Frugal Tip for the College-Bound

It's a busy time around the house as college-bound students are heading back to college. Some of the young adults may have worked part-time during the summer break to earn extra money which is a wonderful idea.

Frugal Tip ->Hopefully, they saved some of their earnings to help out with buying dorm room items, books, and other necessities. If they already have a credit card, encourage them to use cash instead or debit card where the funds are taken out of their checking account. The last thing students need to be concerned about is the credit card bills arriving in the mail.

3 Helpful Budget Tips

Hello everyone, many of you know how I like to start the new month off with a budget review. We're only day two into the new month of August, but no time to waste. Here are 3 budget tips that will be helpful to your household and wallet. You get a thumbs up already from 'Garfield the Cat' for your efforts.

1. Grocery Shopping ->As the food prices started to creep up fast in July, the grocery receipts saw a big increase. There is no way around putting food on the table. Make sure to keep clipping coupons when heading out to grocery shop and keep your eye out for bargain buys.
2. Credit Cards ->It's good to keep at least one or two credit cards in good standing by paying the bill each month on time. Did you have a car or home repair that extra cash could not cover? This is the time to pull out the credit cards in an emergency. Use cash or debit card where you know the expenses are immediate most of the time. If you can, always double the minimum amount when sending in a credit card payment. Better yet, pay the balance in full if you can swing it.
3. Part-time Work ->After working a full-time job weekdays, thinking about adding a part-time job after work and on the weekdays probably doesn't send anyone jumping for joy. With a tight budget each month and little to no money left over, a part-time job sounds like a good bet. The job market is still tough for those seeking part-time work so it might not be easy. If you land one, focus on how the extra money will be spent especially paying down debt.

 I hope these budget tips are helpful as we continue to watch our dollars and save money.

I Love the 80s!

I remember being so excited about this all-girl band back in the 80s. I thought it was so cool to see them playing the drums and guitars. I was in college studying hard, working a part-time job, and finding a little bit of time to spend with friends. Those were great times, the beat goes on!

New Month, Budget Review

Welcome to the new month of June and all things new as I like to say. Greet those first of the month bills with enthusiasm that you have the money to pay them. In these tough economic times, some people are juggling what bills will get paid. A good practice for the new month is to review your budget and see how well things are going. Are you able to add $5 dollars to the monthly savings plan? Right now, no one can escape the high cost of food and gas. While gas prices have gone down a bit, keep your eye on other ways to commute to work like public transportation or carpool. As the air conditioners get cranked up, the electric bills will be going up too. If it's not quite that hot yet, open the windows until you really need to turn on the A/C. Here's an idea ->Look for a part-time job or extra gig on the weekends to help with expenses.