Tag: Money Saving Tips

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Tell Your Money Where to Go

Most people avoid developing a spending plan. It’s just no fun hearing the same things over and over – “be frugal, be thrifty, save every penny you can for a rainy day.”

Unfortunately, failure to develop a spending plan usually results in our money waving goodbye every payday, and when bumps in the road occur and they will, (life being, well, life) you find yourself with very difficult financial challenges.

There’s got to be a happy medium – something between the regimented, enforced frugality that is so often presented as the solution to your life’s financial future and the carefree spending that’s going to land you in trouble. Taking control means that you take back full control and “tell your money where to go”!! No more letting it simply wave good-bye!

Save Money with a budget planEnter the Save-to-Spend concept, a system of budgeting that will have you future-proofing your money, while still allowing you to achieve the things you want, and even giving you some “mad money” for the things you didn’t know you wanted. It is really all about pre-planning by putting your short, medium and long term goals on paper. Once you have them, put down what the costs are for each of them. Then prioritize them and determine the length of time it will take you to save for each of them. A simple example is buying a new big screen television. If the cost is $1200 and you want to have it in one year, start putting $100 away each month for it. This is far different then the buy now pay later program where you forget to pay off the interest free loan and end up paying 30% interest back to the day it was delivered. This is an example of a change from that path of instant gratification to one of delayed gratification!

The concept goes one step further and includes the most important part of any plan and that is building your emergency savings account. These are just a few simple examples of a very old concept that we need to return to.

Of course, you can’t make money from nothing, so there are going to be some sacrifices. They will, however, seem unimportant as you quickly see your bank balances grow with all the individual financial goals you have set.

Just remember you need to keep happy while you work within your Save-to-Spend plan! Like dieting, if you tell yourself you can never enjoy one of the foods you love, you’ll likely cheat. If you allow yourself the occasional treat, you’ll be happier overall and are more likely to get the result you want. Save-to-Spend has been proven to be effective.

If you have questions about Save-to-Spend, budgeting, or any other topic related to debt or personal finance, contact Creditaid anytime online or by telephone at (204) 987-6890.

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How Not to Overspend When Planning a Funeral

cemetery

We often offer advice about taxes here on our blog, but we seldom talk about life’s other certainty. Planning for the funeral of a loved one can be very stressful if you have to do it all while you’re in the process of grieving. There are many things to consider – type of internment, the casket, the service, and the reception. Because of our desire to “just get it done”, and to properly memorialize someone very close to us, we can often overspend when planning a funeral.

At Creditaid, we see the impact that high funeral costs can have. We can offer the following advice to someone who’s planning a funeral:

Take someone with you. Having a trusted friend or family member who isn’t as stricken with grief as you are to help with making the arrangements can assist in keeping a perspective on matters. While the professionals in the funeral industry aren’t trying to take advantage of you, bear in mind that it is a business. Having a “voice of reason” with you could prove to be handy.

Shop around. Funeral services differ in price. While we don’t advocate driving all over town, visit at least two funeral homes to see what options they offer you.

Look at economical alternatives. Instead of a full-blown funeral, you could opt for a “direct disposition”, where the internment is handled in the background, and instead hold a memorial service for friends and family. Cremation is a more economical option than traditional burial in a plot, and has gained popularity in recent decades. It’s now a standard method of burial.

Consider the real wishes of your loved one. Chances are, they wouldn’t want you to put yourself in a position of financial hardship for their funeral. While it’s only natural to want to memorialize someone “properly”, financial realities should always be considered. There are lots of ways to make a fitting memorial without exposing yourself to crushing debt.

Creditaid offers credit counselling and debt management solutions to Manitobans struggling with debt.

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Paper or Plastic or Cloud? The Evolving Concept of Money

dollar-signYou need only to look at the recent demise of the penny, or see the “wave your card here” payment option at the supermarket to know that the way that we think of and use money is changing.

In ancient times, humans would barter objects or labour directly. A farmer might give his neighbour two chickens in exchange for a bag of flour, or might help build a fence and be rewarded with a sack of carrots.

At its core level, money is a substitute for human labour or resources, traded to someone in exchange for “payment”. This payment can then be used to obtain the things you need or want from a third party, not related to the first.

In the past we used gold and other precious metals to represent the value of our labour and goods, but switched to a system of currency consisting of minted coins and printed paper. In the 20th century, cheques and bank drafts simplified purchasing, and in the 1950s, credit cards were invented, to allow us to access money we hadn’t yet earned, in exchange for a “borrowing fee”.

Today, money exists in a number of forms. We still have “hard currency”, or cash, but its use is on the decline. The digital revolution has brought us more options. As more and more purchases are being made at a distance, instant transfer of money via credit cards and money transfer services have become part of the landscape.

At the end of the day, no matter how you spend your money, simple rules of budgeting must apply to keep your finances in balance. With so many ways to spend money that don’t involve any kind of currency, it’s easy to forget to budget. This is one of the ways that people wind up in financial trouble.

If you find your credit card and loan payments are making it hard to budget your money, contact Creditaid for a confidential assessment of your financial situation. We have tools that can help!

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Christmas Shopping Is Not All Black and White

Budgeting for the Christmas holidays is always difficult; in fact, it’s the one time that is guaranteed to wreak havoc far into the next financial year. For holidays in general, we would advise incorporating your spending into your monthly budget. However, if you haven’t already, don’t despair, there may be some Christmas cheer for you yet.

Knowing how much money you have for shopping is one thing, being able to allocate where that money goes, when contemplating your holiday shopping is something else.
Click to download our Holiday Gift Giving Planner that can help.

Christmas, as we all know, is in December – which conveniently follows the month of November, and two of the biggest shopping days of the year – Black Friday on November 23rd, closely followed by Cyber Monday on November 26th. Although these two shopping holidays are more popular with our neighbours to the south, an estimated 80% of Canadians took advantage of the deals on offer in the 2011 sales. While you may not wish to fight for this year’s big sellers during these mega sales days, they are ideal for swooping under the radar and picking up deals on gifts for extended family and friends.

Another great idea for holiday budgeting, although a little sneaky, is to invite the whole family around for dinner and subtly find out what they want for Christmas. It will get everyone in the holiday spirit, and you’ll save yourself from that frantic, and often expensive, last minute search for the ideal gift. Make sure to set a limit for each person you buy for and keep track of what you bought for whom and how much you paid.

Remember too, that not everyone is concerned with material gifts. Consider making a donation to charity, or, buying a gift with a conscience, such as a milking goat for a 3rd world family on someone’s behalf. If you really want to go the extra mile, why not accompany them on a food drive or to serve at a soup kitchen over the Christmas holidays?

When the holidays are over, your budgeting tasks are not yet done. Take advantage of the New Year’s sales, where you can make huge savings on clothes, toys, electronics and even gifts for the following Christmas.

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Empowering the Independent Woman: Take Control of your Personal Finances

Gail Vaz- Oxlade has a message for women everywhere – be an “Island” before becoming a “Peninsula”. The tough-talking money expert and host of popular reality TV shows such as Til Debt Do Us Part and Princess maintains that all women should be financially independent , even in marriage rather than expecting a partner to become their financial safety net.

In her latest book, It’s Your Money: Becoming a Woman of Independent Means (HarperCollinsCanada, $21.99), Vaz-Oxlade argues that women have unique challenges when it comes to managing money such as motherhood, divorce, widowhood, disability and caring for the elderly. Instead of relying on others, whether it be a partner, parent or financial planner, women should take action to understand and plan around their unique needs.

The first step of taking control is keeping track of where money is spent. Vaz-Oxlade suggests keeping receipts and entering expenses into a journal or spreadsheet and to distinguish clearly between the wants and the needs. Read the full article from the Winnipeg Free Press on Gail’s financial tips for women here.

Credit Aid is a proud sponsor of “You and Your Money with Gail Vaz-Oxlade” taking place in Winnipeg on February 9th, 2012. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at www.youandyourdollar.com or by calling 254-2595.

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Top 5 Ways to Save On A Wedding

Weddings can be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to have a beautiful and meaningful event. There are several ways to save money without losing the beauty and charm that you expect for this special occasion.

Here are the top five ways to keep your costs in line with your budget.

1. Limit your guest list. Determine the amount of guests you can afford to feed at the reception and set your guest list accordingly. Take into consideration, how many people you can actually greet personally in the time you will have available. If you won’t have time to say hello to each one, maybe your list is too long.
2. Keep it light. Since the catering bill can be the largest cost for many weddings, this is the ideal place to look for options. Many wedding couples are opting for a dessert reception or finger foods after an evening wedding.
3. Shop locations. There are many locations that offer package discounts that combine honeymoon accommodations with their reception hall rental. Take the time to find the place that fits your budget and your seating needs as well.
4. Uncover the talent. Rather than paying large amounts of money for unknown professionals, seek out the talents of friends and family for areas like music, photography and catering.
5. Custom invitations. Instead of buying expensive printed invitations, many couples are saving money and also creating very customized invitations by putting their computer skills to work.

Set a budget and then work to fit your dreams into it. When you look back, you’ll be glad you did.

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Staycation This Summer

With the high cost of fuel prices, traveling any distance can become quite costly. However, that doesn’t mean your family needs to forego your vacation time. Often times, we overlook options that are close at hand when planning vacations.

Plan your week out just as you would if you were traveling to a vacation destination. Take in some local attractions as a family, that you might not otherwise. Take a tour of a historical museum and then eat dinner out at a landmark restaurant or hotel in town. You might plan one day as a nature adventure and go on a hike and pack a picnic lunch. You could end the day with a campout in the backyard. In reality, you don’t even need to leave the house. You could have a vacation from cooking, chores, and laundry for a week and spend the time playing games, hanging out at the pool and eating pizza delivered to your door.

Vacation is about how far you go or how much money you spend. It’s about spending time together, relaxing and having fun. You can accomplish those things at home by simply putting yourself in the ‘vacation mode’.

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Getting Your Financial Life in Order

Just as spring is often the time that we clean-out and reorganize our homes, it is a good time to bring some order to our financial lives as well. We’ve put together a few tips to help you do just that.

1. Balance your checkbook. For some people, this may be a ‘duh’ statement, but for others it is actually a big step. If you have not been balancing your checkbook with your monthly bank statement each month, now is the time to start. Knowing that the balance in your checkbook is accurate can relieve a lot of stress and save you plenty of money in overdraft fees. If you’re having trouble getting it balanced, take it into your bank and ask them for help. They can help you get to a good clean starting place for the spring.

2. Write out a monthly budget. It doesn’t have to be overly detailed, just start by listing out all your monthly bills and the average amounts due each month. Then add in budget amounts for groceries, fuel for your vehicles and other expenditures you make that do not come to you in bill form, like entertainment, giving and clothing. Schedule when each bill will be paid on a calendar, based on its due date and when your income comes in.

3. Make an appointment for credit counseling. There are experts available to help you sort through your finances and give you the advice you need. Pick up the phone and make an appointment with one of our credit counselors.

4. Open a savings account. Even if you don’t have much to put into it, open a savings account and begin the process. Determine an amount to deposit into it each week or each month. Perhaps you’ll want to set aside a few dollars from each pay check, or maybe you’ll do the ‘save my change’ game and deposit your extra change each week. No matter how small it is, begin the process of building a savings account for yourself.

These are just four simple steps to help get your financial life in order and heading in the right direction. Spring is as good a time as any to start fresh.

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Time to Rein in Spending

April showers bring May flowers is the old saying. The spring rains wash away the dingy gray of winter and usher in the beautiful bright colors of tulips and daffodils. In much the same way, ‘reining’ in spending can release some wonderful feelings of exuberance and new life as well.

When we over spend and are behind on paying our bills, the stress mounts ,and each new month becomes one to dread, instead of to enjoy. By saying no to our old spending habits in several small ways, we can become free to relax and enjoy life again. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Make a shopping list and stick to it. If you didn’t write it on the list, you can’t buy it, that’s the rule with this one. That means you need to be very thorough when making out your list. It may take you a while the first few times, but you’ll get used to. You’ll be surprised how much it will help you just to have that sheet of paper that tells you what you can buy and can’t buy when you enter a store.

Don’t carry your credit card with you. If you have credit cards, leave them at home. If you don’t have them with you, you are less likely to spend money that you don’t have. Only put the credit card in your purse or wallet when you know that you will need it for a specific purpose.

Gifts. If you are a generous gift giver but your finances are out of control, this may be an area you need to rein in. Set yourself a budget for birthday and holiday gifts. Let your family know that they shouldn’t expect the same extravagance in gifts that they have received before. They’ll understand and you’ll find your bills much easier to pay.

Decrease your dining expenses. You don’t necessarily need to quit going out to dinner entirely, but you can begin to cut back. Start bringing your own lunch to work, instead of going out for lunch every day. Choose your dining establishments for their dollar value and not just their ambiance. Look for the specials and coupons in your local paper for area restaurants.

These are just four easy tips to begin reining in your spending before it gets totally out of hand. Every little bit that you can trim off, is money in your pocket.

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Tips for Saving on Kids Sporting Activities This Spring

As parents, we want our kids to be involved in sports. We recognize the benefit these activities give to our children’s lives. Sporting activities provide enrichment physically, socially and psychologically. In spite of all the benefits, sports can be very expensive to participate in. So, we’ve come up with a few tips to help you keep your kid’s activities affordable.

Buy Secondhand – You can often buy used sporting equipment from other parents whose kids have out grown their previous year’s equipment. There are also secondhand shops that specialize in recycled sporting goods. Garage sales and craigslist are two other sources for buying used sporting goods.
Family Discounts – If you have more than one child ready for sports, try and enroll them in the same sports program. Often times there are family discounts for families who have multiple siblings enrolled in the same program.
Early Bird Discounts – Don’t wait until the last minute to get the kids signed up. Many sporting activities encourage early enrollment by offering early bird discounts.
Avoid Traveling Teams – Having to travel out of town for your kid’s sports activities can be very costly. Try to find sports where the teams compete locally, rather than out of town.
Swap Skills – Check to see if there are discounts for parents who help with the coaching or management of teams. See if there is another service you can provide in exchange for the service your child is receiving.
Choose Lower Priced Sports – Sports that require expensive equipment will be more expensive, such as hockey and bike riding. Swimming and running have very little equipment involved, and therefore, much less expensive.

Simply put a little extra thought into the choices of your kid’s sporting activities can save you plenty.