Managing my money was a blur before payday loans (Photo: flickr.com)

Payday loans weren’t around when I first learned how to handle money. If they had been (and had I been eligible to apply for them), I’m sure I would have learned very quickly that in the real world you simply don’t get something for nothing.

Many of you have been in this situation before. When you were a child — and I know that you were a child at some point — you may have received an allowance each week. What an exciting time that was! All the hard work keeping up with chores, schoolwork and doing those extra-special things had finally come to fruition. Would you save all your pennies in the robot piggy bank on your dresser? Or would you run down to the local store with that fresh wad of dollar bills and spend it on that toy you’d been eyeballing for some time?

The possibilities were endless

Now, if you were like me, you were a spender. Even when you were at the store purchasing something like those new action figures, toy guns or robots, you had your eye on the next deal. Money was a fluid thing, and you saw no value in holding onto it just so that you could know that you were saving for a rainy day. Let that river run. Grab a tube, hop on and float your way toward some sort of buyers’ paradise.

Unfortunately it didn’t take much to get my parents to give me money. I was an only child, so I didn’t have to share their resources with brothers and sisters. Couple that with the fact that my father was often away from home as a requirement of his job. He felt guilty about that, and that guilt translated into a bit more of a willingness to buy me things if I needled him. Looking back, I truly am ashamed at some of the things that I did — the pouting, the kicking and screaming — but my parents also failed to take control of the situation. Thus, the lesson I learned was that if I needed money, all I had to do was come crying to mom or dad.

They’d give me something for nothing

Essentially, I could get something for nothing. I say nothing because all of the bellyaching and pleading wasn’t even worth its weight in feathers. I never had to pay mom and dad back. If I had, perhaps I would’ve learned something. If the bank of mom and dad operated the way payday loans do, it would have been quite clear that in two weeks the loan was going to be repaid. Not only that, but the fee for applying for the payday loans would’ve been spelled out up front.

But back to the spender I was then. I had no real conception of the value of money. Once I moved out of the house, had a job and had to make payments on rent and utilities, I began to understand that money didn’t exactly grow on trees or out of my father’s wallet. I was a man and I had to take care of not only myself, but my growing family. I would say that there were still occasional times when I went to my parents when I was in a desperate financial situation. They would oblige, but the weight of lessons lost became more palpable each time I rang them in search of quick cash. I knew that the ways of the past would no longer work for me as a mature person, yet old habits were hard to break.

Hiding from creditors wasn’t the answer

So I resolved to handle those little financial snafus myself. That in itself is a noble idea, but in practice all I did was dig myself a hole. Rather than budgeting better and saving more, I entered the world of credit cards. It’s a magical place at first, and I even made my payments on time regularly. But a period of unemployment and medical bills left me in a deep hole when it came to credit cards. Collections notices and calls flew fast and furious, but in my infinite wisdom I decided that I would never have to engage them in any kind of conversation. I was hiding from reality. By ignoring the problem and sending payments when I was able to, I felt that that would be enough. But since I had waited too long to speak with my creditors about forming a reasonable payment plan, they weren’t interested in my occasional payments.

I filed for bankruptcy

It was discharged a number of years ago. Since then, my spending habits have been rather different. I think more in terms of long-term goals than short-term gratification. Oh, I do splurge now and again, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it used to be. The most obvious reminder to me of the way I used to spend money is my music collection. It began in junior high and today I have several hundred compact discs to show for it. I used to spend almost everything I earned on new music.

Today, I make a budget and stick to it. I make sure that I have what I need, and more importantly, that my family has what it needs. When I get involved in anything that deals with money, I refer to my records. It’s nice that way because having documentation of your spending habits paints a very clear picture. You know where your money is going and you know what areas may be cause for concern.

With payday loans, I knew when repayment would occur

That kind of documentation has also been key in the choice I’ve made now and again to apply for payday loans. I remember when I needed to put a security deposit down on my family’s first apartment. I was earning enough money to pay the rent and take care of our other expenses, but the deposit happened to come at a difficult time. It was a very desirable apartment and I needed to put the deposit down quickly in order to secure it. Applying for payday loans to bridge that gap helped me get that brand new apartment. The terms were very easy to understand. All I had to pay was $15 for every $100 borrowed. This amounted to $345 ($300 payday loan plus $45 as the solitary fee). I knew the exact date on which the payment for my loan would be deducted from my checking account, which made it very easy to plan my budget.

If you need payday loans and would like to know where your money is going (and when), click the button to apply here.

I have often thought that it might be a good idea to get into investing. The thing is, it’s kind of scary. I don’t really know where to start. People are saying that it’s good to buy while stocks are down, but where to begin? I don’t know how to start, and I’d have no idea how to pick the right investments.

Lucky for me, I came across this article by David McPherson, the Founder and Principal of Four Ponds Financial Planning.

Join the club

Just like you can join a book club, or a cooking club, you can join an investment club. Investment clubs are groups of people that contribute money every month to a shared joint portfolio. Investment clubs have been around since the 1940s. They became popular in the 1950s, and now they can be found pretty much anywhere in the United States.

Benefits for beginners

For people who haven’t done any investing before, the other members of the club can be a big help. Everyone can share information and it can help the unfamiliar language be less daunting. It’s kind of like payday loans — you are much better off if you understand what you are getting into.

Jen Sterling, the president of a Virginia-based investment club, said she and fellow members have tackled unfamiliar territory together without feeling intimidated. “We can look at each other and go, ‘What the hell’s a margin?’ or ‘What’s a stock buy?’ or any of these terms that we don’t know — we can ask each other. This is a case where we can all come together comfortably and learn something we were never taught.”

Typically, members contribute a set amount of money each month. Then they make investments based on decisions they reach during monthly meetings. Between meetings, members research investments to prepare for the next meeting.

Help in hard times

McPherson also recommends investment clubs for people whose portfolios have taken a hit during the recession.

The education and support provided by an investment club can help small investors navigate these difficult times and provide a buffer against the urge to panic and sell stocks at low points, he says.

Personal reviews

Marie Gaziano from Massachusetts says her investment club has given her strength and focus. Even though her club has been around for decades, they are still taking new members. Other investment club members have great things to say about their groups.

“It’s a wonderful learning experience,” said Martha Schilling, a Dresher, Pa., financial planner who has been involved in three different investment clubs. “They promote value investing and not trading, getting a solid foundation, researching companies and doing comparisons, monitoring them.”

Something for everyone

While the median income of people in an investment club is generally higher than the average income in the country, McPherson assures readers that these clubs aren’t just for the wealthy. Monthly investments are often less than $100, so people in many different income brackets can join. The key is finding the right club for you.

Where to go now

There are a couple web sites you can visit to find an investment club. The Securities and Exchange Commission has information on investment clubs on its site, www.sec.gov. You can also visit betterinvesting.org. Or check out the Motley Fool web site.

Life was stressful enough when the situation occurred that turned you to take out a personal loan, but now you need to accumulate the cash to pay it back.  Do you worry about how to come up with the money to pay off your personal loan? Is the stress of all of this disturbing you?  Could you use some simple and effective tips to save money, so you can apply that money to your personal loan? If the answers to these questions are, “yes,” then this article is for you.

Droplets make an Ocean

You may look at the tips, below, and think that the little bits of money you are saving in each of these situations is just not enough to make a difference, but, have you heard, “Droplets make an Ocean?”

Economical eating saves money

Economical eating refers to the eating habits that will save you a lot of money. Eating cannot be stopped but ways of eating can save lots of money. First, if you are a food-lover, then you might have a tendency to go to restaurants and fast food to eat. This is the first change you can make. Make your meals at home and save.

Or, if you feel you have to go out, look at the dollar menus of your favorite fast food restaurant.  And keep your eye out for coupons.  If you go to a nice restaurant, cut out the drinks, alcoholic or even soda, and drink water.  And speaking of cutting out the drinks, cut down on the bottles of soda and fizzy drinks at home and work too. Drink water, from the tap, if possible where you live, and save.

Save money on your clothes

Many of us spend too much on clothes, don’t we? This needs a change as well. I am not against buying new clothes and wearing them. I am also not asking you to wear the same jeans for 5 years or so. But money can be saved if you can compromise on one thing when buying clothes-buying brand names. Advertisements looks good on T.V. but it does not mean we have to buy every T-shirt our favorite actor is wearing.

Don’t buy clothes only for the sake of its brand. In reality, there is no such thing as ‘brand-value.’  You will pay 3-4 times the value of the shirt to get the brand name. Try to avoid buying any new clothes until your personal loan is paid off, but if you have to buy something new, avoid costly brand names. One more clothes shopping tip, if you e-shop, search for sites giving free shipping charges. This can save you a lot of money.

Enjoy less today, enjoy more tomorrow

No, this has nothing to do with enjoying your life, but rather it deals with purchases. What do I mean?  Well, say it is the Christmas season.  Instead of buying gifts before Christmas, can you celebrate the week after, saving you maybe even hundreds of dollars in the after Christmas sales?  This is what I mean by enjoying more tomorrow.  Or, what about a product that is launched? Don’t try to be the first customer on the block with that new electronic game. The price will go down in no time.

And what about a vacation.  Should you take a personal loan to take your family to Disneyland?  Wait until your first personal loan is paid off, with all these money saving tips, and then save until you can afford the trip.  Go camping or visit family or friends.  Stay at their home to avoid hotel costs.  But do watch out for long drives. Although the price of gas is down, it is not free and, another thing to consider is that burning fuels makes the atmosphere unhealthy. But that’s another story for another day.

Paying off that personal loan

Follow the tips above properly and apply the savings to your Personal Loan.  You will have that loan paid off in no time.  And that stressed I talked about at the beginning of this article, will subside.

There are so many possibilities of how you can use payday loans to your advantage.  One of those ways is that the loan can be used to stay away from credit card debt. Many of us find ourselves falling short of credit card payments and accumulating debt. But if we use a little common sense, we can get away very easily from falling prey to such debt.

What usually happens is that credit cards give us an option not to pay the full amount on the payment due date; we think that it is a great help and unknowingly hurt ourselves.  What we actually are doing is accumulating more debt and making it easy for credit card companies eat up our money as interest. This is not a good way to manage our finances. We should definitely curb the urge to do this and take all positive steps to keep away from credit card debt.

Set the rule

To start with, make a promise that you will make your credit card bill payments like clockwork, before the payments’ due date, never late. Also make sure that no matter what, you will not let your credit card company take a penny more than what is absolutely necessary, even if you have to borrow from others to meet that commitment. Well, you might be thinking, if it was so easy to borrow, you would not be using credit cards. Come on; do not get discouraged, I can let you into the small secret I use to get over the borrowing difficulties.

Easiest way out:

It is actually one of the simplest and easiest ways to borrow money for your needs. If you have not already guessed it, yes, I am getting at using payday loans for this. Think about it. You are only short of a few bucks in paying the full balance of what you owe to the credit card company. When you do not have that money, what usually happens is, instead of paying the full balance, you end up paying only the minimum that the company wants you to make.

Assert Yourself:

This is one habit we have to get out of as quickly as possible. When you find you will not be able to meet the full payment for your credit card bill, get a cash advance that is given as a loan on your own income, to overcome the payment issue. Now you know you will not be getting your whole income next month, because you will pay back the cash advance, so you will get control over your spending.

The added advantage is that this all will subconsciously play on your mind whenever you think about using your credit card and you should be deterred from using it. But what if today is the last day I can make a payment on my credit card without having a late charge?  Don’t worry but act fast. Once you apply for your payday loan and if you pass approval, which takes only a few minutes, you will usually have the money transferred to your bank within two hours. The beauty of getting such loans is that you do not have to undergo any credit checks or faxing to obtain one.

So next time, when you fall short of your credit card payment, think of using payday loans to overcome it.

Tips For Smart Borrowers

There are so many important facts and issues that are highly relevant to applying for a payday loan or installment loan that uninformed borrowers pay a higher price. Here are just some quick facts that all borrowers should keep in mind when negotiating with payday loan lenders.

1. Ask your lender if there is a prepayment penalty
2. Ask your lender if they can provide installment payments
3. Ask your lender if they will conduct a hard inquiry type of credit check
4. Make sure you read the lender agreement carefully
5. Ask if there are any frequent customer rewards programs
6. Ask if there is a refer-a-friend program with compensation

Payday loans are your friend in times of need

Many people who use payday loan services are not the type you would think would ever need a payday loan. There are just too many situations that arise in life to never need a payday loan. Emergencies always come up and sometimes they surprise you when you are short on cash. Here is the index of the E-Book so you can get a sneak peak inside the payday loan resource for borrowers.

Index of:
“Payday Loans | Read This Before You Apply”

Payday Loans – Read This Before you apply
What type of Loan do you Really need?
Advantages of Payday Loans
Facts and Fallacies of payday loans
Purpose of this eBook | 4
How we can help | 4
Secured personal loans |  5
Unsecured personal loans |  6
Short Term personal loans | 6
Payday Loans personal loans | 7
Quick Cash | 7
Maintain Your Credit Rating | 8
Easy Application Process | 8
Minimal Criteria Makes Everyone Eligible | 8
Payday Lenders Trap Borrowers Into a Cycle of Debt | 10
Payday Lenders Charge 391% Interest Rates And Higher | 11
Payday Lenders Make Obscene Profits Off of Consumers | 12
Payday Lending Strips Money from the Community | 13
Payday Lenders Prey on Their Borrowers | 13
Consumers Will be Better Off Without Payday Loans | 13
Demographics of Payday Loan Borrowers
Eliminating your dependency on Borrowed Money
Eliminating Consumer Credit debt
Building and Maintaining Credit
Identifying Habits That Cost You Money | 16
Money Saving Tips and Tricks | 19
Debt Consolidation | 21
Good Credit Strategies for Eliminating Debt | 24
Poor Credit Strategies for Eliminating Debt | 29
Good Credit and Financial Success Go Hand In Hand | 31
How Credit Bureau’s Will Judge You | 34
One: Male vs. Female | 14
Two: Age | 14
Three: Income | 15
Four: Education | 15
Five: Minority Exploitation | 15
Payday Loans Targets Families | 15

A Payday Loan in all its simplicity…

A payday loan can be an attractive option, for those of you who are shy of borrowing or self reliant but have some emergent money needs. In such a situation, it would be hard to find an easier or simpler remedy. This loan can be obtained easily from the privacy of your home with no questioning eyes or uncomfortable moments. What you basically do is borrow from your own money, so you simply do not have to go knocking on any doors or convincing your boss why you need the cash advance. If you find this notion interesting, read through this article to learn how you can land such a loan.

The way to go:

First of all, make sure that the need for a loan is absolutely necessary. Remember, you will be putting a dent on your own payday income, so you should be absolutely sure that you need a cash advance at the moment. If your need is unavoidable, the next step you will have to do is sit down for a little research. Go online and search for the term “payday loan”. A list of companies providing such loans will pop up. Pick a few and check them over, do some comparison shopping. For this you can get free quotes from the companies you are interested in. Choose the company that you feel will be most beneficial to you, browse for their online application and fill it out and submit.

After all of my research, I chose to use Personal Money Store, and I have been very happy that I did.  You will be surprised at the ease of all of it from there on. Things are going to happen pretty fast. Yes, if you qualify, you will find your bank account credited with the money you requested, the very same day of your application. An application for this loan can also be made over the phone by contacting the concerned lender. Whichever method you choose, the entire loan process can take less than a day. Does this sound simple enough?

What else should you know?

Like any other loan, this loan also comes in various shapes and forms. The loans are basically given for short period and small amounts, ranging up to $1500. For this, most lenders do not require a credit check, so even if your credit history is not good, you may still get a loan. Most of these lenders also do not ask you to fax any documents, saving you even more time and headache. Personal Money Store does not charge processing charges. All things considered, the terms and conditions for these types of loan are not typically different from any other types of loan.

Simply put, the easiest loan to go for would be the one who lends at nominal rates, without any credit check and faxing of documents. So if you can feel comfortable and the loan seems amenable to your expectations, then go ahead and apply for your payday loan here…

Rightly dividing your expenses utilizing a budget will help you to save more.

When it comes to creating a budget, many don’t know where to start. So many bills, so many expenses, all due at different times of the month; small wonder people need payday loans. Its quite easy to get lost or frustrated during the process.

Implementing a budget will help you build credit, pay bills on time without the use of payday loans, credit cards or other third party financial services and prepare you successfully for all your future financial goals ranging from family movie nights at your local theater, exotic vacations around the world or retirement.

Debt And Money Management

When it comes to debt, we all have it, and we all hate it, but we don’t have to live with it. The primary reason why we as consumers fall into the cycle of debt is because we fail to know where we stand financially on a day to day basis.

The average American consumer possesses $9200 of consumer credit debt which could be avoided through implementing basic money management practices through easy to implement tools and strategies such as a personal budget.

Budgeting Today For A Better Tomorrow

For the duration of this article we will examine the fundamentals of creating and implementing a financial budget. Often times people associate budgeting as a deterrent or restriction to their ability or right to have fun.

It’s true that you may have to make some sacrifices but often times budgeting your money leaves you with more money to both have fun with, pay your bills and pay down your debts.

Be Careful Not to be to Conservative

When budgeting your finances be careful not to eliminate the entertainment or fun in your life as eventually you will lose interest and focus on budgeting altogether. Instead, learn to compromise or moderate the funds you allocate towards entertainment expenses.

For example if your used to going out to lunch five days a week, cut back to three. If you go to your local cinema once a week, cut back to two for two weeks out of the month and rent a movie for the other two.

You don’t have to sacrifice much to save a lot. You simply need to know what your spending and then learn to spend those funds in moderation and find cheaper substitutes for the same activities.

Track Your Expenses

The first thing you need to do before developing a budget is to discover where all your funds are currently being allocated. To do this you will need to use a ledger to track all your daily expenses for one full month. This needs to include any and all expenses both big and small.

After the month is over, you can categorize your expenses and come to terms with how much you are spending and where you are spending it. You can then make educated decisions on how to better allocate your funds and moderate excessive spending.

Pay Yourself Before Anything Else And Build Your Savings

Off the top of your budget each month try to allocate around ten percent of your funds to a savings account before doing anything else. We all have rainy days sometimes and having a source of emergency funds available without having to borrow payday loans will prove useful.

Maxing Out Your 401K

Apart from contributing funds to a savings account, be mindful of your 401k as well especially if your employer is willing to contribute. There are not many places where you can get free extra money and although you won’t see your 401k funds for a long time, this is an excellent way to get ahead and meet or exceed your financial goals for retirement.

Matching 401k options from employers will usually only match funds up to a certain amount. Do your best to contribute enough each month so that by the end of the year, you are getting the maximum amount of contributed funds to your 401k matched as possible.

Remember, it’s free money and the extra cash that is contributed to your 401k by your employer becomes larger over time making this opportunity even more important to take advantage of.

Spending with cash instead of credit will help you make decisions that will save you money.

Getting Use to Cash Instead of Credit

Once you have allocated funds in your budget to put towards monthly bills, investments in your 401k and or your personal savings account, you should designate a modest sum of what is left over for monthly fun and entertainment and use the rest to get ahead on credit debt by paying extra towards the principle amount owed.

The funds you set aside for entertainment purposes should be set aside in cash. Doing so will help hold you accountable to your budget and what you have alloted yourself to spend. Being able to see the amount you have or have left, will prevent you from spending these funds wastefully and help you spread your transactions equally throughout the month. You may end up thinking about payday loans less.

Spending cash out of your wallet or purse will catch you making decision such as

“Do I want to go out to lunch with my friend or buy that new CD I have been wanting?” or “Do I want to treat myself out to espresso this week or go to a movie with refreshments this weekend”

With a credit card we never have to make these decisions and end up surprised when we see the new balance on our monthly statement.

Make the effort. Take the plunge. Do what is best for you and your future starting today by creating a budget for your finances.

Posted Courtesy of personalmoneystore.com, your payday loans source.

Many people would rather take a trip to the dentist than draw up a budget. But as tools pop up on the Internet, the process becomes much easier. Here are a few online tools that will help you manage your money.

Mint.com

Image via Wikipedia

Aaron Patzer was deemed a hero by CNNMoney for inventing Mint.com, an online budgeting tool. The twenty-something built the site with a goal in mind: turn the savings rate for people younger than 40 positive instead of negative.

The site was named a top pick in Money Magazine, and the service is totally free. The site has fun options, such as comparing your spending with other people from the same city. It has 600,000 users whose average age is 31. Patzer wanted to help younger people because they are most likely to have student loans and other debt, and they are less  likely to save.

The site is quick and easy to use, and it offers advice on ways to make the most of your savings.

MyGoals.com

Another useful tool for people seeking money management help is mygoals.com. One of the goal categories users can pick is personal finance. From there they can choose to set goals related to investing, debt and expenses, major purchases or income.

The site sends e-mails to users to remind them of what they should be doing in order to achieve their goals. And the site handles all types of goals, not just financial ones. Other categories include health and fitness, family and relationships, career and recreation and leisure.

No Fax Payday Loans

Getting no fax payday loans at personalmoneystore.com is easier than ever. This online application lets you apply for payday loans from the comfort of your own home or office. You don’t have to fax any paperwork; the entire process can be completed with just a computer or a phone.

And now, with Personal Money Store’s loan calculator, you don’t have to worry about figuring out how much your payday loan will cost. Just plug in the numbers, and voila, you can view the exact price of your payday loan.

CASH

If you need financial tools that are geared toward business instead of personal finances, visit financialtools.com. Financial Tool’s program, called CASH, serves many different functions, including risk assessment and help with decisions that will increase profitability.

Users of CASH boast that the service is easy to use and provides them with all the financial tools they need.

YoungMoney

Another site geared toward young people is youngmoney.com. The site features articles on money management, surviving on a small salary and taking advantage of student discounts.

Some other helpful articles were about avoiding scams and understanding insurance. The site is geared toward helping young people understand money and form good habits before accruing a bunch of debt.

The kitchen sink

So there you have it, from no fax  payday loans to helping you achieve all kinds of goals, the Internet is the place to go.

While most have been worried about keeping up with the Jones’s, self proclaimed cheapskates, or so they have been called, get by with no debt or need of payday loans on just $44 thousand dollars a year for the seven of them.

Meet the “Frugals”

Steve and Anette Economides have been called a lot of things over the years for their frugal money saving tactics but nobody is laughing at them now. With everyone else worried about how the economy is going to affect them, these two and there five children aren’t worried at all.

National Acclaim For Careful Spending

Frugal spending has made Steve and Anette Economides Famous!

Now gaining national attention as “The Cheapest Family In America”, they are now helping to show others how to live debt free.

Living debt free they say doesn’t mean you have to go without the better things in life as the Economides live in a nicer neighborhood with some nicer things that those with twice the income may not be accustomed to. Knowing how to spend your money, when to spend it and where to spend it are all factored into their money saving strategies.

Feeding Seven With the Funds For Two

According to Anette Economides, she claims to be the “Warren Buffet of Groceries” saving a large percentage of her grocery bill by taking advantage of coupons and local sales adds each week. She claims it only costs her $350 per month to feed her family of seven.

A Quality Christmas Made Cheap

Christmas shopping has been made affordable as well. By hitting clearance sales Annete was able to pay cash for twelve items totaling only $17.15. Their total shopping bill this Christmas totaled only $90 for 27 gifts, and they weren’t shopping at the dollar store mind you.

Children Follow Their Parents Lead

The children who you think would be embarrassed with such frugal tactics to save money, get in on the fun of bargain hunting as well.

Abbey, was able to hunt down a pair of $120 Lucky jeans for just $8 and called that expensive for jeans. Her wardrobe bears the brand names typically worn by only the overprivileged children in society such as American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Levi Strauss. No Imitations here, Abbey is able to make a little extra cash go a long way.

Of her parents Abbey Says;

“They realize what life is about, It’s not consumerism. It’s not ‘How much does that stuff cost?’ It’s ‘Do I want it? Do I need it?’ “

Abbeys Brother Joseph got a new custom tux for $10. Who can beat that? Steve, the father of the clan, spoke of the family’s outlook on life and money as follows:

“You learn to appreciate life and people more than you appreciate stuff,” he said. “You’ve got to focus on changing the perspective. It’s not always new, it’s not always expensive that says love.”

How The Economide Way Was Founded

Twenty-six years ago, Steve and Annete were married. Before getting married they both agreed to take a financial planning course since neither had really any understanding of what goes into budgeting. Taking this step shaped their life in a way that neither could have ever foreseen. Anette said, “It started out as a game and then became fun to play.”

What Does the Economide Budget Look Like?

19 categories define Steve and Annette’s budget and it was this very budget that allowed them to pay off their first house in just nine years on a modest income of only $33,000. Even better, the home that they now own is worth an estimated $700,000 which they purchased for only $200,000 and it too is almost paid off.

Role Models For the Rest of Us

Avoiding consumer credit debt by paying with cash instead of credit, we could all stand to learn a few things from these folks. Perhaps a reality TV show featuring the Economides could do more for the economy than the federal reserve could ever do – we could learn the way of never needing payday loans.

What Are The Economides Doing Today?

Steve and Anette’s book “America’s Cheapest Family,” has spent some time on the Best sellers list with the New York Times. This has allowed them to now work from home where they are now hoping to get the message out to the rest of us poor and debt burdened civilians. The sales will mean they won’t need payday loans for awhile.

If you’re looking to decrease or eliminate your debt or reliance on borrowed money such as payday loans, you may want to pay their site a visit at www.homeeconomiser.com

The state of our economy is getting progressively worse and at an alarming rate. More people are seeking help from third parties such as payday loans stores just to pay their monthly bills. With layoffs in 2008 quickly approaching numbers equaling that of 1945, a depression is seemingly becoming more and more likely.

There is no doubt that we have all been affected to some degree by the economic fallout already experienced by the economy’s downturn in the last year and a half but since things are likely to get worse before they get better, it would be wise for you and I to discuss some things we can do now to help avoid things getting worse than they have to later.

Budget and Save!

Is YOUR wallet safe?

Ironically, procrastination is usually blamed on not having any funds to save. However, if you don’t know where your money goes, it is difficult to see where you can save.

Make note of all your bills and allotted expenses once doing so, you will usually see that there is a significant portion of your paycheck that will go unaccounted for. These funds are those which are spent casually on things which are typically unnecessary or unimportant and could easily be set aside each month as savings. Even if the amount that you can save is small, make the effort to set it aside as savings for a rainy day as their may be several on the way.

Insure Your Self Against Disaster

If your not a believer in insurance you should be. Today they make insurance for just about everything and soon or later everybody wishes they would have gotten it for something. Whether it is for your home, your auto, or your health insurance, you need to have the insurance. The costs may sometimes seem like an added expense but the lack of these types of insurance can quickly find you in a world of financial hurt if an accident happens that would typically call for insurance to step in.

Another type of insurance that you may want to consider investing in during this troubled economy is credit insurance. Your creditors will typically provide you with an insurance that will step in and pay your monthly payments if you are not able to. With the number of people loosing their jobs, you may want to consider what would happen if you lost your job as well. Consider how you would pay your creditors if you didn’t have a payday coming in?

Getting Rid Of Debt

The best thing you can do right now if at all possible is get rid of debt. Unfortunately, as may be the case with you, Americans are steeped within debt today with the average citizen owing thousands of dollars. It would be worth downgrading things such as your automobile and getting out of the monthly payments so that you apply those payments to outstanding balances elsewhere. The more in debt you are the more at risk you become.

With interest rates down, now may be a good time to refinance your home and pay off your debts. It will be much easier to only have to worry about your mortgage rather than several miscellaneous creditors bugging you if things get tight.

Besides, refinancing your debt in with your mortgage will allow you to spread that debt out over thirty years lowering your monthly payment. You can always pay more if you are able to but get your payments down as low as possible.

Hopefully come next payday you will have a budget in place that will provide you with the emergency funds you need to get out of debt and prepare for the tough times ahead, and if you have a sudden expense payday loans are always there for you.

-To your financial health

"Marriage is more than just a perfect picture"

You can probably remember your first date, your first kiss, the way he proposed, and the wedding vows, but you never imagined that installment loans would help your marriage. Before people get married, they paint a pretty picture of what they want their future to look like together. Sometimes that picture doesn’t turn out quite how you had thought it would. While it’s important to have goals and dreams as a couple, it’s also essential to maintain a sensible perspective on reality. And the reality is that fifty to sixty percent of marriages end in divorce, and the number one reason for divorce is money.

Different Backgrounds

There are a few reasons money causes so much conflict in marriages. One reason is that many people learn their money management skills from their parents, and different backgrounds mean different ways of thinking about money. If one spouse was taught to save and conserve and the other was taught that spending money on a whim is acceptable, chances are there will be disagreements on how to treat money. Even if both spouses were taught the same tendencies, the way they save or the way they spend will still be different based on their priorities.

Different Priorities

Often times, when people get married, they have similar priorities and aspirations. However, that does not mean all their priorities are the same, especially in regards to money. By nature, men and women have different priorities, and by nature, men and women view money differently. Men equate money with success and tend to take more risks than women. Therefore, men fail to plan and save for emergencies. Women see money as security, and are more inclined to save for unexpected events. In addition, men and women have different problem solving skills, so when there are money problems, the solution is rarely unanimous.

Talk About It

Your spouse is your partner, and you both need to be involved with the financial decisions. Chances are, one of you takes responsibility for paying the bills and making sure everything is in order, but that doesn’t mean that the other spouse should be completely excluded from money discussions. Working together on creating a budget and making financial decisions can be difficult due to the differences in background and priorities, but it is necessary. Being open with each other about your finances will help your marriage run more smoothly, even if you disagree on certain things. It’s okay to disagree, and being straight forward with each other will make it easier to compromise because you understand where the other person is coming from.

Happily Ever After

Married life is probably much different than you ever pictured, and the financial struggles are likely much more difficult than you ever imagined. Perhaps you’ve realized why some people decide to call it quits on behalf of money fights. Money management is a never-ending issue, but talking about it with your spouse can save you the heartbreak of divorce. Knowing how much both individuals are making and spending is imperative. When you are aware that as a couple you’re spending more than you’re making, you can make a joint decision to cut back on spending and to get installment loans to help you both through until the next payday. Installment loans can help your budget and your marriage to up your chances of living happily ever after.

Emphasize the importance of money management

Educating your children about money will help them in their financial futures and can help them avoid credit repair services. There is no better time to teach your kids about the smart usage of payday loans and money management than right now. Your budget is probably stretched to the max, and it’s important for your children to understand how money works, especially in difficult financial times.

Common Mistakes

Parents make a few common mistakes when they teach their children about money management. First and foremost, you should not cave into your child’s every request. It’s easy to feel guilty for not buying everything your kids want, but by giving them everything they ask for, you are setting a poor example and failing to teach them the value of money. A child that is accustomed to getting all her heart’s desires will have a very difficult time understanding the concept of budgeting.

It’s important for parents to understand that it’s okay to say no. You aren’t saying no to be mean to your children; you’re saying no to teach your kids a lesson. Kids need to learn that you can’t have everything you want. Life doesn’t work that way. Kids also need to learn that money isn’t an unlimited resource and irresponsibly using financial resources such as payday loans and cash advance can be extremely damaging. Money doesn’t grow on trees, and it is limited.

Some parents also neglect to give their kids money management guidance. Be honest with your children. It’s completely appropriate to talk about the family budget with your children. This does not mean you should burden your children with the stress of bills or make them feel guilty about how much children cost. However, you should explain to your kids that there is a certain amount of money that comes into your home, and there are certain expenses that have to be paid every month, like utilities and grocery bills.

The easiest way to help your children understand the value of money is to teach them to earn money. You can give them an allowance for completing certain chores, and when they’re old enough they can even go out and get a job. If your kid wants a $35 toy and only makes $10 per week in allowance, you will teach him that saving is necessary to get the things he wants. Visual aids are also very helpful when teaching kids how to manage their money. Try using jars to help your kids allocate their money. They can use one jar for everyday spending, one jar for bigger items like that $35 toy, and one jar for long-term savings (which should later be put in a savings account).

Set a Good Example

Smart money management brings a significant amount of financial success.

Your children are watching your every move, whether you like it or not. This includes your money spending and saving practices. If your children see you shopping compulsively or pulling out your credit card when ever you get a chance, or even obtaining more payday loans than needed, they will be getting the wrong message about money. So practice what you preach. If you spend and save wisely you will be doing your own budget a favor, and you will be teaching your kids life-long money lessons. Using money responsibly will help your credit, and your kids will be more likely to avoid credit problems in the future. Credit repair services are there if you need them, but it’s best for you and your kids to avoid bad credit altogether.

When was the last time you took a close look at your finances?

Budgeting your money from one payday to the next can be difficult, especially in today’s economy. With the prices of consumer products seeming to rise almost daily, Americans who are used to living a lifestyle of excess, may need to learn to trim the fat and practice what is called “saving”, and it can keep you out of trouble and from needing payday loans.

Believe it or not, 47% of American workers live paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet. Even more shocking is the fact that 21% with salaries over $100,000 a year report living paycheck to paycheck as well. This just goes to show, that we as a society don’t like to lack in anything. It also shows that many of us can afford to adopt a lifestyle far simpler and less costly than the one we are living now – it’s a small wonder so many more people are getting payday loans these days.

Our parents taught us that a penny saved is a penny earned, yet we today are teaching our children that a penny earned is a penny to spend. We do not have to live an archaic lifestyle to save money, we simply have to prioritize our spending habits and exercise a little patience for the unnecessary things that we want right now.

If this sounds like you, you may want to consider the suggestions outlined below to alter your lifestyle for the good of yourself, your future and your family.

A quarter of workers said they don’t put any money aside for savings each month. Of those who do save, 34 percent set aside less than $100 a month for savings, and 18 percent save $50 or less.

Knowing What Your Expenses Are, Is Key To Saving Money

The first thing you will want to do is create a record of monthly expenses. Knowing what your expenses are each month is the first step in creating a budget. This will give you the raw data that you will need to work with and refine over the coming months to develop a savings plan.

Concrete expenses, which don’t change from month to month such as your cable bill or mortgage payment are simple to budget funds for. The rest of your expenses which change on a month to month basis, you have the power to influence to your advantage.

Lower Your Power Consumption

Your power consumption habits can make a big difference in your budget. By changing your bulbs to power conservative bulbs, doing full loads of laundry, taking shorter showers, turning the heat down at night and so forth can pay you big dividends at the end of the month.

Take Control Of Your Food Bill Before Your Food Bill Takes Control Of You

Eating better can save you money two!

Some of the greatest saving each month can be found here. Most of us spend excessive amounts on
processed foods which are neither cheap to buy or good for you. Practicing a more nutritious life style, contrary to popular belief, is cheaper than not doing so. Replacing a sugary bowl of frosted flakes which a bowl of oatmeal, fruits and nuts will leave you with more energy and money in your pockets.

Don’t forget to shop the sales and use coupons at your local grocery stores. This alone can save you $15 to $30 every two weeks.

Cut Out The Gadgetry. After All, Is It Really Necessary?

Now this suggestion may seem difficult as we are a entertainment driven society but I am going to throw it out there for all of those who are really serious about saving money. So, here it goes.

Television, internet, and cellphones are gadgets that we used to live without and did just fine. These bills alone can cost between $250 to $400 per month to have. Most users use the internet for occasional browsing and research but primarily for email. By taking advantage of the free wireless services at your local library or coffee shop a couple times a week, you can save big on your monthly expenses and get yourself out of the house once in a while too.

If you cannot bare to part with any of these services, try to find some middle ground by reducing your current packages to a point that will both meet your needs as well as reduce your expenses.

Small Beginnings Will Add Up To Big Things

Saving Money, as difficult as it seems, is really quite easy. Many simply choose not to save because the amount they have left at the end of the month may seem embarrassingly small. No matter how small the amount, put what you can aside. You will be shocked at how quickly this adds up. Remember! A penny saved is a penny earned. Pocket change alone if set aside at the end of each day can save you $10 to $20 dollars a month.  That adds up to a few payday loans worth a year.

Ultimately, you alone have to prioritize and decide what your goals are each month and stick by them. Hopefully these tips will be of some help to you.

Holiday Juggle = Financial Stress

This holiday season, all I can think about is money, and that includes the possibility of taking out a cash advance. Halloween is over, and it’s November, so I feel like I can rightfully talk about the upcoming holiday season. The holidays are a special time of year, but with so much stuff going on, the holidays can also be very stressful—especially when it comes to money.

Are You Prepared?

The holidays require a lot of preparation. I’m definitely not one of those people that does my Christmas shopping in July or October. I typically wait until the middle weeks of December to finish up buying gifts. I may not have any of my Christmas shopping done, but I have been preparing for the holiday season by saving as much money as possible. I’ve cut back on restaurant dining, I’ve been skipping my morning latte, and I’ve been keeping track of how much money I charge on my credit card each day. I even got a part-time waitressing job in early October to supplement the income from my day job.

There's much to prepare for during the holidays

Preparation is necessary to deal with the financial stress of the holidays. There are so many costs associated with the “most wonderful time” of the year. I want to have extra money this time of year so I can entertain my friends, afford gifts for my closest friends and family, buy a pretty Christmas tree, and travel across the state to visit my family. Even then, I’m going to shop frugally—I might even make most of the gifts I give. And I bet my pretty Christmas tree will only be 3 feet tall like Charlie Brown’s tree.

Little Luxuries

Unfortunately, all the things I’m saving for are little luxuries; I still have to be able to afford the usual monthly expenses like utilities, gas, and groceries. I know my heat bill is going to skyrocket once the snow hits the ground! So despite all my preparation, I still feel under-prepared. What if something unexpected happens? If any surprise costs get thrown in the mix, my budget will be thrown completely off-track.

No Help from the North Pole

"Santa won’t be able to give me cold, hard cash..."

I know Santa Clause creates miracles for families every Christmas, but I don’t live on 34th street. Santa won’t be able to give me cold, hard cash if I run into emergency expenses. That’s why I know I can get a cash advance if I need to. I hope that with all my budgeting, preparation, and sacrifices I will have enough money to make it through the holiday season. If not, I know that I can take out a cash advance to help me until I get my next paycheck.

Maintaining Perspective

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the material side of the holidays. This whole post is discussing how stressed I am about money. Although my financial concerns are legitimate, I need to maintain the right perspective. The holidays are about spending time with friends and family, and that should be my focus. Bills, travel, a cash advance, and other financial issues are things I need to keep in the back of my mind.