Get More from Your Smart Phone using Personal Finance Apps Love them or hate them, smartphones can be useful. Not just a mobile phone, they’re a camera, GPS, internet browser, e-reader, and the list goes on. It seems everyone has one and they are fast becoming integral to the basic functioning of our daily lives. …
Focusing on a brighter future can be a challenge when all around us seems hopeless and desperate. Wars. Poverty. Inequality. Injustice. If you’re a regular consumer of the nightly news, this is all you see. Night after night. Week after week. It’s hard to stay positive and motivated in the face of such relentless negativity. …
Frugal living doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Lots of us, me included, are used to spending what we have on what we need, when we need it. There was a time in my life when I spent without thinking about the future, I spent without considering the detrimental effects of credit card debt and, probably …
Putting your finances on autopilot is a great way to stay on top of your regular bills and savings. Setting up automatic bill payments helps reduce the possibility of missing a payment and getting hit with a late fee plus it can remove or at least reduce any anxiety you might feel when it comes to …
Debt snowball, avalanche or consolidation, which is the secret ingredient to finally paying off your debt? Being debt free is the foundation of financial freedom. Once you’re free of debt you can begin to actively invest and build the assets that will enable you to retire, whether you’re aiming for early retirement or not. So, …
I’m on a mission to seriously reduce my spending at the grocery store. In the last few months I’ve managed to reduce spending on all our general grocery costs by over 50%. In November I spent $670 and in April I spent just under $330. This is how I slashed my grocery bill by 50% 1. Shop …
Sometimes, disaster really is the mother of invention. In this case, money got tight, really tight. I needed to avoid spending, any spending, for 10 days and so, the $20 spending challenge was born. As I talked about in The Dangers of Denial, my once successful online retail business took a serious downturn. The last 12 …
Everywhere you look, there are articles recommending you sell your unwanted goods (aka clutter) on eBay. That used to be excellent advice. Now? Not so much. Maybe. The rules have changed considerably over the last 12 months and those rules do not bode well for smaller sellers. I’ve been a business seller on eBay for …
For many years now I’ve appointed February as a designated ‘No Spend’ month. I think it all started as a way to recover from the additional costs of Christmas, the summer holidays, and the back to school spend fest. It’s also the shortest month. Last year was the first in a long while that February …
In a previous post, I discussed paying off your debt as being one of the Five savings goals that will change your life. Chances are, you’re well aware of how being debt free will have a huge, positive impact on your life, you’re just not sure where to start, or how to figure out what to pay. …
Struggling to take that first step to financial freedom? If you are, don’t despair. Read on to see how these five savings goals will change your life. The big question most of us struggle with is this: Which should you do first; save for the future or pay for the past? I think you need to do a …
Looking for ways to make sure this year is your best yet? Here are seven smart money moves that will set the foundation for a successful year. Plus, you can use them at any time! 1 – Use Your Calendar Mark your paydays, regular and irregular bills, and the amounts (or estimates of amounts) coming …