Budgeting

Did you decide to save money this year by driving to your summer vacation destination, thus avoiding airfares and car rental charges? You’re in luck! With some effort and forethought, you can save even more money as you drive. Consider these tips for increased savings: Auto Maintenance – A well-maintained car runs more efficiently
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As you shop for vacation destinations, be on the lookout for costly resort fees. Resort fees are separate fees added on top of your nightly rate to cover certain amenities that the hotel provides. Resort fees are typically automatically added onto your bill, whether or not you use the amenities that the resort fee covers.
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Are you considering bypassing the hotel or resort experience for your summer vacation and opting for a summer home rental instead? Home rental networks are on the rise and have never been easier to use, thanks to the increased web presence and sites like VacationHomeRentals.com, Airbnb, VRBO, and VacationRentals.com. However, just because travel agents and
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With businesses and individuals taking steps to return to normal living, there’s a lot of pent up consumer demand to spend. The new term “revenge shopping” implies that consumers will be making up for lost time with a boom in products and experiences they couldn’t purchase during the lockdown. The National Retail Federation estimates that
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The pandemic is far from over, but Americans aren’t letting it get in the way of celebrating that special someone this Valentine’s Day. In fact, the National Retail Federation released a new survey that found over half of all U.S. consumers are still planning to celebrate this year’s love day, with spending expected to reach
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By Andrea Woroch Money is a top concern for most Americans these days and, with so much uncertainty still ahead, it’s important to create financial security for yourself and your family as we enter into this new year. Improving your finances may seem like a daunting process, but getting started is half the battle. Here
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Many people are reconsidering their budget to prevent holiday overspending over the next few months. If you are one of these people, good for you – but why stop there? This is a great time to look further ahead and tackle your 2021 budget. Lay out your calendar, spreadsheet, or whatever method you use and
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Spending during the holiday season goes into overdrive and controlling your budget is harder than usual given the endless sales and impulse purchase temptations. In fact, a new survey found that 46 percent of millennials, 46 percent of parents with children under 18, and nearly half of those who are already in credit card debt
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The holidays are supposed to be a jolly time, but this year is shaping up to be a bit more stressful than usual as consumers worry about their financial situations and stress over seasonal expenses. In fact, a recent survey from Gallup found that consumers plan to spend an average of $805 on gifts this
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Whether you want to admit or not, the holidays are fast approaching and planning ahead is key to managing your money, so that you don’t overextend yourself or go into debt. Last year, the average American spent $882.45 on Christmas gifts, food, decorations, travel, and other miscellaneous holiday-related expenses, according to the 2019 Christmas Spending
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Winter driving is stressful enough given the confluence of unpleasant weather, bad road conditions, and collective increases in driver stress. It can be even more stressful if you experience mishaps, gas-related problems, and seasonal breakdowns – and the same goes for your car. Here are a few steps to save money with winter driving and
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By Andrea Woroch September is the most common birth month of the entire year and whether you‘re among the millions of couples preparing for baby‘s arrival or recently welcomed your tiny bundle of joy, this is a good time to review your budget since a lot is about to change. It‘s no surprise that raising
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By Andrea Woroch Many colleges across the country have announced plans to begin the year with virtual or hybrid learning models, but that doesn’t mean students are off the hook from buying supplies and other gear. In fact, the National Retail Federation estimates that college students and their parents will spend an average of $1,059
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Parents, how’s your summer going? Enjoy a fun family vacation or staycation? Ready for school to start? As we approach summer’s halfway point, you may be tired of working as a full-time entertainment director and concierge for your kids. Sure, you could buy the latest gaming system and leave them planted in front of the
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Want to take a family vacation, but worried about the costs? A stay-at-home vacation (“Staycation”) can be a fun and money-saving alternative to dealing with that thrilling extra security search at the airport, or packing everyone in the family roadster for a less-than-scenic drive to your destination. (“Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”)
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By Andrea Woroch Many U.S. households have put a pause on air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and families are instead hitting the open roads to enjoy a getaway while staying safe and saving money this summer. In fact, AAA forecasts that Americans will take 700 million trips this season and road trips will
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Statewide restrictions are easing, and businesses are slowly reopening across the country, but consumers are still experiencing a lot of financial anxiety about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on their income and budgets. In fact, a survey by LendEDU found that 63% of poll participants were concerned about running out of money and 51%
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By Andrea Woroch The first round of stimulus checks was sent out to millions of Americans across the country, with $218.4 billion paid out so far in an effort to ease the financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Although these payments provide some relief, using the money wisely is crucial in creating more financial
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Your bathroom can be functional without being boring, without spending thousands of dollars or hosting an HGTV makeover show to spruce it up. (Most of us are terrified at the thought of our friends spending significant time in our bathrooms, much less letting all of America critique it.) Flea markets, dollar stores, and other discount
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The old phrase “you get what you pay for” really does ring true in some cases. There are some cases where quality is far more important than price. Would you consider discount brain surgery? Probably not… and if you would, we suspect it might be repeat business. Medicine warrants a whole category of areas where
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Nature comes alive in springtime and we all want to take advantage of the warmer weather. However, some of our finances may still be recovering from our holiday spending, making a spring break seem like a pipe dream. Here are five ways to take a vacation without breaking the bank. 1. Take a road trip.
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You would love to embark on a home improvement project that will spruce up your property and improve its resale value at the same time, but you only have $1,000 in the budget. What sort of projects can give you the best return on your investment (ROI)? We have five options below for your consideration.
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MoneyTips By Andrea Woroch Every year, countless people throughout the country dream up personal finance-related New Year’s Resolutions. Most of the goals are centered around saving more money, whether it’s by earning more or spending less. Some folks have trips they want to take or projects they need to cross off their to-do list, while
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Many people are reconsidering their budget to prevent holiday overspending over the next few months. If you are one of these people, good for you – but why stop there? This is a great time to look further ahead and tackle your 2020 budget. Lay out your calendar, spreadsheet, or whatever method you use and
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Christmas Shipping Can Still Be Free Are you a procrastinator who hasn’t started your holiday shopping yet? If not, are you still hunting for deals even after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Green Monday? In any case, you still want to take advantage of online bargains and free shipping offers. You’re in
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