Money Tips Network

While most people are rejoicing over the arrival of spring, allergy sufferers know that with the warmer weather also comes sniffling, sneezing, and itchy eyes.

Having traveled the world full-time for the past decade, I've been lucky enough to have seen some incredible destinations. I've also learned a thing or two about how to make the most of my budget while visiting them.

Budget travel isn't about always seeking the cheapest option.

Getting a student credit card while you're in college is a smart move.

On a recent walk to my local park, I counted six people who were clearly professional dog walkers. You can tell who the pros are because they walk three to five dogs at once while wearing several fanny packs, a shoulder bag, and headphones.

It got me thinking: Dog walking appears to be a job with high demand, flexible hours, and lots of outdoor time. For someone looking for a side gig, a transitional job while looking for something more stable, or just a change of pace from the corporate 9-5, it could be ideal.

I spoke with two full-time dog walkers in Brooklyn to find out more about their day-to-day lives. I learned that depending on your work ethic, stamina, and ability to establish relationships with both people and canines, you can make a decent living for yourself as a dog walker in a major U.S. city.

If retirement planning hasn't been at the top of your to-do list, your 50s are the time to make it your first priority. Wait 10 more years, and your only choice of retirement options may just be to keep working. Here's how you can prevent that from happening.
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For three years as an undergraduate, I worked as a campus tour guide for prospective students interested in attending my college.

This is a guest post from Steve Adcock, who writes at Think Save Retire, a blog about early retirement and Financial Independence. Steve and his wife retired in their mid-thirties to travel full time in an Airstream trailer. For more info, check out their YouTube channel.

One of the most deeply-embedded pieces of the “American Dream” is the desire for a large, spacious home with lots of sitting rooms, corners, nooks, and crannies. Large dining rooms and other entertainment spaces! Wrap-around porches! Two- or three-stall garages and one heck of a master suite!

To many of us, a large home is a mark of success. A big house indicate status, and the more space we’re able to call our own, the more successful we look and feel.

Finding a home you can afford is hard enough these days. But even that’s only half the battle: If you’re like most buyers, you still have to qualify for a mortgage, too.

And before a lender hands you a check for hundreds of thousands of dollars, they’ll want you to meet some pretty exacting standards. In fact, even if you have a good credit score and earn a steady income, there’s one big factor that can hurt your chances at getting a mortgage or a loan, regardless of how responsible you are.

We’re talking about your debt-to-income ratio, and it matters a lot more than you probably think.

What Is Debt-to-Income Ratio?

The concept behind your debt-to-income ratio isn’t that hard to understand. Basically, it’s the amount of debt you have compared to your income.

Link for teaser title: 

http://www.wisebread.com/15-money-traps-that-keep-you-living-paycheck-to......