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How to Use Technology to Start Saving More
Use a budgeting app such as Level or Goodbudget to save automatically and keep spending in check. Photo: Level
The numbers on who is saving money in America — or more commonly, who isn’t — may shock you.
According to a survey by Bankrate, 76% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The survey unfortunately reports that 50% of Americans have less than a 3-month cushion in their savings account and 27% have no savings account whatsoever.
But it doesn’t end there.
One in five people near retirement age has absolutely nothing saved for retirement, according to the Washington Post.
A helpful infographic by Money Under 30 reveals that a whopping 60% of 20-somethings save 5% or less of their monthly income, with a portion saving nothing at all.
11 Lucrative Freelance Jobs That Are Still Growing
Here are some legitimate ways to make extra money online as a freelancer. Photo: jseliger2
Building wealth boils down to a pretty simple equation: Either spend less money, or earn more of it. We offer plenty of ways to tighten up your spending and keep more money in your pocket, but at some point, there are no cuts left to make.
Best Home Security System for 2014
Home security is often not addressed until an intrusion has already occurred. According to the FBI, more than 2 million burglaries were reported in 2012. However, homes with alarm systems have shown to be 300% less likely to be broken into. It’s evident that the majority of us are not doing everything we can to proactively mitigate these risks.
Top home security systems have a proven track record in protecting homes and their valuable contents. Read on to begin exploring which best home security system is the right fit for you and your family.
The Simple Dollar’s Top Picks
Here are the five best home security systems:
How To Reduce Student Loan Debt While You’re in School
Stories of college graduates struggling to deal with their student loans are enough to scare away any bright-eyed college hopeful. If you’re thinking about college or in school right now, there are plenty of steps you can take to help reduce the amount of student loan debt you’ll be saddled with after graduation. Reducing student loan debt while you’re still […]
The post How To Reduce Student Loan Debt While You’re in School appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
14 Simple Life Hacks That Have Each Saved Me $100 (Or More) Since My Financial Turnaround
As many of you know, I’m constantly trying out little lifestyle changes and tweaks just to see if they’re something that actually saves money and if they’re something that integrates well into my life.
I’ll usually try out these tactics for a while and then do my best to assess whether or not it’s actually saving me money and whether or not it’s affecting my life in a positive or negative (or neutral) way.
Let’s get one thing out of the way right now: I have no interest in being miserable just to be cheap. For me, the ideal frugal tactic is one that doesn’t alter my lifestyle in a way that makes me uncomfortable, but it does save me money. That’s what this list is all about – simple money hacks that have added up to genuine savings over the years without introducing much “negative” to my life at all.
Defining “Simple”
What do I mean by “simple” here?
Give Your Entire Home a Makeover for Under $500
Throw pillows, new paint, and colorful flowers can revamp a room quickly and cheaply. Photo: Wicker Paradise
You pull into your driveway, glance at the yard, and a wave of disgust sweeps over you. The yard is a mess and you can’t stand to look at it another day.
And that’s just the beginning. A tap of the garage clicker reveals a cluttered chasm of chaos, and quickly reminds you why you’re forced to park in the rain and parade your way to the front door. To make matters worse, the interior of your home isn’t much better. You’re bored with the layout and tired of the décor, and prefer to spend more time away from home than inside of it.
Best Student Loans in 2014
Are you having a hard time finding out what the best student loans are? You might also be wondering how to nab the best student loan rates. You’re not alone if you think figuring out how you’ll pay for college is a stressful, complicated process.
In this article, I’ll summarize federal student loans and private student loans, discuss whether private student loans make sense, and tackle how to get started in your search for the best student loans.
If you already know you’re in the market for private loans, a site like SimpleTuition can ease your search for the best private student loans by letting you directly compare loans and interest rates from different lenders. Just a few minutes and a minimum amount of personal information will generate a number of options.
11 Money Moves to Make Before Becoming a Mommy-Preneur
Ditching the 9-to-5 routine can be incredibly rewarding, but be sure you’re financially prepared to take the leap. Photo: Julie Jordan Scott
For years, I sat behind a desk crunching numbers, analyzing spending trends, validating financial transactions and generating reports. (Sound exciting?) Although the day-to-day routine bored me out of my mind, I did what most logical people would do and sucked it up. After all, the money was good and I worked with a decent group of people, so it definitely wasn’t the appropriate time to rock the boat.
A Frugal Guide to Amateur Astronomy
Several months ago, I had a wonderful evening with my six year old daughter where we spent more than an hour (up until bedtime) in the backyard under the night sky, looking up at the stars. We talked about how big the universe is. We talked about how most of the dots in the sky are stars but a few are planets and some are whole galaxies. We identified a few constellations – the ones I could remember from my own astronomy “phase” as a kid and a few more I could identify quickly using my smartphone as an aid. We identified the Milky Way and talked about our own galaxy.
More than anything, though, we just enjoyed staring up at the majesty of the night sky together.
How to File an Insurance Claim
Accidents happens, even on sunny days. Here are the steps you should take when they do. Photo: Mark Turnauckas
It’s a beautiful day with clear skies and bright sunshine. The birds are singing and there’s a gentle breeze rustling the leaves in the trees. You take a deep breath and savor the sweet scent of honeysuckle. You think all is right with the world, and then… it happens.
It can be a car slamming into your rear end at a traffic light. The load in your washing machine getting out of balance and walking itself away from its resting place, ripping the drainage hose from the wall. Worst of all, it can be the phone call telling you that a loved one has died.
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