Spending Advice Articles

Sometimes, there are ways to save money in unexpected places. For example, with a little bit of planning, you can save money on gifts and holiday expenses. By getting multiple estimates, you can save money by comparison shopping. There are even ways to save money on purchasing and operating your car. Let these articles help you consider savings that you may not have thought were possible in places you were not looking.

• Thanksgiving: 9 Ways to Feast on a Budget

  Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to enjoy family and friends, but a traditional dinner can be expensive if you’re not careful. Fortunately, it is possible to enjoy a good feast even if your budget is tight. Here are nine tips on how eat well at Thanksgiving, without breaking the bank.

• Five Ways to Beat Holiday Debt

  It happens every year: the holidays roll around and you’re not ready for them. In a mad scramble, you buy gifts no one needs or wants, decorate and entertain in a frenzy of spending and end up feeling guilty and unseasonably blue.

• Expenses Not to Cut

  Finding ways to trim your budget is a great way to save money and feel in control when the economy isn’t. But before you get too “trim happy,” keep in mind that there are a few expenses not to cut. It may be tempting to skimp on these items, but they’ll cost you more in the long run.

• 10 Ways to Save on Holiday Gifts

  For many people, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year-a special season for family, friends, and festive parties. But there's another side to the merriment: According to a Consumer Reports survey, in 2008 roughly 12 million Americans were still paying off credit card debt for holiday purchases they'd made the year before.

• Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: Managing the Holiday “Gimmies”

  Learn tips on softening the blow of “no” when your child begs and pleads for the latest toys and gadgets, while still creating wonderful holiday memories.

• Holiday Entertaining on a Budget

  Between hosting holiday get-togethers and sharing traditional holiday meals with friends and family, it's easy to wreak havoc on your monthly budget.

• Making Sense of Health Plans

  Health insurance has been around since 1694. You’d think that over the course of three centuries the process would have been streamlined. No such luck. Healthcare plans are as confusing and muddled as they probably were back in the 17th century. The first step to battling all the red tape is to understand what kind of plans are out there.

• 10 Maintenance Issues Homeowners Should Never Ignore

  Regardless of your home's location and age, regular home maintenance is integral to safety and preserving its value. And when issues are found, addressing them quickly can save you additional repair costs and further damage. Here is a list of maintenance issues that should never be ignored and, therefore, should be addressed as soon as you are aware of them.

• Should I Hire a Contractor or Renovate Myself?

  Renovating your entire house or just a single room can add much more than monetary value to your home. Perhaps you need to make room for a new family member. Or maybe you're tired of not being able to park your car in the garage and you want to install shelves to get boxes off the floor. Or perhaps you consider yourself a handyperson and want the family to participate in a project together. Whatever your reason, before starting any project, you need to decide whether you should tackle all or part of the renovation yourself. Prior to strapping on your tool belt, the following considerations will help you decide who's the best renovator for the job.

• Affordable Care Act Update

  Changes stemming from the 2010 health care reform legislation are already in place. Learn what's coming in 2011 that could lower your costs and make care more accessible.

• Beating the post-holiday financial blues

  Spent too much over the holidays? Find out how to overcome post-holiday debt in the new year.

• How to keep the holiday spirit without being burdened by debt

  Spending mountains of money during the holiday season is a tradition that for many people ends up with accumulating unmanageable debt. Learn to enjoy the holidays without overwhelming financial strain.

• Telemarketing: The Unnecessary Evil

  As long as you own a phone, you can be a target for telemarketers.

• Ways to Lower Your Auto Expenses

  Is the cost of maintaining your car getting out of hand? Find ways to keep money in your pocket and keep on motoring.

• Ways To Stretch A Dollar

  Are you looking for ways to make your dollar go further? Here's a list of over 100 ideas you can consider to help you manage or lower your expenses.

• Using the Internet to Improve Your Bottom Line

  There are many on-line resources available to help you research what product best suits your needs, and to help you spend less money when you're ready to make your purchase.

• Plan Your Meals and Plan to Save

  Feeding your family can consume a large part of the household budget. With prices for everything from gas to groceries going up and paychecks not keeping pace, your food expense is one area you should pay particular attention to if you are looking to make your paycheck go farther. By investing some time in planning meals, you can avoid last minute trips to the local take-out or drive-through, which will save you a tremendous amount of money and most likely provide more nutritious meals for your family.

• Dealing with Rising Gas Prices

  With gas prices rising, and no relief in sight, looking for ways to manage your transportation cost is just common sense. Whether it's a drastic move like trading in your gas-guzzler for a hybrid vehicle, or adopting simple changes in habit like combining your errands into one trip, we can all benefit by evaluating our current routines and making some practical changes.

• Staying Ahead of the Curve Financially.

  There's no right or wrong time to rebalance your budget, but since the New Year is traditionally a time to make resolutions, it's also an excellent time to resolve to get your finances back on track. Since we each have unique aspects to our financial situations, there is no one solution that will work for everyone, but let's look at some fundamentals that anyone can apply to help you get ahead this year.

• Living without Credit Cards

  If you believe the credit card commercials, you're not going to be able to have any fun in life unless you use their card. Well, if you've ever carried a balance on your credit cards, you know that paying interest is no fun at all. Tack on a late fee or over-the-limit fee and the good times are really over. Although credit cards can provide immediate gratification, they're more likely to cause long-term stress in your life. Thankfully, there are alternative strategies for living life without credit cards.

• How to Recession-Proof Your Finances

  From layoffs and losses to bailouts and bankruptcies, millions of Americans are coping with the challenges of an increasingly volatile economy. For some, this means having to find new jobs after years of steady employment. For others, it requires cutting costs so they can live within their means.

• 10 Ways to Save on Health Care

  No matter what your opinion on U.S. health care reform, chances are, you're paying more for medically related expenses than you ever expected.

• How to Go Green and Save Money

  Saving the planet might seem like a tall order, especially when saving money is a more immediate concern. But as it turns out, living an eco-friendly lifestyle can actually help you to cut costs and get on firmer financial footing. Switching to energy-saving light bulbs, for example, could shave hundreds of dollars off your energy bill each year, while breaking the bottled water habit can add up to thousands in annual savings. Are you ready to go green-and save green? Follow these tips to get started.

• Simple Budgeting Strategies to Help You Stay on Target All Year Long

  Most people ring in the New Year with the best of intentions. They promise to pay down their debt, curb their spending, and start saving for the future. In some cases, they even write a detailed list of New Year's resolutions aimed at improving their financial fitness.

• Should You Use a Pawnshop to Make Quick Cash?

  Pawnshops are business establishments where patrons can buy and sell personal items. It's important to understand how pawnshops operate so you can make an informed decision.

• Selling and Buying on Craigslist

  Craigslist is a virtual marketplace where users sell and buy items locally over the Internet. Read this article to find out what you need to know to be a successful seller and buyer on Craigslist.

• Getting Ready to Sell on eBay

  Want to make some extra cash? Consider selling on eBay: the virtual marketplace of virtually everything.

• 7 Tips for Saving When Your Income is Not Steady

  If your income is unpredictable or irregular, it's extremely important to build up your savings reserves, so that you can get through the lean times without going into debt. These seven tips can help you create a solid savings plan.

• How to Throw a Killer Garage Sale

  Garage sales are making a comeback. Forget the stereotype of little old ladies selling dusty silverware and musty coats. These days, garage sales are a fun source of extra cash for you, one-of-a-kind treasures for your customers and environmental brownie points for everyone.

• Put Pet Spending on a Tighter Leash

  Owning and caring for an animal doesn't have to be a budget-buster. In fact, you can rein in a few costs and be a better pal to your precious pet by implementing the following suggestions.

• Affordable Care Act to Improve Health Care Access and Coverage

  If you haven't been able to access or afford health care insurance in the past, help is on the way. Learn how new legislation may provide you with the coverage you need.

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