Tips and Tricks to Help You Create a Sustainable Spending Plan

Need some help creating a spending plan? What about just making some minor adjustments to the one you already have? Well, good news...I've got you covered-

Creating a spending plan may seem a bit daunting at first, but can actually be quite easy. The areas that give most people grief are categorizing their expenses into various buckets, like groceries, housing, transportation, and cash items. 

What if you could just separate these expenses into two categories...discretionary and non-discretionary expenses (wants and needs)? Would that not make it much easier? I'll show you how.

Here are some tips and tricks to help save money without having to resort to a steady diet of Ramen?

Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoeAIpbe2hc&t=731s

Online Shopping Shortcomings...Buyer Beware

Everyone loves getting a good deal. Whether it's receiving a low-interest rate on a car loan, to finding a can of tomato sauce on sale at the supermarket. Saving money on something you want feels great. 

Often times you can find great deals online at sites where individuals sell things, like eBay or Amazon (through third-party sellers). One such site I recently had an opportunity to do business with was Poshmark, a site where sellers list new or slightly used items of clothing, shoes, handbags, accessories, along with a few other things. While I had created an account about six years ago, probably to review the site for an article, they were not high up on my list to search when needing to find an item. 

Summer fun on a budget

As the summer months approach, many may already be contemplating what to do with the little ones while school is out.

We know that being cooped up in the house all day every day probably isn't the best option, but what choices do you have while trying to stick to your budget? Consider these options:

Make a list, and check it twice

If you've waited until the last few days before Santa comes to town to finish your Christmas shopping, here are some ideas to get you through the holidays on a tight budget.

What do you need?

First, take a closer look at what you're dealing with. How much do you still have allocated in your budget for gift-giving? Who do you still need to buy a gift for? It's important to make a list to ensure you aren't forgetting someone. Having to make an unplanned purchase later may throw you over budget.

Check your list twice

Santa was on to something when he made his list and checked it twice. Maybe consider doing the same. Do you really need to buy a gift for everyone on your list, or did they make the cut simply because you're in the Christmas spirit? It's easy to get overzealous and want to give a gift to each friend, colleague, and teacher your child has. However, that can get super expensive. Review your list and narrow it down to only those that are truly necessary. This will give you a better idea of how much you can spend on each gift.

Don't overindulge

There will be plenty of cakes, pies, cookies, and other treats to overindulge with this season. Make sure you're checking account isn't included on that list. Consider purchasing your gifts using only cash or gift cards. It's easy to spend an extra few dollars here and there to upgrade a gift, but it's not necessary. Trust me, your friends and family would not want you in a financial bind over a Christmas ornament or candle box set. As Jim Carrey says, "No holiday should manipulate you to the point where you're going into debt just to show someone you love them."

Bust up the boxes

Speaking of box sets, consider splitting up a gift set. Yes, you heard me correctly. Bust the set apart to create multiple gifts. For example, I recently purchased a two-candle set, each with a different scent. Although it was boxed together, separating them could provide me with two gifts instead of one. This allows you to spread the joy to more recipients.

Boutique antique

Remember, it is "Tis the season to give", not "Tis the season to buy". Consider making something to give as a gift. Are you good at baking? How about crafts? Often times you can find clearance items at discount stores or even a thrift shop. Dust it off, spray it with some Windex, and slap an initial on it. Now, instead of something used or boring, you have a boutique style one-of-a-kind gift.

Consider donations

If you're the type that burns your cookie, or your finger on a hot glue gun, you can always take a different route. Consider making a donation to a favorite charity. Some shy away from this, out of embarrassment for the size of the donation they can afford. Believe me, the charity will be happy to receive any amount. You won't even have to let the recipient know how much was given. Simply give them a card that says "Merry Christmas! A donation to (fill in the blank) was made on your behalf."

If you would rather take a more hands-on approach when making a donation, you can always check with the charity and see if volunteer help is needed. Your card can then include something like "5 hours of work was donated on your behalf". 

Gifting it forward

It's also important to remember that gift-giving issues are truly a first world problem. Some would care less about the scent of a candle versus the warm that it can provide. Consider creating gift bags with socks, gloves, toiletries, and snacks to hand out to those less fortunate. For the amount of money you plan on spending for one gift, you could make multiple gift bags. I assure you, it will truly be appreciated.

If you're really short on cash, consider giving the gift of time. No, I'm not talking about a watch, but your actual time. Set up a meeting for now or in the future to get together simply to hang out. It may be over lunch or even a cup of coffee.

Whatever you choose to do, just make sure not to overdo it, with the cookies or the gift spending.

Merry Christmas! 

Michelle Kuehner is a Registered Investment Advisor Representative and President of Personal Money Planning. She is also a Certified Credit Counselor and Certified Financial Health Counselor, writes Fix Our Budget blog, and has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry.

Santa sprinkled with a bit of Scrooge

It's the holidays! Everywhere you look there are decorated trees, mesmerizing lights, and the smells of cinnamon and pine. For many individuals, this time of year is not as exciting as it is for others though... It also means buying gifts and spending money they may not have. While it may not seem like a large amount, an extra $20 here and there can add up quickly.

As the holidays approach you may find yourself in a bit of a bind: Consumers are in a spending mood this year, with plans to hand over 4.1% more than they did during the last holiday season. That puts the average of $1,000 per shopper, according to the National Retail Federation. Everyone wants to be a Santa, but it pays to throw in a bit of Scrooge. Here are some tips to help make sure your holiday spending doesn't go from "Ho, Ho, Ho" to "Ho, Ho, Holy cow I spent how much?"

1. Have you made a holiday budget? 

Before hitting the checkout lanes, it's a good idea to create a list of people (and pets) you plan to buy gifts for, including a budget for each person. That will help keep the spending within reason. A list also helps wrap your head around how much you are actually spending overall. While $10-$20 gifts for your co-workers doesn't sound like much, it can add up quickly. Make sure to keep a line item for those last-minute gifts you may have forgotten about. Already have your shopping underway? It's not too late! Even doing this after the fact can be a helpful lesson to be mindful of gifts purchases in the future.

2. Have you started shopping? 

Shopping throughout the year is a great way to level out your spending and snag some great deals. If you see the perfect gift for a friend on sale in July, grab it now and stash it away until the right time. This doesn't just apply for Christmas shopping, but for birthdays, anniversaries, or any other gift-worthy mile-stone. I tend to buy things on clearance and stash them in a spare closet. When the time is right, they get a great gift, and I have saved a lot of money.

3. Do you have rewards points to cash in?

Many stores, or cards, have loyalty programs that you can cash in this time of year. For instance, I have an Amazon Visa, and throughout the year I use it for almost all of my purchases. Gas, groceries, household items, items for the office, travel, etc... I allow the points to accumulate, and when the holidays roll around, I have already built up a decent amount of points that convert into dollars on my Amazon purchases. This year I handled almost all of my shopping by cashing in my points. It's a great way to save throughout the year, while still purchasing those much-needed items.

4. Be cautious of the sites you shop on...

When it comes to sales, the old saying "you can go broke saving money" could not be truer. While a merchant can throw a sale sign on just about anything, make sure you can't get a better deal somewhere else. It's important to check bargains against the original site to see if the deal is really a steal. Sites like Ebates or Wikibuy are great resources to check for deals and coupon codes. The run all of the published coupon codes and let you know which apply to your purchase. Even though I'm pretty thorough in my frugal research, I have even been surprised with a better deal a few times. (Side note: By clicking the links above, I may benefit monetarily)

5. Want a fun gift idea?

I've never really understood the whole White Elephant holiday gifting game. I mean, you buy a random gift with no particular person in mind and pass it around a certain number of times until you wind up with something you may or may not like. Yes, there are some laughs to be had, but I think those would probably be had regardless if I were having a gift "stolen" from me. 

How about giving gifts that every recipient will truly appreciate and love? Grab multiple pairs of socks, gloves, toiletries, and snacks to create holiday gift bags to hand out to those less fortunate. You can have those same laughs watching your friends and family decorate the gift bags, or make it a game and divide into teams to see who can bag the most items.  It's a great way to enjoy that gift-giving feeling and helping out someone in a time of need. 

6. Bringing it home...(made)-

Instead of putting your finances in a bind for the next year, consider gifting items you've created on your own. Don't get me started on the number of ideas Pinterest has, and there are plenty that you can involve the kiddos with as well... 

Michelle Kuehner is a Registered Investment Advisor Representative and President of Personal Money Planning. She is also a Certified Credit Counselor and Certified Financial Health Counselor, writes Fix Our Budget blog, and has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry.

Stay On Budget While Ordering Take-Out

For the last many months I have been suggesting something I never thought I would be suggesting... To just order take-out to stay on budget.

Now before you unsubscribe or block me for thinking I've gone off the deep end, let me explain.

Harvesting Some Ripe Savings

Links below are affiliate links, and I may or may not receive compensation.

If you know me at all, you know I like saving money on just about  everything I buy. I’m always looking for a good deal, and if you run into me at the store, I’ll be happy to peruse your basket and let you know what you can price match for a cheaper overall grocery bill.

This year we decided to plant a garden. The reason wasn’t entirely to save money on produce. It was more of a thing I’ve always wanted to do, but never really got motivated enough until after the prime planting season had passed. I’d always promise myself that next year would be the year, until next year came around. I always found an excuse to not till the soil, dig up the old bush that was in the way, or purchase bricks to build the garden frame. Each year I would kick the proverbial can down the road, until the next. Well, until this year.

How To Save Money On School Supply Shopping

The days of summer are ticking away. As the last of family vacations are squeezed in, parents everywhere are becoming giddy with anticipation. That is until they remember the back to school supply shopping expense that awaits them right around the corner…

But before you decide to sell plasma every week for a year to help cover the cost, check out these money saving tips. Not only will you save some money, you won’t have to end up quite as holey either...

Wait, you bought what? Where? Taking online shopping to the next level...

Death is an awkward topic for many people. Let’s face it, most of us don’t like to discuss the inevitability of our own demise. It seems like talking about it is avoided almost as much as gluten these days. Yet it is something we will all eventually have to face.  

Timing is key

Expressing your wishes ahead of time relieves a great amount of stress from the family. It goes without saying that discussing funeral plans with someone in good health is much easier than with someone knocking on death’s door.

I remember all too well having the painful conversation with my late husband after he was diagnosed with a terminal and aggressive form of brain cancer. 

As luck would have it, we had the talk just a few months prior when discussing his mother’s future desires. However, the desires one has when they believe they have another forty or fifty years may end up changing when that time-frame decreases to forty or fifty days. This is where some of the confusion, and stress, can begin for the family.

Amazon Subscribe and Save can really save you some cash

Is bulk shopping worth the hassle?

You can really save some cash when buying certain items in bulk. We know this. We understand this. But often times it's inconvenient. Why? Well, there are a few reasons... 

First, like most families, the discovery of a low toilet paper supply is often realized when you're about half way through the last role. Even worse, once you have to utilize the box of Kleenex. In crisis mode, a quick trip to Walmart, or the gas station, doesn't allow you time to shop around for the best deal.

If you are able to plan ahead, and anything like me, during the trek to the back of the warehouse store for the 48 double rolls of toilet paper, I will without doubt find about fifteen other things I "need". So I purposely don't grab a basket to in an effort to discourage myself from any unplanned purchases. 

Nevertheless by the time I reach the toilet paper I somehow find myself with a few desperately needed items. Next I'm challenged with having to strategically balance my items on the way to the register, all while looking like a performer from Cirque Du Soleil, due to my basketless commerce decision.

A pig, a lizard, and a magical gun walk into a bar...

We've all seen the commercials... The flying pig, the dancing lizard, and Flo with her magical gun that allows you to name your price for insurance. But can these marketing products really claim as much savings in your budget as they have space in your memory? Maybe. Let's break it down and see...

In a perfect world, all insurance companies would offer the exact same coverage for the exact same super cheap rate to everyone. But we don't live in a perfect world. Accidents happen. Some people drive faster than the posted limit. Others need to attend a few sessions of road-rageaholics. So the only way to get the best rate is to shop around a bit.

Give Yourself A Raise, You Deserve It!

After watching a few episodes of Extreme Cheapskates I realized a few things:

•  You probably won't see me at the park picking weeds for a salad;
• I will opt for Quilted Northern in my bathrooms rather than cut up old pieces of cloth;
• I will not ask other diners if they are finished with their meals, and if I can have their leftovers;
• I will not boil a goat head for dinner simply because I could snag if for $1.17.