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I wrote postings about poor people and their food/ and grocery shopping over at Grandpa Richard Speaks. Here is a follow up to the grocery posting. (Continue reading…)

The standard system of banking and paying routine bills has changed dramatically since the Internet has come into the picture. While the old-school process of bill paying generally consisted of receiving electric, gas, water, credit card, student loan and insurance bills through snail mail, now days you have a selection. You no longer have to grapple with monthly envelopes, paper statements and stamps. The World Wide Web has introduced us all to a much more suitable method of paying bills electronically. So if you presently don’t pay bills online, you should really reconsider. It’s not only easier, it’s safer as well.  (Continue reading…)

Budget is 6 letters but the way some people talk, it is a 4 letter word. It is, however, the best way to gain control over your finances and live a life free of financial stress.  Here are the simple steps to achieve this:

Step 1:  Determine Your Costs

Collect your financial information together. This will include every credit card statement, bank statement and your receipts.  Anything that documents your expenses for the last three months needs to be collected.  What are you going to do with this information?  You’re going to use it to categorize your expenses.  What do you spend on your home?  What do you spend on your car?  Your food?  Your health?  Entertainment?  You’re not tracking your expenses right now, you’re simply coming up with expense categories and sub-categories for your budget.  If it makes it easier, begin by drafting the categories and sub-categories you think your expenses will fall into.  As you go through your expenses you can verify your category decisions. (Continue reading…)

Ben Franklin said long ago: “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

This is it folks. The #1 rule of all time for money management. This rule will lead to a better lifestyle in the long run.

“Spend less money than you earn.”

If you use credit cards, make sure you both know AND use these 4 quick tips.

(1) Read

Make sure you read the information you get from your card issuing company. Read every form they send you. If you are having trouble understanding what it means to your situation, talk to a trusted friend, or call the company’s help line. (Continue reading…)

Many people, maybe even you, are struggling with bad credit. Unfortunately it doesn’t take much to derail your credit. A few missed or late payments on any credit card or loan can send creditors knocking on your door, and what follows is a world of stress into your life. If you are in this situation, here are 5 steps to get your credit back on track and eliminate credit card debt as quickly as possible: (Continue reading…)

By definition, a credit bureau is an agency which collects and sells information about the creditworthiness of people and businesses. A credit bureau collects information about your credit history, including how much credit you have available to you, what your balance is, and your payment history.

A credit bureau or agency compiles the information to give individuals a credit score, which is a number lenders use to evaluate the risk of lending money or giving credit to you. They also generate reports of your financial history and sell them to prospective lenders. This information is used to not only determine whether or not to extend credit to you but at what interest rate. This is one of the reasons it is extremely helpful to have good credit and a high credit score. It could mean the difference between a 1% car loan and a 10% car loan – potentially thousands of dollars depending on the cost of the car. (Continue reading…)

Tips and Suggestions on How to Save Money

With the rising costs of homes, oil, food, healthcare, and college; it’s a wonder how anyone can save enough money to ensure there is sufficient funds to cover all of the necessities in life. Even with moms and dads working full time; living from paycheck to paycheck seems to be the norm rather than the exception for many families. (Continue reading…)

10 short, easy to read articles about money

The Articles are …

• The First Step Toward Living Debt Free
• Three Big Steps To Better Money Handling
• Feeding a Family on $300 a Month
• Credit Cards and You
• Need Cash? Beware of Pay Day Loans!
• 7 Ways to Change Undesirable Spending Habits
• 5 Tips To Reduce Your Household Expenses
• Money Saving Solutions
• Debt Handling Solutions
• Teaching the Value of Money to Kids
  (Continue reading…)