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5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Finances
Tweet Share on Facebook March 29, 2013 CommentWith the holidays behind us and spring in the air, you should take this opportunity to re-evaluate your finances and give them a good spring cleaning. For those of us who tend to leave things messy year-round, April offers consumers a great time to take an in-depth look at their financial picture, streamline it and making things easier to understand and manage. To get started, consider implementing these strategies:
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When it Comes to Finances, Stupid Should Hurt
Tweet Share on Facebook March 29, 2013 CommentWhether good or bad, there are natural consequences to your financial decisions. If you save for retirement diligently and stay out of credit card debt, your nest egg will thank you down the road. However, if you make foolish, some might say, “stupid” financial decisions, it will hurt—and it should hurt. If it didn’t sting, behavior would never change and the cycle of poor financial choices would continue forever. Here are some glaring examples of faulty financial decisions hurting consumers the most:
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3 Key Lessons For Investing Better Than Most Americans
Tweet Share on Facebook March 29, 2013 CommentIt is widely recognized that Americans are poorly informed about global financial and economic issues, but what about when it comes to a key pillar of their own personal financial management: online investing?
A new study by InvestingNerd finds Americans have alarming financial illiteracy when it comes to the basics of online investing—a key skill in managing one’s finances. The InvestingNerd survey polled more than 800 American adults and find that, when it comes to the basics of investment management, most scored poorly on a series of questions highlighting these key weaknesses in investing knowledge:
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13 Ways to Score a Big Raise
Tweet Share on Facebook March 28, 2013 CommentEveryone wants to make more money, but employers are reluctant to hand out big raises in this shaky economy. A major consulting firm estimates the median raise in 2013 will be a meager 3 percent. Does that mean you're stuck with a paltry raise? Not necessarily.
The smart employee will use some of these 13 tools to get a bigger raise:
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How to Avoid Getting Your Credit Card Information Stolen at a Hotel
Tweet Share on Facebook March 28, 2013 CommentRegardless of where you are, there are crooks who want to steal your credit card number—even when you’re in the comforts of a hotel as you try to enjoy that well-deserved vacation. Recently, fraudsters have developed trickier methods to dupe hotel guests into forking over their credit card information.
It is best to learn how these criminals operate in order to avoid having to deal with a compromised credit card account.
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Cost-Friendly Ways to Keep the Whole Family Entertained Over Spring Break
Tweet Share on Facebook March 28, 2013 CommentSpring break is around the corner, and if you're not careful, costs can easily turn a fun family vacation into a financial catastrophe. It's understandable if you're considering skipping this year's vacation, but if you're willing to do some research and get a little creative, you can find that there are plenty of ways to enjoy Spring break with your kids without crushing your checking account. Here are five tips for entertaining the kids and saving money at the same time:
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How to Avoid Cracking Your Financial Egg This Easter
Tweet Share on Facebook March 27, 2013 CommentEaster is big business in the United States, accounting for almost $17 billion in spending annually. By following these tips, you can save money without hindering your Easter celebration:
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8 Ways to Boost Your Tax Refund with Itemized Deductions
Tweet Share on Facebook March 27, 2013 CommentWith the April 15th tax deadline around the corner, taxpayers may be rushing at the last minute to prepare their taxes. In their haste, filers often take the easy way out and opt for the standard tax deduction instead of maximizing itemized deductions.
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5 Ways for Renters to Sock Away More Money
Tweet Share on Facebook March 27, 2013 CommentIn a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. renters by Rent.com, an astonishing 61 percent said they spend more than they make every month. Here are five creative ways renters can curb their spending habits:
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How to Stretch Your Budget for the 4 Most-Expensive Holidays
Tweet Share on Facebook March 26, 2013 Comment“Not another holiday,” moaned a co-worker. “I just spent all my money on St. Patrick’s Day. I hope my next paycheck stretches far enough for some candy for the kids.”
It’s easy to forget about holidays when you put together a monthly budget, but if you take a look at a calendar, you’ll notice most months have them. Unfortunately, celebration is rarely cheap. Christmas can easily add up to hundreds of dollars. Even the meager corned beef, cabbage and pint of Irish stout for St. Patrick’s Day means a larger-than-average grocery bill.
Some holidays tend to cost more than others, and for different reasons. However, there are four that drain the wallet more than the others. Taming these celebration budgets requires an understanding of why they cost so much.
