clutter

9 Creative Ways to Boost Your Retirement Savings

Kat Tretina — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 08:00:09 +0000

Everyone knows how important it is to save for retirement. However, actually setting aside money for your future can be challenging. When you're short on cash and have other demands on your budget, there might be little to nothing left to put toward your nest egg. How are you supposed to save for your future when you're completely strapped in the present?

If you don't make enough money right now to set aside, there are still ways to grow your retirement savings. You just have to think outside the box.

1. Use your tax refund

Many people daydream about how they want to spend their tax refund, which is often the biggest windfall they'll see all year. In fact, last year the average tax refund was $2,763, according to the IRS.

If you're getting a tax refund this year, put it to work. Rather than spending your refund on electronics or a vacation, consider depositing that money straight into your retirement fund. With the power of compound interest, that refund could grow by the thousands by the time you retire.

2. Deposit your credit card rewards

If you have a credit card that offers cash back, that cash can be a regular source of extra money for your retirement fund. If you already use your credit card for routine purchases like utilities, gas, and groceries, this is easy money. Just make sure you are paying off your credit card balance in full every month.

3. Use cash back apps

If you don't have a cash back credit card, you can still earn money for doing the shopping you were going to do anyway. Apps like Ibotta or SavingStar let you earn cash back on grocery purchases, while sites like eBates offer a percentage back on many online purchases. You'll earn a percentage of your purchase as cash, and a check will be mailed to you — which you can toss straight into your retirement account. It's a low-effort way to earn extra money going about your normal routine. (See also: 7 Apps That Actually Pay You to Shop)

4. Launch a side hustle

If you have some extra time, you can earn money in the evenings or on weekends by launching a side hustle for fast cash. From walking dogs to making deliveries, there are hundreds of side gigs you can do in just a few hours a week. That extra income can go a long way to funding your retirement.

5. Sell your clutter

Take a look around at all of the electronics, textbooks, toys, and more that you never use. You may have as much as a few thousand dollars' worth of items collecting dust in your home. That clutter can be eliminated while netting you some money for your retirement. Sell items on sites like eBay, LetGo, and Bookscouter to get cash for your stuff. (See also: 5 Things in Your Garage That Have Serious Re-Sale Value)

6. Rent out extra space

If you have an extra bedroom, you can rent it out on sites like Airbnb or VRBO. Depending on your location and the size of your space, you could charge hundreds per night. However, you don't even need an extra room to make money. You can rent out a spare closet or storage space in the garage on Spacer, or rent out your parking spot on SpotHero. (See also: 5 Easy Ways to Make Good Money From Airbnb)

7. Sell photos online

If you like photography, you can earn passive income to put toward your retirement savings by selling your photos. You can try your hand at selling stock photography on sites like iStock or Shutterstock, or you could sell your artwork in an online portfolio or on arts and craft sites like Etsy. You could also try selling smartphone photos on Foap, which is an app that connects brands with photographers looking to sell their images. (See also: Earn Extra Income With Your Smartphone Camera)

8. Let strangers drive your car

If you don't drive your car every day, your vehicle can become a lucrative source of income. You can rent it out to tourists or business travelers on Turo and set your own daily rate. According to the company, you can make nearly $5,800 a year if your car's market value is $20,000 and you rent it out for 12 days per month. That alone could get you to the contribution limit on an IRA.

9. Trade in clothes for cash

If you have clothes, handbags, or shoes that you don't wear anymore, stop letting them take up precious closet space. You can sell those items on sites like Poshmark, Tradesy, and even in-person at consignment stores like Plato's Closet or Clothes Mentor. A single bag of clothes could net you enough to send a couple hundred dollars toward your retirement account.

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

How to Spring-Clean Your Debt

Denise Hill — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 08:00:07 +0000

Spring is in the air. Most people use the first blooms of the season as a signal to begin the process of spring cleaning; out with the old to make room for the new.

The same thought process should be applied to your finances. While you are in the mindset of minimizing, organizing, and cleaning out the old, you should capitalize on this mood as it pertains to your debt. Take the time to give yourself a money makeover and tidy up your financial life by shedding lingering debt. Here are the steps you can take to do it.

Take stock

An important part of getting and keeping your finances in shape and eliminating debt is organizing them. Start by taking a realistic look at where you are financially and exactly what you owe.

First, evaluate your debts.

Make a list of outstanding consumer debts, not including your mortgage (credit cards, car loan, student loans, personal loans, etc).
Write down the total amount due for each debt and the interest rate.
Add up your total consumer debts (with the exception of the mortgage).
Write down the minimum payment for each debt and calculate how long it would take you to pay off the debt making only the minimum payment.

Once you have your debts organized, it's time to evaluate your budget.

Make a list of all of your non-consumer bills for the month (utilities, cable, groceries, pet expenses, gas and transportation, internet, cellphone, gym membership, Netflix, etc.).
Using the figures from three months' worth of bank or credit card statements, tally up how much you spend eating out, on snacks, clothes, entertainment, and other miscellaneous items. Don't forget happy hours, movies, trips, salon visits, and hobbies.
Create categories of nonessential bills based on how you spent your money. For example, your categories could be dining out, grooming, clothes, entertainment, hobbies, etc.

Once you everything written down and sorted out, it's time to play a game of what if. Look at the total of what you owe and figure out how much of your budget is being consumed by consumer debt. If it's over 30 percent, you need to seriously commit to bringing that percentage down.

Next, calculate how much you could save in six months if you had no consumer debt. What if you had half your current debt? How would it change your life if your total consumer debt was zero?

Lastly, look at all of the nonessential things that are eating away at your money, such as dining out, grooming, or needless shopping. Pick one or two of those categories and see how much you could save if you eliminated that expense. For example, what if you stopped eating out for a month and maybe cut your own hair or gave yourself a manicure in lieu of paying for it? How much cash could you free up?

The goal of this exercise is for you to see where your money is going and take responsibility for it. It is also to show you the opportunity costs. If you changed just a few key things, you could eliminate your debt in no time and change your financial future. (See also: 6 Common Debt Reduction Roadblocks — And How to Beat Them)

Create a debt reduction plan

Now that you've gone through sorting through your finances and playing what if, it's time to start ridding yourself of the unnecessary financial weight. The easiest way to do this is by using the debt snowball method. With the debt snowball, you simply list your debts from largest to smallest. You then aggressively work to pay off the debt with the lowest balance first, while paying the minimum payments on the others. Once you've paid off the first debt, you move to the next smallest debt. Rinse and repeat. (See also: 6 Secrets to Mastering the Debt Snowball)

The plan itself and the logic behind it is pretty basic. You begin with the lowest balance instead of the highest interest rate in order to help you build momentum and get a quick win. Winning is motivating. Losing sucks. Pretty simple stuff, right?

The tricky part of expedited debt repayment is finding the extra money in your budget to apply to your debt. And that can be tough to do when you're living paycheck-to-paycheck. Go back to the list of expenses you made and figure out what you can cut and where you can scale back.

From there you need to create a realistic zero-based budget that reflects your true spending habits. With a zero-based budget, you give every single expenditure a name, subtract them all from your income, and if you end up with more than $0, every extra dollar goes to your debt elimination plan. (See also: 5-Day Debt Reduction Plan: Pay It Off)

Plan something fun

If you have committed to doing the things outlined above, it is imperative that you also plan to do something fun. You need to pause from time to time during the debt repayment process to celebrate how far you've come. It should be something you enjoy and can pay for with cash.

Take a day trip somewhere. Treat yourself to a nice, modestly priced pair of shoes. Get your hair done or spend the day at a reasonably priced spa. Try not to look at this pause as a waste of money. The goal is to practice spending in a controlled manner on things that have meaning to you, and most importantly, that you can afford.

These pauses will help you to establish a healthy and productive relationship with your cash. Money is a tool and it should be respected and handled wisely. You should use your purchasing power to provide for your needs and a few of your wants. (See also: Yes, You Need "Fun Money" in Your Budget)

Handling finances is a mental and emotional activity. By going through these steps, you are forced to face your spending choices while addressing your connection to material possessions. This process will help you hold yourself accountable and set you up for a successful jump-start to your debt reduction plan.

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

7 Things You Can Downsize Right Now

Kentin Waits — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 10:01:05 +0000

When we think of the term "downsizing," we often think of trading a larger home for a smaller one. But downsizing isn't just for houses. Look around you. What's consuming too much of your time, your money, your space, or your energy? In a nation that famously supersizes everything, downsizing just might be the key to a more fulfilling life. Here are seven things you can downsize right now. (See also: How to Decide What to Keep When Downsizing)

1. Car

Advertisers work hard to convince us that what we drive defines who we are. But that trick costs all of us money (after all, who wants to be a 1974 Pinto?).

Don't fall for it. Instead, embrace this revolutionary truth: Cars are simply tools to get us from Point A to Point B. Unburden yourself from an auto loan you can't afford and insurance premiums that bust your budget. Downsize to the safest, most fuel-efficient pre-owned model you can afford. (See also: 3 Reasons Why You Should Never Buy a New Car)

2. Wardrobe

My sister-in-law once had so many clothes that she purchased three commercial clothes racks and expanded her closet into the basement. If your wardrobe is gobbling up more square footage every year, it might be time to downsize.

Consider donating items you no longer wear to charities like Dress for Success, Career Gear, or a local community outreach center. You could also sell your clothing, shoes, and accessories to an online consignment shop and make a little extra cash. (See also: How I Make $800 on Month on eBay Selling Used Clothes)

3. Cable and cellphone plans

Once we've signed up for cellphone plans and cable packages, we seldom give them a critical review. That inattention means we could be missing out on cheaper options that better match our lifestyle, or special offers that provide the same level of service for less money. Take 30 minutes to see if you can downsize your cable and cellphone plans — and the costs that go with them. (See also: 5 Painless Ways to Lower Your Cell Phone Bill)

4. Subscription services

From gourmet cheeses to beauty supplies, subscription services deliver the world to our doorstep. But all that convenience comes at a price.

Take a hard look at your bank statement and your spending habits. Are multiple subscription services nickel-and-diming your budget to death? Is most of that gourmet cheese growing fuzz the fridge? If the answer is "yes," switch to a less expensive subscription package or cancel altogether.

5. Spending

Forget about the idea of cutting corners for a month or two. When you downsize your spending, you're finding permanent ways to minimize your expenditures. It's a mental and behavioral shift that's the first step in living more frugally. Explore ways to reduce your monthly spending by 10 percent, and then use that money to pay down debt or boost your retirement savings. (See also: Boost Your Savings With This Easy Budgeting System)

6. Debt

Once you've downsized your spending, attack the three-headed monster it created — debt. While it makes perfect sense to pay off debt with the highest interest rates first, many people find more success using the debt snowball method. In this approach, you pay off your smallest debt first (regardless of the interest rate), which gives you a motivational boost to stick with your downsizing plan until everything is paid off.

7. Schedule and commitments

A dear friend of mine recently started a new job with a college on the East Coast. In addition to this full-time administrative role, he's teaching two classes and interviewing students for a grant program. I love him to death, but saying "no" is not his strong suit.

Sound like you? Remember, your time is a rare resource. If you're constantly moving and always stressed, downsize your schedule. Life is short; carve out some time to simply be. (See also: 8 Reasons Time Is Worth More Than Money)

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

How to Sell Your House Despite Your Messy Kids

Mikey Rox — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 09:30:09 +0000

It takes a lot of moving parts to sell a home, and it can be frustrating when one or more of those moving parts just won’t sit still. I’m talking about kids. Kids who, despite your best efforts to present your home in its optimal condition, don’t give a good gosh-darn that Mommy and Daddy are trying to make a sale.

But there’s still hope. As the old saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em (and you definitely cannot), join ’em — with these helpful tips on how to sell your house despite your messy kids.

Conduct a purge before the house goes on the market

Your house is for sale, which means you’re probably moving soon. Now is the best time to cut your clutter so you don’t have to drag all that junk from one house to another. Set a week aside to organize your purge, then pack up and ship out whatever you don’t want or need anymore.

“We end up with a lot of baggage over the course of our lives, and while a lot of these items have sentimental value, that's about the only thing they're worth,” says Texas realtor Abigail Vytlacil. “Donate what you can, toss what you can't. Then, pare your home's contents down even more by storing anything and everything that isn't being used. Surfboards, bikes, winter clothes, baseball uniforms and equipment, golf clubs — get as much as you can out of the way, out of the house, as possible.” (See also: My 16 Favorite Ways to Get Rid of Clutter)

Have the house professionally cleaned

Kids or not, a well lived in home has years of dust and dirt buildup in the corners and hard to reach places. A deep clean will give that extra sparkle to impress buyers. While it is more expensive to hire a professional cleaning service than doing it yourself, it’s better. It’s hassle-free for you, and you can take the little ones out for the day while the service works their magic. You'll get to spend quality time with your kids instead of screaming at the little buggers because they keep tracking mud across the floor you’ve freshly mopped.

At the same time, have the carpets cleaned. Removing stains and odors from the carpets is just as important as anything else you’ll beautify in the house to make a good impression.

Touch up or repaint the walls and doors in high-traffic areas

A little paint goes a long way to freshen up walls, doors, and baseboards that have encountered your children and pets over the years. You may not even notice how grimy these areas have become, but get up close and you’ll agree that they need tending to. (See also: 4 Paint Colors That Can Boost Your Home's Value)

Organize cabinets and closets

Buyers will absolutely want to look in your cabinets and closets to get a good idea of what kind of space they have to work with. So, take the time to tidy these areas up. Fold and organize the clothing in the closets (a good time to eliminate clutter here, too; donate whatever your kids haven’t worn in awhile or items that no longer fit), and get rid of any expired foods and open bags/containers in the pantry. Streamline the contents of your kitchen cabinets — toss dishes you don’t use or that your kids have outgrown — to make the shelves more aesthetically appealing at quick glance.

Concentrate on areas to clean based on the type of buyer

If the potential buyers stopping by for a showing are not parents, concentrate on cleaning up the areas that have your kids’ proverbial handiwork all over them. These buyers want to know what the house will look and feel like for them, not a family of four. Likewise, if you’re showing to parents, focus more on the family gathering places that will be most important to them.

“If something is going to be messy, let it be the children's actual rooms that are messy,” adds Michigan-based real estate broker Jon Boyd. “I've never had buyers not buy a home because of the condition of the children's bedrooms. However, if there is junk or clutter in the kitchen, bathrooms, dining areas, and living areas, it is going to be a challenge.”

Draw buyers’ attention away from problem areas

Open your blinds and curtains to let in the sunshine; many buyers are attracted to how well a home receives natural light, and that may distract them from your kids’ belongings lying around. Create focal points in the least attractive rooms using art, flowers, or mirrors, the latter of which can also help seemingly expand the space through optical illusion. Whatever works. (See also: 8 Ways to Stage Your Home Without Hiring a Pro)

Offer incentives to your kids for keeping their rooms clean

Yes, I’m telling you to bribe your children. Increase their allowance for helping you keep the house extra tidy. The end result will pay off much bigger than the extra few bucks you’re shelling out per week to keep your kids in line.

Keep the kids’ rooms brightly lit

If you don’t have a magic wand to send all your kids’ bedroom junk back under the bed, use a light bulb.

“Make sure the light switch near the door works in the kid's bedrooms, and make sure it is a reasonably bright bulb," Boyd suggests. “A well lit but messy bedroom won't stop a motivated buyer, but a poorly lit messy bedroom might give them second thoughts.”

Use totes to pick up and store clutter in a flash

If you’re short on time before a showing and everything your kids own is spread across your house, use totes to quickly gather up the mess and toss them in the garage, basement, or attic. This smarty-pants tip is courtesy of realtor Denise Supplee, co-founder and operations director of Spark Rental.

“I tell clients to purchase a bunch of non-see-through totes,” she says. “Keep them on hand. Have your agent provide you a heads-up of showings of an hour or so. Take everything that is on the floor, tables, beds, and throw it in the totes. Stack them neatly. People will expect to see them because you are moving.”

Set specific times for showings so you can always prepare in advance

You’ll have a better chance of keeping the familial chaos under control if you discuss with your realtor a set schedule for showings, with available times on weekdays and weekends. If you know that there will be showings on Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m., for example, you can plan ahead and stay prepared.

Enlist help to get the kids out of the house

It’s difficult to get the joint spick-and-span when your kids are coming right behind you to mess up what you’ve done. Why not pawn them off on their grandparents or a favorite aunt or uncle for the afternoon? They’ll get to spend time with someone they enjoy (and probably enjoy being a little spoiled), and you can focus on your long list of showing-prep to-dos.

Create a "buyer’s book" to showcase what you love about your home

If you don’t have time to douse the house in bleach or make it look like the maid just left, fortify your efforts with a book of photos of your home looking its best — including before and after pictures if you’ve made any improvements — to help buyers see the home’s full potential.

“Add a little extra to your showings by creating a listing binder or 'buyer's book' that showcases why you've loved the home, what it's like living in the area, things your family likes to do, and other pertinent information to a new homeowner like average utilities, association dues, and anything else that would help them make an informed decision faster,” says Vytlacil. “It may seem trivial, but you'd be surprised at how much these little touches affect a prospective buyer.”

Let your family come and go using one door

You’ll reduce your cleaning workload substantially if you restrict your family’s access to the home to one entrance while it’s on the market. Fewer paths of entry equates to less dirt and outside gunk tracked into your home from multiple directions.

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

Why Some Economists Say You Should Give Cash Instead of Gifts

Toni Husbands — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 10:00:07 +0000

If Christmas shopping gives you the blues, and you labor over the thought of selecting the best gifts to no avail, you now have permission to stop. That's right. "Scroogenomics" may provide the peace of mind you seek during this festive, gift-giving season. In this retelling of Charles Dickens' classic tale, the lesson is to give generously, but not the type of stuff that typically ends up wrapped in paper and bows. Cash is king in this version, and other types of gifts are deemed a waste of time and money. (See also: 10 Fun Ways to Wrap the Gift of Cash)

The reality behind "Scroogenomics"

Economist and University of Minnesota professor Joel Waldfogel coined the term in his 2009 book, Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays. The reason behind Waldfogel's anti-gift stance isn't because he dislikes his friends and family. He simply believes giving gifts is a colossal waste of money. In fact, he calls gift giving an "orgy of wealth destruction."

Waldfogel suggests that we waste our money by buying the wrong gifts, completely underwhelming the recipient with stuff they don't even want. For the unimpressed giftees among us, the thought actually doesn't count.

According to Waldfogel's theory, we alone are the best judge of the products or services that bring us joy. Gift givers often miss the mark, thus gifts go underused and money is wasted. Waldfogel argues that gifts are best received when given to children or people that we know very well. "With everyone else, we might be better off giving cash or gift cards," he writes. (See also: How to Get Rid of Your Unwanted Gifts and Make Money Too)

The solution: Give cash

Before you dismiss Scroogenomics as a cynical case of bah humbug, consider this. Annie Leonard, co-writer of the short film The Story of Stuff, shares that only 1 percent of the materials we use to produce consumer goods (including the items themselves) are still in use six months after purchase. That doesn't mean that 99 percent of those goods end up in the landfill. It does mean that 99 percent of the planet's resources that were consumed in the making of those goods were. Not only is your unwanted and underappreciated gift a big waste of money — it's a colossal waste of the world's resources.

According to the National Retail Federation, American consumers will spend an average $967 on holiday gifts this year. If the vast majority of those gifts are just going to waste, wouldn't giving cash be a more appropriate use of your time, energy, and hard-earned resources? And considering the NRF found that 61 percent of recipients would actually prefer some type of gift card or certificate instead of an object, there's even less reason to believe that "stuff" is the ticket to a well-received present.

Cash as a gift tends to feel less exciting and tangible these days, since money transfers can be done with the click of a button or through a smartphone. But, giving cash also doesn't have to include forking over a manilla envelope stuffed with bills. Your thoughtful cash gift can take many forms. For example:

Donate to a charity on behalf of a loved one. Think about a cause near and dear to the recipient's heart and share the gift in their name. Your donation is also tax deductible, so this gift is a win-win-win (be sure to save the receipt!). The environment will thank you, too. (See also: 8 Charities You Can Trust With Your Holiday Donations)
Open a savings or investment account for the recipient and stock that full of cold hard cash. This is the gift that literally keeps on giving. Can you say compound interest?
Earmark the money for an outing or travel excursion that you and the recipient can plan together. These are memories that will last longer than the stuff destined for a landfill near you. Plus, who wouldn't love a free trip?

If your need to experience the warm fuzzies of gift giving won't allow you to simply give cash, compliment your cash gift with a craft. A money tree made of dollar bills or a folded-bill chain combine the joy of making something for your recipient, with the utility of giving cash. This way, everyone can enjoy the holidays and get exactly what brings them joy. (See also: 10 Reasons Why You Should Ask for Cash This Christmas)

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

10 Smart Ways to Keep Your Entire Life Clutter-Free

Emily Guy Birken — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 10:30:32 +0000

A preponderance of personal property is an almost universal problem for Americans who have easy access to both credit and cheap goods. Everywhere you turn, there are suggestions and advice on how to declutter, live simply, and embrace minimalism.

Often the suggestions start with the idea that you need to be brutal when culling your possessions. If you're not the type to commune with your higher self in an empty room in a mountain cabin, such decluttering advice seems far too extreme. Even if you do hope to achieve Zen mastery of your minimalist home, the cull-it-all type of advice can be wildly optimistic for anyone who has things other than decluttering going on in their lives.

That's why it's a good idea to follow the slow-and-steady path to declutter. Here are 10 ways you can declutter your home without actually having to commit acts of wanton purging. (See also: My 16 Favorite Ways to Get Rid of Clutter)

1. Stop Clutter at Its Source

Before your possessions became clutter, they were cute items on retail shelves that you couldn't resist bringing home with you. The easiest way to deal with clutter is to not create it. Commit to only buying items you truly need and learn how to say no to free stuff — whether it's swag from the company retreat or hand-me-downs that you know won't be used.

2. Get Rid of Things as You Notice Them

Many decluttering experts will give you what amounts to an assignment to declutter — either commit to getting rid of one item a day or declutter over a weekend. An easy way to divest yourself of things is to get rid of them as you notice them. It's very easy to look at the stack of cough medicine measuring cups in your bathroom drawer and think, I'll get rid of those later. But there is no time like the present. When you notice something that doesn't need to be in your house, get rid of it right away.

3. Keep a Donation Bag by the Door

Part of the reason why it can be so difficult to get rid of perfectly good items is the fact that you don't have enough to make the trip to Goodwill worthwhile. So get in the habit of leaving a bag for donations by the door, so that you can collect the items you plan to donate without allowing them to continue to clutter up your space.

4. Make a Donation Run a Regular Part of Your Errands

I am embarrassed to admit that I have been carrying three bags of clothes and other miscellany in the trunk of my car for over six months. I intend to donate the items to Goodwill, but I am out of the habit of making donations as part of my regular errands. When I regularly go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army on a weekly or twice-a-month basis, it is much easier to commit to decluttering.

Find the local donation center for you, and plan on making a stop there every week or every other week on the same day you go grocery shopping. Make donating items a regular habit.

5. Place Items You're Not Sure About in a One-Year Box

This rule will allow you to determine just how often you use things you are afraid to give up. Set up this box in the basement or the garage, and as you clean, place items you don't use but don't want to get rid of into it. Once the box is full, seal it and date it for one year in the future. If you have not used the items in the box within that year, then donate or trash the box without opening it. It's likely you won't even recall its exact contents.

6. Ask Yourself Two Important Questions for Each Item You Find

Dana K. White, who blogs about her journey to cleanliness at A Slob Comes Clean, learned to ask herself two questions while she decluttered her home:

If I needed this item, where would I look for it? That will prompt you to put item away in its new, sensible home.

If I needed this item, would it ever occur to me that I already have one? If it wouldn't, then you can go ahead and get rid of the item because you'd just buy another one anyway when the need for it arises.

Answering these questions will force you to make a decision about each item you find.

7. Redefine Waste

It can be difficult to part with items you don't need if you spent good money on them. You would hate to waste the hard-earned money you spent by donating or trashing a perfectly good item — so you plan to either start using it or sell it, neither of which happen.

A simple attitude adjustment can help to make this conundrum much simpler. Remember that the money has been wasted already, and is therefore wasted whether or not you keep the item. So you might as well not also waste the space on the item in addition to the money. Why give up both your money and your clean home to something that was a waste?

8. Create a What-Would-You-Replace List

If you are paralyzed by the size of your decision to get rid of some things, try looking at your decluttering in reverse. Start by asking yourself, "What items would I replace if I lost everything in a flood or fire?" You can feel confident that anything you'd be willing to buy again is something worth keeping, whereas the things that you wouldn't replace can go.

9. Give Away Your Possessions as Gifts to People Who Will Appreciate Them

While getting rid of things can be psychologically difficult, giving gifts tends to feel great. So start thinking about decluttering as an opportunity to give your family and friends things they would love. For instance, as you look through your books or DVDs, pull out any that you think a friend or family member would enjoy. If you have a set of fancy china you don't use, give it to a friend who collects china or one who needs a set of dinnerware.

To make sure you're not just shifting the clutter to another person, make sure you ask before you give the gifts to your friends and family — and be willing to take no for an answer.

10. Spend Small Amounts of Down Time Decluttering

You might think that you need an entire weekend, or at least an uninterrupted hour, to declutter your home. But you have more time than you think you do. Take the time while your burrito microwaves to look through the utensil drawer to see if there is anything you can throw away or put in the donation bag. The two minutes you would otherwise be watching your lunch rotate around could be time spent purging items you don't need. (See also: Declutter Your Home in 10 Minutes a Day)

Similarly, instead of hitting the Skip Advertisement button on the YouTube video five seconds in, let the commercial play and you can take that time to find the dry pens and stubby pencils that are cluttering up your office drawer.

Anytime you are forced to wait is time you could use to find something that no longer belongs in your home.

Decluttering Is a Path, Not a Destination

The thing to remember about finally achieving your decluttered home is you will need to commit to making decluttering a regular habit. Unfortunately, there is no point at which you are done — but that also means that small actions taken on a regular basis can make a huge difference.

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

18 Times in Life When Less Is More

Dr Penny Pincher — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 10:00:19 +0000

For people immersed in our consumer culture, it may be hard to imagine, but more of something isn't always better. Surprisingly, even making more money may not be better. Studies show that the salary level for peak happiness is $75K; people who make more than this are less happy. So having more money — and more of the stuff that money can buy — may not necessarily bring the joy you might expect.

Which stuff are you better off having less of? Here are 18 times when living with less is the way to go.

1. Smaller House

A smaller home means smaller expenses. The initial purchase price of a smaller house is generally less than a larger one, property taxes are less, and your utility bills will be lower as well. Some people are even thriving in tiny houses with just 400 square feet or less of living space. How much space do you really need? (See also: McMansion to McCottage — Why Smaller Houses are Smarter)

2. Smaller Car

Some people buy a car to haul cargo or transport a lot of passengers. But it seems like most vehicles carry only the driver most of the time. Smaller cars are cheaper to buy, especially compared with a big SUV or pickup truck. Plus, you'll save money on gas every day.

3. Smaller Portions

In the United States alone, 30%–40% of our overall food supply ends up getting tossed. Not only is this a huge waste of resources, but it's a huge waste of money, too. Reduce your contribution to these statistics with smaller, smarter food portions. Make a meal plan and grocery list before you do your shopping, and stick to the essentials. While you're at it, limit your portion sizes to save even more money and stick to a healthier diet.

4. Fewer Channels

In 2016, the average cost of a cable TV package reached a staggering $103.10 per month. You pay for all those TV channels, but do you really get that much viewing pleasure out of it? With fewer TV channels, your bill will be lower every month. Maybe you could cut the cord altogether, and instead find more time to do other things that are more enjoyable than watching TV.

5. Less Random Stuff

Everything you buy has to go somewhere, whether that means a spot on the shelf, or place in the garage or basement. Instead of spending your money accumulating clutter, why not see if you can get rid of some stuff instead? Sell it online, have a garage sale, or donate to a good cause.

6. Fewer Books

Books are great, but ebooks are even better since they generally cost less and take up no physical space. You'll spend less money, and reduce clutter, by going digital for your favorite reads.

7. Smaller Yard

Lawn care in America is a $40 billion per year industry. Buying a home with a large yard is a popular goal, but why? Are you really planning on spending that much time in it? Not only will a smaller yard save you time on all the mowing and upkeep, you'll save money on lawn care products, too. Even if you already have a large yard, you can cut back on maintenance by landscaping to reduce the amount of grass you have. This will give you some of the benefits of a smaller yard without moving.

8. Less Exercise Equipment

Let's face it: Most exercise equipment costs a small fortune, gets used a few times (if at all!), and then just takes up space for years. Instead, find a physical activity that you enjoy that doesn't require any clunky, expensive equipment. Maybe you can take up running outside, or check out free workout videos online.

9. Fewer Gadgets

So many gadgets were rendered obsolete with the rise of the smartphone. If you're still hanging on to items like small digital cameras, GPS devices, alarm clocks, calculators, and MP3 players, then it's time to let go. That little device in your pocket can do it all. (See also: 7 Tools and Gadgets Your Smartphone Can Replace)

10. Less Jewelry

Jewelry is a luxury, and the expense can really add up. How often do you actually wear it? You'll also need somewhere safe to keep it, and possibly insurance to protect it from loss or theft.

11. Fewer Vehicles

If you can get rid of an "extra" vehicle in your household, you can save space, maintenance expenses, and insurance costs. Vehicles almost always depreciate in value, so there is no advantage in owning more than you really need. Carpooling and ride-sharing are a great way to get around without driving yourself. (See also: 5 Points to Consider When Becoming a One-Car Family)

12. Less Facebook

On your Facebook feed, you can read all about the expensive new stuff your friends are buying, or check out photos from your relative's latest lavish vacation. Social media has brought keeping up with the Joneses to the digital realm, and it can feel inescapable. It's no wonder studies have shown that more time on Facebook leaves people feeling sad and unfulfilled. There's a simple cure for too much Facebook — less Facebook.

13. Less Driving

No one enjoys a long commute. Not only do you have to pay for all those extra miles you're driving, but people are often less happy when they have those long drives to dread. If moving closer to work to reduce your commute is not practical, try to reduce your driving in other ways. Some employers allow workers to work longer days and take an extra day off, or even work from home a few days per week. If you're going out on errands, combine multiple stops on the same trip.

14. Fewer Clothes

With fewer clothes packed into your dresser and closet, it is much easier to find something to wear. Why not sell or donate what you no longer need? If you're having trouble deciding what clothing to get rid of, start with items that require expensive dry cleaning, clothes you haven't worn in over six months, and items that no longer fit. You might be surprised by how much this alone can get rid of. From there, build an affordable capsule wardrobe with timeless pieces that will last you for years.

15. Fewer Cleaning Products

Somehow, I ended up with many bottles of different cleaning products under my kitchen sink and in my closet. I even have a box filled with various floor cleaning chemicals that I am trying to figure out where to store. I think I spend more time sorting, storing, and searching through my excessive supply of cleaning products than I do using them! If you have a surplus of soaps, sprays, and other cleaning supplies, stop buying them! Seek out simple, multiuse cleaners that do the same job. (See also: 30 Household Products Vinegar Can Replace)

16. Fewer Toys

When my kids were younger, we would often pick up cheap plastic toys in fast food meals or as small gifts for them from a shopping trip. These toys would get played with once or twice, never get touched again, and then create clutter to the point where it was hard to find anything in the toy room. Yes, we actually ended up with an entire room filled with toys! My advice: Less is more when it comes to toys.

17. Less Stuff in Your Coffee

Do you take your coffee with cream and sugar? If you're loading your morning cup of joe up with sweeteners, maybe you can try cutting back. It is so much cheaper to just drink black coffee. Plus, black coffee has no added calories or fat. And you can actually taste the coffee!

18. Less Stuff on Your Desk

There are all kinds of office supplies and organizers you can buy and put on your desk. They may give the illusion of productivity, but in reality, they're just getting in your way. I have found that the less stuff I have on my desk, the more productive I am.

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

11 Easy Ways to Earn More on eBay

Andrea Cannon — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 10:30:32 +0000

Selling unwanted items on eBay is a great way to clear away clutter and make some extra money on the side. Use these tips, and you'll start making even more.

1. Take Clear Pictures

Clear, sharp, and well-lit pictures are important. This is the first thing buyers will notice when looking at whatever it is you're selling. While it's a good idea to include the manufacturer's photo of the item, you'll also want to include some of your own so that bidders will know exactly what they're purchasing. They will also be looking at the background in the photos, so make sure to take them in a clean, well-lighted space.

2. Write a Good Description

Write an accurate, thorough description. Make sure to specify the brand, type, size, color, material, and other important keywords for the item you're selling. You will also want to clearly specify the condition of the item. In the description field, highlight the benefits of the product and what makes it different from another seller's listing. Check for misspellings in your description, which can throw off your keywords and make your item more difficult to find.

3. Determine Your Pricing

To set a price, first do some market research to see what identical items in similar condition are selling for, and how it compares to the original asking price. Be sure to also factor in the cost of shipping, packing supplies, and calculate any fees.

4. Timing Is Everything

You can set the time that your listing will begin and expire on eBay. It's important to take into account that you may have bidders on both the East and West Coast, so you want to set your listing to end at a time that is convenient for both timezones.

According to eBay, buyers are most active between 5 p.m. PST and 10 p.m. PST. In most cases, it's wise to end your listing between 6 p.m. PST and 9 p.m. PST. This allows bidders to place their final bid once they are home from work, but before they go to sleep, regardless of which coast they are on. Sunday is generally the best day of the week to end your sale. Weekends see the most traffic on eBay, and Sunday evening is the most active.

5. Set Unsuccessful Listings to Resell

eBay will allow you to relist items that didn't sell up to three times at no extra charge. If you set each listing to seven days and choose the option to resell unsuccessful listings, your item will be up for a total of 21 days at no fee.

6. Bundle Items Together

Whenever possible, bundle items together. This makes it seem like buyers are getting a better deal, and can help make your listing stand out. Best of all, it can save you time and money on shipping. This is especially effective around the holidays when shoppers are looking for gifts.

7. Have Positive Feedback

Bidders will look at your feedback, so it's important that you have some positive reviews. If you haven't sold anything or don't have any reviews yet, consider selling some smaller items first so that you can build up some positive feedback. This will allow buyers to be more confident in you when considering a high priced item.

8. Offer Free Shipping

According to eBay, most buyers are looking for items that offer free shipping. It allows buyers to see the total price easily rather than having to factor in an additional cost. If you don't want to offer free shipping, then offer cheaper shipping.

Make sure to ship through your eBay dashboard. This will make it more convenient for you, and results in shipping discounts of up to 24% on Priority Mail and up to 37% on FedEx shipments. It also allows the buyer to automatically track the shipment and can charge your PayPal account for the shipping fees.

9. Ship Items Quickly

By shipping your items quickly, you can get more positive feedback, which is important to future sales. International shipping can be expensive and time-consuming, so you may want to turn international shipping options off when selling your item.

10. Answer Buyers' Questions

If a potential buyer asks a question about your product, it's important that you respond quickly and accurately. If you take your time answering, the buyer may have moved on to another seller and you'll lose out on a sale.

11. Offer Good Customer Service

If you are frequently selling items, issues are certain to happen from time to time. As the seller, you have the responsibility to make an effort to provide customer satisfaction. This may mean accepting a return even when you feel you were accurate in your description, or providing a partial refund to satisfy a complaint. Do your best to remain respectful and calm, even if you feel the buyer is being unreasonable.

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

What You Need to Start Flipping Items for Cash Online

Kentin Waits — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 11:00:09 +0000

Over the past few months, I've shared my love of flipping by sharing easy items to flip for cash and "flippable" knickknacks that can bring in the highest profit. But knowing what to sell is far different from knowing how to sell. With that in mind, let's explore the essentials for getting started in the flipping game. Here are the only nine things you need to make money flipping your stuff.

1. A Smartphone

Even if you're equipped with decades' worth of knowledge about a wide range of items, immediate access to information is crucial. Though I've spent most of my life immersed in the world of antiques, I still rely on my smartphone nearly every time I go picking. Researching recent online sales helps me confirm hunches, learn more about obscure items, decide what's worth buying, and determine the maximum price I can pay. And I can do all of it on the go with my smartphone in hand.

2. A Quality Camera

Though written descriptions are important, great photographs sell products. Invest in a high-quality digital camera and work to develop basic photo-editing skills. Just a few minutes' worth of cropping, adjusting brightness levels, and tweaking contrast ratios can turn so-so snapshots in fabulous photos.

3. An Account With an Online Auction Site

An account or storefront on eBay, Etsy, Amazon, or similar site is the virtual front door of your flipping business — a door that millions of potential buyers can walk through 24/7. While selling locally on Craigslist is convenient for large items, many people are understandably put off by the risks associated with meeting buyers in person. Also, depending on your area, a Craigslist ad may simply not get the same level of attention as a listing on a major auction or retail site. (See also: The 9 Secrets of Highly Successful Craigslist Sellers)

4. A PayPal Account

Though there are competing payment methods, PayPal is the standard for most online transactions. As much as you may want to support the underdog or minimize your transaction fees, make your life (and your buyers' lives) easier by setting up a PayPal account and getting verified. Verified status on PayPal boosts your credibility as both a buyer and a seller, allows you to send and receive money as often as you like, and provides certain seller protections.

5. A Dedicated Space

While not a requirement, a dedicated space for inventory can help serious flippers keep track of what needs to be photographed and listed, what's listed but unsold, and what's waiting to be shipped. Find a walk-in closet or basement corner that you can devote to stock, packing supplies, and other business essentials.

6. Packing and Shipping Supplies

If you're selling primarily online, you'll need a steady supply of boxes, Bubble Wrap, and packing peanuts. To keep my overhead low, I try to source most of this material free from local retailers. Department and grocery stores usually restock shelves in the evening and are more than happy to offload empty boxes that would be destined for the dumpster or recycling bin anyway.

7. A Shipping Account

As an active flipper, you'll likely be shipping packages all week long. Avoid schlepping all those parcels to the post office by setting up a USPS account, paying for and printing your postage at home, and having packages picked up at your doorstep. FedEx Ship Manager and UPS Internet Shipping are similar services that allow you to do the same thing. Whatever option you choose, be transparent. Communicate your shipping charges clearly and make sure buyers understand their options and have accurate tracking information.

8. Basic Customer Service Skills

Just as in the brick-and-mortar world, selling successfully online takes a bit of hand-holding. Inevitably, prospective buyers will have questions, request additional details or photos, and try to get a better deal by throwing lowball offers your way. Channel your inner customer service representative and respond to inquiries quickly and respectfully. Your buyers will appreciate it and remember you when it's time to buy again.

9. An Eye for Trends

Since tastes and styles change quickly, flippers need to stay on top of trends. Particularly if you're selling clothing, antiques, or home décor items, become a student of the world around you. What items are people just beginning to appreciate and collect? What clothing trends are fading away? What parts of the resale market are oversaturated? Once you've tuned into evolving trends, you'll begin to anticipate what's next and discover whole new categories of items you can flip for easy cash.

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

My 2016 Budget Challenge: Three Lessons About Saving One Husband Learned in a Year

Max Wong — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 10:30:25 +0000

[Editor's Note: This is another episode in Max Wong's journey to find an extra $31,000 this year. Read the whole series here.]

Oh. My. God. Mr. Spendypants has been pretending not to read my Wise Bread articles all this time. How do I know this? It's only recently that he's become suspiciously competitive with me about my monthly savings. "I'm putting $1,000 a month into savings. How much are you saving?" And, just this morning he demanded, "Why isn't my name Mr. Saveypants?"

He is so busted.

To be fair to my husband, who had no clue what he was signing onto when I told him I was going to publicly out our personal finances to the world for 12 straight months with this series, he's been an excellent student of thrift this year.

Here are some of the big lessons that he's learned.

Stock Up on Basics When They Go on Sale

At the beginning of the year, I bought 33 pounds of Plugra, a fancy French butter, on sale. At $2 per pound it was cheaper than buying the generic store brand. Although Mr. Spendypants has been enjoying a superior butter experience all year long, he's feigned annoyance at how much freezer space is taken up by my Plugra stash. He uses this as an example of my minimalist hypocrisy. After all, how can anyone who complains about clutter as much as I do think bulk purchasing is an acceptable idea?

But recently, Mr. Spendypants had a change of heart. Earlier this month, we were in Whole Paycheck (our nearest purveyor of bulk dry goods) stocking up on pantry basics, when we discovered a huge sale on fair trade soap. Alaffia soap normally sells for $7.99 per bar on Amazon. Whole Foods was selling it that weekend for $1 per five-ounce bar. At that price, it was cheaper than buying soap with a coupon at our local grocery store.

After a ton of haggling, Mr. Spendypants agreed to buy two cases of soap, or 72 bars, for $72. "Soap doesn't spoil. I think we should buy more," I insisted as we waited to check out. No dice. I hauled my hard-won two cases, and only two cases, down to the car.

We were halfway home when Mr. Spendypants turned the car around. "How many cases of soap do you think we can fit in the house?" he asked. We returned to the store and bought another two cases of soap for a total of 144 bars for $144.

Yesterday Mr. Spendypants announced that we use five bars of soap per month. He's been keeping track of our soap usage in his personal calendar. According to his projections, we have 26 more months to find another soap deal.

Woah. Tracking soap usage is some next level thriftiness.

Compound Your Savings

Before I forced this experiment on him, my husband had never tracked his luxury spending. Mr. Spendypants considered whatever sum was left over at the end of every month after putting money into the retirement fund and paying the bills to be play money. His financial thinking went something like this: "Save money on butter? Great! Now I can buy more board games!" It was impossible to convince him that banking all the small savings throughout the month could lead to great wealth, even though I am a living success story of compound savings.

In an effort to help me make my goal of finding an extra $31,000, Mr. Spendypants has been dutifully monitoring his spending and has been shocked by the results. Specifically, he's shocked that he hasn't felt any deprivation, even though he's been socking away an extra $1,000 or so each month instead of toy shopping. He's now on my case about compound saving next year so we can afford to take a trip to Easter Island in 16 months for his 50th birthday. Crap. He's already being such a nag about it, too. What have I done?

Out of Time? Losing Things? Perhaps You Have Too Much Stuff

My husband is one of those people who believe that the house would look less cluttered if he could only find the right storage container. I can't tell you how many hours he's wasted rearranging the Island of Misfit Tools A.K.A. our garage.

In the meantime, he's constantly misplacing his keys, his wallet, his sunglasses, and his cell phone. You know, all those things you actually need for your life to work smoothly. If only he had the right system in place, then he would never forget his lunch, his keys, his wallet, his phone, or his sunglasses on the kitchen counter.

I have the perfect system for never losing the things I need to make my life work. It's called a purse.

But back to the 10 pounds of crap in a five-pound bag situation in our house…

I am not sure which lost key/phone/prescription glasses event precipitated the change of heart in Mr. Spendypants, but he finally bought a "satchel" (purse). More importantly, he's started sorting through his things looking for stuff to sell for money.

In the last month he's moved 10 boxes of potential merchandise out of his office and into the garage. He can't believe how much more productive he's been since he downsized. Hmmm…it's almost like taking care of all that extra stuff was taking up tons of time. It's like ownership is a job in itself.

Progress So Far

Mr. Spendypants made an extra $1,000 DJing a party, but we used $745 of that money to fund our Thanksgiving trip home to visit the Spendypants relatives. So he came out $255 ahead.

In addition to making $715 from writing gigs, I started selling everything that's not nailed down in our house. I managed to sell $55.76 worth of vintage hardware on Etsy, $122.49 worth of Tupperware (I used to be a Tupperware Lady) at a friend's house party, and $20 in books to my local used bookstore. At the end of this pay period I was able to pay down our home equity line of credit by $913.25.

Goal: $31,000

Amount Raised: $26,387.42

Amount Spent: $13,598.66

Amount Left to Go: $18,211.24

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

My 2016 Budget Challenge: Reduce Debt or Save for an Emergency?

Max Wong — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 10:30:31 +0000

[Editor's Note: This is another episode in Max Wong's journey to find an extra $31,000 this year. Read the whole series here.]

Uh oh. Mr. Spendypants' contract is up. We anticipated that he might be out of work in mid-October and have been putting money into an emergency fund all year long for just this occurrence. The situation is not completely dire, as his company has paying work until March 2017. We have a very minor reprieve.

Very minor.

As luck would have it I am also under-employed. I got furloughed this week by not one, but two jobs until a date that has yet to be named in 2017. Ugh. Really? I guess it's not just me who is strapped for cash at the end of the year.

The big conversation Mr. Spendypants and I have been having all week is this: Should we continue to put money toward the $31,000 Budget Challenge, or should we put that extra money into our emergency fund in the event that Mr. Spendypants is unemployed come March and I am still under-employed?

The Argument Against Staying the Course

Who knows what impact the new administration will have on the economy? We currently have slightly over $13,000 in our emergency fund, enough to live off of for four months. But what if the job market tanks and we can't find jobs for six months or a year? Putting all our money into the emergency fund is obviously the less risky move.

The Argument for Staying the Course

Mr. Spendypants is really good at his job in video games. He's had his choice of companies to work for in the past. Also, the video game industry is fairly recession-proof because games provide cheap entertainment for the out-of-work masses. We do trust that with his talent and his 20 years of connections in the industry that he has a 90% chance of quickly finding another paying job, perhaps even before his current job ends in March.

Naturally, the real financial wildcard in this situation is me, Mr. Spendypants' deadbeat wife. If Mr. Spendypants can't find full-time work quickly, will I be able to get a job that pays me enough to cover 100% of our bills? Probably not.

That said, if push came to shove, we could definitely cover the mortgage with my current collection of little jobs. I will just have to freelance that much harder, with no weekends or evenings off. And, even if Mr. Spendypants couldn't find a full-time gig, he could also rustle up some part-time freelance work to cover the rest. The worst case scenario: He goes on unemployment and we have to stop putting money in our retirement fund every month.

Also, if we continue to aggressively attack our $31,000 debt instead of putting all the extra money into the emergency fund for the next two months, we're potentially saving money in the long run on interest. Our debt load won't be so bad if we find ourselves in a financial pinch four months from now. It's much easier to weather a financial downturn, be it personal or global, if you have a small nut to cover.

How to Hedge Our Bet

After a lot of discussion and number crunching, we have decided to stay the course and continue to put money toward both the emergency fund and the $31,000 budget challenge.

This is the riskier choice. To hedge our bet, we've decided to sell off anything in the house we don't totally love to make some extra money. This is a win-win situation for both of us. I get the hated clutter out of my house, and Mr. Spendypants gets more peace of mind.

Initially, Mr. Spendypants wasn't sure that we could make enough money selling used housewares to keep us afloat. Unlike me, he hasn't sold a lot of stuff online. When a copy of Kuon, an old video game that I had listed on eBay for $199, was snapped up in under an hour, he was convinced.

Although I would love to systematically go through our house Mari Kondo-style, Mr. Spendypants doesn't want to have to look at a giant stack of merchandise in the middle of the living room. As a compromise, we're going to do a series of mini-purges where we only pull the things that we can sell that week into a common area for sorting and packing. Since I will be the one managing our online inventory and sales, this means a lot more hunting and packing for me, but I'm not going to argue about it. I have been trying to get Mr. Spendypants to downsize since we moved into Dinky Manor eight years ago. If a little financial panic is what it takes for him to get rid of belongings that have gone unused for years, I'll take it.

Progress So Far

I had the death flu for most of October. One of the suckiest things about the gig economy is that there are no sick days for people who work from home. If I don't do work, I don't make any money. Because I was sick in bed through the middle of the month, I only made $324 creating a database for my real estate agent and $199 selling Kuon on eBay. I am now, also, two weeks behind on all my work, which is kind of a nightmare. The only positive thing about getting the flu is that I was too sick to go shopping for anything, even food, so we didn't actually spend any money.

While I was suffering at home, Mr. Spendypants was suffering at work. His schedule was so crazy, that his bosses ordered dinners in to incentivize him to work late. Between the long hours and the catered meals, he was too busy to go shopping for anything, even food, so he managed to sock away $1,101 from his paycheck.

Goal: $31,000

Amount Raised: $25,219.17

Amount Spent: $12,853.66

Amount Left to Go: $18,634.49

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

9 Gifts That Won't Become Clutter

Max Wong — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 11:30:07 +0000

Do you come from a family of minimalists? Do you live under the stairs like Harry Potter? Do you simply want less stuff in your home? Your friends and family may feel the same way. Here's a handy list of gifts that won't gather dust.

1. Anything on the Wish List

People spend a lot of time and thought assembling their gift lists. Respect that. A study by researchers at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin found that when buying wedding gifts, the people closest to the bride and groom are the most likely to buy gifts off the registry in order to express their close relationship with the recipients. The same study also shows that gift recipients are less happy with unique gifts than if they had just received something from their registry. Why would you ever want to make anyone less happy?

If you're one of these people trying to cut down on the clutter, lead by example and set up a gift registry for yourself. By sharing your wish list, you not only limit what comes into your house, but it makes it easy to casually ask what everyone in your life really wants.

Years ago, when I was setting up my first apartment, I registered myself for wedding gifts at Williams-Sonoma. Back in the days before the Internet, no one used gift registries for single people. They just didn't exist. I had to use the wedding registry form at the store to create my apartment wish list. When I told my friends and family, most of them were mortified. A gift registry for a single girl? How unseemly! However, it was the first year that I got everything that I wanted for the holidays and my birthday. Moral of the story: Ignore the negsters and stick to your guns about your registry.

2. Cash Money

Don't ask me how I know this, but gift cards are easy to lose in a messy house. I've lost conservatively a bazillion dollars in gift card and store credit value in my life. I have yet to lose one single paper currency gift.

3. A Night (or Day) Out

I can count on one hand the number of people I know who aren't completely overworked. While most people can't afford to give even themselves a needed vacation, a great night out can be just the break that people need to recharge.

I love to take my friends out to lunch for their birthdays. Because many of my friends have super busy schedules, it's a great excuse to spend quality time with people I care about.

I have friends who share their season tickets as their go-to gift. My friend Ellen buys two season tickets to the Hollywood Bowl each year. She then sends out the concert schedule to all of her friends so they can choose which show they want to see as her guest. My friend Ryan does the same thing with his season tickets to the Dodgers. My friend Andrew takes his friends and family to the Huntington Gardens for tours, museum events, and an occasional high tea. Sharing season tickets involves a lot of scheduling, but it's a gift that you get to enjoy with the recipients. As a bonus, this gift also benefits the organizations that you care about.

A memorable day out doesn't have to be costly. Attend a free concert or set up a hiking date.

4. Digital Subscriptions

Digital subscriptions to magazines and entertainment companies like Audible, Steam, and Netflix are great gifts for people who live in small spaces. In addition to taking up no physical space, digital subscriptions can provide hours of entertainment throughout the year.

Looking beyond entertainment subscriptions, there are a variety of other services that run on a subscription model. Offer to pay for a year's subscription to reference sites like imdbPro or for digital tools like Adobe Photoshop.

I just received a 23andMe DNA testing kit in the mail. It was sent anonymously, with the message "Happy Birthday" noted on the invoice. I texted my adopted sister; she is a big fan of the service. "Did you send me a DNA test?" "Hmmmmm, was it me or another mystery sister?" she texted back. We both agree that we're probably distant cousins on our Neanderthal side.

If you can't afford the cost of a gift subscription, there is an excellent, cost-free option: Curate a list of free podcasts. My best friend spends a lot of time in the car for work. She is a rabid fan of podcasts for education and entertainment. This year she asked me if I would listen along with her to Witch, Please, a fortnightly podcast about the Harry Potter universe that is hosted by two potty-mouthed college professors. We spent an entire month listening to the podcasts and then debating important topics like whether the wizards, as described in the books, wear pants under their robes, and if puberty and Voldemort are equally evil forces.

5. Give the Gift of Education

My parents believe that the two lasting gifts you can give your children are love and a good education. I think this is true. Education, like love, might not make you richer, but it will make your life more interesting.

The gift can be as large as a college scholarship or as small as a single knitting class at your local craft store. Two of my friends have asked me to teach them how to make homemade sauerkraut as their Christmas present this year.

If you take a class with someone you love, it can be a present for you, too. When my best friend and I were 13, we obsessively read every Agatha Christie mystery. We were less into the whodunit than we were the Downton Abbey-esque universe of Hercule Poirot and his friends. The transcontinental train rides, the Mah Jongg games, the constant tea drinking all seemed so glamorous. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of our friendship, we took a Mah Jongg class together, a game we still enjoy playing years later.

Don't forget about online classes. Lynda.com has 4000 different courses in business, technology, and creative skills. Audible carries Pimsleur language courses at a discount.

6. Donate to a Charity in Their Name

Donating to charity is a nice way to make friends feel remembered at the holidays and also spread the holiday cheer to people who need help. If you need help choosing a worthy cause, Charity Watch keeps a list of top-rated charities that spans a huge number of categories.

7. Make New Holiday Traditions

In 2001, to address the Christmas elephant in the room — an elephant that we can't actually see because it's hidden under a pile of half-completed craft projects and books we intend to read very soon — my hoarder family took a radical step: We stopped giving Christmas gifts to each other. Even the kids. This is the nuclear option. But for families who can make the psychological jump, a No Gifts Christmas can totally change the way you feel about the holiday…for the better.

For 15 straight years my family's No Gifts Christmas tradition has made the holiday season merrier for my relatives and me. There are countless ways to experience the spirit of the season that don't involve clutter. We have less stress and a lot more fun than when we had to shop for each other. Oh, and money. Did I mention we have a lot more money? And empty floor space. Empty floor space in my house is priceless.

8. The Gift of Time

No one loves chores. That's why they are called chores instead of hobbies. Give the gift of time by helping your friends complete their own to-do lists.

This year for my birthday my friend Señor Amor helped me hang curtains in my dining room. It was an all day ordeal. I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to do the job by myself. Every time I look at those drapes, I have a nice reminder of our friendship.

My friend Crickett and I recently discussed our mutual hatred for filing. For our holiday gift to one another, we're going to help each other organize the piles of paperwork taking up precious real estate on our desks. If we have to suffer, at least we don't have to do it alone.

9. Just Ask

Even minimalists have wish lists. If you don't mind ruining the surprise, just ask.

Don't get me wrong; surprises are great. But who prefers to be surprised by a gift she doesn't want over something she's been pining to own? You cannot deny there is a certain satisfaction to getting exactly what you want. If your soul requires that every gift contain the element of surprise, then stake out your friends' Amazon wish list, Pinterest page, or Etsy favorites. Or, just be a good listener.

My friend Todd, a professional organizer who works with hoarders, is a master at choosing clutter-free gifts. He gives me two gigantic, 36-count packages of toilet paper from Costco every year for my birthday. Back when we were in college, I had mentioned to him that never having to buy toilet paper would be weirdly luxurious.

Now, I don't remember saying this, but I do hate spending money on boring things like cleaning supplies. And, even if I never said it, can I tell you? Never buying your own toilet paper is luxurious.

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

My 16 Favorite Ways to Get Rid of Clutter

Max Wong — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:30:31 +0000

Ugh. I hate clutter. It actually hurts my brain. However, even if I were Mari Kondo fancy, and could afford to throw away everything in my house that I don't love, my inner-tree-hugger would feel guilty about putting perfectly usable items into the landfill. So, what's an environmentally responsible person to do with their clutter?

Here are my top 16 clutter-busters that keep my house from looking like a warehouse:

1. Stop Bringing New Clutter Into Your House

If you have a cluttered house, chances are you already have everything you need to survive. If you are like me and love to trash pick like it's a competitive sport, this means sidelining your treasure-hunting hobby until you have a grip on what you own.

But, don't despair my freegan brethren. You can still get the thrill of the hunt; you just have to do it inside your house.

2. Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without

I like to turn this Depression Era proverb into a game. How long can I go without buying groceries? How long will it take for me to eat through my pantry? If you have a hard time staying on the no new clutter wagon, challenge a like-minded friend to a competition to keep yourself accountable. Can you go one year without bringing stuff into your home?

By the way, stepping away from the consumer treadmill even for 90 days (or 30, or even 10!) is a great way to save money.

3. Sell Your Stuff Online

Duh. This seems obvious. Typically I make a few thousand dollars every year by selling my old things on eBay, Etsy, and Craigslist.

There are different price thresholds for different selling platforms. I can generally get more money by selling vintage items and clothes on Etsy and eBay than I can by selling them on Craigslist. For things like home electronics, buyers in my area will pay more on Craigslist than they will at a garage sale for the exact same item. To maximize your cash do a little research on who is paying a premium for your things.

Depending on what you own, you might be able to flip your old things for cash by using specialty sites that focus on one type of merchandise such as baby clothes, vinyl records, and vintage home furnishings.

4. Consign Your Stuff at a Brick and Mortar Store

I personally prefer to sell difficult to ship items like furniture and glassware to a local second hand store for either store credit or cash. Although stores usually take a 30% to 60% cut of the sale price, sometimes it's better to cash out so you can get those things out of your house before you break them and they become unsellable.

There are some second hand stores that will buy goods outright for cash, and some stores that will only give you store credit. If you consign your items at a store, make sure that you are clear about pricing. Some stores will discount your goods to nothing after a set period of time. And some stores will not return items that don't sell to you. If you have a bottom price threshold, this needs to be negotiated in advance and on paper.

In addition to bulky vintage items, I also sell back my used books, records, and contemporary clothes to second hand stores for cash.

5. Throw a Garage Sale

I paid for two entire years of my life by trash picking furniture and then selling it back to my neighbors at monthly garage sales. Last year my husband and I paid for our Christmas vacation with money that we'd earned selling stuff at garage sales. And our garage sale inventory wasn't even that amazing. Like, I can't even remember half the things we got rid of! They were that inconsequential to my life.

I approach every garage sale as an opportunity to get other people to pay to remove clutter from my house, so most things are priced at one dollar. By taking this grateful-to-my-customer stance, I am always happy with my garage sale earnings, regardless of how paltry.

6. Gift

Shopping for presents is time consuming and expensive. A few years ago I decided to start gifting clothes and things in my house to admiring friends and family members. As in, "Oh, you like that? Here, just take it with you. Happy early birthday." This on the spot gifting is always a welcome surprise and I don't have to fuss with wrapping.

7. Recycle

I know many people who live in homes that resemble recycling centers because they care about the environment. While it is a good thing to keep resources like glass and paper out of the landfill, you are not actually doing the world any good by turning your house into a mini dump. Companies as diverse as Terracycle and Madewell have recycling programs for hard to recycle items like denim, instrument strings, and Solo Cups.

8. Upcycle

Why pay for new craft supplies when you have clutter? Instead of bringing new, virgin goods into your home, find new uses for your old things. You don't even have to have any creative talent to upcycle. For example, upcycle your old cotton underwear into cleaning rags.

My husband and I own two Moroccan poufs. Rather than pay for new stuffing, we filled our poufs with old linens and drop cloths that are too torn or stained to sell or donate.

9. Share

I share a china pattern with my brother-in-law. I only have space in my small kitchen for eight place settings. My brother-in-law has 12 place settings. Whenever we have larger dinner parties, we loan each other dishes. What can you share with your friends and neighbors? I share garden tools with my friend Laura. I share kitchen gadgets with my neighbor Alexandra. I share a set of luggage with my sister. I only have to store those things in my house half the time. More importantly, I don't have to buy every single thing.

10. Check It Out

If you don't have handy friends and neighbors, look for a tool library in your area. I don't own bike repair tools because I live within walking distance of a bike repair cooperative.

I am a lifelong library patron. In addition to checking out books, music, and videos, I use my library as an air-conditioned oasis in the summer when my house becomes unbearably hot, and as my personal newsstand. Once a month a have a magazine date with myself and spend an afternoon flipping through glossy pages to my heart's content. I give myself a little reading vacation, and cut the clutter and the cost of owning a personal subscription all in one fell swoop.

11. Catch and Release

I am a minimalist traveler. The only time I buy books is when I'm going on a trip. I buy the cheapest copy of the books I want to read so I have no problem leaving them behind in cafes and airports when I am done with them. Not only do I get cheap, analog entertainment, this book packing method always ensures that I have a little room in my luggage for vacation purchases.

12. Rent

Due to near constant car trouble this year, I have been experimenting, unintentionally, with living as a one-car household in Los Angeles. I suspect by the end of the year that the math will prove that it is cheaper for us to rent a second car when we need one rather than own three cars outright.

I don't love renting because I know that ownership is generally a better deal. But, do I really need to buy a jackhammer to break up my cracked driveway? No, I do not.

When deciding when to rent and when to own, be honest: How often will you use this item? Will your daughter wear her Quinceañera dress a second time? Consider the extra cost of renting to be money that you saved on storage fees.

13. Swap

Even our shyest friends love our book exchange party that we host every New Year's Day. The concept is simple: Everyone brings the books they enjoyed reading but are now taking up shelf space, and throws them on the communal pile. Our guests take as many books as they want home, for free. The books that are left behind are donated to the Los Angeles Public Book Drive.

Swap parties are fun because it's weirdly satisfying to see people fall in love with your old things. But why stop at books? What about a winter coat swap at your kid's school? How about a kitchen tool or recipe swap party with your neighbors? I offset the cost of my groceries by attending a monthly neighborhood backyard produce swap.

14. Donate Like a True Do-Gooder (Without Getting Audited)

If you want to get stuff out of your house in a hurry, feel like you are helping the less fortunate, and get a tax write off, donate your extra stuff to charity.

Charities like The Salvation Army and Goodwill do not set a valuation on your donation. That responsibility is left up to you. But donor beware! Huge tax deductions for donated goods are a red flag to auditors. Use a donation value guide to assess the true market value of your used items. Also, it's a good practice to photograph your donated goods so you have evidence of your good works should you get audited.

Ahem, let me get on my soapbox for one moment.

Charities spend a huge amount of their budgets on trash collection because so many people use their local shop as a dumping ground for all their old crap. Would you buy a pair of pants with a brown stain across the front? No, you would not. Don't be that guy who trades trash for a tax write-off. That's cheating on taxes and on charity.

When it comes to charity donations I am very careful to only donate items that are in selling condition. As in, an item is in such good condition that I would spend money to buy it.

(Steps off soapbox.)

That said, just like I am always on the hunt for new places to recycle weird stuff, I am always on the lookout for groups that repair expensive, broken goods for charity. For example, I donate my old glasses to the Lions Club.

The screen of my laptop computer died in January. Although I could sell it on Craigslist for parts, I'm donating it to CRASH Space, my local hackerspace, because I know the makers there will recycle the entire machine responsibly. As a side benefit, I can claim this donation as a tax write-off since CRASH Space is a nonprofit.

15. Curb It

My nightly walk takes me past a wide set of concrete steps that used to lead to an apartment building but now lead to a vacant lot. I few years ago I started leaving items that were in usable condition, but not nice enough to donate or sell for money, on the steps to nowhere. I leave pretty much everything — stinky shampoo, old clothes, recently expired canned goods, vintage electronics, magazines, pens that I don't like — on the steps, neatly merchandised for easy shopping. The things that aren't gone by the next night, I know they are truly garbage. I throw the leftovers away without guilt. Usually, the stuff is gone before morning.

This personal donation spot has been a fun experiment. I have met some of my late night shoppers and I was happy to hear how they are enjoying my old things. Also, some of my neighbors have started copying me. About once a week I see that someone else has made a donation to the steps.

16. Go Digital

Yes, I am old. I came of age in a world without cloud storage and I have nostalgia for books made from dead trees. So is it any surprise that the bulk of my clutter is paper-based? Between the library and our digital subscriptions to everything from IMDB to Netflix, we're managing our shelf space, but our file cabinet is exploding.

Although I have successfully resisted this chore for more than a decade, I am finally getting around to digitizing the hard copies of all my old contracts, patterns, notes, etc. for clutter free, online storage.

Does anyone have any tips on digitizing documents and ditching paper clutter? (Oh, please). I could use all the help I can get!

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

9 Old Kitchen Tools You Can Flip for Cash

Marla Walters — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 09:30:26 +0000

Looking for some quick cash? Check your kitchen. There may be lots of treasure in there.

If you love to cook, you are likely in possession of a lot of equipment — perhaps too much. Maybe it's time to declutter. What items are sought-after by collectors? Here are nine items that could fetch you some quick cash. Time to clean out the cupboards!

1. Fondue Sets

My mother had two fondue sets, one in gold and the other in a rusty red. Fondue was a 1970s party phenomenon, and my mom led the pack. She would put on meat fondue parties, cheese fondue parties, and top it off with chocolate fondue for dessert. I learned to light a Sterno can at an early age. Fondue parties are still fun, so if you want to dig your mom's set out and convince her to sell, you can probably get $20 to $30 for it.

2. Cookie Cutters

If you have only ever used plastic cookie cutters, you are missing out. Metal cutters are far superior, as they give cookies a more identifiable shape. Some are merely cookie outlines, and some — like my grandmother's — have a nifty handle on top. The older they are (the tin will be dark), the more valuable they become as collectibles. Not only are they practical, but they also look great just as decoration in a kitchen. Depending on age and condition of the cutter, you can resell for $3 a piece, and up.

3. Pyrex

I'm a total sucker for Pyrex casserole dishes and bowls, and am willing to fight to the death at a garage sale if I see them. They're so durable, work beautifully, and come in terrific patterns. If you have some, sell them and earn cash, or watch garage sales for popular patterns to resell. Keep an eye out for patterns known as Blue Dot, Gooseberry, Butterprint or Snowflake Blue, as these tend to be more popular.

4. Butcher Blocks

Even if they aren't in the best condition, you may be able to sell a butcher block for big bucks. "Distressed" is a trendy style, and they look great in both farm-style or modern stainless-steel kitchens. You may be able to fetch a fast $50 for a 10x20. Find one in rough shape? You may be able to recondition it before you sell it.

5. Crocks

With the resurgence of people making their own fermented food, like kimchi or sauerkraut, Crocks are all the rage. The most valuable are ones with salt-glaze finish (bumpy to the touch), or Crocks with decorations like flowers beneath the glaze, or ones with numbers stencilled on them. These can easily sell for over $100.

6. Cast Iron Skillets

There are actually conventions and meet-ups where people seek quality cast iron skillets like the Griswold line. Buyer beware, though — there are reproductions out there. Those are usually rustier, have fainter markings on the bottom, and are heavier than the real deal. These are a good thing to look for at garage sales to later resell. A 3" skillet with a lid can bring in about $150.

7. Tin Products

Look for tin cups, scoops, graters, and containers to sell. While some may have a low resale value ($5), an old coffee tin may earn you about $20. You can put together several tin items and resell in a lot.

8. Dish Sets

Inherit a set of dishes you don't really love? You're not alone. My grandmother's Franciscan "Apple" pattern languishes in our attic. And if you don't want to pass them down to your kids, consider selling the set. Lennox's "Eternal" china will net you about $195, and Spode's old favorite "Christmas Tree" pattern can be found for $150 for a 20-piece set.

9. Mixers

Sunbeam mixers were built to last. And last. In good working condition, you can still sell them for between $30 and $90. I know in 1977 my mother decided hers was just too old-looking, and now it's considered "retro."

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

4 Top Money Lessons to Learn From Ruth Soukup's "Unstuffed"

Ashley Eneriz — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 09:30:37 +0000

What does clutter have to do with your finances? A lot more than you think. It can be easy to write off clutter as just an annoyance that keeps your home from being clean. However, clutter can have a stronger hold on your life. Not only does clutter take up your space, but it also can greatly affect your schedules, relationships, and finances, all while draining you physically and mentally.

Blogger and author Ruth Soukup gets to the root issue of clutter in many areas of our lives in her new book, Unstuffed. When I read it, I was surprised to find that this was not just a home organization book. There are also very important financial lessons strewn throughout, and when applied to your life, they could drastically change your clutter and financial issues. Here are some of the biggest money take-aways from the book.

Clutter Keeps Kids From Learning Important Financial Lessons

Many parents will probably agree that the biggest source of stuff in their homes comes from their children. As a parent, it is hard to not buy your children things, especially when you want to show them love. However, it is important to realize that the more stuff they have, the more spoiled and dissatisfied they can become. Many times, parents will buy items for their kids to solve their child's boredom or to remedy parental guilt.

This is just setting up our children for failure, since it does not properly teach your child to respect money or stuff. "Additionally," Soukup says, "fighting the battle of stuff alongside our kids, rather than only for them, will also help them learn virtually life lessons about the value of money, the reality of hard work (which includes caring for stuff!), and the responsibility of stewarding our resources wisely."

Learn to Give Your Presence, Not Your Presents

Soukup talks a lot about her aunt that loved to lavish her young girls with gifts for every major holiday. Finally, Soukup told the aunt it would be more important for her to spend quality time with the girls than to just get them stuff. Her aunt listened, and did a lot of fun things with them instead. A few years later, she passed away from cancer. Soukup was thankful that her girls had memories of her as a person, and not just the stuff she had given them.

Let this be encouragement for you personally to bless people with your time, not just your gifts. Memories will always have a bigger impact on relationships, and this applies to all relationships. You can never replace the quality of time with the quantity of stuff.

How to Deal With Family Members Who Love to Give

It can be hard to turn down well-meaning family members who love to buy you gifts for every holiday. However, sometimes well-meaning family members can make clutter situations worse. It might not be easy, but it is necessary to have a heart-to-heart talk with your family.

Tell them how important they are to you and that you love how thoughtful and generous they are. Share your struggles with clutter, and honestly say that you are trying to cut down on the amount of stuff and gifts that enter your home. Encourage them to give gifts of time instead. For example, if your mom loves to buy things for your daughter, suggest spending that money on special "Grandma-Granddaughter Dates" instead. When family members ask for gift suggestions, instead of saying "nothing," encourage them to take your children on a special trip to get ice cream or to buy family passes to a zoo or museum.

Talking with loved ones can be hard, and changes might not be immediate. It is important to remember to continue to love them and encourage them gently to gift their time rather than just stuff.

Don't Let High Value Keep You From Decluttering

Don't withhold from decluttering because of how much a particular item cost you. Many times people will hang onto an item because there is too much guilt attached to discarding it. They paid too much for that item, so they feel as if they are wasting money by getting rid of it.

If you're not using it and it is taking up space in your home, then it is doing you more of a disservice. "Better to sell it and recoup some of the loss than to keep it and gain nothing out of it," Soukup writes.

Soukup's book was packed with decluttering wisdom, as well as thoughtful tips on how to have better relationships and how to better use our time. Decluttering your life does not just mean getting rid of a lot of stuff in your home. Instead, it is important to free yourself from the negativity of having too much stuff, buying too much stuff, and having stuff clutter your calendar, relationships, and soul.

How do you deal with the clutter in your life?

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