If you are you looking for an inexpensive way to get a large influx of Ultimate Rewards points, the Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited cards offer large bonuses with low spending thresholds.
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The post How To Budget for a Staycation appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
Whether youâre dreaming of an hour-long massage or lazy days lounging under the summer sun, youâll want to budget wisely for your staycation. After all, youâve worked hard for this well-deserved treat, and the last thing you want is for your savings account to plummet just when youâve begun to relax. (Overspending can also tank your credit if you … Read More about How To Budget for a Staycation
The post How To Budget for a Staycation appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
The best kind of 401(k) plan is one that is used. The employer-sponsored retirement plan is typically easy to open and fund (with pre-tax dollars often deducted straight from your paycheck), and offers tax benefits vs. saving and investing in a brokerage account. Understanding the nuances of this all-important savings vehicle may help catapult investors […]
The post 8 401(k) Investing Tips to Maximize Your 401(k) appeared first on SoFi.
Food is essential to our existence. What isn't essential is paying an arm and a leg for our daily bread. Compared to dining out, buying groceries and cooking homemade meals remains a far more affordable way to eat. But grocery shopping can be even more affordable with these tips the next time you find yourself carting down the aisles.
How to Save Money on Groceries
- Don’t Dawdle in the Aisles
- Price Watch
- Consider the Cost of Convenience
- Know Your Terminology
- A Full Mouth Is a Quiet Mouth
- Go for Day-Olds
- Break Free from Brands
- Use a Prepaid Gift Card
Let's explore each tip a little further.
1. Don’t Dawdle in the Aisles
Shop more efficiently at the supermarket by leaving your cart at the end of each aisle. It’s faster because you’ll go directly to what you need and grab it, plus you’ll be less tempted to purchase extras since you won’t be wandering slowly down the aisle with the cart.
2. Price Watch
When you’re at the supermarket, make sure you keep a close watch while your items are being rung up. A recent study found that 10 percent of items are scanned in at the incorrect price.
3. Consider the Cost of Convenience
Remember the cardinal rule when it comes to saving money on food: If it’s “convenient,” it’s probably costly. For example, pickles cut flat for sandwiches, juice in single-serving bottles, pre-shredded cheese, and “baby” carrots. Think carefully about what you’re buying and decide if the convenience is worth the extra cost!
4. Know Your Terminology
When shopping, know your terminology: Only the term “use by” means that you shouldn’t eat the food after the date indicated. “Sell by” dates are only an indication for the store, and foods will usually keep one to two weeks after. “Best before” is only an indication of food quality, not of food safety, so again, your perishables may still be fine to eat.
5. A Full Mouth Is a Quiet Mouth
If you find you’re making a lot of impulse purchases at the store because your kids are begging for snack foods, keep them quiet by buying them a package of animal crackers or a similar snack right when you get to the store. Most stores don’t even mind if your kids eat the crackers before you pay for them.
6. Go for Day-Olds
Supermarkets often discount their day-old or slightly overripe items in the morning. This is a great way of getting deals on fruit, vegetables, bread, and other foods. At first glimpse, this money-saving strategy may not seem appealing to you, but you can use these items in casseroles, desserts, and other dishes where you won’t even notice the difference. With a loaf of day-old bread, for example, you can make french toast, stuffing, croutons, bread pudding, and much more!
7. Break Free from Brands
When you’ve been buying the same brand-name product for as long as you can remember, it’s hard to make the switch to generics. However, you’ll be surprised when you find many generic and store-brand products taste exactly the same (or better!) for less than half the cost. Always buy generic baking ingredients such as flour, oil, and sugar. These generics are indistinguishable from their more-expensive counterparts. Frozen and canned vegetables are also usually exactly the same. As for products such as cereals, cookies, and crackers, basic is better—we’ve had good luck with plain granola, potato chips, and wheat crackers. No matter what the product, it never hurts to try. If you end up having to throw away one can of soup, you’ve wasted a few dollars, but if you like it, you can save a lot over the course of a year.
8. Use a Prepaid Gift Card
Need a little help budgeting your trips to the supermarket? Many chains now offer prepaid gift cards. Buy one for yourself and think of it as a portable checking account: Put money on the card, then “withdraw” from it every time you shop. With a dedicated grocery “account,” you’ll find it’s easier to keep a tighter rein on your spending.
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We all have our favorite small businesses, including our go-to date night restaurant and favorite thrift store. These places serve more than great food and looks â they build jobs in the community, put children through school, and are the…
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The post 9 Ways to Support Small Businesses Without Breaking the Bank appeared first on MintLife Blog.
Have you been spending lots of time at home? Creating a household budget can help you get a handle on where youâre spendingâand where you can find ways to save.
The post How to Save More Money in the Stay-at-Home Economy by Focusing on What Matters Most appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Dear Penny, Iâm a 34-year-old man who just started saving for retirement last year after getting married. My husband is 39 and has been saving for some time. My question is about Social Security. Should someone in our age group expect to receive it at all? Iâm always hearing about how Social Security is going [â¦]
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Signed up for a cash back card but not getting enough love? You might be making one of these common mistakes.
The post The “Cashless” Cash Envelope System appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.
You have probably heard people talk about how to use a cash envelope budget to save money and help you get out of debt. But, what if you don’t want to use cash? Does that mean you can’t use envelopes? Nope. Not if you follow one of the cashless cash envelope methods available. If you … Read More about The “Cashless” Cash Envelope System
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Whether itâs angling the perfect shot in a game of pool or telling a crush how you really feel, everyone wishes they could have a second chance from time to timeâand money matters are no exception. Sometimes in life, things just ⦠happen. And sometimes, those circumstances can wreak havoc on our personal finances in […]
The post What Is a Second Chance Checking Account? appeared first on SoFi.