Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
Have you ever wondered where the term “nest egg” comes from? Not surprisingly, it’s a farming term. In order to motivate hens to begin laying eggs, or to lay more of them, farmers placed eggs (both real and fake) in their nests.
In finances, this term refers to any funds set aside for a specific purpose, so they can grow and be used later in life.
When you’ve heard the term nest egg before, you may have thought only of retirement savings. This is just one of the many purposes for which people start and contribute to a nest egg.
Nest eggs can be created for funding any large investment, including your child’s education. College is expensive. Personally, I want to learn my from own experience of being forced to rely on student loans when it comes to planning for my own children.
Spending more than you can afford doesn’t sound like a smart idea, but the reality is that most people in our country fall into this trap. According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, 78 percent of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck and more than 1 in every 4 workers do not set aside any savings each month. That’s a really scary statistic, considering most Americans aren’t saving for retirement.
The easy answer to fixing this situation for most people is living below your means. It’s, of course, much easier said than done though. How do you live below your means when it already feels like you’re barely scraping by? The answer isn’t easy, but here are 4 things you can do to ACTUALLY live below your means:
1. Dissect Your Discretionary Spending
We know how important it is to have a budget and stick to the numbers. Most of us have some kind of category in our budget for discretionary spending, whether it’s on gizmos and gadgets or entertainment, but many of us don’t really know what exactly goes into your discretionary spending category though. Look at every transaction and try to understand exactly what you’re spending your extra money on.
You might be surprised to find that many of those transactions are totally unnecessary and some might even make you mad. Remember that feeling because it’s time to start making cuts. Keep a few things you spend on monthly that makes you tick but double check that this category doesn’t represent a significant part of your budget. [ continue reading… ]
If you have a pet, you definitely know how much love and joy they can bring into a household. They truly are a man’s best friend. But these furry friends can also be very expensive.
According to the ASPCA, the average cost of a small dog in it’s first year is a whopping $3,221. A cat is less expensive at $1,904, but that’s still a considerable amount.
We recently added a little kitten to our family and spent $200 on our first vet visit! There were many more visits after that, not to mention all the vaccinations and spaying that were required.
Costs can add up quickly, especially if your pets have medical emergencies, but with a little careful planning you can still enjoy having them, while spending a little less. Here are 5 ways to save money on your pets. [ continue reading… ]
We all know that Memorial Day isn’t just about sales, but you have to admit retailers have done a pretty thorough job of conditioning us to associate summer’s first holiday with a major sale event. Although we obviously shouldn’t plan commemorative ceremonies and family gatherings around our favorite retailers’ events, there’s no harm in taking advantage of them if it’s in the budget. Below you’ll find the scoop on which items will be featuring the deepest discounts, along with strategies for shopping savvy and saving even more. [ continue reading… ]
Getting a new job offer is a very exciting time, but an offer is really just the beginning of what can be tedious and long negotiations.
Many new job seekers can get so carried away in the excitement of landing a new job that they completely forget to take a careful look at the offer. Negotiating the salary is something that many job seekers either fail to do or do incorrectly.
I can certainly relate when it comes to job offer jitters. In one of my first “real” jobs after college, I excitedly accepted a job without even knowing how much the salary was. Needless to say, that was a big no-no.
Whether you’re new to the workforce, or a seasoned vet, avoid these mistakes during salary negotiations so you can make more money. [ continue reading… ]
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