last minute

Best Money Tips: How to Pull Off a Last-Minute Weekend Getaway

Amy Lu — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 08:30:09 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on how to pull off a last-minute weekend getaway, ways to build trust with your body language, and how to do Disney on a budget.

7 Biggest Ways Procrastination Hurts Your Finances

Tim Lemke — Tue, 23 May 2017 08:00:09 +0000

Remember those days in college when you'd put off studying until the night before a big exam? You'd stay up all night, desperately trying to cram everything in at the last minute. If only you'd taken the time earlier, you'd have walked into your test rested, calm, and most importantly, prepared.

Those bad habits can cost you a lot more in real life if you carry them into the way you handle money. Here are seven situations when procrastination really hurts your bottom line.

1. Investing: Your money has less time to grow

It's one of the basic rules of smart investing: Invest as early as you can and for as long as you can. Some of the most successful investors are those who had relatively modest incomes, but started investing young and stayed in the markets for decades. Compounding interest worked in their favor, and they enjoyed a sizable nest egg later in life. Even a delay of five to 10 years can make a significant difference in how much money you have by retirement. Quite simply, the more you procrastinate, the less money you'll have.

2. Saving: You continue to spend more than you earn

You're aware that you're spending more money than you're bringing in, but you tell yourself that you'll start cutting back after the holidays. The holidays come and go, so then you tell yourself you'll start saving after your big spring break trip. After spring break, you promise you'll start after your cousin's wedding in July. There's always some reason to put off saving, but the best time to start tightening your belt is right away. Devising an arbitrary future start date for financial prudence only means you're spending money you shouldn't in the interim.

3. Debt payoff: Your balances balloon

That credit card bill keeps getting bigger, and it comes on top of your student loans and car payments. You're getting crushed by debt, but it's so overwhelming you can't bring yourself to come up with a plan to tackle it. Every moment you wait to address your debt problem is a moment that allows that debt to grow. Devise a repayment strategy now, before your debt ruins you. (See also: 5 Ways to Pay Off High Interest Credit Card Debt)

4. Taxes: You might make a costly mistake

Tax Day seems so far away, but before you know it, it's the middle of April and you haven't even gotten started. You may think your taxes are simple, but rushing through the process increases your chances of forgetting income, missing out on deductions, or making a silly error.

No one says you have to file your taxes immediately at the beginning of the year, but at least give yourself a few weeks to file your return carefully. A rush job could mean you pay too much, or you may end up with penalties due to mistakes.

5. Bills: You miss payment deadlines

There are consequences to paying bills late, usually in the form of fees and interest charges. If you're the type of person who doesn't even open a bill until it's nearly due, you're putting yourself at risk of extra expenses.

Late fees and interest aren't merely one-time charges. Miss your payments by enough days and it can hurt your credit score, impacting your ability to borrow. It's best to pay bills right away when you get them — or put them on autopay — so they don't threaten your finances further. (See also: 5 Simple Ways to Never Make a Late Credit Card Payment)

6. Job applications: You don't get that better-paying position

You found a job that you think you'll like, and it pays considerably more than your current one. But instead of applying right away, you wait. And wait. And wait. Before you know it, the position is filled. This is a total wasted opportunity.

Yes, applying for a job, reworking your resume, writing cover letters, and going through interviews are all tedious and time-consuming. But when you're stuck sitting at your current gig, underpaid and unhappy, you'll really be kicking yourself for not putting in the work to get yourself unstuck.

7. Raises and promotions: You miss out for another year

It's hard to know the precise time to ask for a promotion or a raise. Often, we wait until annual review season, but by then, personnel decisions may already have been made. The best thing is to approach the subject sooner rather than later. Your boss may not be in a position to respond right away, but you've planted the seed so they know your wishes.

Besides, simply asking for a raise or promotion may force your employer to look more closely at your work, and hopefully recognize what you bring to the table each day. If you wait too long to ask, you may have to wait for an entire budget cycle to get another shot.

This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Under $15

Paul Michael — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:11:28 +0000

It’s that time again. You think you’ve got presents for everyone on your list, but somehow you forgot Great Aunt Noonie. Or your neighbor pops over with a gift and now you want to return the sentiment. What do you get? (See also: 25 Gifts You Can Make Today)

The internet is usually my first resource for finding gifts, but now you have the dreaded shipping-and-handling issue to deal with. Sure, you could get it in time, but pay through the nose to get it overnighted. Plus, the stores are emptying faster than a beer keg at a frat party. But don’t despair.

Here are ten last-minute gift ideas that can help you spread some cheer without giving yourself an ulcer in the process.

1. Magazine Subscriptions

There are many places to buy these, including Amazon. They can start from as little as $3 per year and will usually come with an e-card or printable gift card that you can pop in an envelope.

2. Apps

With the enormous popularity of the iPhone and other smartphones, it makes sense that gifts for these phones are also increasing in number. You can now buy apps as gifts, with many apps giving you the option to “gift this app.” Most apps are well under $10, so maybe you can gift a few. You can also add a personalized message.

3. Cook Something

Well, that’s a broad term, but nothing says you care like something home-made and delicious. From jams and jellies to cakes and cookies, they’re usually something you can make within a day. Wrap them in something nice and wait for the smiles. It sure beats a tie. (See also: 15 Gifts You Can Bake)

4. The Re-Gift

I did a whole post on this, and while some people think it objectionable, most see it as a way to make someone happy with a gift that you personally don’t like. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but you must of course follow the re-gifting guidelines.

5. Movies

I’ve had Netflix for a few years now, although recently it has come into its own thanks to instant streaming through the Wii and Roku. For just $7.99 for the first month, you can give someone the gift of a whole month of streaming movies. It’s a little more for a month that includes DVDs, but it’s still a great gift that can be delivered instantly via email. Amazon.com also offers movies on demand, and you can buy credits to use in the Movies On Demand section of Amazon. Again, it’s instant and will be enjoyed by many over the holiday season.

6. iTunes Cash

If you don’t have time to run out and buy a CD, you can give your gift recipient a code that will let them download it themselves. Most albums are available through iTunes for $10, and the iTunes program will let you print the gift certificate, or email it to your friend or relative. Just go to the iTunes store and click the Buy iTunes Gifts button on the top right, under Quick Links.

7. Gift Cards

If music isn’t their cup of tea, you can always pick up gift cards for a wide variety of stores from the checkouts of your local grocery stores. They start at $5 and show a little more thought than just throwing a few bills in an envelope.

8. Get Your Groupon

This is a double-whammy. Not only can you get something very quickly and print it out, but you also get huge savings. Groupon deals are different for every city but they are always worth checking it. For instance, at the time of writing this article, the Groupon for my city, Denver, was a $30 meal at an Indian restaurant for just $15. Other regular Groupon deals include spa treatments, magazine subscriptions, dance classes and a lot more.

9. Get Artistic

This isn’t for everyone, but then again, art is in the eye of the beholder. All you need is a little paint (or whatever else you have laying around) and something to paint on. You could go for the traditional canvas, they start at just a few dollars at places like Michaels and Joann’s. You could decorate pottery. You could use fabric paint on a t-shirt. You can glue shells to bottles if you like. It’s up to you. But it’s unique, it shows you really care, and it’s quick and inexpensive.

10. Facebook Credits

It’s estimated that 1 in 2 American’s now have a Facebook account. And games are one of the most popular features of this website. Of course, like most things in life, there can be costs associated with the fun, and many games have premium items associated with them. For instance, my Achilles Heel is Bejeweled Blitz, and if I want extra credits for power-ups, I can pay for them. Other games even come with merchandise and collectibles. If you know someone who is hooked on Facebook games, the gift of Facebook Credits may go down very well. Target and Walmart both carry $10 Facebook Credits gift cards, and you can also buy them online for instant redemption.

If you have any more ideas, please share. It is the season of giving after all. From everyone at Wise Bread, have a very happy and safe Holiday season.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Last Minute Tax-Filing? Extended Post Office Hours and More

Andrea Karim — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:57:56 +0000

Isn't it weird that there isn't a central list of post offices at, oh I don't know, say, USPS.com, that tells you which post office branches are going to be open late tonight for last-minute filers? Or is there a list and I simply couldn't find it (possible)?

Here's a partial list. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. These are remarkably difficult to find.

Thanks to the Consumerist for some of the links.

Avoid the post office altogether by filing online for free.

General Post Office hours can be searched for here.

(Picture by Cauchi Savona)

This article is from Andrea Karim of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: