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!
Save Money
Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too
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?
I Just Won A Thousand Dollars!
… 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?
$5 Savings Challenge
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.
Food for Thought
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.
It’s the Thought That Counts
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?
The Naked Truth
When planning a budget, most people generally remember their typical monthly expenses – bills, groceries, savings, etc. But there are two commonly forgotten about items that should definitely be on your list: clothing and personal care. This can include seasonal clothing items, haircuts and color, manicures, massages, you name it! These are things we all spend money on, but not necessarily frequently, so we tend to let their cost slip our minds.
Houses, Cars, and Money – Oh My!
Like many others in their 20’s (and even 30’s), I’m feeling the pressures of adulthood – college is over, a career has been obtained, and it’s time to be a real-life grown-up! Friends are getting married, buying houses, and starting families. As excited as I am to join this elusive club of workaholics and soccer moms, it’s hard to not be at least a little intimidated by all of the dollar signs associated with some of those things. However, for the first time in my life, I don’t feel like these things are so far out of reach. With a little planning, larger purchases are most definitely attainable, and with a new car and a house on my horizon, I’ll spend the next year proving just that! So where do I even start?
How to Save Money
We have a variety of posts around here about specific ways to save money, but what about a general money saving strategy? How does one get started on the path to saving a million dollars?
5 Ways To Keep Your Financial Resolutions This Year
It’s a new year, and that means you’ve made some resolutions, maybe this year it’s a financial resolution again. But how can we ensure we stick to our resolution this time?
