Education

Destination: Anywhere

by

“You don’t have to be rich to travel well.” – Eugene Fodor

I love to travel, but luxury vacations aren’t exactly in my budget. I’ve found that the older I get, the harder it is to get away – in addition to finances, work commitments, household chores, errands and to-do lists bog down so many of my evenings and most of my weekends (not to mention the never-ending quest to catch up on sleep). I only see more responsibilities in my near future as I build both a home and a family, so I’ve made it a point to visit as many places and do as many things as I can now. So how can I afford to get away on a dime? I’ve found a few tricks and tips for pinching my pennies.

Read more

Penny Pincher

by

What you see isn’t always what you get, and sometimes that’s a good thing. I’m a firm believer that almost any price can be negotiated, and that you won’t know what you can get until you ask. The worst thing anyone can say to you is no, so give it a shot! I’ve found the most success negotiating costs for some of the things listed below. Happy haggling!

Read more

Creative Ways to Earn Decent Money Without Going Back to School

by

Something I hear too often that makes me cringe is “I haven’t been able to find a job doing X, so I’m going back to school (or going to grad school) for Y”. Going back to school is a super expensive proposition! Not only is there an opportunity cost (time used for money you could be making elsewhere) but the degree itself also costs a bunch. It’s unlikely in most cases that you’ll come out on top.

Read more

Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too

by

I’ve found that one of the most confusing things about saving money is figuring out what in the world you actually need to save for. Everyone pushes this idea that you need to have a back-up stash of cash in your possession in case anything unexpected should pop up – even as kids, most people have piggy banks to save up spare change for a rainy day. But what about things like life events (weddings, having a baby), large purchases (buying a house or car), or vacations?

Read more

Feature Friday: The Views Of BudgetSimple

by

One of the features of BudgetSimple that can be confusing for new users is the different “views” we allow. These allow you to look at your budget in different ways. Today we’ll cover what you can see in these and how to change your views.

Read more

I Just Won A Thousand Dollars!

by

… well, at least that’s how I feel every time I see unallocated money in my bank account. Sometimes after I’ve paid all of my necessary bills, estimated what I’ll need for my variable expenses, and put some money aside in my savings account, I’ll still have some cash left, and it can feel a bit like hitting the lottery (a very small one, at that). So what do you do with that extra $25 or $50 you still have just hanging out in your checking account?

Read more

$5 Savings Challenge

by

One of the simplest ways to save money is to collect your spare change. It seems kind of trivial at first, small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, but it can add up quickly. I have fond memories of racing to my uncle’s couch in his “man cave” to search for loose change to add to my piggy bank (which I still do, 20 years later). Recently, I’ve seen a new idea pop up all over the internet that expedites the saving process a bit without sacrificing much: the $5 Savings Challenge.

Read more

Food for Thought

by

Many people have a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping – my guess is that most people fall into the latter category, myself included. It can be time-consuming and frustrating, but we all need to do it – food is the most basic necessity of life, and we can’t forget to allocate room for it in our monthly budgets! Check out the following suggestions for some of the easiest and most common ways to cut down on your grocery bill.

Read more

It’s the Thought That Counts

by

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you may or may not be in the market for a thoughtful gift for a loved one. It seems like most people fall into one of two categories: those who think the holiday is a marketing ploy used by the greeting card industry, and those who treat it as a day to show a little extra love for their significant other. Regardless of what you believe, gift-giving during any holiday can be stressful if you’re on a tight budget. Why not work with what you have to show you care?

Read more