Money Tips Network

The path to financial success is actually surprisingly simple.

Spend less than you earn. Do something sensible with the difference.

That’s it. If you do that each month, each year, each decade, you’ll have quite a lot of financial success. Debt will melt away. Retirement savings will go up, up, and away.

If it’s that simple, then why doesn’t everyone do it? If it’s that simple, then why are 78% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck?

The reason is simple: Although the path is incredibly straightforward, there are many enemies along the way that will knock you off of that path. They pop up constantly, in different forms and in different numbers, and if you’re not ready to handle them, you will fall right off the path to financial success.

Employees once stayed with the same jobs for decades, but today it’s more common for workers to switch jobs every few years, as they search for promotions and higher salaries.

This practice has advantages but it also has a downside. The good thing about changing jobs frequently is it gives you a chance to build your professional credentials and make more money. The problem is that you risk creating a work history that doesn’t reflect an ability to make a commitment to a single company.

“Changing jobs too often can give you the reputation of being a job-hopper,” said Steve Pritchard, human resources manager for Cuuver. “This can count against you because employers may look at your resume, see that you haven’t stayed in any job for longer than a couple of years, and decide that you won’t commit to the role you’ve applied for.”

Buying a first home is an exciting milestone. You finally have a space to call your own. But if you moved into a new home from a small apartment, you may feel overwhelmed by having to fill all of that space.

Furnishing a home can be downright expensive.

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This week's topic: Money After Graduation!

A few days ago, I shared a meal with someone who truly loves wine. She brought a bottle to the meal with her, one that she described as “mid-priced” but “excellent,” and shared a small glass with everyone at the table.

I tasted it. It was good and accompanied the food well. I could recognize that it was “better” wine than the sub-$10 stuff I usually drink at the dinner table, but it didn’t really click with me as any sort of exceptional experience. I mean, I would probably choose it in a blind taste test against our usual white table wine, but I wouldn’t be running out to pay more than $10 for it.

Yet, as we sat there, she compared the wine to a bunch of different wines, expensive and otherwise, and pointed out a bunch of different details.

By Richard Reina

It’s no secret that the cost of owning a vehicle can come at a steep price. According to the American Automobile Association, in 2017 the total cost of owning and operating a new car averaged about $8,469 a year, with maintenance and repairs costing drivers almost $1,200 annually. Our vehicles are important investments that should be maintained, but there are ways to save both valuable time and money doing some that work on your own.

While the jobs mentioned below are all easy to moderate in terms of difficulty, be sure to take extra precautions, watch demonstration videos beforehand, and consider working with a friend or family member for added support.

You've always planned to help your children save for their college educations. There's just one problem: Those kids are already in high school and you've not even managed to save enough money for a single semester.

Don't panic.

The most exciting opportunities in a small business often arrive unexpectedly. And sometimes, taking advantage of them requires money — more than you may have at the moment.