Tag Archives: Saving Money

5 Tips for a Frugal Fall

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fall-into-savingsFall is here and with it comes crisp weather, football, and changing leaves. For many, it is the best time of the year; for others it is the onset of a stressful, and often expensive holiday season. So, here are five tips for a more frugal fall:

Don’t go to the gym – Yes, you read that correctly. Cancel or freeze that gym membership and exercise outdoors. Enjoy the cooler weather while you go for a run (or walk) around your neighborhood, plan a hike, or take a bike ride around town.

Break out the crockpot – Spend time gathering ingredients for a hearty crockpot meal. Enjoy quality time at home with family and friends. Chances are that crockpot will produce leftovers, which will save you even more in the end!  Look for easy recipes on Pinterest.

Winterize your home – Make your home as energy efficient as possible in preparation for the colder months ahead. Seal off drafty windows or doors, shut vents in rooms that aren’t being used, and change the direction of your ceiling fan to draw cooler air up and force warm air down.

Get outside – During hot summer months, indoor activities (such as going to the movie theater or shopping) are a must, which can often come at a steep price. As the weather cools down, do research on things to do outdoors in your community (many of which are free or for a small fee). Visit a pumpkin patch, check out a corn maze, or do some apple picking at a local farm. Don’t forget to check out our monthly Things to Do on a Budget in Monmouth and Ocean Counties blog series!

Start a holiday fund – Saving even a small amount for those upcoming holiday purchases can make a big difference. It can be quite stressful to think of extra expenses on the horizon, but planning ahead can ease that stress and help you enjoy all the fun that comes within these last months of the year.

The perfect way to save for your holiday expenses is by opening a Holiday Club Account right here at First Financial! No need to put yourself into debt over holiday spending – simply save ahead and come out on top (and not in debt)!*

  • Open at any time
  • No minimum balance requirements
  • Dividends are posted annually on balances of $100 or more
  • Accounts automatically renew each year
  • Deposits can be made in person, via mail, payroll deductions, or direct deposit
  • Holiday Club funds are deposited into a First Financial Checking or Base Savings Account

A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. Some restrictions apply, contact the Credit Union for more information.

Article Source: Wendy Bignon for CUInsight.com, https://www.cuinsight.com/5-tips-frugal-fall.html

 

3 Weekend Money Traps You Need to Avoid

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After a hectic workweek, it’s natural to want to decompress over the weekend. Watch out though, because these two days can be the most expensive of the entire week! Here are three common weekend money traps, and how to avoid them.

Restaurants

Dinner at a popular eatery on a Friday or Saturday night always sounds enticing after a long week. But before you make those reservations – consider how much you’ll save by cooking at home. You can still enjoy a great meal, and some quality time with friends and family without the expensive bill.

Movie Theaters

It is more expensive than ever to catch the latest movie release in your local theater. Add in some sodas and popcorn on top of it, and you’re looking at a hefty price tag. Instead, do some research on the newest releases on Netflix or Hulu (even your cable provider’s On Demand menu), and grab some snacks from the grocery store.

Shopping

Who doesn’t love shopping on the weekends?  Special sales at your favorite store may have you spending money you shouldn’t on things you don’t need. Instead, redirect that shopping urge to the grocery store. Not only will you be able to shop – but you’ll be purchasing necessary items that will encourage you to plan your meals, and keep you out of those pricey restaurants at the same time.

How to Save Even If You Live Paycheck to Paycheck

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You know you need to save money, but it can be hard if you’re just trying to make ends meet on a small income. After all, you have bills to pay today, so it’s hard to make saving for tomorrow a priority. Even higher-income people can find themselves living paycheck to paycheck without much room in their budget to set aside cash. Despite what you might think, it is possible to save even when you’re strapped for cash. Here’s how to get started.

Figure Out Where Your Money Is Going

You might have more room in your budget to set aside money for savings than you think. But you won’t know until you track your spending for at least one month. Review your bank statement to figure out how much your necessary expenses — rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, transportation and food are costing you. Account for credit cards, student loans and other debt payments. Then, add up how much you’re spending on things you can live without, such as cable TV or Netflix, restaurant meals, magazine subscriptions and nights out. Knowing how much of your paycheck is going toward needs and wants will help you pinpoint how much you can afford to save each month.

Pay Yourself First

You should think of saving as one of your fixed expenses that you pay at the beginning of the month rather than waiting until the end of the month to see how much you have left over to set aside. Pay yourself first, then learn to live on what’s left.

One of the best ways to pay yourself first is to automate contributions to savings so you don’t even have to think about setting the money aside. If you opted out of your workplace retirement account because you didn’t want to sacrifice your paycheck, you should opt back in and have contributions automatically withdrawn from your paycheck moving forward each month.

You also need to be saving for emergencies so you don’t have to rely on credit cards or even retirement savings to cover unexpected costs. To build an emergency fund, use the same approach as with retirement savings by setting up automatic monthly transfers from your checking account to a savings account so the money comes out before you have a chance to spend it. But, don’t get discouraged if you can’t set aside that much now. Even a small monthly contribution can add up over time.

Get Free Money for Your Retirement Account

If you can’t set aside 10% of your pay each month, contribute enough to your workplace retirement plan to get the full matching contribution from your employer — if it offers one, because this is practically free money. 25% of American employees don’t contribute enough to get the full match from their employer, leaving an estimated $1,366 of free money on the table each year, according to research by Financial Engines, an investment advice company.

Keep More of Your Paycheck

A tax refund can be welcome windfall when you’re living paycheck to paycheck. But a refund means you’re letting the IRS hang onto too much of your paycheck throughout the year. You can keep more of your money each month — and use it to boost savings by adjusting your tax withholding. Ask your human resources department at work for a new W-4 to claim more allowances, which will lower the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck.

If you received an average refund of $2,732, adjusting your withholding could put $227 back into your paycheck each month. If you invested that amount each month at a 7 percent interest rate starting at age 25, you could have nearly $600,000 by age 65.

Reduce Nonessential Expenses

If you discover you’re spending heavily on things you don’t need, those nonessential expenses are the first thing you should cut to make sure your paycheck can cover necessary expenses and savings contributions. If you gave up buying a coffee and bagel twice a week, you could save an estimated $40 per month. If you were to invest that amount each month instead with a 7 percent annual return, you could have $32,402.87 after 25 years.

Raise Your Insurance Deductibles

Another way to find more room in your budget to boost savings is to cut insurance costs. By raising your auto insurance deductible, you can lower your premium by 15 percent to 40 percent, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Raising your homeowner’s insurance deductible from $500 to $1,000 could shave 25 percent off your premium. You also can lower your health insurance premium by opting for a high-deductible plan. With a high-deductible plan, you also get the benefit of being able to set aside money pre-tax through payroll deductions to a health savings account (HSA). Money in an HSA can be used to cover out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

Lower Your Bills

In addition to insurance premiums, there likely are other monthly bills you can cut so you’ll have more cash to stash in savings (for example – Netflix, cable, expensive gym membership, etc.). If you aren’t using these services, why are you paying for them? If you don’t want to get rid of a service completely, you may even be able to opt for a lower data plan to cut the cost of wireless service and so on.

Let Technology Help You Save

If you don’t have the discipline to save on your own, there are several apps that can help. For example, the free Digit app takes automation a step further by linking to your checking account and analyzing your income and spending habits to figure out how much you can set aside in savings. It then automatically puts that money into savings for you.

How to Build Savings From Zero

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You’ve seen the numbers. They aren’t pretty.

A recent Bankrate.com survey of 1,000 adults suggests that 66 million American adults have zero dollars saved for an emergency. That dovetails nicely with a report that came out earlier this year from the Federal Reserve, which looked at the economic well-being of American households. And things are not going so well. About one-third of 5,695 respondents  revealed they would have trouble dealing with a $400 emergency.

Sound familiar? Start building your savings with some of these methods.

Start small. That’s advice from Mackey McNeill, founder and president of Mackey Advisors, a wealth management firm in Bellevue, Kentucky.

“If you have never saved anything in your life, save $5 a week or $10 a week,” McNeill says, adding: “Pick a number that, regardless of disaster, you can achieve.”

After you do that, McNeill advises, “Put the money in a separate account and review it once a month. After three months, consider an increase. After three more months, consider an increase again,” and keep repeating.

“The reason people fail at saving is they start too high. … So they set themselves up for failure,” she says. “Start small. You will be so excited that you met your goal, you will automatically want to do more and achieve more. When you start small, you set yourself up for success. Success begets success. I have never had anyone try this who did not succeed.”

Reward yourself when you save money. This is important, McNeill says, advising that whatever the reward be, make it something free.

For instance: If you save $10 a week, then every time you hit $40 saved, rent a movie at the library or take a walk in the park, she explains.

Whatever you do, “make it something that really nurtures you,” she says. “It doesn’t matter what it is. A hot bath will work. But when you give yourself the reward, you are reinforcing the behavior you want.”

Trim back your expenses. One thing that probably keeps most people from saving more is that there may not be enough money to go around. That’s definitely the case if there are expenses that could be easily cut, or debt that’s weighing you down.

When you’re beginning to put together a plan to save money, or begin your accumulation phase, the first thing to do is pay off any high-interest debt like credit cards. Paying off high-interest debt is the most important first step in beginning any accumulation phase because everything you pay off, you are eventually saving money on high interest.

Make it easy. Assuming you have a financial institution – a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation study suggests that 9 million Americans don’t – the easiest way to save money is to set up a savings account and then direct a specific amount to go regularly from your checking account to your savings account, says Michael Eisenberg, a certified public accountant and personal financial specialist with Innovative Wealth Advisors in Encino, California.

“Every time your paycheck hits your checking account, you should instruct your financial institution to move a set sum directly into your savings account,” he says. “This makes it easy and seamless.”

Eventually, he says, you won’t even miss the money because it’s automatically disappearing, and you’ll get used to working with the money going into your checking account.

Susan Howe, a certified public accountant in Philadelphia, echoes that advice. “Even a modest amount will add up quickly if you set it for a weekly transfer. Just be sure there are no fees,” she says.

Try opening a 401(k) or an IRA. That’s what Leonard Wright, a wealth management advisor in San Diego, suggests. In particular, Wright recommends opening up a Roth 401(k) or a Roth IRA.

“This money grows tax-free for life, is not subject to required minimum distributions when you retire and best of all, is tax-free when you need it – and can help with education expenses for your children,” he says.

But McNeill notes that wherever you put your money, whether in a 401(k) or other savings account, “in the beginning, it’s irrelevant,” – as long as you’re saving money somewhere. “What you are trying to do is create a new habit.”

How will you begin preparing for your retirement today? To set up a complimentary consultation with the Investment & Retirement Center located at First Financial Federal Credit Union to discuss your savings goals, contact us at 732.312.1500, or stop in to see us!*

*Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and First Financial Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using First Financial Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or First Financial Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

*Original article source courtesy of Geoff Williams of US News.

12 Ways You Can Save Money Without Sacrificing Your Lifestyle

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bigstock-people-consumerism-lifestyle-102722153Saving or spending is an eternal economic dilemma. People are constantly torn between the satisfaction of present gratification and the promise of future prosperity. At a first glance, it seems almost impossible to simultaneously achieve both, due to the dynamics of limited income, volatile prices, and personal needs.

There are many instances where people spend their money quickly, for limited gains, and find themselves unable to save for the future. Conversely, other people sacrifice their preferred lifestyle in order to save money for a future goal which they deem important, but miss a lot of opportunities to enjoy the present. Both approaches are prone to bring regret, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness in the long run. So what can we do?

Ideally, there should be a fine balance between saving and spending. This can be easily achieved with some self-discipline and common sense. To help you out, we will list twelve simple ways to save money without sacrificing your lifestyle.

1. Control the Urge for Instant Gratification.

The desire for instant gratification is almost inescapable, as it’s programmed in our natural behavior. We naturally prefer the now rather than the later, especially when it comes to things we need on a regular basis, like clothes, food, and household equipment. This also applies to leisure activities, which we would almost certainly prefer to do now, even if we’re short on cash.

To counter this, we should always consider whether short-term benefits outweigh long-term gains and make sure we can spot which cases of instant gratification endanger our long-term aims. For example, when choosing between going to a job interview or to an anticipated party, you must make sure you understand the consequences of each choice from your particular standing point. Nobody is telling you not to enjoy yourself, but make sure you fully understand the benefits and the costs.

2. Make Smart Shopping Choices.

Before making a purchase, put on your thinking cap first and ask yourself if you’re making a smart move or not. Do not act on appearance, rumors, and product presentations, but on facts and client reviews. In the meantime, always keep your eyes open for a better deal and don’t rush into buying the first appealing item you find, whatever it may be. Inspect the market, compare prices and check for quality reviews. This way, you’re more likely to get a higher price-quality ratio when making a purchase.

Shopping takes time and patience and you must never forget to watch out for deals and discounts. It is much wiser to wait for a product to go on discount than to buy it straight away. If you shop smart, you will keep expenses at bay and still enjoy high-quality products.

3. Buy What You Actually Need.

Before you decide to purchase something, ask yourself whether you really need that particular item. It’s not uncommon for people to go shopping just for the heck of it and serious money can be wasted like this. Remember the fundamental principle of free market economics: supply and demand. Don’t you actually have two full wardrobes anyway? Is your laptop working fine after all? Is a new suit the absolute priority right now?

Only buy things which can play a part in your work or leisure pursuits. If you’re not sure you need it, you don’t need it.

4. Use What You Already Have.

It’s very important to keep track of the things in your house and of how well they can help you achieve your purposes. Many people tend to hoard stuff and then go buy some more stuff, without any though on whether they could get the job done with what they already have. Don’t go shopping if it’s already in the house. It can do its job. Give it a chance.

5. Use the Internet.

The internet is the tool for shopping. If you think you’re using all it can offer, you might be mistaken. From price comparisons, extensive client reviews, and advantageous deals, shopping online is the best way you can save money.

Instant access to prices, reviews and competitors gives you a wider market vantage point and will allow you to make an informed decision with just a few clicks. You can find more helpful tips on using the internet for shopping efficiently here.

6. Take Advantage of Online Deals & Surveys.

Saving money can also be achieved by taking as much advantage as possible from online deals and surveys. Many companies are very keen on getting as much feedback from their customers as possible and prepare questionnaires, feedback forms, and surveys. Participating in these can be very beneficial because companies will sometimes reward you with discounts and vouchers. Converse, for instance, has developed an excellent method of retaining their customers’ loyalty by creating an easy customer feedback survey that allows shoppers to update their wardrobes through a personalized gift card.

7. Plan Your Leisure Time Carefully.

People who can have fun and save money at the same time usually have a very clearly defined work and fun routine. In order to save money, it’s very important to know when to go out and when not to. Self-disciplined people don’t avoid the fun parts but know when to schedule them without disrupting the quality of their work. Work hard, play hard, but not at the same time. It’s as simple as that.

8. Rediscover the Old School Way of Having Fun.

Rediscover the charm and satisfaction that old school fun can bring, especially now when we’re seemingly unable to step away from our laptops of phones for more than five minutes. Instead of spending a ton of money clubbing or pub crawling, go at a friend’s house for a barbecue, a movie or a board game. Skip that expensive concert and go on a camping trip next weekend. Having a great time is about people, not places and things. So try to tone down the spending while doing similarly fun things.

9. Learn When to Stop.

It’s very easy to lose yourself in a shopping spree. Once you get started, you will need all the willpower you can muster to prevent yourself from rampaging through your favorite store. If you want to stay balanced and keep your budget afloat, learn when to say no. Sometimes you simply can’t afford to spend all that money on something non-essential. Less is more.

10. Make Realistic Plans.

Don’t wish for what you know can’t possibly happen. Think smaller and keep your feet on the ground. If you have an average income, but you’re running two bank loans to pay for cedar wood furniture, then you’ve probably lost your bearing at some point. Learn not to live above your means and grow your income organically, not artificially.

 It’s alright to have bright future plans. But make them realistic.

11. Exercise Full Control on Your Finances.

Control your money. Don’t let someone else manage it for you and keep a written account of income and expenses for each month. That way, you’ll be able to see where you’ve overreached and where you need to cut back. Keep a strict security routine for your credit and debit cards. In addition, make sure you always know what the opportunity cost is for every purchase. So, if you buy a laptop, keep in mind you won’t be able to also fix the car this month.

Leave nothing to chance and keep a sharp eye on your balance sheet.

12. Keep a Balanced Mindset.

In the end, however, what really matters is your mindset and attitude. If you have the self-discipline, the patience, and the internal balance to prevent you from making mistakes, there is no reason why you can’t live a good life and still save for the future. Optimism is also helpful, but make sure it’s the realistic, kind.

*Original article source courtesy of Mike Jones at SavingAdvice.com.

9 Signs You’re Spending More Money Than You Have to and How to Fix It

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Sometimes it’s tough to find a healthy balance when it comes to your finances. While it’s nice to treat yourself every so often, doing it on the regular can be one of the signs that you may be spending too much money. Even though money is a taboo topic and can be a sensitive issue, it’s important to be honest with yourself. While it would be great to make millions of dollars and spend it frivolously all over town, you also need to keep your financial future in mind.

According to the financial app Mint, you might want to be more careful with your money if you’re not paying your bills on time, you’re paying for your necessities with credit cards, or you’re struggling to meet minimum payments. If you find yourself dealing with these things on the regular, it might be a good idea to create a budget and start using cash so you can keep an eye on your finances and spend less money. Feeling stressed about money is something that no one should have to deal with on a daily basis – that’s why it’s important to be honest with yourself and be aware of the signs that you’re spending too much.

Need some help in that department? Here are nine signs you may be spending more money than you need to.

1. You Carry A Large Balance On Your Credit Card

Having more than 30% of your credit card limit on your credit card is considered to be a big no-no. If you find that your credit card limit is higher than your savings account, you might want to switch things up. Some credit cards do have tools where you can track your expenses online. You can also use money apps such as Mint to figure out exactly where everything is going.

First Financial’s Visa® Platinum Cash Plus Credit Card comes fully loaded with  a lower APR, no annual fee, a 10-day grace period+, uChoose Rewards redeemable for merchandise and travel, and so much more!* 

2. You’re Easily Swayed By Your Social Activities

It isn’t fun missing out on adventures with your friends. But while happy hour sounds awesome, paying your bills is even better. According to Business Insider, author of Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets to the Good Life, Ruth Soukup says, “This can be as innocent as going out to eat when you’ve already exhausted your restaurant fund for the month, or as extreme as paying rent you can’t afford in order to keep up with your friends.”  It really won’t be fun when you can’t afford your rent – stick to your budget and don’t spend outside your means.

3. You Don’t Have An Emergency Fund

Ideally, you want to have 10 percent of your income in your savings, but even five percent is good – as long as you have some type of savings built up. Essentially, you want to make sure that you have enough in your bank account for those rainy days. According to Business Insider, billionaire John Paul DeJoria – it’s important to always have at least three to six months’ worth of savings in your account, depending on how much you make annually.

4. You’re Living Paycheck To Paycheck

You probably need to re-adjust your finances if you find yourself living from paycheck to paycheck and not saving any money at the end of the month. According to U.S. Money, if you have a budget, but still find yourself short at the end of every month, it might be time to cut your expenses and re-evaluate.

Check out our free budgeting and savings calculators at firstffcu.com to get started!

5. You Don’t Have A Budget

Certified money coach Ashley Feinstein, founder of “Knowing Your Worth” says, “I recommend that every client keep a money journal for at least a couple of weeks to get conscious about where their money is going.” If there’s one thing you need to do ASAP on this list, it’s creating a budget to help get your finances on track.

6. Your Fridge Is Empty

You might be thinking that this has no correlation with your spending habits, but it actually does. Think about it: if your fridge is empty and you never have to do the dishes, it probably means you spend a lot of money eating out. According to the website Cheat Sheet, if you’re spending an average of $45 for two people and eating out for dinner once or twice a week, you’ve probably already spent more than you would on a week of groceries.

7. You Borrow From Friends Or Family

While it’s probably okay to borrow every now and then (in addition to paying them back on a timely manner), you don’t want to be borrowing from friends or family every time you need to pay your rent.  According to the Huffington Post, if you’re constantly asking your friends and family for money, then it means you either are spending way too much or you need to look for a new job.  Not to mention, constantly borrowing from a loved one can put strain and tension in your relationship.

8. You Don’t Know Where Your Money Is Going

If you find yourself forgetting where all your money is going to, whether you use cash or credit, then it might be a sign that you need to fix your finances. According to U.S. Money, people who shop a lot tend to ignore exactly how much money they spend. It’s best to figure out a budget with exactly how much spending money you have, so you know your spending limit.

9. You Feel Stressed About Money

The American Psychological Association conducted a survey and found that 72% of Americans were stressed about money at least once in the month. One of the key signs you need to pay attention to is how money actually makes you feel. Sometimes finances can make you feel edgy or anxious when you don’t have control over them. However, if you keep track of every penny that goes in and out of your account, then that anxious feeling could subside.

While spending money may bring you happiness, it’s important to budget your finances so you can have some in savings. While there are plenty of ways to spend your money, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

*APR varies up to 18% for purchases, when you open your account based on your credit worthiness. The APR is 18% APR for balance transfers and cash advances. APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Subject to credit approval. Rates quoted assume excellent borrower credit history. Your actual APR may vary based on your state of residence, approved loan amount, applicable discounts and your credit history. No Annual Fee. Other fees that apply: Cash advance fee of $10 or 3% of the total cash advance amount—whichever is greater (no maximum), Balance transfer fee of $10 or 3% of the balance—whichever is greater (no maximum), Late Payment Fee of $29, $10 Card Replacement Fee, and Returned Payment Fee of $29. A First Financial membership is required to obtain a Visa® Credit Card and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties.

+No late fee will be charged if payment is received within 10 days from the payment due date.

Article Source: Raven Ishak for Bustle.com, http://www.bustle.com/articles/170200-9-signs-you-may-be-spending-more-money-than-you-have-to-how-to-fix