Budgeting Archives - Moving 2 Brevard

Jan202021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

6 Signs Your Personal Finance Software Makes Life Easier

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans, Personal Finance

6 Signs Your Personal Finance Software Makes Life Easier Finding personal finance software is easy, because there are countless choices in mobile apps, online programs, and finance software you can run on your home computer. But they’re certainly not equal. Personal finance software should make your life simpler, not more complicated, and it should be customizable for your particular life, goals, and needs. You know you’ve found great software when your financial life becomes easier over time. Here are 6 signs your personal finance software makes life easier. 1. You Haven’t Paid a Late Fee in Months Does your personal finance software let you know in advance of when bills are due? It should be easy to set up automated alerts that tell you a few days before monthly, quart...

Jan202021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

How to Handle a Pay Cut: Budgeting in Uncertain Times

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans, Frugal Living

A pay cut, whether big or small, can catch you off guardâand throw your finances into disarray. While a salary cut is different than a layoff, it can leave you feeling just as uncertain. How do you deal with a pay cut and deal with this uncertainty? There are strategies to help you navigate both the emotional and financial challenges of this situation. One key element? A budget. Whether you need to create a budget from scratch or adjust the budget you already have, doing so can help you get back on your feet and set yourself up for success. Hereâs a rundown of budgeting tips to survive a pay cut to keep your finances intact: Ask your employer for the parameters of the income reduction or salary cut First, keep in mind that a pay cut typically isnât personal. According to Scott Bis...

Jan172021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

5 Things Keeping You From a Life of Financial Independence

Budgeting, Financial Freedom, Lubbock

Financial independence can mean different things to everyone. A 2013 survey from Capital One 360 found that 44 percent of American adults feel that financial independence means not having any debt, 26 percent said it means having an emergency savings fund, and 10 percent link financial independence with being able to retire early. I define financial independence as the time in life when my assets produce enough income to cover a comfortable lifestyle. At that point, working a day job will be optional. But what about the rest of America? How would you define financial independence? If freedom from debt is what you're seeking, here are five areas that could be holding you back. 1. Not having clear, financial goals If you're not planning for financial independence, chances are you won'...

Jan172021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

Affording a Second Child: How to Make Your Budget Work

Budgeting, Family Finance, San Antonio

Having kids is anything but cheap. According to the USDA, families can expect to spend an average of $233,610 raising a child born in 2015 through age 17âand that’s not including the cost of college. The cost of raising a child has also increased since your parents were budgeting for kids. Between 2000 and 2010, for example, the cost of having children increased by 40 percent. If you’ve had your first child, you understandâfrom diapers to day care to future extracurricular activities, you know how it all adds up. You’ve already learned how to adjust your budget for baby number one. How hard can it be repeating the process a second time? While you may feel like a parenting pro, overlooking tips to prepare financially for a second child could be bad news for your bank a...

Jan162021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

Teachers: How to Survive the Summer Paycheck Gap

Budgeting, Interest Only Loans

Months (and months) of grading papers, bringing work home on the weekends, staying on-point for all those young minds you’ve been charged with educating and finally… summer is here! It’s time to put your feet up and relax for a well-earned break from your awesome, and often intense, teaching career. But wait. How do teachers budget with no paycheck during the summer? The summer paycheck gap doesn’t need to be a cause of stress for educators. You just need to put a plan in place to cover your finances for the months that school is out of session. You can follow these guidelines to create a summer budgeting plan that works for you: Spread your income over 12 months Bobby Hoyt, a former teacher and personal finance blogger at Millennial Money Man, says the beginning of...

Jan162021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

9 Ways to Support Small Businesses Without Breaking the Bank

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans

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 realization of your neighborâs dream.Â These stores are built on hard work and love, and supply some of the best quality products you can find. Small businesses are a great sign of a thriving economy, but theyâre also the first to suffer from economic downturns, like 2020âs COVID-19 recession. This is why itâs more important than ever to find ways to support your communityâs businesses. There are many reasons why small business success is vital. Not just for the economy but for our communities. Thatâs why Small Business Saturday (November 2...

Jan162021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

Fido-Proofing Your Budget: Managing the High Cost of Owning a Dog

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans

When Craig Hynd and his fiancÃ©e brought home their new Lhasa Apso puppy Chewie, they knew the addition to their family would be worth itâbut they didn’t quite understand the true cost of owning a dog. As new homeowners, “we didn’t have a lot of money to spare on a month-to-month basis,” Hynd says, “but we also love dogs and felt that we could afford to bring one into our home.” To make sure they were financially on the mark, Hynd, a marketing executive for HR software company Youmanage, decided to do some research on how to afford a dog on a budget, shortly after Chewie settled in. He was glad he did: He found that the costs of dog ownership added up to much more than he originally anticipated. Fortunately, there was still time for him to adjust. But...

Jan132021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

How to Throw a Bridal Shower on a Budget: A Guide for the Frugal Host

Apartment Communities, Budgeting, Frugal Living

Between impressive floral arches and customized sugar cookies, throwing a picture-perfect bridal shower aimed at being a social media showstopper can be pricey. CostHelper.com, a website that compares the cost of services, reports that a typical bridal shower can run from $15 to $40 per person for a luncheon or party in a private room at a mid-range restaurant. If you’re going all out with an elaborate bridal shower, you could be talking $40 to $150 or more (gasp!) per person. Even a small, elaborate bridal shower (think 15 guests) could cost between $600 and $2,250âand that’s before invitations, decorations and cake. The good news is you can actually honor the bride and your budget at the same time. A bridal shower with simple refreshments at the host’s home, for examp...

Jan132021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

The Top Financial Resolutions for 2021

Bank Accounts, Budgeting, Conventional Loans, Insurance, Investing

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners. Have you made your resolutions yet? It can feel a little daunting trying to figure out what you need to focus on, so we made it easy: These are the resolutions everyone else is taking on in 2021, according to a survey by Wallethub, and you should, too. Plus â how to accomplish them. 1. Make A Realistic Budget And Stick To It This one sounds familiar, right? Oft-regarded as Old Faithful when it comes to New Yearsâ resolutions, it holds that title for good reason. Having a budget you can actually stick to will set you up for financial success, no matter what your goals are. Itâs easy to slip away from our good...

Jan122021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

Everything You Need to Know About Budgeting As a Freelancer

Budgeting, Frugal Living, Interest Only Loans

Could logging in to your computer from a deluxe treehouse off the coast of Belize be the future of work? Maybe. For many, the word freelance means flexibility, meaningful tasks and better work-life balance. Who doesn’t want to create their own hours, love what they do and work from wherever they want? Freelancing can provide all of thatâbut that freedom can vanish quickly if you don’t handle your expenses correctly. “A lot of the time, you don’t know about these expenses until you are in the trenches,” says freelance copywriter Alyssa Goulet, “and that can wreak havoc on your financial situation.” Nearly 57 million people in the U.S. freelanced, or were self-employed, in 2019, according to Upwork, a global freelancing platform. Freelancing is als...