interest rate on your credit card. It’s so important to try to save dollars however you can. Put some effort into reducing your credit card interest rates. Any reduction in the rate, no matter how small, is extra money in your pocket. The America’s Debt Diet and other websites have sample scripts you can use to help you get started saving money.

Don’t forget to check your budget and emergency fund to be sure you are on track. See the guide Emergency Fund 101 for more information. Also learn How to Use the Internet to Save Money.

Further Reading:

How to Slash Costs and Save Money on Everyday Expenses (More for Less Guides)

Smart Spending Strategies (More for Less Guides)

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Finance Calendar for December

1-31 Universal Human Rights Month. The month of December is designated as Human Rights Month – a time to acknowledge the importance of human rights throughout the world. Celebrate your freedoms in this country, including the freedom to build and keep your assets as your own.
1 If you’re retired, the deadline for withdrawing the minimum annual mandatory payments from your retirement funds is the 31st of this month. Review now what you’ve already withdrawn to ensure you’ve taken what’s required.
5 Now’s the time to donate dollars to your favorite charities. Doing so will win you a big tax deduction for the year.
7 National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Take time to acknowledge soldiers who fought during World War II by donating to your local veterans’ groups or charities.
10 Watch your last-minute holiday buying. This is the time of year that you might start to overspend. Rather than continue to buy more gifts, make the decision to decrease or stop the holiday debts.
17 Wright Brothers Day. Do you remember Orville and Wilbur Wright? They made their first flight on this day many years ago. Acknowledge their ingenuity by purchasing a savings bond for each of your children today.
19 Buy a new computer. Score huge savings on a new computer – up to 50% off at many retailers during this month. So, if it’s time to replace yours, check out prices as the holidays approach to find your best deal.
21 Hanukkah. Begins an 8 day celebration that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Even though you’ll be gathering with family and friends, you can stay in your budget with planning and discipline.
25 Christmas Day. Enjoy the exchange of gifts during this time. Starting tomorrow, vow to set aside at least $10 per week all year to avoid holiday budget stresses next Christmas.
31 New Years’ Eve. Take some time today to make your New Years’ resolutions. Plan a budget for next year. Set a target amount to have in the bank by this time next year.

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Coupons Can Be Your Best Friend Part 2

Part 2.

Sort your coupons/span> Use plastic protector sheets to help sort coupons. You can combine them into a single sleeve and even divide them up by date. Labeling the sheets just like the aisles in your favorite grocery store will allow you to pull only the coupons that you need. It can also give you a quick glance at the expiration dates to make sure you are not left stranded at the checkout.

Go for the Big Deals
Checking the weekly flyers put out by your local stores can save you even more money. Many of these sales flyers can be found online or will be delivered to your home. Also check in the front of the store to see what is on sale for the week and buy only the items that match your list, unless it is a staple that you use all the time.

Websites Check around for websites which pool all of the local deals plus great coupons.

Taking the time to do a little sales research before you make the trip to the store is one of the best ways to save money.

Organizing your coupons by type and date will help you save time and money. Using them in combination with sales at the store could just help you build up your savings account significantly at end of each month.

We all need to buy items to eat and to use in the household, but why pay more if you do not have to?

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Coupons Can Be Your Best Friend, Part 1

Part 1.

Ever wonder what it would be like to get paid for buying what you were going to buy anyway? For instance, you walk into the store for a loaf of bread and walk out with a couple of extra bucks as well as your bread?

This is what it is like if you use coupons and also shop the sales in your local supermarkets and also your chain drugstores, many of which are now starting to carry a lot more food items and paper products at really good sale prices.

Combining a coupon with an already low sales price is almost like getting the item for free.

Coupon using can be a hard and stressful work, but thanks to online sites and emails from the manufacturer, plus sale flyers online that allow you to click the items to add them to your grocery list makes it easier than ever before to save money through clipping and using coupons.

The main rule with coupons is only to clip the ones for items that you use regularly. It is nice to try new things once in a while, but coupons are really no bargain if you are spending more in the end than you normally would.

If you do not spend that much time online, now is the time to start. You will also want to get any Sunday newspaper coupon supplements and cut out what you need.

Once you do that, you need to organize them.

Organize Getting a simple binder with plastic pockets, such as 2 pockets per sheet, can help you use all your coupons easily. Be sure to bring pen, paper, calculator to work out a unit price, and your list.

Also consider that when an item is on sale and you are using a coupon, the price may actually be cheaper than the warehouse club price, so be vigilant and look for the best deals.

and also protects your valuable pen, calculator and even cash stored in the nifty side pockets.

Continued in Part 2.

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