Want to Keep More of Your Cash?
Do you often find there's still month left over at the end of the money? Is your savings account sad? Your piggy bank puny? Are you drowning in debt? Have you resolved to get your finances under control - finally and for good - in 2009? Follow these wise money tips and the advice in our selection of articles and watch your savings grow!
Money matters can be serious business, but you'll find some fun here, too, so keep scrolling! Thanks for visiting my lens.
To Keep Your Cash . . .
The "Do" List.
- Do cut up the credit cards, or at the very least pay the balance in full every month. If you like plastic, use a debit card instead of a credit card.
- Do follow a budget. Live within your means. In fact, live below your means and apply the rest to any debt that you may have.
- Do pay yourself first. Put money in savings every payday. Save 10 percent, give 10 percent is a good and easy rule to follow throughout your life.
- Do participate in your employer-sponsored retirement plan. Hey, it's free money. Don't turn it down!
- Do shop with a list and use coupons wisely. Remember that an item on sale is never a bargain if it's something that you wouldn't use anyway, so don't buy it just because it's on sale.
- Do save time as well as money by planning your meals. You'll eat healthier and nurture a happy family in the process.
- Do pay off those bills. Set a goal, make a plan, and become debt free. Wow, what a way to enjoy life! (Try it, you'll like it.)
- Do pay your taxes on time. Take any deductions you're entitled to. Consult a tax professional for advice. While you're at it, campaign for the FairTax to help make paying taxes simple and fair.
- Do give yourself a raise. Start a work-at-home business. You can start an eBay business with an investment of nothing but a little bit of time.
- Do develop a "no debt" habit. Do you automatically say, "Charge it!" or do you ask yourself first if you can really afford to spend money right now? Which would you really rather have, that new computer or peace of mind, no credit card bills, and money left over at the end of the month? Develop a no-debt mentality, change your spending habits and you will find peace of mind.
- Do make your financial goals a family project. Get your kids involved and teach them how they can save, too. Explain to everyone the spending habit changes you plan on making so that the kids will understand why mom and dad may not be able to make that immediate purchase of the latest video game as they used to. Plan rewards for the family as each member contributes to achieving the family's financial goals for the year.
Get Some Financial Education
Rank our recommended resources.
Crown Financial Ministries
Equipping people worldwide to learn, apply, and te more...3 points
Real Debt Help - Get out of debt with Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Plan.
Real debt help is not quick or easy. Quick, pain-f more...1 point
Trump University
Learn how the millionares do it at Trump Universit more...0 points
Sound Mind Investing
SMI is America's best-selling financial newsletter more...0 points
Personal Finance, Personal Finances, and Financial Advice - Forbes.com
Personal Finance - Get financial advice and inform more...0 points
The FairTax
Help abolish April 15th as we know it! Find out w more...0 points
The Falacy of Instant Gratification
Say what??
I really like Dave Ramsey and what he teaches about becoming debt free. Dave has a lot of sayings but one of my favorite goes something like this: Live like nobody else so you can live like nobody else. "Huh?," you say? Let me explain.As a society, we no longer have the discipline to plan for, wait for, and earn the things we want. Whatever it is, we want it and we want it now! That's called instant gratification, which is easily achieved these days by such things as instant oatmeal, the drive-thru window at the local fast food place, cell phones used on the freeway, and, especially, by plastic, i.e. credit cards.
All of these conveniences come with a cost. Instant foods may save us time, but they almost always cost more. Fast foods may be quicker than cooking, but they're rarely healthy and, indeed, can super-size a food budget in no time. Calling a friend while you're driving to say that you'll be there in two minutes could cost a person his life, or someone else's. (Why do people do that? You told me you'd be here at 2:00, so just show up at 2:00. I'll talk to you then.) And a credit card, while it'll get you the hottest new CD or video game system today, can cost a consumer thousands of dollars a year in interest, money that said consumer probably doesn't have. Yes, instant gratification can be very costly.
So, why not choose instead to delay that gratification and use your income to pay off the bills - all of them. Change your eating habits, your calling habits, your spending habits. If necessary, live for a time on, as Dave says, beans and rice, rice and beans, sacrificing some luxuries so that you can pay off your debts. Live like nobody else. Your friends may think you're crazy, but when you are debt free you will, indeed, be able to live like nobody else.
It's a process and it may not be easy, but make up your mind, challenge yourself and have fun with it. It will change your life.
Recommended Resources
From experts and authors we read and recommend. Learn how to take charge of your own and your family's financial destiny.
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 12/15/2009) 
The Fair Tax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS
Amazon Price: $10.76 (as of 12/15/2009)
How to Manage Your Money
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
Amazon Price: $11.02 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Money Answer Book: Quick Answers to Everyday Financial Questions
Amazon Price: $9.35 (as of 12/15/2009)
Top Ten Money Mottos (Okay, Eleven)
Vote Up Your Favorite
Live like nobody else - so you can live like nobody else.
Dave Ramsey says it all the time.3 points
Crown Financial Ministries
Financial Advice - Hot Topics Archive
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byArticles from Dave Ramsey
Get great advice from the Total Money Makeover man.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byDo You Have a Budget?
Need help learning how to make a budget? Learning how to live with a budget?
A budget is one of the first basic steps you must take in order to take control of your pesonal financial situation. It really isn't that hard to set up a budget, but it's nice to have some guidance if you've never made a budget before. These resources can help.
There are many books here to choose from and hopefully you'll find one that really appeals to you. If not, don't give up. You'll find an even bigger selection of budget workbooks HERE
Train Them Up in the Way You Wish You Would Have Gone
Starting your kids out early learning to manage their money is one of the most worthwhile gifts a parent can give to their children.
Money Matters Workbook for Teens (ages 15-18)
This book comes with our family's highest recommendation. We had one son whose money burnt holes in his pockets; he couldn't spend it fast enough. After going through this workbook, he learned to use an envelope system to help him save and spend wisely. As a young adult he gets an 'A-' for money management (he still has things to learn, but he's very much on the right track).
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 12/14/2009)
Getting Your First Credit Card (Consumer Books for College Students)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Fifty Money-Making Ideas for Kids
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Financial Parenting: Showing Your Kids That Money Matters
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
In God We Trust
Amazon Price: (as of 12/14/2009)
Financial Peace Jr.: Teaching Kids About Money! : "Cool Tools" for Training Tomorrow's Millionaires!
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/15/2009)
Battle of the Chores: Junior Discovers Debt (Life Lessons with Junior)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Big Birthday Surprise: Junior Discovers Giving (Life Lessons With Junior)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
The Super Red Racer: Junior Discover Work (Life Lessons With Junior)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Careless At The Carnival: Junior Discovers Spending (Life Lessons With Junior)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
More Resources to Help You Manage Your Money
It's hard to manage your money if you don't know where it's going.
You Need A Budget Pro - Personal Finance Software Program
Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 12/15/2009)
Budget Express 3.0
Amazon Price: $29.49 (as of 12/15/2009)
Home Budget For Dummies
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 12/15/2009)
Dave Ramsey's Personal Finance Software Version 5.0
Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)
![Quicken Deluxe 2009 [OLD VERSION]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31aho10ne7L._SL75_.jpg)
Quicken Deluxe 2009 [OLD VERSION]
Amazon Price: $44.59 (as of 12/15/2009)
Expre$$ Yourself
Lighten up a little. Money can be fun, too!
US Dollar Sign | Hooded Sweatshirt
Price: 39.99
My Long Term Goal Green T-Shirt
Price: 22.49
$1000 Bills - Greeting Cards (Pk of 10)
Price: 20.49
Sticker (Bumper) No IRS - Support the Fair Tax
Price: 3.99
100 Percent Debt Free Women's Dark T-Shirt
Price: 24.99
Reader Feedback
Leave your comments or money-wise suggestions here!
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Aug 1, 2009 @ 6:26 am
- For the first time ever I didn't use my credit card at all while on vacation. I set a little money aside each month all year. It wasn't easy, but it worked.
Thanks for sharing.
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- nacasi nacasi Jul 21, 2009 @ 12:32 am
- great lens!
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- Masters_of_Health_and_Wealth Masters_of_Health_and_Wealth May 26, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
- Fantastic advice....great post of information!
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Reply
- Spook Spook Apr 3, 2009 @ 10:51 am
- Ah! I knew all this but then I forgot about it. Not really some worthwhile tips here.
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- Susan52 Susan52 Mar 21, 2009 @ 4:08 pm | in reply to citrusemma
- Yikes! Thank you so much for pointing out that error! I've fixed it and wonder how many times I and others have read that.
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- citrusemma citrusemma Mar 21, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
- Very good points you've used! However, in the bullet point #1 you wrote "use debit cards instead of debit cards" and I think you meant credit the second time?
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- j_barnhart4 j_barnhart4 Mar 15, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
- I lensrolled this with my money saving lens. Hope that's ok. Thanks for the tips -Jessica
http://www.squidoo.com/saving-money-12
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- tandemonimom tandemonimom Feb 27, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
- Great lens, lots of great ideas, and some of these books I had not heard of. (I *love* finding new books!) 5* and a return lensroll to "Money as Debt".
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- TopLawyer TopLawyer Feb 26, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
- Interesting and informative lens. I was impressed with your tip: "Do pay your taxes on time. Take any deductions you're entitled to. Consult a tax professional for advice." Wise advice when it comes to saving a bundle on tax and putting more money back in your own pocket. Many thanks.
Frank Sullivan legal forms Website Owner.
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Reply
- stargazer00 stargazer00 Jan 21, 2009 @ 11:35 am
- Thanks for joining the Money Saving Tips Group!
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