Money Tips Network
Are You Paying These 6 Unfair Banking Fees?
The average checking account has about 30 different fees.
So it's not a surprise that many Americans are considering dropping their banks and choosing a credit union instead. (See also: 9 Good Reasons to Choose a Credit Union Instead of a Bank)
However, a total switch may not be necessary if you're able to significantly lower your banking and finance fees. Here are six fees that you really don't have to pay.
Looking out for your finances as a renter
This article is by staff writer Kristin Wong.
Landlords and property owners have their fair share of problems: They have to manage, accommodate, repair, etc., their property. It’s a lot of responsibility, and with great responsibility comes great headache.
But it ain’t all roses for renters, either. We’ve got rent increases, security deposits, and unannounced, inescapable construction. Last Saturday, I woke up to the sound of drilling on the wall next to which I sleep. It was 7:30 in the ever-loving morning!
As a renter, there are a handful of important laws and considerations that many of us overlook. At least, I know I’ve overlooked them. So I figured they were worth sharing. Here are some money-related things to keep in mind if you are a renter.
7 Simple Ways to Get Motivated for Your Workout
Staying motivated is at least half the battle when it comes to keeping active. Without the brain in the game, it's hard for the body to follow suit. Thankfully, you can get a jolt of motivation with just a few simple tips, and without an expensive personal trainer. (See also: 6 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Motivate Yourself)
So get on your grind with these workout tips that don't cost a dime.
Costs of Commuting
Personal Capital lists the surprising costs of commuting. The author begins with this story:
I usually leave the house each morning at 6:50. I hop in the car and drive to the train station, usually getting there around 7:05. I spend eight minutes waiting on the platform, using that time to catch up on news or download a podcast for my train ride. My train arrives at 7:13, and I get off at 8:02. From the train station, I walk 1.2 miles to the office, usually arriving by 8:30. My total commute time? An hour and forty minutes, one way.
Ugh. How brutal is that? An hour and forty minutes each way. This would not be living for me.
They then give some stats on commuting:
The 5 Best Sleeping Bags
Regardless of whether you're a first-time camper or a master of Mt. Everest, having the right sleeping bag will dramatically improve your outdoors experience. While buying a sleeping bag may seem like a straightforward process, there are a surprising number of factors to consider. When purchasing a new sleeping bag, it's important to note the filling of the bag, the shape as well as the warmth rating, in order to find the perfect bag for you.
Is Burger King Guilty of Tax Inversion?
“Burger King abdicates US citizenship,” shouted the normally staid BBC. Burger King seems to be vilified everywhere for its plan to merge with Tim Hortons, the Canadian breakfast giant. Why? This thing called tax inversion.
The goal of this post is simply to break through the rhetoric and lay out the basic issues of the deal.
Tax inversion: what they say
Use money analogies to gain context
Personal finance boils down to recognizing, and acting on, good deals in their proper context. What’s a wise finance decision for one person could easily be a foolish decision for another.
In deciding whether something is a good deal, it’s often useful to quantify its cost in terms of something familiar. While raw amounts like “$500″ do indeed quantify the cost, $500 could mean wildly different things to different people:
The Root Cause of Your Financial Problems and the Source of Your Success
Any person is a product of his or her environment to a significant extent. And because so much of our personality is formed when we are under the age of ten, there’s something to be said for the benefits of being a child within a family situation that has a positive approach to money management — and life beyond just money, but money is the focus of this article.
Best Money Tips: Websites to Visit Before Spending Your Money
Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some fantastic articles on websites to visit before spending your money, frugal ways to relax, and the path to purpose.
Top 5 Articles
7 Websites to Visit Before Spending Your Money — Before you spend your money, check out Bargain Babe and Coupons.com. [Caviar & Quarters]
Gimme a Break: 101 Frugal Ways to Relax — Relax frugally by getting a good night's sleep or plan your next trip. [PopSugar Smart Living]
Best Money Tips: Websites to Visit Before Spending Your Money
Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some fantastic articles on websites to visit before spending your money, frugal ways to relax, and the path to purpose.
Top 5 Articles
7 Websites to Visit Before Spending Your Money — Before you spend your money, check out Bargain Babe and Coupons.com. [Caviar & Quarters]
Gimme a Break: 101 Frugal Ways to Relax — Relax frugally by getting a good night's sleep or plan your next trip. [PopSugar Smart Living]
The Only 5 Words You Need to Declutter Your Life
In 2008 I downsized my personal belongings by 85% when I moved into Dinky Manor with Mr. Foxypants, my now husband.
Initially, Mr. Foxypants and I agreed that we would both downsize our belongings by 50% in order to fit the acquisition of our two adult lives into a 1000 square foot house with terrible closet space.
The Only 5 Words You Need to Declutter Your Life
In 2008 I downsized my personal belongings by 85% when I moved into Dinky Manor with Mr. Foxypants, my now husband.
Initially, Mr. Foxypants and I agreed that we would both downsize our belongings by 50% in order to fit the acquisition of our two adult lives into a 1000 square foot house with terrible closet space.
Ask the Readers: Where Do You Want to Be, Financially, in 5 Years?
Most of us have goals for our money, whether specific (pay off the mortgage) or general (maintain a comfortable lifestyle). We set our financial visions on different timelines, too — each person's circumstances are different, after all. This week, let's talk about where we want to see our finances in 5 years.
Where do you want to be, financially, in 5 years? What is your main goal for the next few years? What changes to your lifestyle (if any) will you need make to get your finances where you want them to be?
Tell us where you want to be, financially, in 5 years and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards
We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win!
Ask the Readers: Where Do You Want to Be, Financially, in 5 Years?
Most of us have goals for our money, whether specific (pay off the mortgage) or general (maintain a comfortable lifestyle). We set our financial visions on different timelines, too — each person's circumstances are different, after all. This week, let's talk about where we want to see our finances in 5 years.
Where do you want to be, financially, in 5 years? What is your main goal for the next few years? What changes to your lifestyle (if any) will you need make to get your finances where you want them to be?
Tell us where you want to be, financially, in 5 years and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards
We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win!
Seven Clever Food Strategies for Stretching a Small Budget
There are a lot of strategies out there for stretching a food budget, from couponing to meal planning. I’ve laid out our six-step plan for organizing cheap meals many times on The Simple Dollar, and it’s a routine we stick to almost every week.
Still, that’s not the end of the road when it comes to stretching your food budget. You can buy lots of cheap food at the store, but if it doesn’t fill you up, you’re going to constantly find reasons to snack and buy additional foods, which undoes the benefits of buying cheap food.
The best approach is to not just focus on cheap as your sole purpose in buying food. Instead, you should focus on finding a smart middle ground between cheap, healthy, and filling.
Cheap foods make sense – you want to spend as little as possible on the “food” portion of your budget.
The 8 Worst Home Sale Horror Stories
If you've ever purchased or tried to sell a home, you know it's a process. Credit checks, home inspections, down payments, and more could delay your sale. And after you purchase the home, it's yours for life. So if you missed something during those grueling weeks of closing, it's your problem for life — or until you try to sell it. (See also: 25 Cheap and Easy Fixes That Make Your House Look Amazing)
Below we've listed eight horror stories of people who fell in love with their home before realizing its dark past.
The 8 Worst Home Sale Horror Stories
If you've ever purchased or tried to sell a home, you know it's a process. Credit checks, home inspections, down payments, and more could delay your sale. And after you purchase the home, it's yours for life. So if you missed something during those grueling weeks of closing, it's your problem for life — or until you try to sell it. (See also: 25 Cheap and Easy Fixes That Make Your House Look Amazing)
Below we've listed eight horror stories of people who fell in love with their home before realizing its dark past.
10 Cheap Ways to Make Your Apartment Awesome (Without Losing Your Deposit)
The white walls and boring fixtures of apartments are a thing of the past. You don't need to own your abode to make it totally your own. (See also: 12 Ways to Make a Tiny Apartment Awesome)
Check out these thrifty — but impactful — DIY ideas that will transform your space to home, all while ensuring you'll get that security deposit back.
10 Cheap Ways to Make Your Apartment Awesome (Without Losing Your Deposit)
The white walls and boring fixtures of apartments are a thing of the past. You don't need to own your abode to make it totally your own. (See also: 12 Ways to Make a Tiny Apartment Awesome)
Check out these thrifty — but impactful — DIY ideas that will transform your space to home, all while ensuring you'll get that security deposit back.
How to save big with a salvage title
This article is by staff writer William Cowie.
What was your first reaction when you saw “salvage title” in the headline? Cringe and shudder? Outrage, that anybody could seriously suggest something so risky on a respectable site like this? In mixed company, no less? Step away from the ledge, slowly, exhale, and then hear me out.
I used to feel the same way … until my friend Peter showed me his “new” 4Runner. Peter is a super-frugalista, and he saw the surprise in my eyes. He laughed, “Hey, it’s a salvage title — I got it real cheap.” He bought his son one of those, seven years back, and that car has run problem-free all that time. So he thought, “Why not get one for myself?”
Why not, indeed?
What is a salvage title?
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