Beyond the Coupon

10 Ways You Are Wasting Money

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If you are looking for extra cash you can look no further than your daily activities that could be wasting money. By cutting out or being more aware of these money draining actions you could direct that money to something more beneficial. Think about what you could do with an extra $200 a month and start saving!

1. Lottery Tickets

There are infinite ways to spend your hard-earned money from day to day, and all of us are guilty of forking over cash (or using credit) for purchases that provide little (or no) true benefits. Some such purchases do provide what you could argue to be short-term benefits, but doing the math of long-term costs for many such purchases (smoking, drinking, gambling) makes them out to be nonsensical wastes of money.

Being in the habit of buying lottery tickets is one obvious waste. People who pony up a few bucks for a record-setting Powerball ticket once in a blue moon are hardly wasting much of their income (though the chances of seeing a return are one in hundreds of millions), but those who buy scratch-offs or lotto tickets on a weekly or daily basis are uniformly throwing money down the drain.

2. Smoking

Smokers are not only shooting themselves in the foot by increasing the likelihood of significant medical bills down the road, but they also spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on cigarettes each year. A pack-a-day smoker of a brand costing $5 will spend over $1800 on smokes in a single year.

3. ATM Fees 

If you pay a $4 surcharge at an ATM to withdrawl cash once a week, you will have thrown away more than $200 over the course of a year simply for not planning ahead.

4. Traffic Tickets 

Aggressive driving and bad parking habits come back to bite your wallet and provide nothing in return. You’re willingly handing money over to the government simply, because you are impatient, irresponsible or just plain careless.

5. Botox Injections 

If you fall into the trap of spending big bucks on Botox injections in the pursuit of everlasting youth, don’t go crying when your face ends up looking like a ventriloquist dummy.

6. Concession Stand Beers 

There are millions of people who will argue that money spent on alcohol is not a waste. (I, for one, wouldn’t disagree.) All the money spent going to bars can cause you to think twice when you consider how much cheaper it would be to drink at home, but you can justify the spending by saying you’re paying for the experience of a night out. However, it’s hard to justify paying for the outrageous prices you are forced to pay if you want a beer or drink when you go to a major concert or sporting event. Dropping $9 or $10 for a 16-ounce beer at a concession stand is a waste when you can buy a 6-pack or 12-pack elsewhere for the same price.

7. Unused Gym Memberships 

Gym memberships are either a wise investment or a total waste of money. If you’re truly motivated to be healthy and actively take advantage of your membership, then the money you spent was one of the most beneficial decisions you could have made for yourself. However, if you’re like a large population of Americans, at some point you paid up for a membership, made an effort a handful of times and never returned to the gym. The math balances out if you routinely exercise, but if you never go, it can end up equating to you having paid several times over what single sessions would have cost.

8. Gold Grills 

If you’re one of the precious few people in the world who think gold grills are fashionable mouth bling, then you’ll probably argue that getting a grill is well worth the money spent. The rest of us will tell you that you’re dead wrong.

9.Credit Card Interest 

Buying things on credit seems like it could be beneficial when you are low on funds, but in reality the insane interest you are paying makes those purchases far more expensive than they were in the first place. Should you fail to keep up with your payments as so many of us are prone to doing, the amount of debt you’ll acquire will make you wish you’d never have gotten a credit card in the first place.

10. Inefficient shopping. Not taking advantage of discounted gift cards online can cost you hundreds of dollars each month on basic needs. By using websites such as, giftcardrescue.com you can purchase gift cards for up to 35% on stores that you visit everyday.

With these tips from ChaCha saving a little bit of extra money every month won’t be as big of a hassle as you thought.

11 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

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Who has time to think about eating healthy with the millions of things that need to be done in a day? Study’s show however, that parents pay a crucial role in their children’s eating habits for their life and eating healthy is essential for obtaining your ideal health and fitness goals. Trying to eat healthy on a budget is a challenge but with these tips from HuffingtonPost, you can find that balance between your budget and your grocery bill.

1. Buy locally and in season. Buying in season means fresher, more delicious, nutrient-denser, probably local, and most likely less expensive foods. Asparagus peaks in spring, while blueberries are ripest in summer. Learn which foods match with the season to boost your health, support local growers, and save a few bucks in the bargain.

2. Buy frozen and stock up. I simply forgot about it: I bought several heads of organic cauliflower, had a change in dinner plans, and the poor things just wilted in my fridge crisper drawer. Darn it: Seven bucks down the drain! Frozen foods eliminate that problem and save you money. You can buy weeks’ — months’ — worth of frozen kale, raspberries, and other favorites to store in your freezer, so you always have essentials for soups, shakes, stews and side dishes.

3. Skip convenience foods. Knowing you’re short on time, supermarkets cash in on pre-sliced veggies, trimmed-and-cleaned chicken breasts, and pre-cooked — well, just about everything. Once I realized pre-prepped broccoli florets cost twice as much as organic broccoli heads and I could buy a whole bird for the same cost as four tiny chicken breasts, I decided saving a little time wasn’t worth spending a lot more money. What making foods from scratch demands in time often saves you in money.

4. Less meat, more plant-based foods. Loaded with nutrients, high-quality protein and essential fatty acids, grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon are among your best food bargains. They often aren’t cheap, especially if you’re trying to feed a family of four or more. Stretch your food dollar by loading more of your plate with inexpensive, filling leafy and cruciferous veggies, good fats like avocado, and slow-release high-fiber carbs like quinoa and legumes.

5. Start your day with a protein shake. Time and lack of appetite are two excuses people sometimes use to either skip breakfast or order a cheese Danish with their gargantuan dark roast. One meta-analysis of six studies found a nutrient-fortified meal replacement shake could “safely and effectively produce significant sustainable weight loss and improve weight-related risk factors of disease.” For less than a designer coffee, you can create a filling, fat-burning non-soy plant-based shake with frozen raspberries, freshly ground flaxseed, kale or other leafy greens in unsweetened coconut or almond milk.

6. Join a farmers collective or co-op. More cities now have food co-ops where you volunteer your time for reduced-cost produce as well as other locally grown and raised foods. Maybe you have no extra time or co-ops aren’t really for you. Farmers collectives provide similar opportunities with grass-fed beef and other pasture-raised foods. Your city probably has a farmers market during the warmer months. Palm Springs (where I live) and other warmer climates have farmers markets nearly year round, although some cities now conveniently have indoor farmers markets during colder seasons.

7. Load your plate with high-fiber foods. My number one nutrient for eating less: fiber, which delays gastric emptying, balances blood sugar, curbs cravings and makes you full faster. What’s not to love? Aim for two or three inexpensive, high-fiber foods at every meal. Excellent choices include avocado, legumes, nuts, seeds and leafy greens. My secret weapon to bypass seconds and reduce your dessert hankering: Stir a scoop of freshly ground flaxseed or a fiber-blend supplement powder into a tall glass of water 30 to 60 minutes before meals.

8. Prepare ahead of time. You know the saying: Fail to plan, plan to fail. Whether your goal is fast fat loss or getting a healthy meal on the table for your family, thinking ahead can save you time, money, and effort. If you know you’ll be stuck late at work tomorrow, prep dinner ingredients and you’ll be far less tempted to spike your credit card bill ordering in or grabbing take-out. Many clients make Sunday “prep day” for the week ahead.

9. Learn the dirty dozen. In a perfect world, every food would be organic. Realistically, sometimes it becomes hard to justify spending three times for organic produce. That’s why you want to know the Dirty Dozen: you always want to buy these 12 most-contaminated foods organic. The “Clean 15” are your least contaminated foods, with few or no contaminants. If you’re going to buy non-organic, these are your best bets.

10. Brew your own. Coffee and tea, that is! (Although come to think of it, you could also save big money making your own pinot noir or gluten-free beer.) Like my client who unknowingly spent $35 a week on sugary lattes and stale pastries, your caffeine habit can take its toll on your pocketbook and even your waistline. Become your own barista and brew a cup of organic coffee or green tea for far less than what you’d spend at a coffee shop.

11. Use discounted gift cards. Purchasing discounted gift cards to retailers such as Whole Foods, Walmart, and Target can save you money on all your healthy food needs. With discounts up to 35% off, your grocery bill is sure to decrease. Check out 100% guaranteed sites such as giftcardrescue.com

10 Ways to Financially Prepare for a Baby

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Get the ball rolling and financially prepare for a baby now.

According to CNN the cost of raising a child for a middle income couple will be around $241,000 without including college tuition costs. With the economy disintegrating and job security being non existent, it is essential to financially prepare for a baby. With these tips from DailyFinance.com, you can spend more time being excited about the new member you will be welcoming into your family opposed to worrying about the costs.

1. Compare hospital costs. One of the biggest costs associated with having your baby will be the cost of delivery. Not only should you consider what the hospital or birthing center will charge, you should also balance what your insurance will cover. What is covered and what procedures cost can vary greatly, even in the same city. So find out the expense differences so you can make an informed decision that saves you money.

2. Say ‘yes’ to baby showers. One of the benefits of expecting a baby is that people want to buy gifts for the yet-to-be-born baby — let them! A shower can be thrown by co-workers, friends from college, neighbors or family. Let them know the things you need so they can buy them, and you can avoid any duplicate products.

3. Set aside money for maternity/paternity leave. This doesn’t necessarily fit in the “saving money when you’re expecting a newborn” category, but you want to be financially prepared for the time off Mom will take once she has the baby. Figure out how much you need to make up for and save that amount throughout your pregnancy so you don’t have to worry once the baby arrives. Is Dad planning on taking some time off as well? If so, account for that in your savings, too.

4. Shop secondhand for clothes. Many first-time parents don’t understand that newborns grow out of their clothes very quickly. You can easily save money by buying gently used secondhand clothes. There are a variety of places to get them: yard sales, consignment shops, friends and family members. If you’re planning on having other children, you can also save the clothes for the next child.

5. Get free samples from your pediatrician. As you get closer to the arrival of your little one, you’ll likely visit your pediatrician to go over questions you may have. Take this as an opportunity to ask for any samples they may have to offer. Most pediatricians have samples of formula, diapers and more. It may not be a lot, but the free products can help save you money those first few weeks.

6. Share maternity clothes. If you have friends who are pregnant or have been recently, this is a great opportunity, as you can share clothes with one another if you’re the same size. There is no need to go out and buy a new wardrobe if you can share among friends. That way, all of you can save the money for other needs.

7. Clip coupons. Some companies, such as Gerber and Earth’s Best, offer coupons when you become pregnant. They may require you to sign up on their websites to receive them, but they offer a variety of coupons you can use once you have your baby. They vary from specific product coupons to dollar amount spent. If coupon-hunting isn’t your thing, you can save money by buying generic products.

8. Discounted Gift Cards. Online discount websites, such as GiftCardRescue.com, have discounted gift cards available for a variety of retailers including Toys R Us, Walmart, etc giving you free money. If you pair these discounted gift cards with coupons and retailer’s sales you can save yourself a pretty penny.

9. Avoid the ‘need’ to buy everything. As a new parent you want your child to have everything — that is an understandable desire. Save yourself money and stress by not giving in to that desire. One example is a high chair. A high chair isn’t needed immediately, since the baby won’t be able to sit on its own safely. Yet high chairs are still a popular and costly purchase many make before a baby is born. You can cut this cost by buying something else like a booster seat that straps to a dining room chair. This also can’t be used safely for some time, but it can be a great option to save both space and money once the time comes.

10. Stock your freezer with meals. The last thing you’re going to want to do once you bring your little one home is cook dinner. This leads to temptation to order in food and spend money. But you can avoid this by pre-making meals during the last few weeks of your pregnancy and freezing them. Once you’re home from the hospital, you just have to pull out a meal, warm it up and you’re good to go.

Start off on a good foot for the new member of your family.

6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Budget

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Make your budget less intimidating

 

 Get the most out of your budget If you don’t already have a personal budget, creating one will allow you to work towards financial freedom. Saving money and budgeting is essential for every household no matter the income/lifestyle. Getting that annual vacation, taking your family out to dinner, or saving for your emergency fund are all goals that can’t be achieved without the help of a personal budget. To get the lifestyle you want with the money you have here are some tips that will help you get the most out of your budget without having to     sacrifice the things you want. 

 

  1. Determine essential expenses. The first step in creating a budget is to determine your nonnegotiable or fixed expenses such as rent, car payments and utilities. You also can choose to put things like gas and groceries in this category. Add up these expenses, and subtract the total from your monthly income. The remaining amount is what’s available for discretionary spending: joining a gym, entertainment, shopping, travel and dining out.
  2. Keep track. Many personal finance and budgeting tools are mobile, and allow you to track where your money is going. You can make smart financial decisions such as whether or not to join that after work happy hour. Budgeting is flexible. You can always shift your priorities, saving some of those wants and needs for next month.
  3. Keep an emergency fund. You never know when your car might break down, when you’ll need to take time off from work for family issues or your AC will begin to leak. It’s important to be prepared for life’s unexpected turns by having an emergency fund to tap. If you have three to six months of expenses saved up, you can avoid taking on debt. If you don’t have a fund, start saving now. When something goes wrong, and it will, you won’t have to reach for your credit card or take out a loan to cover the cost.
  4. Dine in. No matter how you feel about food, one thing is for sure — you have to eat. There are plenty of ways to think smarter about what you spend on food. Eating out often costs more than cooking at home, so even if you hate cooking, it pays — literally — to do some reading up on easy, fast recipes. You’ll avoid the temptation of calling for takeout seven days a week. Consider making large batches of your favorite recipes over the weekend. Then, bring smaller lunch portions to work the next week.
  5. Evaluate your housing costs. If you’re paying for digs that are beyond your means, it might be worth finding a roommate to reduce your living expenses. Carefully furnishing and maintaining your home also can cut expenses. Opt for used furniture and appliances instead of new items. Take the time to clean and refurbish them yourself. Extend that do-it-yourself attitude toward maintenance, too. You can solve many household problems without hiring an expensive contractor.
  6. Be reasonable. Don’t plan a budget you will never be able to keep. Just like with a diet or an exercise program, it’s important to be realistic. If you’ve never been able to stick to a savings plan, or are a compulsive spender, don’t expect this to change overnight. Instead, start by setting small goals so you can build the confidence to tackle bigger changes down the road. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

Using these tips from DailyFinanace will get you started and help you to create and implement a respectable budget. Even with a budget there are ways to reduce spending on daily household items. Using coupons, sale shopping, and purchasing discounted gift cards from websites such as GiftCardRescue.com are all helpful in stretching your hard earned money.

 

Photo Credit: Emilie Goossens via weheartit  

Top 11 Ways to Save Money

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Thinks to do that will subtly save money

 Who wouldn’t like to have a little extra money sitting around every month? Small things that don’t seem like much ,add up, leaving you with extra cash. By incorporating these tips into your daily life you could be planning your next dream vacation from the money that you have saved without sacrificing the things you want. As Benjamin Franklin tells us; “a penny saved is a penny earned”.

Save money

1. Set Your Own Personal Budget

These clever tips help keep your cash where it belongs — in your pocket!
First things first: Learn how to set your own personal budget with our easy-to-use worksheet.

2. Buy Bulk with a Friend

Know your needs. Bulk items are only worth buying if you can use them before they expire. Consider shopping with a friend and splitting perishables such as meat and dairy products.

3. Inexpensive Art

Take a photo of something you love — a dog that comes every time you call, a keepsake with beautiful cursive and a colorful stamp, you’re lucky Tuesday-night poker deck. You can blow it up with some hassle-free Internet help, then frame it, hang it, and be enormously happy every time you walk by.

4. Flavored Water

Instead of buying pricy flavored bottled drinks at the supermarket, add a hint of flavor to tap or filtered water by infusing it with slices of lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber and mint. Set a pitcher of your flavored water on your desk: You’ll drink more if the pitcher is there as a reminder, and you won’t have to buy multiple bottles of water, either!

5. Make Clothes Last Longer

Prepare your clothes for the washer by closing zippers, fastening hooks, and turning items inside out. Wash darks together using the cold-water cycle so they don’t bleed onto lighter clothes — and cold water is crucial, since it lowers your water-heating costs. Line-drying dark items will also help maintain their original appearance — and you’ll save on heating costs of the dryer.

6. Store Wine on a Budget

Skip buying a pricey wine refrigerator that needs to be powered at all times. If you have storage room in the corner of a cellar or at the bottom of a cool, dark closet, use that instead — the money you save can go toward building your collection.

7. Stock Up on Scraps

Reserve carrot ends and peelings, celery leaves, garlic trimmings, the outer layers of onions, and wilting herbs and their bare stems (such as parsley and thyme) in a resealable bag. Store shrimp shells or roast-chicken bones separately. Freeze, then make stock from scratch whenever the mood strikes (Tip: Remove onion skins before using; they can turn a perfect stock into a bitter one).

8. Budget Vases

Instead of shelling out cash for a pricy vase, make your own out of a glass bottle and some enamel paint.

9. Organize a Clothing Swap

Chic, savvy, conservation-minded consumers now update their wardrobes by taking part in clothing swaps. All you have to do is gather up gently worn items from your closet, bring them to a central location, and choose from others’ castoffs. Find one through an organization such as Clothing Swap, Swap-O-Rama-Rama, and Buffalo Exchange, or consider hosting your own. Invite friends, set a minimum number of pieces for each to bring, and trade away.

10. Pass on the Paper Towels

Instead of spending money on pack after pack of paper towels, buy reusable microfiber towels, which grip dirt and dust like a magnet and don’t let go, even when wet. When you’re finished, toss the towels in the wash and reuse. (One brand to try: Method, available at Target and Office Depot.)

11. Purchase Discounted Gift Cards

Buying discounted gift cards from site such as GiftCardRescue.com, can help you save money on everything from big home improvement projects to groceries. Most major retailers are available and it is even possible to receive electronic codes for online purchases! Why not save money every time you shop at your favorite stores?

For more on money saving tips check out the MarthaStewart website.

Photo Credit:  LauraLu via we heart this

10 Caribbean Destinations You Can Afford

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Whether you are looking for a cultural enriching get away or a relaxing beach retreat, the Caribbean is never disappointing.  Your next Caribbean vacation is more affordable then you think. Get the sunscreen and flip flops ready. Here is a list of 10 perfect Caribbean destinations for those looking for fun in the sun, on a budget.

Virgin Gorda

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

 Leave it to a Rockefeller to turn an unassuming patch of land into the Caribbean’s priciest island. When the financier Laurance Rockefeller opened the Little Dix resort on Virgin Gorda in the 1960s, he set a tone of luxurious seclusion that’s still prized on the island. With an average nightly rate of $321 per night for a double room, Virgin Gorda is no one’s idea of a bargain getaway. But you can still find a great place to stay for much less.

The key to keeping costs down on Virgin Gorda is to think beyond the resort walls. The hundreds of vacation-rental options listed on sites like VRBO and TripAdvisoroffer excellent value. For instance, the Coffee & Tea Absolute Beachfront Cottages has a five-out-of-five rating on TripAdvisor and rates from $171 per night. There’s also the popular and affordable Guavaberry Spring Bay Vacation Homes, a cluster of ocean-view one-, two-, and three-bedroom units with rates starting at $160 per night in spring and summer and $250 during the winter high season.

Anguilla

From the caress of the powdery white sand underfoot to the sea’s constantly shifting kaleidoscope of azures, there’s a delight for every sense on Anguilla. It’s a place that shrugs off the high-rise beach-vacation vibe in favor of simple relaxed elegance. But that unpretentious polish can come with a high price tag. And while the average nightly rate of $315 delivers some pretty special experiences—think watching the sun set over the ocean from your balcony’s private plunge pool at the Viceroy Anguilla or savoring a towel-side delivery of sorbet on the beach at Cap Juluca—the rarefied pleasures of the island don’t have to be expensive.

Dotting the island are smaller and locally owned properties, many of them on some of the island’s best beaches—where you can expect to pay significantly less than you would at Anguilla’s famed upscale resorts. Rooms are sometimes modest and amenities simple, but you’ll still have perfect proximity to the real reason for being there: gorgeous stretches of beach; warm, clear water; and plenty of island charm. At the intimate Anacaona Boutique Hotel, April rates start at $160 per night. And a recent Expedia search uncovered April rates of around $202 per night at the Anguilla Great House, which offers rooms just steps from the beach on magnificent Rendezvous Bay. Browse the Anguilla Tourist Board’s list of small hotels for more affordable inspiration.

Additional Savings Tip: Even if you don’t stay at a fancy resort, you can still sample the high life. Book a spa treatment or go to dinner at a resort, and then make extra time to enjoy the vibe, the views, and the grounds.

Additional Savings Tip: Famous for its natural beauty, many of the best things to do on Virgin Gorda are either free or dazzlingly inexpensive. For instance, entry into The Baths National Park, a collection of sea pools created by massive granite boulders, is just $3 per person.

For more ways to save money on vacations, consider purchasing discounted gift cards available at GiftCardRescue.com and make that dream vacation a reality.

Read the full list at HuffingtonPost

Photo Credit: [Source] wallpapers.ixblogs.com