New article posted at "Everything Finance"
Everything Finance
New article posted at "Everything Finance" |
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- Top Three Money Mistakes Parents Make
- Are You Frugal or Just Plain Cheap?
- 5 Free Family Activities to Do This Summer
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Top Three Money Mistakes Parents Make Posted: 24 Jul 2014 09:37 PM PDT Top Three Money Mistakes Parents Make is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!
Kids should be the love of our lives, but not the drainer of our wallets. Here are three top money mistakes most parents make. Are you guilty of one? 1. Too Much Stuff: Buying our kids too much stuff will definitely affect them. This applies to just more than toys. Buying them excess clothes, books, educational tools, and even snacks lends to the entitled personality. Even though I buy most of my daughter’s toys and clothes used, I have gone overboard. It is important for children to learn to be content with what they have and not expect material goods every time a holiday rolls around. Try cutting back the amount of stuff they get during birthdays and holidays and explain to them that you are saving money for a family outing instead. 2. Too Many Activities: My daughter just turned two, and there have been a lot of questions from others about whether she is going to start preschool soon, as well as dance class or gymnastics. Oh, and let’s not forget the swimming lessons! All of these extra activities sound like fun, but they are also very costly. If you want your children to participate in an extra activity or lesson, keep it to one per season. This means that your son will play soccer one session and take piano lessons another season. This will save money and time, as well as a lot of stress on parents. 3. Not Being Consistent: If you want to be the perfect parent, you just have to be consistent. Consistent with discipline, teaching, money, etc. Sounds easy, right? Parenting is full of ups and downs, but one thing that will hurt your kids financially is if you are not consistent with your money. This applies to how consistent you are with giving them allowances, as well as how you manage your money in front of your kids. Telling your children that you are on a tight budget one day and then making an impromptu run to the ice cream shop the next will send out mixed messages. Show your kids how to save up for treats and also show them that in life, you can’t always afford everything you want. Kids gain the best experience through watching you, so don’t be shy about your finances with your children. You may want to keep actual numbers from kids who like to share everything, but you can teach them the basics through having them watch you manage your money. Show them what a budget looks like and show them how to save. This will benefit them more than extra toys at Christmas or fun activities after school.
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Are You Frugal or Just Plain Cheap? Posted: 24 Jul 2014 08:19 PM PDT Are You Frugal or Just Plain Cheap? is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!
Know About Value One big difference between being cheap or frugal is paying for value. Sure, both frugal people and cheap people like to “save money”, but only one group of people is truly saving. Cheap people don’t like to spend money PERIOD. No matter if an item is of high quality or low quality, they will pay for whichever one costs the least. In reality, this tactic rarely saves money. The lower quality item will just end up having to be replaced much sooner than the more expensive but higher quality item. Money Management Cheap people often have money management issues. The main reason they choose the cheapest option is because they can’t afford to pay more for quality. Cheap people may even brag about having bought the cheapest of everything they can find. While frugal people like to save money, they will still pay for quality items, but they generally wait for until a sale or other great deal comes along. You will never find frugal people asking, “How much down and how much per month?” because they know that is not the best way to find a deal or save money. Mindset Cheap people often cut corners by avoiding the purchase necessary items. If they stay in a hotel, cheap people will take everything they can get their hands on, like the shampoo and soap in their room and they may even raid the maid’s cart if it’s left unattended in the hallway. They may even take advantage of people in order to save a few bucks. Using a coupon for a meal out is a frugal activity, but reducing your tip because of the lowered cost of the meal is a cheap thing to do and really takes hard-earned money away from the server at that restaurant. This is something a frugal person would never do. Charitable Giving While frugal people love to save, they will not be stingy with their charitable giving. In fact, because they save so much money in other areas, they may be able to give more than most people. But, frugal people will most likely do a lot of research into their chosen charities before giving them their hard-earned money. They do not like to donate to organizations with high overhead costs or administrative fees. On the other hand, cheap people often choose not to give money to charity at all and instead “save” that money for themselves. The bottom line is there’s a fine line between cheap and frugal that is blurred at times. Do you think you’re frugal or cheap or maybe you’re neither?!
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5 Free Family Activities to Do This Summer Posted: 24 Jul 2014 02:22 PM PDT 5 Free Family Activities to Do This Summer is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!
Too often, families expect to get a lot of family time in during the summer, only to be bombarded with social events and plans that leave you exhausted and not having any of that summer fun you envisioned. Whether you’re strapped for cash and can’t afford a family vacation, or simply are tired of not doing the things you want to be doing, there are always ways to take advantage of free family activities during the summer. It’s time to step being inactive and start being pro-active to make the summer the one you envisioned. Here are five free family activities to do this summer that the whole family will enjoy. Bike Ride to the Park Too many times we drive to the park and maybe do a picnic, play on the swings and then go home. How about making the ride to the park the focal point of your adventure? Walk or bike ride to the park and teach your children the pleasure of getting exercise in a fun and carefree environment. Farmers Market You may think that your children won’t be interested in grocery shopping, but farmer’s markets are a completely different beast. Studies prove that children who are involved in grocery shopping and cooking are more interested in eating their vegetables. Have your children pick out tomatoes, and tell them that’s how ketchup is made. Pick out some potatoes and show them that’s how French fries are made. Turn your weekly mundane grocery shopping task into an exploratory trip and wach as your kids marvel in amazement. A bonus is that farmer’s markets usually offer some sort of treat, whether it be popsicles or a baked treat, that will keep your kids occupied. Summer Concert Almost every everywhere offers summer concerts in the park. Look it up through your city’s website or Facebook page about which offerings are available. Check nearby cities as well. A quick glance around my neighborhood showed several concerts in the park, Shakespeare in the park, Movies in the Park, and small craft fairs as well. Pick one, pack some food (maybe some wine for parents), a blanket, and you’re good to go. Just make sure to get there early to secure a spot! Pool Day or Sprinkler Day If you don’t have a pool, or don’t live near a community pool, become really good friends with your neighbors that own a pool. Children LOVE pools, and too often we skip the pool out of pure laziness. If you really can’t get to the pool, have your children run through the sprinklers. Some of my best memories are running through sprinklers with my cousins in our bathing suits. Add some slip n slides and you’ve got yourself a whole afternoon of fun. Take a Hike If you can’t have a beach day, then you can at least have a walk day. Expand your horizons and plan a long walk or hike where you’ve never been to before.
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Posted: 28 Jul 2014 02:56 PM PDT How To ReSell Concert Tickets is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money!
Has that ever happened to you? Perhaps you couldn’t go to the concert due to a family emergency, you got sick, or you suddenly had a double booking. Whatever the reason, no one wants to end up with expensive concert tickets when you can’t even attend the concert. In the end, I ended up selling my tickets, but it caused me a lot of unnecessary stress and I really learned my lesson to never buy “friends” concert tickets again! Here are my five tips on how to resell your concert tickets if you find yourself unable to attend the concert, but can’t stomach the idea of watching that money go to waste. Return them If you bought your tickets at Ticketmaster within the past seven days, and you suddenly realize you can’t go, Ticketmaster will let you return them. Check to see if your ticket provider offers the same return policy. List your Concert Tickets for Sale If you can’t return your concert tickets, then you should immediately begin listing them. There are many places to list your concert tickets, thanks to the power of the internet. Here are a few places to get started:
Sell to Friends and Family Tell everyone in your circle about your concert tickets. Let friends and family know, post it on Facebook, send emails. When you start to get desperate it doesn’t matter. Even if your friends and family won’t be interested in the concert, they may know of someone who is. When you share your news with others, most people will try to help. You could even ask them if they can post it on their own Facebook walls. Pawning Your last resort—and I have seen this done—is to sell the tickets to a pawn shop or dealer. You won’t get much out of them, but if you’re already certain that you will be losing money by not being able to sell the tickets, well…something is always better than nothing. OR.. Give them Away Offer them up to a friend or family member and just ask that they do you a favor one day, like help you move. Losing money on concert tickets isn’t the worst thing in the world, so in the end, just tell yourself you’ll plan better next time. |
