Financial Ramble

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Vimu Subscription

Spotlight Posts

Money Tracking Resources

Bankruptcy

[ more ]

In another post, I already talked about Buddi and Clearcheckbook as money tracking resources. Today I have more tools you could use to streamline your money, budget, and life! Some are for students or young professionals but can apply to anyone with a bit of creativity. Some sites can help keep track of money and borrowed items!

Billmonk is just that type of site to keep track of what you owed, borrowed, lent, collected, etc.

Billster is a great budgeting and tracking tool for shared or individual expenses.

Budget Tracker says it all and is useful for individuals and corporations and all in between.

Expenseview lets you actually see where your money is going.

Myspendingplan.com great for your personal finance planning.

You get the point?!! Here's more:

Mint

Read this.

To the point of what I've been saying all along.

Sometimes it might sound like I'm being repetitive. I might hit on topics and sites more than once. Consider all my info as clutter or brainstorming. Not everything will work for each individual. YOU must figure your situation and NEEDS and see what works for you.

Expense Register

Read this

Buxfer

Expensr lets you track your spending and comparing it with others with similar spending habits.

Just Budget

Personal Finance Budgeting is loaded with information and has budget calculators.

Financial Planning Toolkit

Plan2Spend

Spending Profile

Spending Diary

Kiplinger's

This post is great to keep referencing to. Might not need anything today, but it's nice to know that it's here if you do!

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Paycheck-to-Paycheck

September 1st 2008 10:54

This post goes along with the previous one. It is about budget but it focuses on tracking spending for those living paycheck-to-paycheck.

You can budget your money, but there are too many unforeseen expenses. The real money drainers are what we pay more for that we want and don't need. Article:
Well, you budgeted for rent, monthly bills and groceries, but did you factor in going to the movies, eating out for lunch, repairing your car's busted radiator or tailoring your new suit?

An unforeseen expense is the radiator. Tailoring your new suit has too many flaws and there must be a 'cheaper' solution depending on the circumstances. Going to the movies-RENT a movie and stay home! Eating out for lunch-brown bag it! Fear not, suggestions are coming in the future.

Sound advice to try: "Consider creating a budget and then writing down all money spent for a month. Compare it to the budget," financial specialist Lisa R. Featherngill advises. "Are there surprises?"
That's a great way to track spending and keeping a budget.

In the end, even though most don't like it:
Sometimes, though, living paycheck to paycheck is not a matter of luxurious spending; it's a simple case of math. You might not be earning enough to ever get ahead. You have to decide if you're comfortable with earning what you do or if you need to find another job. In the meantime, maybe you can find ways to save a little extra with your current pay.

Part-time jobs aren't always as bad as they sound. I would stay away working day labor on your days off, but might work for those in real financial need. Employers hire part-timers more than they hire full-timers. Some cater to retired seniors, others to college students, and there are plenty in between. This, too, will be a future post!

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Saving For A Rainy Day

August 31st 2008 16:52

It's hard to find a high-yielding savings or checking accounts in this day and age. You have to admit that a 3.28% APY is a pretty good rate. How about an extra bonus of no minimum deposit required? That's the current offering at IGObanking.com*, which may be subject to change. In March it was 3.5% APY, currently it is 3.28%! Still an overall good rate. Saving should be a habit and if your money can earn something while it sits, more power to you!

Now for a high-yielding checking account, I would look at Schwab*. The 2.01% is probably the best you will find.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't always save like I should. I get hit with unforeseen bills(car repair) or overindulge in something I shouldn't have. But overall, I try to save at least $10 a week or as much as $50.

My biggest savings began after I quit smoking and, I really hate to say this, after I lost a beloved pet. By today's standards if I still smoked(up to 3 packs a day) and I still had my dog(keep it simple...just food and treats), that would be over $150 a week! That's just extra money if you think about it. The thing to consider is that cigarettes were a lot cheaper when I quit and dog food and treats were cheaper when I had my dog.

The thing about me is that I am a compulsive buyer, but I am really starting to correct that. At one time I was buying tons of collectibles such as sports and super-hero cards, comics, action figures, beanie bears, nascars, matchbox, posters, etc. All I got was clutter and dust. Plus all that money I paid for them. Never could get my money back and eventually I had to take a loss. Leave collectibles for what they are...kid's toys. A rule of thumb about 'collectibles' is to buy and sell quickly for a profit while the craze exist!

Still the price of gas, food, utilities, etc. have skyrocketed compared to a year ago. The price of gas may be ever so slowly coming down, but I foresee it going up again if Hurricane Gustov damages the refineries in the Gulf. Still it may go up due to the fact that they shut the refineries down because of the storm! If you prepare and I am wrong, guess what? You saved money. Petty, maybe, but still saved!

To start really saving you should keep track of your spending. It gives you an idea of your spending habits and how to correct them to save money. Another way of looking at tracking your spending that has a bit of wisdom to it! Even budgets may not work as well as keeping track of spending.

*From Money magazine May 2008.

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Smart Investing

August 30th 2008 18:06

Investing involves risks and usually most people pay financial advisers for advice on investing. Sometimes the advice isn't as financially sound as we had hoped but the adviser still get their cut. There may be an easier more profitable way you can do it yourself. It involves educating yourself and taking small steps rather than diving in head first!

Here's a site that's a good start. It is very educational and can help in a variety of investing information. I also like and reccomend MSN. How can you not love informative articles such as this
[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Money Changes Everything!

August 29th 2008 23:15

You might not believe this but money is not the root of all evil as has been misquoted for centuries. It's the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil(1Timothy 6:10). You can't survive without money in the modern world. It is legal tender. Money must be respected. To be respected one must value its importance. Depression and hard times usually makes one appreciate and respect money.

I can't stress enough how important it is to save cash. You should always have at least $500 available at any time for emergencies. Saving is hard and we are more inclined to seek 'immediate gratification' through loans and credit cards. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they are a god send, but they should be a manageable, rather than a struggle. If you pay minimum or neglect bills, it's a struggle

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Saving On Almost Anything

July 12th 2008 12:57

I hate to break the news on the current world economy, but don't expect to see a light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon. Things are going to get bad before they get worse! That is not a negative outlook. It is a reality.

We already know what impact the price of oil is having worldwide. Nobody is immune. It affects gas, groceries, utilities, travel, etc., and analysists aren't exactly saying that oil will be free in the coming years. Being a new global market means that many once poor nations are now rich and high consumers

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Money Sites For Know-It-Alls and Writers

June 15th 2008 17:07

When I first got a computer many years ago, my goal was to make money with it. Soon you find that most are scams and there are no get-rich-overnight sites. Believe it or not, though, many years ago there were sites that you could make money at.

My first really good money making site was Epinions. The premise was to write reviews of products, and depending on your ratings, hits, web of friends, etc., you would make money. Back in the day getting hits was easy and so was the cash. Some claimed 5 figures a year(as discussed on their boards at the time), I made a few hundred one year, nothing I would retire on. At the time there were scams going on at the site where some were using different logins from other computers just to raise their ratings and make money. Things changed after 2001, when Epinions started cleaning house, and it took many more hits to make a buck

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Bankruptcy

June 8th 2008 14:01

I hate to say it, but it actually took filing for bankruptcy for me to get back on my feet. Unfortunately, it was before the new bankruptcy law which makes it a bit harder. This is a personal experience entry that will hopefully help anybody considering it.

I was over $60K in debt and was literally living from day-to-day on bologna and pb&j sandwiches. The major debt involved mortgage, loans, credit cards, and that doesn't include the increasing variables such as food, utilities, etc. My house needed major renovation, since I was practically given the mortgage through predatory lending. Yes, it was a money-pit, and I got soaked there, too

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Money Personalities

June 8th 2008 12:42

Believe it or not, our money personalities developed in us at a young age. From tightwad to compulsive spending, our relationship with money started with our first spending habits. Sometimes we need to change these habits.

Start by finding your current money personality. Some people may have multiple personalities. It's not always about saving or spending but rather making better choices about money. For example, if saving means living in a dangerous neighborhood, perhaps spending more to live in a better neighborhood may be the right choice

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

Tracking Spending

June 7th 2008 00:14

Here is a free tool to track spending and set up a budget. Buddi is easy to use and a useful resource.

Here is a good way to keep track of your bank accounts. ClearCheckbook is money management made easy

[ Click here to read more ]

Vote

Shared on

Financial Ramble

signals Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: signals - Category: No Category

Email this Post to a Friend

September 2008

2 Posts

August 2008