Explain how easy it is to overspend, and how hard it is to cut back to make your expenses match your income as reflected in your budget experiences. This is self explanitory but can you give me specific examples that would help? Thanks!
200430
First of all you do not spend ANYTHING until you pay all of your bills for the month.  After that, decide what you need for the month for necessity items ie: laundry detergent, shampoo, garbage bags, etc.  Then you need to determine your grocery needs for the month and spend this amount only.\nAfter that you will know what you have left over and it is your decision to get that "hair cut", buy that shirt, go to the movies with friends, etc.  \nYou also should hold some money back for emergency reasons. Such as...you got into a car accident and you need to pay your deductible.  You need to pay for some medication, things like that.  \nDo not live like you want to live and cannot afford to live this way.  Just prioritize.  Bills first!!
238271
Well, if it was that easy, everyone would be there....!!\n\nTry http://www.money.com or http://www.kiplinger.com and look at the personal finance sections.\n\nThat's a start anyways....
99967
Did you do the FAFSA form.  I am kind of in the same boat.  I didn't go to school and I worked instead.  Now my FAFSA info will be based on my income of 20,000 even though if i go to school full-time I won't be making any money.  We should keep in touch and encourage each other.  I hate feeling like I have an "impossibbility complex" over something as simple as going to school.  If you can work out something to get through your first year, you will be eligible next year.  Take student loans, it should be worth it.  If you click my name, there is a link on my profile to send me an email.  Feel free!
464356
Have you checked out Oprah's "Debt Diet"?  I do not have the link off hand (sorry).\nI usually advise clients to do some or all of the following (depending on how far in debt they are):\n1) cut up all but 2 credit cards and use those only for emergancies (also call the companies and cancel the cut up cards)\n2) create a livible budget that you can adhere to\n3) chart all purchases/expenses and see where you can create "free" cash\n4) withdraw only a certain amount of money each week.  That is all the cash that you have for the week - keep in mind any activities that you have occuring said week and spend your cash appropriately.\n5) get a personal accountability partner - someone that you share your weekly spending with (like a list) and will give you additional encouragement/punishment (for lack of a better word) when needed\n6) create a savings account that is only for your "wants" - you can not overdraw a savings account and you can only use what is there.\n\nFor the clients that are seriously out of hand, I usually recommend that they make their account "2 singatures for withdrawal" - that way you are not able to withdraw funds without the second account holder present.\nI hope I was able to help!
549384
First of all get a long term retirement fund and contribute to it regularly... even just $20 a week. Don't touch that money under any circumstances. Now at the same time start to put money away for short term goals. Don't get into the credit card trap of paying 10-25% interest on things you really don't want or need. Spend less than you earn. Consider the value of your purchases not the wants... concentrate on needs. You have alot of choices as a consumer. Will you be happy driving a 2007 Hyundai for $15,000 or must you have that $34,000 Chrysler??? Do you need a cell phone and a home phone? You can save $30+ by going with one or the other. Do you frequently buy books and magazines that you can get from your local library for free? Are you paying bank fees for checking??? Do you shop around for pricing on purchases before you buy? Do you go out to eat every day at lunch??? It's all about value. The more you spend, the less you'll have. Common sense isn't always common. Read books about millionaires from your library and you'll find ways that you can join those ranks. I am not suggesting you go without treats. Hey, you work hard for your money. What I am saying is not to forget the future because it'll be here before you know it. You don't need a $1,000,000 home. Live within your means and you'll have a much happier life and lifestyle without the worry.
194813
I would recommend books of Suze Orman. She is a very well know person in the personal finances. I Enjoy reading her books. The second link below will show you her books
565592
yes I do that type of loan, How is your credit score? Can you prove your income (W2 etc)?What is the buy back price?Please email me the answer and I will tell what you can get. Johng@oldmerchants.com
580662
I invested. I make about $5,000 a month. I used over $1 million. My percieved risk was fairly low because of the way that I invested. I do not take time to manage it. That's what I hired my financial advisor and broker for.
400284
In Jan we'll be clear of our 10th year and we're probably a little different in that we made a commitment to never go into debt for anything, ever except for a house. It has been hard at times but now we are able to save up and pay cash for cars, etc. We have one credit card that we charge on (for security sake as I'd prefer to have the credit card company get their money stolen as they're a little more motivated) but we don't charge unless we've got the money in the bank. Our FICO is around 750 now so we're considered a pretty good credit 'risk' when looking for mortgages.\n\nThe problem with filing bankruptcy is it releases you from the debt but in many cases the bad habits are still there. If you don't deal with those the bankruptcy will only be temporary relief. The other thing we realized is that part of our problem was income related (i.e. it was too low) so I retrained for a better paying career that I thought I would enjoy. I'm really giving you a 10 year summary in 10 seconds but it really required a lot of patience. Here's a more realistic time line.\nYear 1: Painful, getting a minimum savings built up and starting to realize that our problem is behavior.\nYears 2-3: Continuing to struggle when we come to the realization that it is an income problem and start training for better career. Also start using a decent budget although we violate it pretty frequently due to some existing bad financial behaviors.\nYears 4-10: New career, better cash flow and nice savings. Start a disciplined investment plan and are now fine tuning our budget and dealing with some remaining bad financial behaviors. Working with helping others get out of debt.
135896
Saving money is hard to do, but it can be done. Make you a budget with all your monthly expenses on it and than add a small amount for something extra that might come up that week or month which ever budget you are going to go by. After you have made it stick to it. It really is something you have to make up your mind to. Say you make a 500.00 weekly and your bills that week come to 398.00, what you would want to do after all the total is paid out is put at least 50.00 of that into saving or some other savings and don't touch it. Good luck...K
670739
Empowerment and Experience!\n\nMy kids have been managing their own money since the age of 4 or 5.  That is about the age that kids recognize money and some of its power.  Having the freedom to make decisions with their money that they have earned has empowered them.  They are confident and they make good choices with their money.  They are all teens now.\n\nWe live in such a consumer driven society--it is difficult to overcome such clever marketing.  \n\nFirst and foremost--My husband and I believe in setting the example we hope they will become. \n\n1.  Just say NO! at the store.  \n\nWe have always made them work for the money they get from us.  I never subcomb to the pleadings at the store--I tell them to use thier own money.\n\n2.  Establish a saving/giving/spending plan.  Make it a habbit.\n\nWe have a rule--save half, give 10%, spend the rest.  When they were little, it was difficult for them to save or even learn to wait to buy something. Now saving and giving is just as important to them as spending.  They each have checking accounts with debit cards as well as saving accounts or money market funds.\n\n3.  Do not bail them out of a tough situation. \n\n It is difficult to see kids suffer disappointment, but it is an opportunity for a great lesson.  My kids  have lost their money and made many painful mistakes--including making impulsive purchases that feel good at the time, but is a waste of their resources;  letting friends 'borrow' money--never to see it repaid. \n \n Our theory is that we'd rather have them make mistakes now and give them a chance to learn and establish good habbits by giving them as much experience as possible.  \n\nWe'd rather see our 8 year old lose his 40 dollars because of carelessness than to see our 28 year old lose 4000 dollars because of carelessness he could have learned to avoid when he was 8.  Wise people tend to learn from their mistakes.  \n\n4.  Teach them according to their personality. \n\nEach kid manages money differently, but we have taught them to work with the personality they have and not put themselves in difficult situations.  I have a kid that is an impulsive spender, who does not like to balance her checkbook.  So she puts away money (her paycheck) in a saving account (short term savings) and investments (long term savings) first and then gives herself a set amount of cash to spend every week.  Her rule is, she can spend whatever she puts in her wallet for the week on whatever she wants impusively but when the money is gone, she has to wait the next week for the next installment of money.  She does not use checks or her debit card. She uses her short term savings to pay cash for more expensive items and does not touch her investments--which she will use for college.  This keeps her from having to physically balance any checkbook--which she hates to do. My other kids are savers, but are very selective about what they purchase.  They treat themselves to things, sometimes sharing the cost (like a computer game or book).  \n\nOur son has come  a long way--losing the most money as a kid, by not keeping in a safe place or by being careless.  He is so much better at managing his money and and keeping things safe.  He has trained himself to put his valuable belongings in a 'home' he established.  He is really a messy kid and absent minded at times.  But his habbits has helped him overcome his short- comings.   \n\n\n5.  Real world education.   We are focusing on identity theft, carefully surveying offers to make wise decisions.  They are consumers and use the internet frequently.  My son has even been cheated on ebay--for $600.  Working through the horrible 6 month process of dealing with endless voice mail, poorly informed customer service agents, red tape and law enforcement  was a great lesson for him. He was very upset, thinking that he lost his money.  Fortunately he was able to get it back. He will be much more careful before making purchases and he
326919
Your story breaks my heart, and the sad thing is, so many people across the country have a similar story. People today have not been properly taught to manage money. It's also pretty difficult since cost of living increases have risen exponentially and pay at most jobs has increased minimally if at all.\n\nCredit cards are a very dangerous thing. My best advice is to cut spending to a minimal. Cut out the things you don't need. Make out a monthly budget for you and your family and stick to it as best you can. Allow for emergency and a little for entertainment, but be careful about spending more than you need to.\n\nIt's OK to rely on family and friends for help. Ask people to babysit for you when you need them to. Have them help you look for a new, better job.\n\nIt's going to be an uphill battle, but you can do it. You have to for yourself and for your kids. Good luck. :-)
431556
It's not easy is it?  Can have a great couple of months followed by a real dry period.  The way I work it is take my highest four months of expenses including my quarterly taxes.  On my good months I stock away four months of expenses.  So when I do get into a low selling period I'm good to go.  Keep a serperate account for the fun things in life and don't touch that other account unless no money is coming in to the house hold.
172046
Budgets have never worked for me, but I find if I put money in a hard-to-reach savings account the first day I get paid, I automatically spend less that way.\n\n...and then you can spend the rest as you like, it just has to get you to the end of the month.  DVD players aren't that expensive nowadays...I don't know much about facials, but as I said, once you have put money aside, the remaining funds just have to get you to your next paycheck...if you make a mistake, the savings account is still there in that hard-to-get-at-but-reachable location.
399878
A grand is a serious amount to be overdraft, eventually you will have to come up with the money otherwise they can get you into a lot of troubles..☺
112002
The financial planning spreadsheet that I use for my budget indicates that 24-42% of expenses is the target range for housing, which includes rent or mortgage & real estate taxes, plus utilities.  Expenses should be less than take home pay, otherwise you'll be working until you die in debt.  I suggest you take a look at the Motley Fool (fool.com) or some other on-line personal finance site.  It sounds like you are ready to start a budget and will need a lot of answers.\n\nBest of Luck.  E-mail me if you get stuck.
387760
Usually when you get married you put the 2 incomes together.  But dont forget about your other expenses also, food, utilities, any credit cards, food, and all the little extras.  Being newly married is tough enough without financial problems...don't get in to deep to quick!  Good Luck!