Keeping current on personal finance and financial literacy is a hobby of mine. I enjoy reading about how others create plans and execute them to get out of debt and / or build wealth. Why? There are many methods that can be used to achieve success. The trick is finding the method that works for you. That's why
I try to read as many debt, personal finance and wealth building articles I can. There is one that I would love to recommend called Lexington Law.
The link that I shared above is to Lexington Law's twitter feed. I strongly advise you to follow them. They share awesome articles that are informative and very helpful to those seeking personal finance education. For example, they have credit help for entrepreneurs, tips for home buyers and info on teaching kids about money. Their articles cover a wide variety of topics which I love to share on facebook. Why keep a great find like this a secret? Not me. That's why I wanted to share it with my readers too.
Who is Lexington Law? It is consumer advocacy law firm. Unlike other law firms, they have offices across several states. They provide services that range from bankruptcy, to divorce, child custody, home mortgages, credit report repair and more.
Follow their twitter feed, check out their website, read some articles and let me know what you think below in the comments area. I would love to know if you found this site useful! Thanks in advance!
Showing posts with label debt reduction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt reduction. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Develop your personal finance habits – Save money always
One of the most important aspects of your life is managing your personal finances properly. There are a number of instances in which you have messed up your financial condition because of bad personal finance habits. It is important that you should put things into right places before your finances get out of hand for you. Here are some good personal finance habits that should help you to get your everyday finances under control and live a financially stable life.
1.Use cash instead of cards – When you are out for shopping, it is best that you take as much cash as possible with you instead of carrying your cards with you. This is because there is a limit to which you can carry cash, however, when it comes to credit cards, they allow you to spend without any restraint at that point of time. Thus if you refrain yourself from carrying credit cards you will put an end to all your impulse shopping and thus reduce the monthly bills drastically.
2.Take a list with you when grocery shopping – When you are going out for grocery shopping, it is best that you carry a shopping list with you. This puts your perspective in the right place and thus you can abstain yourself from buying things that you don’t need. What you need to do is stick to your shopping list and then come out of the super market as soon as you are done. The more you linger around to do window shopping; the chance of you buying things that you don’t need but want increases.
3.Pay down your bills within a month – All your credit card bills have one month of billing cycle. Thus when you are using your credit cards to buy items, you should pay your bills in order to avoid paying interest on them. If the period of one month, within which you are supposed to pay your bill is over, you are charged interest rate on your debts. Then you have to pay more than what you had borrowed to get out of debt.
4.Use utilities judiciously – One of the major costs in your everyday life is your utility bills. The electricity bills, cell phone and telephone bills and fuel cost are some of the main utility costs that you have to incur. In order to reduce your electricity bills you should use a programmable thermostat and not keep the electrical appliances running when not in use. You can also disconnect the landline and use your cell phone only for making important phone calls and not for making chit chat with your friends. When it comes to fuel, you should save on it by using public transport or carpools while going to work and coming back. You should also try and cover short distances on foot instead of taking out your car every time.
5.Pay off your high interest debts first – In order to save money on your debts, you should pay off the debts which have higher interest first and then move to the next lower one. This method is also called debt avalanching. If you pay off the higher interest debts as soon as possible then you save the money that you keep paying on the interest rates in the long run.
Thus you can see how the above personal finance habits can address different aspects of your life and help you to save money in each of them. A culmination of all these can help you to get out of debt and stay out of debt.
Author's Bio: Marie Lewis is a financial advisor for EasyFinance.com. She brings an unique perspective on personal finance, frugality and all kinds of consumer financial products and services.
1.Use cash instead of cards – When you are out for shopping, it is best that you take as much cash as possible with you instead of carrying your cards with you. This is because there is a limit to which you can carry cash, however, when it comes to credit cards, they allow you to spend without any restraint at that point of time. Thus if you refrain yourself from carrying credit cards you will put an end to all your impulse shopping and thus reduce the monthly bills drastically.
2.Take a list with you when grocery shopping – When you are going out for grocery shopping, it is best that you carry a shopping list with you. This puts your perspective in the right place and thus you can abstain yourself from buying things that you don’t need. What you need to do is stick to your shopping list and then come out of the super market as soon as you are done. The more you linger around to do window shopping; the chance of you buying things that you don’t need but want increases.
3.Pay down your bills within a month – All your credit card bills have one month of billing cycle. Thus when you are using your credit cards to buy items, you should pay your bills in order to avoid paying interest on them. If the period of one month, within which you are supposed to pay your bill is over, you are charged interest rate on your debts. Then you have to pay more than what you had borrowed to get out of debt.
4.Use utilities judiciously – One of the major costs in your everyday life is your utility bills. The electricity bills, cell phone and telephone bills and fuel cost are some of the main utility costs that you have to incur. In order to reduce your electricity bills you should use a programmable thermostat and not keep the electrical appliances running when not in use. You can also disconnect the landline and use your cell phone only for making important phone calls and not for making chit chat with your friends. When it comes to fuel, you should save on it by using public transport or carpools while going to work and coming back. You should also try and cover short distances on foot instead of taking out your car every time.
5.Pay off your high interest debts first – In order to save money on your debts, you should pay off the debts which have higher interest first and then move to the next lower one. This method is also called debt avalanching. If you pay off the higher interest debts as soon as possible then you save the money that you keep paying on the interest rates in the long run.
Thus you can see how the above personal finance habits can address different aspects of your life and help you to save money in each of them. A culmination of all these can help you to get out of debt and stay out of debt.
Author's Bio: Marie Lewis is a financial advisor for EasyFinance.com. She brings an unique perspective on personal finance, frugality and all kinds of consumer financial products and services.
Friday, August 12, 2011
5 Most Common Economic Debates
There are some debates that seem to stand the test of time and be an issue no matter how long they go on. When it comes to economics, there are some debates that may change a bit over time but they are essentially the same year after year in their substance.
When the economy goes bad or things are amiss, there is of course the desire to fix everything. If you take a look at these debates you can see that through the years, the same issues are still fought about and are likely to stay that way for quite some time.
MJ Frederick generally blogs about potential career paths for students who are interested in earning their masters degree economics.
1. To spend or not to spend: This economic debate ranges from a personal level all the way up to government so it’s common and applicable in almost any situation. This particular debate often derives from the necessity to purchase certain things and not having the funds to support it. When this comes about in a government type of manner where it affects so many people it can be scary. This takes into question if spending is absolutely necessary for the good of the people or if spending will actually hurt the society that it supports. Too much spending has been to blame for the number of economic issues that exist. However sometimes you do have to spend a bit to get out of a hole and so the debate and controversy rages on.
2. How to trim the fat: When the time comes to cut expenses, this forms one of the most controversial debates out there. This is an age old question that comes about in workplaces, in government, and even in personal usage. There comes a time when there must be some cuts made to get things to work from an economic standpoint. This debate takes into question exactly what should be cut to make it all work. This covers a wide range of things from pay cuts to unemployment to the removal of services that many people rely on. When this debate rages on, there is often not a middle point where people can agree upon things.
3. Balancing the checkbook: This debate has been around since the beginning of economics and it’s a tough one. This is often looked at on a larger and broader level such as the government balancing their budget, but it could be applied to a married couple fighting about money too. To balance a checkbook or a budget and to get everything to work is no small task. This debate takes on why things are out of whack and more importantly how you get them to balance out. This often involves some maneuvering and some rather painful steps to get things to work the way that they should have in the first place.
4. Taxes up and down: When things go wrong at a government level, the first thing that many people look at is raising taxes. When things go well or if there is the desire to create a stimulus of sorts then there is the question of lowering taxes. Though taxes are an inevitable part of life they are also a very debated aspect of economics. Though we all recognize that they are essential and that they will always exist, they are also the first thing analyzed and debated in a failing economy. Depending on which side of the aisle or the issue that you sit upon, you are likely to have a very real and very legitimate point of view on the subject.
5. How to get things back on track: When things go wrong there is always the time for recovery. Once things hit rock bottom, there is the question of how you can get things back on track and this is something that is very often debated over. Some will say that putting an economic stimulus in place is necessary and others say that buyer behavior will improve and the problem will fix itself. There may be no right or wrong as it’s more situational than anything else, but this question and the accompanying debate still exists all too often.
When the economy goes bad or things are amiss, there is of course the desire to fix everything. If you take a look at these debates you can see that through the years, the same issues are still fought about and are likely to stay that way for quite some time.
MJ Frederick generally blogs about potential career paths for students who are interested in earning their masters degree economics.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ways to Get Out of Debt
Debt Management Plan
A debt management plan is an informal arrangement between you and your creditors, planning out how you intend to repay your debts. It’s technically possible to arrange this yourself, but many people prefer the convenience and experience that a professional debt management company can offer.
A debt management plan can allow you to repay your debts at a more manageable pace. You will agree smaller monthly payments to each of your creditors, based on how much you can afford each month, and interest rates and other charges can also be frozen – meaning your debts won’t continue to grow.
Debt consolidation loan
A debt consolidation loan is particularly useful for people with several debts. It is a new loan that allows you to repay your existing debts, after which you will repay your new lender in single monthly payments.
Read more on this article here.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
How Renting Can Help You Get Out of Debt
Renting an apartment can help you get out of debt and give you the mobility necessary to find a better job. If you are burdened with debt from credit cards and payday loans, you can free up extra cash each month to pay down debt by downsizing your living arrangements. Renting offers several cash flow advantages that homeownership does not have, like no maintenance costs. If you find you need to free up cash to pay down debt, one of the biggest ways to free up hundreds instantly is to move to a cheap apartment.
Renting is Temporary
A lease is usually only one or two years, making your move to a smaller place temporary. However, during that time you can save quite a bit of money and use that to be able to pay off your debts. Once the debts are paid off, you use the extra cash flow generated from paying off your debt to build a down payment for a home.
Rent an Apartment, Not a Home
If you rent in an apartment complex, you have no lawn care, no maintenance fees, and usually some nice perks like a community pool. If you rent a home, you will still have to do the lawn and not have any extra perks. Keep your lease for as long as possible to avoid rental hikes and still be able to move reasonably soon if a better job offer came along. Take the difference between your old place and your cheaper digs and apply it to your debt repayment plan. With hundreds more going towards your debt, you can get out of debt much sooner than if you insist on buying a home or getting a large apartment. Housing is one of the most expensive items in a budget, but it can also be used to quickly and effectively generate hundreds of dollars in extra cash flow by downsizing.
Renting is Temporary
A lease is usually only one or two years, making your move to a smaller place temporary. However, during that time you can save quite a bit of money and use that to be able to pay off your debts. Once the debts are paid off, you use the extra cash flow generated from paying off your debt to build a down payment for a home.
Rent an Apartment, Not a Home
If you rent in an apartment complex, you have no lawn care, no maintenance fees, and usually some nice perks like a community pool. If you rent a home, you will still have to do the lawn and not have any extra perks. Keep your lease for as long as possible to avoid rental hikes and still be able to move reasonably soon if a better job offer came along. Take the difference between your old place and your cheaper digs and apply it to your debt repayment plan. With hundreds more going towards your debt, you can get out of debt much sooner than if you insist on buying a home or getting a large apartment. Housing is one of the most expensive items in a budget, but it can also be used to quickly and effectively generate hundreds of dollars in extra cash flow by downsizing.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
To Get Out of Debt You Must Accept You Have a Problem
So you want to get out of debt? Great! Many people are on the road to financial freedom, but before you start reading books, blogs and forums to get some tips you need to do one thing. What is this one thing you need to do? You need to acknowledge that you have a problem with debt!
Debt is another word for slavery. Do you need to go back and read that again. Go ahead.... I'll wait. Yes, I compared debt to SLAVERY. You think that word is too strong?
Well, let's see. According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary the definition of slavery is:
Definition of SLAVERY
1
: drudgery, toil
2
: submission to a dominating influence
3
a : the state of a person who is a chattel of another b : the practice of slaveholding
These are the synonyms:
Synonyms: bondage, enslavement, servility, servitude, thrall, thralldom (or thraldom), yoke
This is the definition of debt:
Definition of DEBT
1
: sin, trespass
2
: something owed : obligation
3
: a state of owing
4
: the common-law action for the recovery of money held to be due
Recap:
When you are in debt you have an obligation to pay off your debt. In order to do that, you toil at your job to make money to pay it. In the meantime, you submit to a dominating influence (your job and your debt) in servitude.
Enjoyed that little play on words?
Seriously, in order to get out of debt you must:
1. take the first step in owning that you have a problem and accepting responsibility for it
2. take action by getting rid of any temptations to create more debt (get rid of those cards)
3. formulate a plan of attack on that debt
4. find accountablilty partners, they can help you succeed
5. stick to the plan
It's not easy and it's painful. However, the benefits of financial freedom can change your life. You may be able to switch careers, support your favorite charity or start a new hobby. You will be able to make decisions without having to consider your debt payments to credit cards, car loans, student loans, etc.
Here is some motivation that will help you see things differently. See, to be debt free you need to change the way you think. You need to renew your thought process. Listen to ET the Hip Hop Preacher talk about achieving success in whatever area you want...
Thursday, August 12, 2010
How Blogging Has Helped Me Reduce My Debt
Blogging about debt is a great motivator. Why?
- Blogging about your debt goals, victories and failures creates accountability.
- Writing down your goals helps you keep better track of your achievements.
- By sharing your debt reduction journey, you can get great feedback from readers.
- Keeping a weblog of your progress helps one get up after you fall.
- Stopped using my cards-completely.
- I paid off my car with my Google Adsense Earnings.
- I work from home by providing advertising, link building services and more!
- I have found creative, frugal ways to get the things that I need.
If you are a blogger, what has been your experience? Has it been rewarding or has it been a time consuming drag? Share your thoughts...
Related Posts
Ten Ways to Save Money By Recycling
How to Maximize Every Action to Earn or Save Money
Frugal Gardening
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Got Debt? Explore NetDebt.com
Debt is crippling many in America right now. The soaring prices of oil, food and in some cases mortgages and credit cards are crippling many households. Although I present many ways to make money online, there may be cases where it's gotten out of control. Even though your finances look bleak, there may be options available. NetDebt is one site that offers an option that may prevent you from filing for bankruptcy.
Harassing phone calls and financial duress add needless stress to one's life. Want to end the steady stream of calls and mail from your creditors? NetDebt may provide a solution for your financial crisis. NetDebt.com offers a debt relief program unlike any I've read about. What's so different about this debt consolidation company? NetDebt brings talented and experienced people from the fields of finance and law to help debt elimination.
How does NetDebt.com work?
Visit the site and answer a few questions. They can give you an estimate of how much you will save. The site offers live agents to chat with you too.
What's so different about NetDebt?
1. Their site is not just full of writing. The site has a video that explains the process. It's a new approach that may prove to make this site very popular.
2. They do not require counseling sessions.
3. The fees are included in the one monthly payment that will be paid to your creditors.
4. Lawyers are an integral part of the process. They handle all inquiries from your creditors and the debt negotiation.
Just a reminder. I always tell my parents and children to research a company before conducting any business. Be sure to do your homework, including a check on the Better Business Bureau site. I'm not a professional financial advisor. My blog is a place where I write about debt reduction companies, income opportunities and financial services on the internet.
Hope you find this information useful...
Harassing phone calls and financial duress add needless stress to one's life. Want to end the steady stream of calls and mail from your creditors? NetDebt may provide a solution for your financial crisis. NetDebt.com offers a debt relief program unlike any I've read about. What's so different about this debt consolidation company? NetDebt brings talented and experienced people from the fields of finance and law to help debt elimination.
How does NetDebt.com work?
Visit the site and answer a few questions. They can give you an estimate of how much you will save. The site offers live agents to chat with you too.
What's so different about NetDebt?
1. Their site is not just full of writing. The site has a video that explains the process. It's a new approach that may prove to make this site very popular.
2. They do not require counseling sessions.
3. The fees are included in the one monthly payment that will be paid to your creditors.
4. Lawyers are an integral part of the process. They handle all inquiries from your creditors and the debt negotiation.
Just a reminder. I always tell my parents and children to research a company before conducting any business. Be sure to do your homework, including a check on the Better Business Bureau site. I'm not a professional financial advisor. My blog is a place where I write about debt reduction companies, income opportunities and financial services on the internet.
Hope you find this information useful...
Friday, December 28, 2007
Ten Ways to Reduce Your Daily Expenses: Part One
The year hasn't ended and most of my Google Search Engine traffic comes from the following keywords: "getting out of debt", "debt reduction", "how to reduce expenses" and "shopping with coupons". That leads me to believe that many, many people not only overspent this holiday season ...they used their credit cards. With that in mind, I decided to write a post that will help readers reduce their monthly expenses. Cutting back on daily expenses that slowly and steadily eat up your money is key to getting a grip on your finances. There is one thing that I find to be the most important thing of all to attack debt reduction. What is that key factor? Being organized.
Let's begin by looking at a few expenses that can add up to significant savings if you take action and really cut back. Remember, organization is key to debt reduction.
Plan your mornings.
1. What does this mean? Get up a little earlier and make your own coffee. There are coffee machines that can be programmedto make coffee at a certain time. All it requires from you is to add the water, coffee and a coffee filter. Even if you have to buy a coffee machine, a $20.00 coffee machine will pay itself back in less than a work week.
2. Car pool if you can. You and your friend/coworker can add considerable savings to your gas budget.
3. Don't buy the paper. Often, it can be found at your job's cafeteria or lounge. Get some coworkers involved in saving money and have a different person buy it everyday. That would mean 5 people read the paper and only pay for it once a work week!
4. Bag your lunch. That's a no brainer. You can also involve coworkers to split a lunch tab. Here's an example: a neighborhood pizzeria has a lunch special of 2 large pies for $19.99. Split that with 5 coworkers ($4.40 each) and you each get several slices and a cheaper lunch tab. Bring your own water or beverage and you're ready!
Plan Your Evenings.
5. Have quick and easy meals planned for the evenings. This eliminates that need to buy takeout. (I'll be sharing some ideas for this in another post).
6. Can you cut back on your cable package? Do you really need over 300 channels? Take a close look at the channels you watch and eliminate the rest. It can save you some money. If you realize that you don't watch any TV, scale to the bare minimum. You can also get PC TV for a considerable savings.
7. How many hours do you spend on the internet? Do you REALLY need to pay for the internet? Can you disconnect it just until you get a handle on your bills? Find hotspots in your town and visit them. Most libraries offer free wi-fi. If you don't use the internet much and really need it, don't pay for it. If you can use your job's internet connection from your personal laptop (without repercussions) do so. (Make sure it's allowed before or after work hours and that your personal information will not be available to anyone!)
8. Unplug all your appliances when they are not in use. Your microwave, cable box, stereo, and computer all use electricity even when they aren't in use. (If you can see the time on display or it has a light on even when it's idle, it's soaking up electricity!) If you don't need to have it plugged in...UNPLUG IT!
9. Get rid of all your excess. ALL the stuff you have in your home is costing you money. If you don't use it, give it away or sell it. You pay rent or a mortgage every month. That means, everything that takes up any room in your home...cost money to keep. Makes you think...huh? If it's broken and you've been waiting for months to fix it and you haven't...chances are you won't. Give it away on freecycle. People will come and pick it up. People will take broken exercise equipment, projection TVs and more. (Make sure to specify what's wrong with it, if it is broken.) It's cheaper than hauling it to the dump (They charge per weight and time means money.) It also helps the environment by keeping it out of the landfills. You can also sell broken ipods, game consoles and more online. I'll be writing a long post about all the sites I've found that pay you cash. Do you have college textbooks, children's books or novels that are collecting dust? Read about Ebookdrop.com, a site that will pay you by paypal and provide pre paid labels for shipping costs!
10. Change your entertainment habits to curb your spending. There are many free ways to spend your time. Take a free class, volunteer or go to the library. Take up jogging, running, speedwalking or cycling. You will save money and stay fit!
I hope you found these tips useful. If you dare to really be frugal, visit Stephanie at Stop the Ride and peruse through her Make It From Scratch Carnival. You will find ways to make your own detergent, automatic dish washing detergent, dolls, olive oil lamps and much more. Visit the Make It From Scratch Carnival to get some GREAT IDEAS from some great blogs!
Let's begin by looking at a few expenses that can add up to significant savings if you take action and really cut back. Remember, organization is key to debt reduction.
Plan your mornings.
1. What does this mean? Get up a little earlier and make your own coffee. There are coffee machines that can be programmedto make coffee at a certain time. All it requires from you is to add the water, coffee and a coffee filter. Even if you have to buy a coffee machine, a $20.00 coffee machine will pay itself back in less than a work week.
2. Car pool if you can. You and your friend/coworker can add considerable savings to your gas budget.
3. Don't buy the paper. Often, it can be found at your job's cafeteria or lounge. Get some coworkers involved in saving money and have a different person buy it everyday. That would mean 5 people read the paper and only pay for it once a work week!
4. Bag your lunch. That's a no brainer. You can also involve coworkers to split a lunch tab. Here's an example: a neighborhood pizzeria has a lunch special of 2 large pies for $19.99. Split that with 5 coworkers ($4.40 each) and you each get several slices and a cheaper lunch tab. Bring your own water or beverage and you're ready!
Plan Your Evenings.
5. Have quick and easy meals planned for the evenings. This eliminates that need to buy takeout. (I'll be sharing some ideas for this in another post).
6. Can you cut back on your cable package? Do you really need over 300 channels? Take a close look at the channels you watch and eliminate the rest. It can save you some money. If you realize that you don't watch any TV, scale to the bare minimum. You can also get PC TV for a considerable savings.
7. How many hours do you spend on the internet? Do you REALLY need to pay for the internet? Can you disconnect it just until you get a handle on your bills? Find hotspots in your town and visit them. Most libraries offer free wi-fi. If you don't use the internet much and really need it, don't pay for it. If you can use your job's internet connection from your personal laptop (without repercussions) do so. (Make sure it's allowed before or after work hours and that your personal information will not be available to anyone!)
8. Unplug all your appliances when they are not in use. Your microwave, cable box, stereo, and computer all use electricity even when they aren't in use. (If you can see the time on display or it has a light on even when it's idle, it's soaking up electricity!) If you don't need to have it plugged in...UNPLUG IT!
9. Get rid of all your excess. ALL the stuff you have in your home is costing you money. If you don't use it, give it away or sell it. You pay rent or a mortgage every month. That means, everything that takes up any room in your home...cost money to keep. Makes you think...huh? If it's broken and you've been waiting for months to fix it and you haven't...chances are you won't. Give it away on freecycle. People will come and pick it up. People will take broken exercise equipment, projection TVs and more. (Make sure to specify what's wrong with it, if it is broken.) It's cheaper than hauling it to the dump (They charge per weight and time means money.) It also helps the environment by keeping it out of the landfills. You can also sell broken ipods, game consoles and more online. I'll be writing a long post about all the sites I've found that pay you cash. Do you have college textbooks, children's books or novels that are collecting dust? Read about Ebookdrop.com, a site that will pay you by paypal and provide pre paid labels for shipping costs!
10. Change your entertainment habits to curb your spending. There are many free ways to spend your time. Take a free class, volunteer or go to the library. Take up jogging, running, speedwalking or cycling. You will save money and stay fit!
I hope you found these tips useful. If you dare to really be frugal, visit Stephanie at Stop the Ride and peruse through her Make It From Scratch Carnival. You will find ways to make your own detergent, automatic dish washing detergent, dolls, olive oil lamps and much more. Visit the Make It From Scratch Carnival to get some GREAT IDEAS from some great blogs!
Ebookdrop.com: Get Paid For Your Unwanted Books!
Do you have books sitting in your home collecting dust? Those books can be used to reduce your debt. Don't want to deal with ebay or other auction sites? Ebookdrop.com may be the perfect solution. Turn your unwanted books into cash and put it towards your debt, buy something new or deposit it in your savings account for a rainy day!
Ebookdrop makes selling your books quick, easy and painless. All you need is a box to ship your books.
How does Ebookdrop.com work?
1. You enter your book's ISBN number or UPC Barcode. It will give you the price they are offering. If you decide to sell it for their offer, you add it to the shopping cart.
2. After you determine which books you are selling, you can print up the prepaid labels. You can also use their contact form to request prepaid labels.
3. You enter your information and how you want to get paid. They offer three payment methods: paypal, check and money order.
4. You put the box in the mail and wait for your payment.
Are there any restrictions to the kinds of books Ebookdrop.com buys?
1. The site says they will take books with some highlighting or handwriting, but they reserve the right to adjust the price for anything excessive. They will contact you in this case.
2. They will not accept books that are moldy, stained, unclean copies or damaged books with missing pages.
3. They will not buy "promotional use only" books, advance reading copies (ARCs) or uncorrected proof copies.
To test the site, I grabbed two books off my bookshelf.
1. One was a book about frugality called The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. The message returned was that this particualr book was not in demand at the time.
2. The second book was called Kitchen Science by Shar Levine and Leslie JohnStone. It's a children's book about science experiments that can be conducted at home with common household items. They offered $1.38.
Visit the site and see how much you would get for your unwanted books. You have nothing to lose, but you may have money to gain!
Ebookdrop makes selling your books quick, easy and painless. All you need is a box to ship your books.
How does Ebookdrop.com work?
1. You enter your book's ISBN number or UPC Barcode. It will give you the price they are offering. If you decide to sell it for their offer, you add it to the shopping cart.
2. After you determine which books you are selling, you can print up the prepaid labels. You can also use their contact form to request prepaid labels.
3. You enter your information and how you want to get paid. They offer three payment methods: paypal, check and money order.
4. You put the box in the mail and wait for your payment.
Are there any restrictions to the kinds of books Ebookdrop.com buys?
1. The site says they will take books with some highlighting or handwriting, but they reserve the right to adjust the price for anything excessive. They will contact you in this case.
2. They will not accept books that are moldy, stained, unclean copies or damaged books with missing pages.
3. They will not buy "promotional use only" books, advance reading copies (ARCs) or uncorrected proof copies.
To test the site, I grabbed two books off my bookshelf.
1. One was a book about frugality called The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. The message returned was that this particualr book was not in demand at the time.
2. The second book was called Kitchen Science by Shar Levine and Leslie JohnStone. It's a children's book about science experiments that can be conducted at home with common household items. They offered $1.38.
Visit the site and see how much you would get for your unwanted books. You have nothing to lose, but you may have money to gain!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A Forum that Can Help You Get Out of Debt!
There is a forum that has a community of 89843 members! No this forum is not about Britney, Lindsay, Paris or MTV. That is the surprising part. This forum is for people that are getting out of debt. Membership is free.
DebtConsolidationCare.com is a great resource for those lookng for relief from the burden of debt. They have a form you can fill out to receive free information about various ways you can reduce your debt. If you're not ready for professional help, they also have several free articles that can help you reduce your debt. You can start a topic on the forum and ask questions for the community to answer. They also have a great program called Debt Samaritan. There are guidelines in place to qualify for this voluntary position. Debt Samaritans are people that have been in debt and have empathy for others that are in the same situation.
This forum is a great resource for anyone that is in debt. Go visit the forums. You may learn something new or share priceless advice!
DebtConsolidationCare.com is a great resource for those lookng for relief from the burden of debt. They have a form you can fill out to receive free information about various ways you can reduce your debt. If you're not ready for professional help, they also have several free articles that can help you reduce your debt. You can start a topic on the forum and ask questions for the community to answer. They also have a great program called Debt Samaritan. There are guidelines in place to qualify for this voluntary position. Debt Samaritans are people that have been in debt and have empathy for others that are in the same situation.
This forum is a great resource for anyone that is in debt. Go visit the forums. You may learn something new or share priceless advice!
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Getting Out of Debt? Use the Snowball Calculator!
One of the most common strategies for debt reduction is the "snowball method". It is very effective. I've used this method before with success. Thanks to the site What's the Cost? and their new snowball calculator, you can have a date for your debt's annihilation!
The Snowball calculator can be used by anyone, even the tech challenged. To the right of the side of the site, you have three flags. One can change the currency of the calculations by clicking on a flag. They currently support Ameriican Dollars, British Pounds and the EuroDollar.
Here's how you use the snowball calculator:
1. You choos the correct currency.
2. You enter how mant debts you intend to enter.
3. You enter the amount you intend to allocate to your debt reduction.
4. You select which way you want to attack your debt. They currently have two ways: by interest rate or by balance.
Once you finish this process, you can enter the balance of your first debt. It is so detailed, it even has the percentage rate. The date of your debt freedom can easily be displayed on your blog. This is an excellent tool for every debt reduction blogger!
I'm gald that I was asked to review this site. I find that it is user-friendly, has an organized home page and provides a great service...all for FREE! Use this great tool, to help you get out of debt! It's a great way to stay motivated.
Thanks for The ReviewMe Opportunity! I'm glad that I was made aware of this site!
The Snowball calculator can be used by anyone, even the tech challenged. To the right of the side of the site, you have three flags. One can change the currency of the calculations by clicking on a flag. They currently support Ameriican Dollars, British Pounds and the EuroDollar.
Here's how you use the snowball calculator:
1. You choos the correct currency.
2. You enter how mant debts you intend to enter.
3. You enter the amount you intend to allocate to your debt reduction.
4. You select which way you want to attack your debt. They currently have two ways: by interest rate or by balance.
Once you finish this process, you can enter the balance of your first debt. It is so detailed, it even has the percentage rate. The date of your debt freedom can easily be displayed on your blog. This is an excellent tool for every debt reduction blogger!
I'm gald that I was asked to review this site. I find that it is user-friendly, has an organized home page and provides a great service...all for FREE! Use this great tool, to help you get out of debt! It's a great way to stay motivated.
Thanks for The ReviewMe Opportunity! I'm glad that I was made aware of this site!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Make Money and Vote for Getting Out of Debt!
Thanks to someone in the blogoshpere, my blog was entered into the
Financial Blog Hunt. This is a contest for finance blogs arranged by DebtCC Community. The community offers $1000 prize money for the Blog Hunt winner. It helps finance blogs get connected with more bloggers, as well as gain popularity in the Blogosphere. The purpose of Blog Hunt is to find good and informative Blogs for the community. They also desire to give recognition to Bloggers for their hard work.
This came at a great time. As most of you know, I'm on a quest to get out of debt. I've found many ways to earn money online, which I always share. I would have paid off my debt, if my car hadn't kept breaking down. On Monday April 30th, my transmission died. My minivan no longer goes in reverse. I have to repair it which means lots of cash. The worst part is that I'm going to have to rent a minivan for the time being. The repair shop I called told me it would be about $2000. The rental of a minivan for the two weeks they paln to take to repair it is an additional $1500-$2000. The final cost of the two will cost me close to $4000.00. That's what I owe on the van! :( Everytime I get close to getting out of the hole of debt, my car breaks down or some other emergency comes up. (The fact that he is behind on the child support payments doesn't help either.) It would be great to win the prize. I could really use it!
Here's the link to the contest. I know many of you find the information I give very useful. I ask that you show your dedication to this site by voting for it. Pretty please! I've placed a link that will take you directly to the site.
One more thing, that community has a great way for bloggers to earn money. They have a way for you to get paid to blog! You can write about debt on their blogs which are monetized with Google Adsense. You keep 80% of the revenue and they keep 20%. Visit the site and learn more.
Financial Blog Hunt. This is a contest for finance blogs arranged by DebtCC Community. The community offers $1000 prize money for the Blog Hunt winner. It helps finance blogs get connected with more bloggers, as well as gain popularity in the Blogosphere. The purpose of Blog Hunt is to find good and informative Blogs for the community. They also desire to give recognition to Bloggers for their hard work.
This came at a great time. As most of you know, I'm on a quest to get out of debt. I've found many ways to earn money online, which I always share. I would have paid off my debt, if my car hadn't kept breaking down. On Monday April 30th, my transmission died. My minivan no longer goes in reverse. I have to repair it which means lots of cash. The worst part is that I'm going to have to rent a minivan for the time being. The repair shop I called told me it would be about $2000. The rental of a minivan for the two weeks they paln to take to repair it is an additional $1500-$2000. The final cost of the two will cost me close to $4000.00. That's what I owe on the van! :( Everytime I get close to getting out of the hole of debt, my car breaks down or some other emergency comes up. (The fact that he is behind on the child support payments doesn't help either.) It would be great to win the prize. I could really use it!
Here's the link to the contest. I know many of you find the information I give very useful. I ask that you show your dedication to this site by voting for it. Pretty please! I've placed a link that will take you directly to the site.
One more thing, that community has a great way for bloggers to earn money. They have a way for you to get paid to blog! You can write about debt on their blogs which are monetized with Google Adsense. You keep 80% of the revenue and they keep 20%. Visit the site and learn more.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Three Ways To Conquer Debt!
If the reason you are in debt is because you have a hard time actually paying your bills at all, there are three things you can do. These three methods really work. I have shared these techniques with many people and have received great feedback.
There are three ways that you can conquer your debt. The reason I came up with these three ways is because there are many types of people in my life. Some people have reservations about keeping a bank account (lived through the Great Depression and have a great mistrust for banks). Some people aren't computer savvy, but have bank accounts. Still there are others that both have bank accounts and can use interent. One of these methods may work for you.
Using Money Orders
For those people that have to go to the check cashing place to cash their checks, this is a simple way to get the debt paid down. Take your bills with you and make out your money orders at the window. If you can pay your utility, cable and phone bills there-use the service. Many of these people have a hard time keeping cash in their pockets. By the end of the weekend, their money is gone. This is a great way to stay on track and force yourself to stay on budget. If you have a rather large bill to pay, you can split the payment into the amount of paychecks you get. Then you make out the appropriate amount every pay period. This is a great way to pay your rent, mortgage or car payment. (By the way if your bank allows it, this is a great way to pay your mortgage and squeeze in an extra payment while reducing your interest!)
Using Checks
There were several people that I know that had a problem paying their bills because they spent it too fast (quick draw debit card). I suggested they send out their bills they day before payday. All they had to do was write out a check, send the bills and keep their checkbook balanced. This way they forced themselves to not spend the money. No one wants to have a check bounce! It helped them pay the bills and stay on track.
Using Automatic Bill Pay
For those that are computer savvy, there is automatic bill pay. It works even better when you have direct deposit. If you can have paycheck is automatically deposited into your checking account it works even better. Your payments can be scheduled around your paychecks. This works wonderfully for those that are on a fixed income. You can just have all the bills paid at once. No stamps, no envelopes, no hassles!
I hope that you find these tips helpful and that they accelerate your progress to get out of debt!
Related Posts
Using Mind Games to Stop the Cycle of Debt
There are three ways that you can conquer your debt. The reason I came up with these three ways is because there are many types of people in my life. Some people have reservations about keeping a bank account (lived through the Great Depression and have a great mistrust for banks). Some people aren't computer savvy, but have bank accounts. Still there are others that both have bank accounts and can use interent. One of these methods may work for you.
Using Money Orders
For those people that have to go to the check cashing place to cash their checks, this is a simple way to get the debt paid down. Take your bills with you and make out your money orders at the window. If you can pay your utility, cable and phone bills there-use the service. Many of these people have a hard time keeping cash in their pockets. By the end of the weekend, their money is gone. This is a great way to stay on track and force yourself to stay on budget. If you have a rather large bill to pay, you can split the payment into the amount of paychecks you get. Then you make out the appropriate amount every pay period. This is a great way to pay your rent, mortgage or car payment. (By the way if your bank allows it, this is a great way to pay your mortgage and squeeze in an extra payment while reducing your interest!)
Using Checks
There were several people that I know that had a problem paying their bills because they spent it too fast (quick draw debit card). I suggested they send out their bills they day before payday. All they had to do was write out a check, send the bills and keep their checkbook balanced. This way they forced themselves to not spend the money. No one wants to have a check bounce! It helped them pay the bills and stay on track.
Using Automatic Bill Pay
For those that are computer savvy, there is automatic bill pay. It works even better when you have direct deposit. If you can have paycheck is automatically deposited into your checking account it works even better. Your payments can be scheduled around your paychecks. This works wonderfully for those that are on a fixed income. You can just have all the bills paid at once. No stamps, no envelopes, no hassles!
I hope that you find these tips helpful and that they accelerate your progress to get out of debt!
Related Posts
Using Mind Games to Stop the Cycle of Debt
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Using Mind Games To Stop The Cycle Of Debt
Military personnel, professionals with degrees in early childhood development and psychologists all know that you act upon what you believe. Your mind is very powerful. If you tell someone from early on they are stupid, in most cases they behave in that manner. If someone is told they are a failure, they will not even try to succeed. What happens when your mind and your actions are in complete synch? What if you used little clever mind games to get yourself out of debt? What if you did this everyday? Would you stop the cycle of debt and enter the realm of wealth?
Playing Mind Games With Credit
If you looked at your spending habits in a different way, do you think it would effect it in any specific way? The way you approach a purchase can have an impact on whether you create more debt or you choose to refrain from spending. For example, you see a suit that you love. It's on the pricey side, but it's your favorite color, style and it's on sale for $200.00. You quickly remember that you have been paying your card faithfully and you have just enough credit available to CHARGE the suit (including the tax) . Unfortunately, the purchase will bring you back to square one-your card will be maxed out again. How can you think of this differently? Let's say you make $20.00 an hour. That means that it would take you more than ten hours of your work week to pay for that suit. (Let's also say you are not satisfied or content with your current employment.) Do you really want to dedicate over ten hours of your work week at THAT job to pay for this suit? After thinking of it in this fashion, most people would walk away.
Another way of looking at the situation is thinking about what you are trading for this suit. You may not be able to go away for a much needed getaway with some friends because of this purchase. You may be getting into deep water with your spouse. Is it really worth the argument? What if an emergency arises? What then?
Think creatively. Do you really want that suit? Would you be willing to work extra hours for it? Would you sell something you don't need on ebay to make up the money? If you think it's too much trouble to go through all of that....then you really don't need to purchase the suit. Walk away.
Playing Mind Games With Cash
One of my favorite personal finance bloggers NCN tried this next trick. Cash only. You can't carry credit cards, debit cards or checks. You assign yourself a budget for each category and you make every effort to stick to it. Some people use an envelope system to disperse the cash into separate categories. If you use the money before you replenish it, then you don't buy anything else for that category. For some it works, they are wise with their budgeting. For others, they just take money out of the next envelope and keep going until it's all gone.
My cousin used a cool cash game to curb his spending. When he cashed his check he asked for large bills. He hated breaking large bills. In this manner, he would always hesitate and think, "Do I really want this? or "Do I really need this?". Who wants to break a $100.00 bill for a $1.08 purchase? When he got to the end of the week, he would save the money he didn't use and start all over again.
There is another variation of the cash game where you have a specific amount of each denomination. For example all your money is in $20.00's or $10.00's. Let me explain. My coworker always cashed her husband's check and asked for $300.00 in ten dollar bills. She explained that her husband would take a ten for every day of the month ( he usually had money left over for the months with 31 days)! He was very structured and disciplined being a reservist and a corrections officer. He would try to contain his daily expenses to $10.00 a day or less. That meant he would try to use no more than ten dollars a day in gas, food, etc. (I don;t know if this would work today with the gas prices). Whatever he had left at the end of the month, he banked!
Using Mind Games to Tame the Flesh
The power of suggestion is a strong marketing tool. Don't think so? Ever notice how many people in a movie theater get up during the first few candy, soda and popcorn commercials? With little jingles that attach themselves to our minds we are being conditioned to want to buy this or that because it will help us achieve a feeling, an emotion or a better status. Just think of Nike's slogan: "Just Do IT." We shouldn't wonder why America is in debt. We live in a constant advertising frenzy that wants us to believe this product will make us thinner, more attractive, more popular and more successful. Having that new car may bring us the right mate, living in the bigger house will make our lives more pleasurable and so on. We need to use our minds to practice abstinence from the material world. The compulsion to spend, buy and waste our resources must be curbed.
What is the solution?
1. Examine yourself and work out your emotions. What is it that the new purchase incites in you? Is it a feeling of success? Is it an andrenaline kick?
2. Learn to live with less and stop making purchases. Look at what your need is. Why do you buy all the exercise equipment? Why do you buy all those shoes that you don't wear? Why do you feel the need to trade in your car every few months? Deal with the real issue and stop using shopping as a bandaid.
3. Make the decision to purge all the unnecessary material possessions from your space. Your space includes your work space, your home and your car (for some of you that also includes your RV's, boats and vacation homes). Get started ASAP, you have a lot of work ahead. Donate, sell and give others your excess.
4. Identify the triggers of your over spending. Do you always meet your friends at the mall? Is every celebration followed by a shopping trip, the bar or another place to shop? Find new forms of recreation that don't involve spending. Bike riding, hiking, and skating all involve good forms of exercise and no expenses. Retrain your mind to reward yourself in different ways for your achievements. If you rewarded yourself in the past by buying things like jewelry, suits, and cologne/perfume use different rewards. Bake a cake, visit a park or go to a museum, find something that you like to do that is free or very inexpensive.
Retraining your mind is something that will take time. Old habits are hard to break. You will fail in the beginning, but be encouraged. Everyone falls at some point. Just get up, dust yourself off and keep on going...
Playing Mind Games With Credit
If you looked at your spending habits in a different way, do you think it would effect it in any specific way? The way you approach a purchase can have an impact on whether you create more debt or you choose to refrain from spending. For example, you see a suit that you love. It's on the pricey side, but it's your favorite color, style and it's on sale for $200.00. You quickly remember that you have been paying your card faithfully and you have just enough credit available to CHARGE the suit (including the tax) . Unfortunately, the purchase will bring you back to square one-your card will be maxed out again. How can you think of this differently? Let's say you make $20.00 an hour. That means that it would take you more than ten hours of your work week to pay for that suit. (Let's also say you are not satisfied or content with your current employment.) Do you really want to dedicate over ten hours of your work week at THAT job to pay for this suit? After thinking of it in this fashion, most people would walk away.
Another way of looking at the situation is thinking about what you are trading for this suit. You may not be able to go away for a much needed getaway with some friends because of this purchase. You may be getting into deep water with your spouse. Is it really worth the argument? What if an emergency arises? What then?
Think creatively. Do you really want that suit? Would you be willing to work extra hours for it? Would you sell something you don't need on ebay to make up the money? If you think it's too much trouble to go through all of that....then you really don't need to purchase the suit. Walk away.
Playing Mind Games With Cash
One of my favorite personal finance bloggers NCN tried this next trick. Cash only. You can't carry credit cards, debit cards or checks. You assign yourself a budget for each category and you make every effort to stick to it. Some people use an envelope system to disperse the cash into separate categories. If you use the money before you replenish it, then you don't buy anything else for that category. For some it works, they are wise with their budgeting. For others, they just take money out of the next envelope and keep going until it's all gone.
My cousin used a cool cash game to curb his spending. When he cashed his check he asked for large bills. He hated breaking large bills. In this manner, he would always hesitate and think, "Do I really want this? or "Do I really need this?". Who wants to break a $100.00 bill for a $1.08 purchase? When he got to the end of the week, he would save the money he didn't use and start all over again.
There is another variation of the cash game where you have a specific amount of each denomination. For example all your money is in $20.00's or $10.00's. Let me explain. My coworker always cashed her husband's check and asked for $300.00 in ten dollar bills. She explained that her husband would take a ten for every day of the month ( he usually had money left over for the months with 31 days)! He was very structured and disciplined being a reservist and a corrections officer. He would try to contain his daily expenses to $10.00 a day or less. That meant he would try to use no more than ten dollars a day in gas, food, etc. (I don;t know if this would work today with the gas prices). Whatever he had left at the end of the month, he banked!
Using Mind Games to Tame the Flesh
The power of suggestion is a strong marketing tool. Don't think so? Ever notice how many people in a movie theater get up during the first few candy, soda and popcorn commercials? With little jingles that attach themselves to our minds we are being conditioned to want to buy this or that because it will help us achieve a feeling, an emotion or a better status. Just think of Nike's slogan: "Just Do IT." We shouldn't wonder why America is in debt. We live in a constant advertising frenzy that wants us to believe this product will make us thinner, more attractive, more popular and more successful. Having that new car may bring us the right mate, living in the bigger house will make our lives more pleasurable and so on. We need to use our minds to practice abstinence from the material world. The compulsion to spend, buy and waste our resources must be curbed.
What is the solution?
1. Examine yourself and work out your emotions. What is it that the new purchase incites in you? Is it a feeling of success? Is it an andrenaline kick?
2. Learn to live with less and stop making purchases. Look at what your need is. Why do you buy all the exercise equipment? Why do you buy all those shoes that you don't wear? Why do you feel the need to trade in your car every few months? Deal with the real issue and stop using shopping as a bandaid.
3. Make the decision to purge all the unnecessary material possessions from your space. Your space includes your work space, your home and your car (for some of you that also includes your RV's, boats and vacation homes). Get started ASAP, you have a lot of work ahead. Donate, sell and give others your excess.
4. Identify the triggers of your over spending. Do you always meet your friends at the mall? Is every celebration followed by a shopping trip, the bar or another place to shop? Find new forms of recreation that don't involve spending. Bike riding, hiking, and skating all involve good forms of exercise and no expenses. Retrain your mind to reward yourself in different ways for your achievements. If you rewarded yourself in the past by buying things like jewelry, suits, and cologne/perfume use different rewards. Bake a cake, visit a park or go to a museum, find something that you like to do that is free or very inexpensive.
Retraining your mind is something that will take time. Old habits are hard to break. You will fail in the beginning, but be encouraged. Everyone falls at some point. Just get up, dust yourself off and keep on going...
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Debt Management and Elimination
Previously, I gave examples of ways to cut your expenses to use that money to pay off your debt. I discussed how looking for less expensive living quarters and/or moving closer to your employment (to cut travel expenses), may help cut corners.
Now if you don't want to take it from me, here is an article found on MSN Money written by M.P. Dunleavey. It highlights many of the suggestions I made, plus a few more.
The article suggests an individual question choices made in a few major areas of life, to see where drastic changes can be made to save some big dollars.
Here is an excerpt of the article with a quote from Financial coach Steve Rhode, author of “Eliminate Your Debt Like a Pro,":
Drastic debt calls for drastic measures
Or, as I say these days, you gotta practice Extreme Debt Reduction. In other words, slashing the comfy way-of-life expenses we are all attached to. Here are the top four for the average American family, according to Rhode:
Where we live
What we drive
Where the kids go to school
Vacations, vices and other big-ticket indulgences (Can anyone forget Carrie Bradshaw’s $40,000 shoe collection on “Sex and the City”?)
My husband and I didn’t want to change our way of life any more than you do. But there is nothing like the nasty taste of a thousand bucks a month going down the Visa toilet to change your mind. Fast.
It makes you think, huh? Sometimes, becoming enslaved to debt is not just a product of a few wrong purchases, but a collection of lifestyle choices.
Related Posts
Getting Out Of Debt Using Creative Solutions
Now if you don't want to take it from me, here is an article found on MSN Money written by M.P. Dunleavey. It highlights many of the suggestions I made, plus a few more.
The article suggests an individual question choices made in a few major areas of life, to see where drastic changes can be made to save some big dollars.
Here is an excerpt of the article with a quote from Financial coach Steve Rhode, author of “Eliminate Your Debt Like a Pro,":
Drastic debt calls for drastic measures
Or, as I say these days, you gotta practice Extreme Debt Reduction. In other words, slashing the comfy way-of-life expenses we are all attached to. Here are the top four for the average American family, according to Rhode:
Where we live
What we drive
Where the kids go to school
Vacations, vices and other big-ticket indulgences (Can anyone forget Carrie Bradshaw’s $40,000 shoe collection on “Sex and the City”?)
My husband and I didn’t want to change our way of life any more than you do. But there is nothing like the nasty taste of a thousand bucks a month going down the Visa toilet to change your mind. Fast.
It makes you think, huh? Sometimes, becoming enslaved to debt is not just a product of a few wrong purchases, but a collection of lifestyle choices.
Related Posts
Getting Out Of Debt Using Creative Solutions
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Getting Out Of Debt (Credit Counseling Agencies)
Before you go online or pick up the phone to sign up with a credit counseling agency, be sure to read this very informative article from The Money Magazine and CNN website:
What you should know before signing up with a credit counseling agency
Always be well informed before making any major decisions in your life. This is a great article and it highlights the pros and cons of using credit counseling agencies to stop the bill collectors from calling while you are getting out of debt!
Good luck!!!
Here is a list of agencies. Make sure you always check their history with the Better Business Bureau!
Bankruptcy Alternatives
Debt Consolidation
Debt Solutions Foundation
DS Foundation
Family Credit Help
Free Credit Counseling
Loan Relief
Reduce My Debt
What you should know before signing up with a credit counseling agency
Always be well informed before making any major decisions in your life. This is a great article and it highlights the pros and cons of using credit counseling agencies to stop the bill collectors from calling while you are getting out of debt!
Good luck!!!
Here is a list of agencies. Make sure you always check their history with the Better Business Bureau!
Bankruptcy Alternatives
Debt Consolidation
Debt Solutions Foundation
DS Foundation
Family Credit Help
Free Credit Counseling
Loan Relief
Reduce My Debt
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Gettiing Out Of Debt (Creative Solutions)
Getting into debt sometimes happens quickly. Due to unforeseen cicumstances like sudden illness, tragic death in the family or divorce, one can plummet into an abyss of unpaid bills and a constant stream of phone calls from collection agencies.
Desperate times call for desperate measures someone once said. Think of creative solutions to make income. Not a creative soul you say?
Here are some tips:
1. If you are home after work with your own kids or are good with kids, then advertise that you are available to care for other's children. Tell your family and friends that you are available to care for kids so that they can shop, go to the salon or have a minute of downtime. Make sure you set the fee in advance, so that there aren't any misunderstandings.
2. Sell your old books.
3. Sell your old DVD's and CD's.
4. Are you artistic? Try www.cafepress.com They can press your images on anything from a mug to a tshirt. Wear your designs and spread the word. It may just catch on. (Little tip: Kids love to belong to groups, draw a design for your child's team to spread team spirit among the players and families.)
5. Do you, your frineds and family like to go out often. Is there always a problem concerning designating a driver. Make it known in advance, that for a fee you will become the taxi for the nightly outings.
6. Watch other people's pets for money. This is also known as pet sitting services.
7. Become a dog walker. It's not only good exercise for you, but it pays those pesky bills.
8. Get paid to do your neighbor's household chores. Hauling large items to the dump, mowing the lawn, plowing and/or shoveling the snow and car washing are just some of the tedious tasks that some are willing to pay others to do. Take advantage of the opportunity!
9. Sell your kid's old clothing and toys on ebay. You will make more money from selling the items on ebay than from selling them at a garage sale.
10. Become a tutor. In this day and age, many people are what I like to call "computer illiterate". If you are computer savvy and can teach, go for it. You can also become a tutor for a non English speaking person. If you are good with kids and have the patience, you can become a tutor and help kids with their homework. Trust me, there are people that have the money to pay others to do the homework with their kids. This was my little sister's first job!
Good Luck and let me know how it goes!
Desperate times call for desperate measures someone once said. Think of creative solutions to make income. Not a creative soul you say?
Here are some tips:
1. If you are home after work with your own kids or are good with kids, then advertise that you are available to care for other's children. Tell your family and friends that you are available to care for kids so that they can shop, go to the salon or have a minute of downtime. Make sure you set the fee in advance, so that there aren't any misunderstandings.
2. Sell your old books.
3. Sell your old DVD's and CD's.
4. Are you artistic? Try www.cafepress.com They can press your images on anything from a mug to a tshirt. Wear your designs and spread the word. It may just catch on. (Little tip: Kids love to belong to groups, draw a design for your child's team to spread team spirit among the players and families.)
5. Do you, your frineds and family like to go out often. Is there always a problem concerning designating a driver. Make it known in advance, that for a fee you will become the taxi for the nightly outings.
6. Watch other people's pets for money. This is also known as pet sitting services.
7. Become a dog walker. It's not only good exercise for you, but it pays those pesky bills.
8. Get paid to do your neighbor's household chores. Hauling large items to the dump, mowing the lawn, plowing and/or shoveling the snow and car washing are just some of the tedious tasks that some are willing to pay others to do. Take advantage of the opportunity!
9. Sell your kid's old clothing and toys on ebay. You will make more money from selling the items on ebay than from selling them at a garage sale.
10. Become a tutor. In this day and age, many people are what I like to call "computer illiterate". If you are computer savvy and can teach, go for it. You can also become a tutor for a non English speaking person. If you are good with kids and have the patience, you can become a tutor and help kids with their homework. Trust me, there are people that have the money to pay others to do the homework with their kids. This was my little sister's first job!
Good Luck and let me know how it goes!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Getting Out Of Debt (A Budget)
So, you're in debt. What is the first thing you should do? You are in a hole that is continuously getting deeper and deeper. The bill collectors are calling and the unpaid bills are stacking up. You need to sit down, take a deep breath and regain control. If you don't know exactly where your money goes every month, then find out. Make a commitment to keep track of your funds. In a memo pad, keep accurate account of every dollar you spend for a month. Make sure you write down every price of every item you purchase. Record every newspaper, magazine and cup of coffee you indulge in. At the end of the month, sit down and sort all of your expenses into specific categories. When you finish, add up all your columns and you will be able to see exactly where the majority of your money ends up.
Now that you know how your money is spent every month, you can start by organizing your expenses and getting creative with ways to reduce your spending. Look at every step individually and be accurate, so that you get a very clear picture of your situation. In this manner, you can create a solution to your problem.
Step One: Your Income
The first thing you need to do is look at your monthly income. How much do you bring home after taxes? From that you must subtract all the NECESSARY expenses. This includes the expenses for your transportation to and from work. If you have child care expenses, they should be included as well. All the expenses that you must pay to be able to work should be factored in here.
Step Two: Your Household Monthly Expenses
In this category one should include all the expenses that are necessary to run your household. These expenses include the rent or mortgage, the electric bill, the phone bill, the internet bill, the cable bill, the car payment, the car insurance and the grocery bill (include pet foods and toiletries). Those of you that pay child support, support your elderly parents, and/or tithe should include those payments here. Here's a little help for the grocery bill. This site provides coupons for many different products including pet foods.
Step Three: Your Leisurely Activites
This is where you list memberships to your gym, movie rentals, visits to the movies, book purchases, comic books, pedicures, manicures and hairstylist/barber shop visits. Anything that you do or buy that falls under entertainment goes here. That includes the Friday night bar tab, the admission to a night club or the baseball tickets. EVERYTHING that is a form of entertainment.
Now that you have a clear picture of the monthly damage, you can start thinking of ways to cut expenses. Can't think of any? Don't worry, I'm here to help.
Your Income
You know how much you make now. Can you increase your income? In most cases, the answer is yes. Can you ask your boss for overtime? Can you work a second job? Can you ask for a raise? Can you look for another job with higher salary? There are other opportunities like home based businesses, online income opportunities and eBay. Look at all these possibilities and see if there is something you can do to create more income.
Now that you know exactly what your income is and have subtracted all the necessary expenses, you know what it will take to get out of the hole. If you pay child care, you may want to look into a less expensive alternative. Make sure you feel good about the day care provider. Do not trade safety and/or security to save some money. Just check out the alternatives to see if you have made the best choice. In the area of transportation, look at other options. Can you carpal? Can you find a less expensive choice? For example, can you take the train to work instead of driving in or vice versa? Can you walk, take public transportation or maybe even move closer to your job? Look at ALL the alternatives. Think outside the box.
Your Household Monthly Expenses
Your monthly expenses are next. If you rent and you don't have transitional issues, you may want to look for more affordable housing closer to your jobs (always check out the school district if you have children). If you own your home, you can always look into refinancing. Refinancing may be a great idea because you can use the equity on your home to pay off your debt and you now have a tax write off. Interest rates are low now. If this is an option, start researching a company right away. You may be able to get rid of your debt, get a lower interest rate on your mortgage, get a tax write off and start a nest egg. All this just by refinancing. I have already discussed the grocery bill,phone, cable and internet providers on a previous post. Finding a less expensive car insurance premium is now easier than ever. Take a defensive driving course to decrease your insurance payments. Make sure you discuss all the different ways you can reduce your car insurance payment. Your broker should be able to answer your questions.
Your Leisurely Activities
You can cut back on some of these until you pay off your debt. Do not stop all your entertainment, unless you can honestly deal with it. You may be so miserable that you'll sink back to your old ways. Be creative with ways to cut the spending. For example, if you like to rent movies then look into Netflix or Blockbuster programs that deliver your movies to your mailbox. They eliminate exorbitant late charge fees and gas consumption to and from the rental store. If you like to go to the movies, then go to the matinee. It is always cheaper. You can buy books for half the cost on sites like www.half.com and
See, there are many ways that you can cut your costs. Try some of these suggestions and see how it works. You'll be surprised at the money you'll save and how quickly you'll climb out of that HOLE!
Related Posts
Getting Out Of Debt Using Creative Solutions
Now that you know how your money is spent every month, you can start by organizing your expenses and getting creative with ways to reduce your spending. Look at every step individually and be accurate, so that you get a very clear picture of your situation. In this manner, you can create a solution to your problem.
Step One: Your Income
The first thing you need to do is look at your monthly income. How much do you bring home after taxes? From that you must subtract all the NECESSARY expenses. This includes the expenses for your transportation to and from work. If you have child care expenses, they should be included as well. All the expenses that you must pay to be able to work should be factored in here.
Step Two: Your Household Monthly Expenses
In this category one should include all the expenses that are necessary to run your household. These expenses include the rent or mortgage, the electric bill, the phone bill, the internet bill, the cable bill, the car payment, the car insurance and the grocery bill (include pet foods and toiletries). Those of you that pay child support, support your elderly parents, and/or tithe should include those payments here. Here's a little help for the grocery bill. This site provides coupons for many different products including pet foods.
Step Three: Your Leisurely Activites
This is where you list memberships to your gym, movie rentals, visits to the movies, book purchases, comic books, pedicures, manicures and hairstylist/barber shop visits. Anything that you do or buy that falls under entertainment goes here. That includes the Friday night bar tab, the admission to a night club or the baseball tickets. EVERYTHING that is a form of entertainment.
Now that you have a clear picture of the monthly damage, you can start thinking of ways to cut expenses. Can't think of any? Don't worry, I'm here to help.
Your Income
You know how much you make now. Can you increase your income? In most cases, the answer is yes. Can you ask your boss for overtime? Can you work a second job? Can you ask for a raise? Can you look for another job with higher salary? There are other opportunities like home based businesses, online income opportunities and eBay. Look at all these possibilities and see if there is something you can do to create more income.
Now that you know exactly what your income is and have subtracted all the necessary expenses, you know what it will take to get out of the hole. If you pay child care, you may want to look into a less expensive alternative. Make sure you feel good about the day care provider. Do not trade safety and/or security to save some money. Just check out the alternatives to see if you have made the best choice. In the area of transportation, look at other options. Can you carpal? Can you find a less expensive choice? For example, can you take the train to work instead of driving in or vice versa? Can you walk, take public transportation or maybe even move closer to your job? Look at ALL the alternatives. Think outside the box.
Your Household Monthly Expenses
Your monthly expenses are next. If you rent and you don't have transitional issues, you may want to look for more affordable housing closer to your jobs (always check out the school district if you have children). If you own your home, you can always look into refinancing. Refinancing may be a great idea because you can use the equity on your home to pay off your debt and you now have a tax write off. Interest rates are low now. If this is an option, start researching a company right away. You may be able to get rid of your debt, get a lower interest rate on your mortgage, get a tax write off and start a nest egg. All this just by refinancing. I have already discussed the grocery bill,phone, cable and internet providers on a previous post. Finding a less expensive car insurance premium is now easier than ever. Take a defensive driving course to decrease your insurance payments. Make sure you discuss all the different ways you can reduce your car insurance payment. Your broker should be able to answer your questions.
Your Leisurely Activities
You can cut back on some of these until you pay off your debt. Do not stop all your entertainment, unless you can honestly deal with it. You may be so miserable that you'll sink back to your old ways. Be creative with ways to cut the spending. For example, if you like to rent movies then look into Netflix or Blockbuster programs that deliver your movies to your mailbox. They eliminate exorbitant late charge fees and gas consumption to and from the rental store. If you like to go to the movies, then go to the matinee. It is always cheaper. You can buy books for half the cost on sites like www.half.com and
See, there are many ways that you can cut your costs. Try some of these suggestions and see how it works. You'll be surprised at the money you'll save and how quickly you'll climb out of that HOLE!
Related Posts
Getting Out Of Debt Using Creative Solutions
Getting Out Of Debt (Online Income)
There are many ways to make an income from the internet. I have been experimenting with many options. Through trial and error, I have discovered many programs. There are sites that pay you to sign up for trial offers, read emails and play games.
Here are two of the sites that I use:
Keep in mind that you are not going to become rich from these programs. They are a way to make some easy money that can be applied towards your debt. If you don't have debt, apply it towards your savings . Remember, every little bit counts!!!
Here are two of the sites that I use:
Keep in mind that you are not going to become rich from these programs. They are a way to make some easy money that can be applied towards your debt. If you don't have debt, apply it towards your savings . Remember, every little bit counts!!!
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