Budgeting Archives - Moving 2 Brevard

Jan172021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

5 Things Keeping You From a Life of Financial Independence

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...

Jan122021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

Zero-Based Budgeting: The Ultimate Guide

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans

When you create a budget that works for you, you gain a sense of peace and freedom that comes with taking ownership of your finances. Although there are many approaches to budgeting, certain systems prove to be more effective than others. Zero-based budgeting is an easy and reliable method to achieve your financial goals. The concept of zero-based budgeting is simple: When you create your budget, you assign a role for every single dollar of your income. By knowing exactly where your hard-earned cash is going, zero-based budgeting eliminates uncertainty and increases confidence in your financial decisions. Could a zero-sum approach to budgeting be the key to helping you regain your financial freedom? Weâll walk you through the specifics of this detail-oriented budgeting method so you can ...

Jan122021 by Ian JensenNo Comments

How to Set Financial Goalsâand Crush Them

Budgeting, Commercial Refinance Loans

Maybe you want to lose those stubborn 10 pounds, score a big promotion or run your first marathon. Whatever your priority, it all starts with setting a goal. Financial priorities are no different. Whether you want to save for your child’s college education or get yourself out of debt, budgeting to help reach your financial goals allows you to determine what’s most important to you, make a plan to attain those goals and hold yourself accountable for success. Still, when it comes to managing your money, knowing how to set financial goals and sticking to them can feel like opposite sides of the same coin. You might even find yourself asking, “How do I create a simple budget to reach my financial goals?” If you follow these three steps, you could be crossing the finish...