Getting and Staying Out of Debt

Getting and Staying Out of Debt

ByKori
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As a college student, I’ve unfortunately accumulated a bit in student loans. I’ve tried to keep them to a minimum, but sometimes I just needed the extra to help pay for books or to cover whatever wasn’t covered by grants and scholarship money. I’ve also tried to keep my other spending habits in check and actually don’t have a credit card that isn’t attached to a debit card/bank account. Those are just two ways that I’m trying to avoid getting into debt, but how else can someone go about getting and staying out of debt? It’s one thing to get out of it, and it’s another to stay out of it. But, with both you’re hopefully setting yourself up for financial success. Debt can help…

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Budget

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Budget

ByKori
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We have talked about 8 steps to creating a family budget, but is a budget really necessary?  Sure, having a budget in place may help you manage your money smartly, but at the same time; it just might not be for you. Sometimes creating a budget will be the easy part, but actually sticking to that budget might be the struggle. Here are a few questions to ask before you start a budget. Sometimes, even with the best of intention, and even after creating what seems like the ideal budget; it just doesn’t work out. This could be for any number of reasons and if you fall into this category- don’t think of yourself as failing. You tried and that certainly should count for something….

How to Make the Most of Your Tax Return

How to Make the Most of Your Tax Return

ByKori
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #YourTaxCash #CollectiveBias Have you filed your tax return yet? Sometimes, we start planning what we’re going to do with our tax return before we file. It helps us to realistically set a financial picture for the rest of the year. This year, I wanted to share my tips for how to make the most of your tax return and I’m also including the simple worksheets that we use. Don’t worry, this shouldn’t be headache inducing and while the bills portion might make you cringe; the rest should be fun! Now, whether you file your own taxes or have someone else do it for you- let’s…

How to Start Saving For College When You’re On a Budget

How to Start Saving For College When You’re On a Budget

ByKori
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Almost every parent has dreams and hopes that their children will attend college. And while every child may not do this, it’s still something that we can hope for. Following in the footsteps, somewhat, of family members; I have at least obtained my associates degree. Eventually I’d like to get my Bachelor’s degree and possibly my Master’s degree. In the meantime, we also want to start saving for college on a budget so Squeaker has something to help her out. With thanks to NY529 Direct for sponsoring this conversation, we’re sharing a few tips. While we may encourage her to pursue all forms of scholarship and grant money, we are also going to do whatever we can to help. And that includes starting a college…

What Having a Reliable Car Means to Our Family

What Having a Reliable Car Means to Our Family

ByKori
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Having a reliable car means more than just having a way of getting around. A reliable car is really an important part of the family. Maybe you think I’m over-exaggerating or putting too much emphasis on a physical possession. But bear with me and I’ll explain. With thanks to Capital One for sponsoring this conversation, I want to tell you what having a reliable car means to our family. Have we talked enough about the car? I know, technically it’s not a car. It’s a SUV. It’s an older model but it gets us where we need to go. So why is this vehicle so important? Well, aside from being the sole car in our family’s possession; Kyle works outside of the home. So he…

How to Save Money During a Recession

How to Save Money During a Recession

ByKori
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There is speculation that our country is headed for an economic recession, but what exactly does that mean? In my lifetime, the United States has had four major recessions: July 1981 – November 1982 July 1990 – March 1991 March 2001 – November 2001 December 2007 – June 2009 I wasn’t the one financially in charge during the first two, and during the third, I was still trying to find my way in life.  However, if another recession occurs in the near future? I want to be prepared. During the fourth recession, I cannot say that I was financially ready. But this time around, I know that I need to have a plan in place. And that includes learning how to save money during a…