Making a Budget: The Basic Steps

By William Blake

If you want to start living a more frugal life, you will need to start the process by doing some important planning. The most important part of planning for your finances is making a solid budget. Regardless of how much you make, how you make it, and how much you have now, you can make a budget that will work for you. Consider the following steps that will help you take the first step to a thriftier lifestyle: making a budget.

1. Write down your spending. You can't plan out how you will spend your money until you know how you are spending it at present. Carry around a small notebook for a month and write down every purchase you make. This will help you see how your money is disappearing.

2. List out your expenses. This will include monthly bills as well as the money spent that has been written down in your notepad. Organize the purchases you have made into categories and then total them up to see how much you have spent.

3. Write down how much money you make and how often you receive it, whether that be on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. Then total up how much you earn.

4. Based off of the information you have gathered during the last month, make a budget. Once you have it written out, compare it to your total income and make any necessary adjustments so that your income is more than your budget is, either spending less or making more money.

5. Study your budget and even take a few days to really think about the items you have listed there. Make better choices. If you only watch your television once a week then cancel your cable. Save that money for something else. If you have so many clothes that you can't open your closet then determine to pass on the shopping for a while. Decide to choose a future instead of a fleeting present.

6. After you have cut all that you can cut, review your budget balances. If there is still a deficit, it's time to consider a second job (or a job change). The only way to balance a budget (and start saving money) is to bring in more than you spend.

7. Review your budget. Since our lives are in a constant state of flux, your budget will no doubt need to be adjusted from time to time. As your lifestyle gets progressively more frugal, you may notice more expenses that can be cut.

Having a keen understanding of your own spending habits will enable you to live frugally, successfully. Making a budget and sticking to it is an essential first step.

About the Author:

Do you need reliable information about how to cancel credit card account? Visit http://www.debtopedia.com for helpful information about consolidating credit cards and other debt reduction information.

Getting Student Loans With Bad Credit

By Dave Davis

Are you hoping to someday go to college? Many people in your situation find themselves afraid because of poor credit history. Don't be afraid. There are actually quite a few options for individuals that have bad credit. Getting a college education might be a lot easier than you think.

Perkins loans and Stafford loans are two of the loan options that are available for individuals that have bad credit. There are also grants such as Pell grants that don't consider credit history as part of the approval process.

Stafford loans are by far the most common of all of the loans that are offered as part of the Federal financial aid program. Stafford loans come in two types: subsidized and un-subsidized.

The subsidized version of the Stafford loan is only available to individuals that have financial need. These loans are great because the federal government takes care of the interest on the loan while you're still in school and also for the first six month after you finish school.

Unsubsidized Stafford loans are given to anyone who wants them, but are somewhat different than the subsidized version. The funds that can be taken are somewhat smaller then the subsidized version and the federal government doesn't pay for the interest that builds up.

Perkins loans are also available for students that have bad credit. Perkins loans are harder to qualify for in that you must have more financial need than those who can qualify for Stafford loans. You can qualify for Perkins loans even if you have a bad credit history.

A Federal Pell grant is only available for students with significant financial need. Your past income and possibly the income of your parents will be examined to determine if you qualify for a Pell grant. Pell grant awards can range in size from just a few hundred dollars to amounts that would cover all of tuition and expenses.

Pell grants are great because they don't need to be paid back. As long as you complete the semester for which you are granted the funds, the money will be yours. They are a great way to fund your education, even if you have bad credit.

About the Author:

Dave helps people by teaching them about using a bad credit private student loan to pay for school. He also provides further instructions about online bad credit student loans.

Dealing With The Debt Collectors

By Darren Cason

Anyone can be anxious when the debt collectors are constantly ringing up and sending threatening letters of demand. But rest assured that there is protection in a number of forms and ways that you can deal with the debt collectors that hassle you.

There is an Act that lays down the guidelines as to what a debt collector can and cannot do when they are trying to collect a debt. It is called the "Fair Debt Collection Practices" Act. This Act states, amongst other aspects, that the debt collectors are not allowed to call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.; they cannot garnish wages in those states where it has been made illegal and they must cease the continual phone calls if you ask them to.

[For the full text, see: http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm#801]

There are several things you can do.

Don't take the call. Use an answering machine to screen calls. For those people who have caller ID or call blocking, you will be able to get rid of the call entirely.

If you do decide to take the call, it is entirely reasonable for you to request that they do not contact you further. If you send the agency a "cease and desist" letter, they are then legally prevented from contacting you. Any legal action can be expensive, so it is wise to try other ways first.

If the debt is in fact yours to pay, if you are able to, you should think about paying it. After all it is your responsibility and should be paid. If you are truly finding it difficult to pay, then perhaps you can negotiate a way of making regular, lower payments until the debt is paid in full.

Make the committment and stick to it and the annoying calls should stop. These debt collectors are real people just doing their job, even if some of them are less than pleasant about it and they will usually not bother you once you have an agreement with them.

Maintain a record of calls that have been made either by you or to you in a diary, together with any arrangements that have been made. Keep a record of when you have asked them to stop calling - this is most important if they have been calling you at your workplace. If it is legal in your state, you may consider taping the phone call, but keep in mind that often means that you have to tell the other person that you are recording them.

There are not many debt collectors that are brave enough (or unwise enough) to say things that may compromise them when they are aware they are being recorded. The record or diary will be helpful if you have negotiated a change in the payment regime.

The majority of debt collectors are able to agree to a lower payment, but because they usually get a commission based on the percentage of their collection, they will push you to pay as close to the whole amount as possible. However, they do understand that if you are able to pay 50% of $500, it is preferable to receiving 100% of nothing at all.

When you make an agreement, the debt collector should also make their own commitment that they will not put any further adverse comments on your credit report or credit rating. Ask them to report any increase on your credit score as well as the payments that you do make as soon as possible so you can adjust the amount owed accordingly.

Be sure that you obtain agreements in writing before you send any substantial amounts of money. A "good faith" payment is fine as it will show that you are sincere in your efforts to clear the debt, but if you send too much at one time, they will be less inclined to adhere to their side of the bargain.

There are three things that you should always retain when you are dealing with debt collection: patience, a realistic outlook and remaining calm when discussing matters financial. If you remember these, you will reduce the stress of the situation.

About the Author:

Darren Cason shares his vast knowledge at www.debtjerk.com. Now you can remove the confusion in your mind on the topic of increase credit rating.

Qualifying for a Reverse Mortgage

By Leon J. Thorson

In America, our seniors are in a crisis. Health-care costs are at all time highs, including prescription drugs and normal living costs. Some seniors are opting to skip their prescriptions to pay for groceries, others are rationing their drugs to last twice as long. If you or a loved one have taken these drastic steps, or if you have gone back to work in an attempt to afford living, you should know what thousands of seniors know.

There is hope; there is the reverse mortgage. Not only is it gaining popularity to help people pay for day to day life, it is helping people enjoy life again. With few requirements, it maybe easier to qualify than you thought.

The reverse mortgage qualifiers are:

You must be at least 62 years of age.

You must be a homeowner.

You must have equity in your home.

Qualifying for a reverse mortgage may certainly alleviate a number of the stress factors currently in your life. Do be aware that you still must keep your home maintained. Taxes and insurance also need to be kept up to date.

Reverse mortgages offer tremendous benefits to those that quality, but they are not appropriate for everyone. If your property is in poor condition, it may not qualify as homes need to be inspected and meet specific standards through either the loan company or the government. If you are planning on selling or refinancing a home within the next few years, a reverse mortgage is also not for you.

About the Author:

A MN Reverse Mortgage may possibly be a fiscal life saver for you or someone you care about. To learn more about if a Reverse Mortgage in MN is right for you call Mike Kraus at (763) 355-8540.

How Budget Budging Can Create A Life Free of Debt For You Today

By Jenni Snook

There's one thing I must clear up before I begin this article. Your budget is not a source of restriction. You can construct the life you've always dreamt of with it.

It's possible that you don't like the term personal finance budgeting. Another term, personal finance planning, may also not be your cup of tea. I know I don't. Anything composed of more than 1 word has the capacity to overwhelm us.

Nevertheless, whether we do or don't like the term, it does not matter. What we must know is that we will benefit much more than if we were to completely disregard it.

Why is this true?

Because it us with important resources with which we can start to realistically create the life we all desire. Is there anyone who doesn't dream of debt-free lifestyle? You wouldn't be reading this sentence in this article right now if it wasn't the case.

So, how does one successfully build a life free of debt?

I'll make this as easy as possible. Two words: Budget Budging. It's important that you never forget these 2 words because they will become a central part of your personal finance planning.

So, what is this concept known as budget budging?

It simply means that you take control of your budget rather than being controlled by it. The most important part of this is dictating your budget. If you are able to dictate your budget, then you can dictate your lifestyle. Simple as that.

The first thing that you should do is to set up a budget that's realistic for you and stick with it. Record all the money you spend to the last, in whatever form it may be eg cash, cheque or credit card.

This is a great way to know for sure where all your money is going. It helps to find out what steps may be necessary to create a good and realistic budget for you. Nevertheless, it's important that it's a budget that allows you to live comfortably while eliminating your debt.

Eliminating waste should be the second thing you should do. You will soon discover, by evaluating all your expenses, that you are being wasteful with your money. It's important that you're ruthless during this process.

Sacrifices may have to be made during this process. One way to achieve this successfully is by asking yourself what is really essential. Honesty is the best policy here in order to know what you really need and what is really unnecessary.

In order to successfully cut waste, thinking short term is vital. It's important to think of the long term gain instead of the short term pain to do this properly.

As with many other things in life, personal finance budgeting will seem a bit complicated and difficult to manage at first, but after creating a great budget for yourself, you will soon realise that it was well worth doing.

Is there anything else that would be happier than having a life without debt?

About the Author:

Jenni Snook is the main author of http://www.HealthyWealthySoul.com, a website dedicated to providing individuals tips and tools on personal finance budgeting to have both financial and spiritual happiness in their lives.

Are Retailer's Credit Cards A Good Idea?

By Steven J. Talrechi

The ads for them are everywhere. Retailer's credit cards promise to let us buy with no money down and no interest payments for as long as two or three years!

However, are these retailers' credit cards really the deal they seem to be? Let's take a look at what happens when you take on a credit card from a retailer.

It is true that these retailer's credit cards do typically offer a 0% interest rate and allow you to make purchases with no payment s for as long as the first two years; although this is usually limited to specific purchases. Let's suppose for instance that you sign up for a retailer's credit card offered by a furniture store. You might have with this card a discount of 10% on the purchase, along with having to make no down payment and no payments needed for two years.

This is a great deal, with one caveat. If you don't completely pay off this retailer's credit card within those two years, you'll be charged interest on the purchase ? not just from the day that this no payments period runs out, but retroactively. The interest will probably also be compounded every thirty days over that two years; this can really add up.

These cards should be approached with caution. If you cannot pay off the balance in full before the end of the introductory period, then you are probably better off without this card. Those retroactive interest charges could add up to quite a lot of money. Remember that these retailer's credit cards often have much higher interest rates than a regular MasterCard of Visa would.

If you're not at all sure you're going to be able to pay for the purchase in full before the introductory period ends, don't do it. Now, of course, the best scenario is not to get into debt with these types of purchases at all and instead pay cash for things you really want or need. However, if you must use credit to make this type of purchase, a better bet may be to use a lower interest rate but "generic" credit card such as Visa or MasterCard, and pay down your purchases as soon as possible. Even though you won't save a percentage of the sale price as the retailer might promise you to get you to sign up for the card (such as 10% off if you purchase with the retailer's card), you'll save money in the long run because you'll be paying lower interest rates.

If the retailer's credit card in question is from a shop where you are a regular and you know that you can afford to pay the entire balance before the end of the introductory period, then these cards can be a good deal for you. If not, then you would be well advised to avoid these retailer's credit cards. Those retroactive interest charges can really hurt you otherwise. Make sure you can afford to quickly repay the balance before you sign up for anything.

Last of all; remember that no matter what kind of credit card you use, you'll pay a lot of money in interest if you aren't careful with your purchases. Think before you buy and pay off your credit card balance as quickly as possible. You should try to never carry a balance on your credit card for more than 30 days. Credit cards can be a wonderful thing, but they have to be used responsibly.

About the Author:

Steven J. Talrechi is a veteran on credit reporting for over 10 years. He authors various topics on said field, including application for a credit card, and different credit card offers.

How To Get Payday Loans In The UK

By Rashel Dan

Payday loans in the UK are common and are actually easy to apply for. The most common way to do it, in fact, is to simply log online, apply, and have your application approved through the internet.

A lot of companies actually offer this service to people who need money as quickly as possible. Although it may seem like a non-traditional way of getting financial help, it is one that many people have found to be quite helpful.

The Need

It's a fact of life. There are sometime when you really need payday loans in the UK to pay off bills that came in too early, or utilities that you need to pay off because you forgot all about them. A payday loan is the solution for problems like these, and as long as you have a stable job with a steady income, chances are that you are eligible to get a payday loan.

What Is It?

What is a payday loan? It is basically a short-term loan that is given to you by a loaning institution such as the bank. You can then use this money to pay off whatever it is that you need to. But you have to pay back the loan in about two weeks and it's easy if you have a steady paycheck because that can automatically pay it off for you with the right arrangements.

Why Use One?

One advantage of payday loans in the UK is that you get the money as soon as possible. The transaction is quick and the processing can be confidential.

Another good thing about a payday loan is that the amount that you need can be deposited into your account the second that it is approved. The approval is actually instant once a lending institution sees just how qualified you are. Online, the process is even quicker and more convenient because you don't need to line up to apply and you can take your time filling out all the forms and fulfilling all the requirements.

In an age where money almost runs everything, payday loans are fast becoming the best solution to financial dilemmas. Everything from products to services carries some kind of bill that you need to pay at regular intervals. This is where payday loans can become very useful especially when you are a little short on cash when you need it most. Try a payday loan in the UK today and see what all the fuss is about.

About the Author:

Find a quick payday loan UK. Read more about how to process your payday loans in the UK now.