This week we rolled out a new feature for BudgetSimple that was a long time in the making, “Defined Categories”. Defined categories are categories that BudgetSimple understands, so when you categorize something as Entertainment:Restaurants/Dining, soon we’ll be able to analyze how much you eat out vs spend on rent. In the old way, you could type whatever you want and the best we could do is guess.
The Cheaper Options
One of the first things most people do when they begin to look at their budget is ask “what can I cut?” or “how can I save money?”. With a little creativity, you’d be surprised how many free or cheap options are for the things most people spend money on.
We Make Money Easy Episode 18 – Make More Than Minimum Wage
Phil and Andre brainstorm some ways that you can make above minimum wage without any special training, education or experience.
The Difference Between Being Frugal and Being Cheap
One of the hardest parts about living a frugal lifestyle is fending off the complaints of your spendthrift friends that you are a “cheapskate”. Since most people don’t live within their means, this peer pressure often makes us break our budget. But there is a difference between frugality and cheapness, and I don’t advocate that anyone become a cheapskate.
Saving Money on Groceries
I find Groceries to be the biggest enigma in the American household. No one seems to know what an appropriate amount to spend should be, yet everything thinks they spend too much. Some people can get by on any food, while others find they need to maximize the nutritional value of what they get. Here’s some tips on how we save money.
We Make Money Easy Episode 17 – Refinancing Your Mortgage
Phil and Andre talk about the pros and cons of refinancing your 30 year mortgage to a 15 year.
Spare Change, It’s Still Money
This isn’t exactly a new savings trick, but a quick and easy way to start some extra savings is with your spare change. We all have this stuff floating in our couch cushions, or maybe in a neat pile on the dresser.
We Make Money Easy Episode 16 – IRA Income Limits
Phil and Andre talk about the options available if you’ve exceeded the income limit for being able to make an IRA contribution
Cash Flow vs Budgeting
By far the most common question I get for people signing up to BudgetSimple is “How do I budget weekly with your system? I get paid weekly (or bi-weekly, semi-monthly, on commission), and your system does monthly budgeting.”
