By Pat Hogan When it comes to the value of a house, many people focus exclusively on the structure and square feet. What many people fail to realize is that the area around the house, in addition to the house itself, can have a large impact on its perceived value. Failing to consider the best way to landscape a house can end up costing you a lot of money in the long run. Professional landscaping adds instant curb appeal, increases … Continue reading
For most people who would be considered middle-income earners, food costs comprise a substantial percentage of our total budgetary spending. Between feeding the kids, eating three meals daily, insuring proper nutritional intake, and treating ourselves to the occasional night out, there’s no question that our food expenses are necessary ones – but that they also add up quickly. Fortunately, even though food is clearly a necessity, there is a wide range of spending that such a necessity may entail. According … Continue reading
By Samantha Peters If you’ve filled up your tank or watched the news recently, you’re probably well aware that gas prices have been skyrocketing over the past couple months – and this rise is only expected to increase through the summer, during which gas may hit new record highs. The increased gas expense makes commuting and traveling more costly and it poses a burden on families that are struggling in a stagnant economy. What to do? Fortunately, although it’s impossible … Continue reading
By Jay S. Fleischman I may be dating myself, but I remember when television was free. True, we had only a few channels to flip through but it was unheard of to write a check for something as basic as TV. Then came the cable revolution, followed by satellite and services run by your telephone company. Each year, what was once a free service has become steadily more expensive. I just never realized it until I was going through the … Continue reading
By Rachel Singer Gordon We all need to do more with less these days. As the Great Recession drags on, and the price of everything from gas to groceries continues to rise, here are the top ten tips to help you live on a shoestring budget. Plan Your Purchases Plan your purchases of everything from groceries to diapers to personal care items. Don’t shop for what you run out of, what looks tasty, or what you feel like eating this … Continue reading
By Shannen Bayless It’s Wednesday afternoon (because your local supermarket ads come out on Wednesday), and you pick up your kids from school and head to the supermarkets (which is my case are 30 minutes away) to do some quick coupon shopping before your husband gets home from work. You manage to make it through the store and get everything on your list (thanks to 2 very cooperative boys who got to ride in the fire truck shopping cart and … Continue reading
By Edward Antrobus Dry cleaning is expensive. Maybe not caviar and Don Perignon expensive, but certainly more expensive than washing clothes at home. Finding ways to avoid dry cleaning will save you hundreds of dollars. Simply avoiding dry-clean only fabrics will go a long way, but sometimes they are unavoidable. Other times, we just don’t want to avoid them. In this case, it’s time to investigate some alternatives to dry cleaning. Silk Somewhere along the line, we have been led … Continue reading
Nowadays, our society considers investments as one of the best ways to save money for the future and to ensure that you are debt free in UK. The role of investments is to increase the initial amount of money over medium to long periods of time. What Is an Investment? Many people consider that if you purchase a state-of-the-art computer, a popular smartphone or a nice car, you have made an investment. However, their value decreases over time. You can … Continue reading
by Denisse Dubrovsky Tax season is here. Here are some tax time tips to maximize your refund and minimize your filing expenses. 1. Claim your tax credits Make sure you claim all the tax credits you qualify for. One out of five taxpayers who are eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit fail to claim the credit, which can save you up to more than $5,000 in tax credit. Check out the IRS EITC Home Page to find out if you’re … Continue reading
