With so many holidays promoting the gift of flowers and so many special occasions that warrant the same, people
have been spending a small fortune on flowers for decades. Sure, it’s great to send mom a bouquet for Mother’s Day and it’s common for husbands to send roses just because but there is a better way to get a better deal on the beautiful buds.
Here are some easy tips for saving cash on flowers deliveries:
Stick with the local florist. The online flower sites and big dogs like FTD and 1-800-Flowers do make big promises and you can call them at 2 am but essentially it all comes down to this: the big companies add a surcharge to the customers but call on the local florist too. You can do the same thing for free.
Specials are on Friday. At the end of the week, florists are ready to clear out their stock so Fridays and even Saturdays are the best time to ask for a deal.
Restock is Mondays. If you have a specific arrangement in mind, place your order on a Monday and you’ll stand a better chance getting what you want.
Ask for a Deal. Florists usually have no problem giving discounts to senior citizens, local organizations, and loyal customers. But you likely will not get a deal without asking for it first.
Make Flowers Last. Cut stems on an angle and be sure to change the water every other day. When you do change water, wash the vase with soap and water to remove bacteria that will kill the flowers. Use the preservatives the florist provides as directed. If you run out of preservatives, mix ¼ cup of 7 Up with ¾ cup of water and 2 drops of bleach.
Position Counts. Don’t put your flowers in the window. The sunlight is okay but its heat will kill the flowers. Also, never set your arrangements near a bowl of fruit. Fruit emits ethylene gases that kills the flowers.
Too Many Vases? If you are the recipient of regular flower deliveries, you may be up to your eyeballs in clear glass vases. Check with your local florist and see if they will recycle them for you.
No Smell? If you get arrangements that are not very fragrant, don’t worry. Flowers these days are meant to have long stems and longer lives and breeding practices have changed the way flowers smell.
Are you trying to save money, but just can’t seem to figure out how? Believe it or not there are some simple things 
that you can do that will get you saving. Follow these tips to save $100.00 or even more every month.
Your first step to monthly saving is to look at all of your household bills. Are there services you are receiving that you just don’t need? Most of us have several that we really could do without. Simply downgrading your cable package or eliminating extra channels you pay for like HBO can help to start the savings. Could you bundle your phone, cable and internet together to save money. Many people do. You may also want to consider eliminating your land line altogether. Most people have cell phones and find they don’t use their land line enough to warrant keeping it.
You should also look at other bills like your insurance premiums for example. Many times just with a few phone calls you can find a rate that is more favorable than your current one.
Next, look at what you spend on food each month. Do you grab your coffee to go and what about lunch when you are working? Do you pick up take out or head out to dinner frequently? If so, stop. Make your coffee at home and pack your lunch. Plan your meals ahead and save take out and dinners out for special occasions. Fixing it your self can be a fraction of the cost you spend out every day.
How about your grocery bill? Do you buy items that you really don’t need? Most of us do. Make a list before you head to the store of the items you really need and then stick to it. Don’t be tempted to add extras to your cart. You can also clip coupons and plan you meals around store specials that week for additional savings.
Finally, look at what you spend on entertainment. While we all need to have fun, there are ways to still do so and save money at the same time. If you rent movies a lot or purchase books, check out your local library instead. You might be surprised at the selection of items waiting for you that won’t cost a thing. Check your local paper for free or low cost events in your area. There is usually plenty available for people on a budget.
As a final piece of advice, keep in mind that it is only a savings if you save the money and don’t spend it elsewhere during the month. Often people will work hard to lower costs and save the money only to turn around and spend it foolishly somewhere else.
Most financial experts agree that having an emergency fund full of at least 3-6 months worth of living expenses is ideal
for financial stability. But many people who live paycheck to paycheck are not able to save such large amount and end up having extra financial struggles when disaster strikes. Disasters can range from losing a job, having to replace a roof, repair a car, or any other time a big ticket purchase is necessary.
In place of having an emergency fund bank account on hand, a credit card can be used as a suitable replacement but only if it is handled correctly. Unnecessary spending on credit cards can have the opposite reaction – instead of helping you in an emergency you can wind up deeper in debt. If you plan to use your credit card as an emergency back up, then you’ll need to do it the right way.
Here are some tips for using a credit card as an emergency back up:
Pay Off the Balances
While you may not be able to save 3-6 months of funds, you should still be putting at least something in an account. Just because you use a credit card as an emergency doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay off the bill. It can be very tempting to use that ‘extra’ cash for other things besides paying down debt but resist the temptation.
Have One Emergency Card
If you have several cards with balances you can’t pay off in full, you might consider dedicating only one for emergencies and ensure the balance is always zero so you will have access to your credit line when you need it. Don’t employ several cards for emergencies and then spend on them. When the time comes for a true emergency, you may not be able to use the cards.
Decide What ‘Emergency’ Means
To a college kid pulling an all-nighter, an emergency might be a large pizza. If you plan to use a credit card as back up, you need to define emergency and restrict other spending.
Shop for a Better Card
If your credit card situation is good and your credit score is sufficient, you may want to shop for a new card that is a better fit for emergencies. For instance, if current cards charge an annual fee, look for a card that doesn’t. It’s pointless to pay for a credit card you’ll only use from time to time, if at all.
Say No To the Advance
Depending on your emergency, you may not be able to use the credit card because only cash will do. If this is the cash, resist the urge to get a cash advance from your credit card unless you are certain you can pay it back in full before the grace period ends. Otherwise, not only will you be responsible for the amount taken, you’ll also have to pay for the high interest rates that generally come with cash advances.
Buying a home is one of the largest debts you will undertake and not being prepared in the beginning will be to your
own demise. There are many things that surround the purchase of a first home and going in ready to tackle the process works to your advantage.
Here are the top five tips for staying in the know about your first home:
Secure Financing
While it is exciting to start working with a realtor and visiting new homes, your first priority should be money. Have your budget on hand and decide how much you can afford to pay. Contact a loan officer and discuss your financial situation. Once you have been preapproved for an amount, you’ll be able to shop more realistically and save yourself a lot of time and hassle. Experts note that a good ratio of house payments in relationship to your income is one-fourth, meaning that no more than ¼ of your income should be dedicated to the mortgage, taxes, and insurance. You may be pre-approved for more than that but it is unreasonable to go outside of your budget.
Understand the Costs
Obviously your mortgage payment is a big consideration in the process but too many times new homeowners forget the rest of the expense of owning a home. There are down payments and closing costs to consider right away. Plus, you’ll need to factor in the utilities, home maintenance fee, and any potential repairs necessary. Be sure to understand how much insurance, taxes, homeowner association fees, and the like will be added on for your new home.
Check Out the Neighborhood
You may find the perfect house in a not so perfect place but because you think you are in love, you may neglect to consider the big picture. Real estate experts suggest sitting down and making a list of what you really want in a home and a neighborhood. There are many factors to consider such as proximity to the places you go most often, the commute to work, the distance and transportation to the local schools, and how the other neighbors relate. These are very important because committing to live in the new area means facing these issues daily.
Consider Your Lifestyle
While many people do buy a ‘starter’ home when just starting out, it is still a big commitment. If the house only has 2 bedrooms, you really need to consider how many kids you plan to have. That is just one factor in the equation. You’ll need to think about where you see yourself in a few years down the line. Some folks may find they are better off renting in the beginning so they can maintain flexibility for careers and such. But if you think you are ready to settle down, plan ahead for the future and don’t just live in the present.
Are You Ready?
A home is not only a huge financial responsibility it also takes a lot of work. Be sure you understand what it will take to keep things running smoothly. If you have a big yard, are your prepared to cut so much grass? It may sound like a simple question but if you are too quickly overwhelmed by the daily tasks of maintaining a home, you might want to wait. If you are ready to devote your time and money to the investment, call up a realtor.
It isn’t bad enough that dealing with debt can contribute to physical and emotional problems, it can now impact your 
chances of being offered a job in the future. More specifically, the impact debt has on your credit report will play an important role in whether or not you are hired for certain jobs. In a struggling economy, more and more employers are running a credit check on potential employees before offering them job positions. Ironically, people in debt need a job in order to get their finances back on track, however many employers are not willing to risk hiring an individual who appears to have difficulty managing money. The reasons are obvious if the position you are seeking involves money management, but other job offers can be lost that don’t revolve around money. Traditionally, credit checks have been done to gauge a potential employees reliability and responsibility. The theory is this, if you can’t be counted on to pay your bills on time, what other areas will you be found lacking in?
Of course the danger of employers using credit history to determine whether or not a person gets a job, is that a downward spiral of indebtedness will ensure. Without employment, a person struggles to pay bills, which in turn affects their credit history, which in turn is used again in the future to determine if they qualify for a job. With more companies requiring a credit check on potential employees, the 6.4 million Americans who are currently unemployed face a stark future, especially if they have fallen behind on their bills.
Another concern is the fact that many people who have not missed a payment are also seeing their credit score decline as a result of decreased or canceled credit card accounts. In this instance, an employer could actually decline a position based on a credit history that is not showing the big picture. The same can be said if there are errors on a credit report which could take up to two months to correct. In that time, the decision has already been made and the damage done for the job candidate.
To minimize the chances of having your credit history reduce your job opportunities you must pay close attention to the information provided there. Review your credit report three times annually (free of charge) to spot inaccurate information and correct it as soon as possible. If debt is impacting your credit, take every available step to reduce debt or work with creditors to lessen the impact on your credit report.
Comparison shopping is when you look at a product that you plan to purchase and compare the price of the same or similar product at different stores or locations. You then purchase the product where you can get the best bargain. You can price compare just about everything from your groceries to a new vehicle, children’s toys to finding a hotel for you next vacation. Avid bargain hunters know just where to look to find the best deals. Here are some tips to get started:
One quick and easy way to comparison shop is to look at the store’s specials. For example ,you can look at several different advertisements for grocery stores in your area before you head out to do your shopping. You can then choose the store that has the best bargains on the items you plan to buy. Many bargain hunters will even stop at multiple locations, picking up the items they need that are on special in each store.
Looking at advertisements is another great way to begin to price compare for bigger ticket items. If you are looking to buy a television set, a washer or lawn mower for example, you will want to seek out ads for the stores that typically carry these products. You can check out the items that are on sale that week, comparing cost to the product features. Many times, with these types of items, it is also a good idea to visit the stores to take a look. Some stores will even haggle with you on the price. As an added tip check to see if there are any other bargains to be had. Sometimes if you open up a store charge account you can get an additional discount.
Purchasing a new vehicle is another place that bargain hunters price compare. In this case it is usually best to visit different dealerships to look at the vehicles, decide on features and price compare. Once you have decided on a particular make and model to purchase you can then make the sale at the dealership that will offer you the best bargain.
Price comparing for vacations is also a great way to find a deal. If you are planning a trip, whether you are looking for a hotel room, a luxury resort or even a cabin on a cruise ship, bargain shopping can save you money. It is very easy to compare prices on the internet for these services and many travel websites compare prices for you.
Bottom line, you don’t need to pay full price. With a little bit of time and effort you can learn to bargain shop and save a bundle.
Regardless of how you feel about the economy, credit card industry or finances in general, we all have one thing in common- we all need money to survive. There is no escaping the fact that you will either need cold hard cash, checks or credit cards to make necessary purchases each day.
Many of these purchases involve transactions that go through your checking account. Unlike in days gone by, writing a check is no longer the only method of making a payment from your bank account. In fact with so many options 
available today from debit cards to electronic payments it is very easy to lose track of transactions that can result in overdrawing your account. Banks charge customers who do not have enough funds to cover transactions overdraft or insufficient fund fees. These fees can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars making it imperative you stay on top of your finances and manage your account with precision.
The Difference Between Overdraft and Insufficient Fund Fees.
The main difference between the two fees is actually the action your bank takes in response to a transaction that hits your account that is not covered. If your bank offers some form of overdraft protection in most cases they will honor the transaction and charge you a service fee for covering the check or debit to your account. Without overdraft protection, your bank will deny the transaction and return the check or debit to the vendor noting the reason being “insufficient funds”. In 9 out of 10 cases, you will not only face an insufficient fee charge from your bank but also a fee from the vendor for having the transaction denied.
Tips To Avoid These Costly Fees.
It seems that there are fees attached to just about anything these days, some of which are unavoidable. That is not the case with overdraft or insufficient fund fees. Avoiding these fees are completely within your control. Here is how you can make sure you are not losing money paying unnecessary fees.
- Organization is key to avoid situations that could lead to overdrafts on your checking account. You will have to be diligent in keeping track of all transactions such as checks, ATM withdrawals, electronic debits, automated payments and debit card purchases. Missing just one receipt or check payment can have expensive consequences if it causes your account to become overdrawn.
- Most banks offer online services. After creating an account you can log on as frequently as you like to check your account balance. This makes is possible to spot errors before they result in an overdraft or deal with overdrafts quickly to correct your account. If your bank doesn’t offer this, consider opening a new account and get a free checking account bonus for doing so.
- Consider overdraft services that offer real protection, such as linking your checking account to a savings account. In the event your account becomes overdrawn, the bank can draw from the linked account.
- There are many free online management tools that help consumers track the best savings accounts. Consider signing up for one of these accounts which will give you one more tool to keep track of transactions posting to your checking account.
Now that you know what these fees are and how to avoid them, you are in a better position to prevent paying that extra expense.
Many people struggle to find balance in life. Whether you are seeking financial, personal or professional balance you must first learn how to get your priorities in order to find success. The term priority is
defined as “something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives”. To find balance in life you must make a list of your priorities and list them in order of importance. Unless you are independently wealthy and have enough money to achieve all financial goals simultaneously, you more than likely play a juggling game with your money as you work toward several different financial goals. Here we look at what goals are most important and what goals are farther down the list of financial priorities.
Paying bills- At the top of your list of financial priorities is paying for bills necessary to survive. All other financial goals are moot if you don’t have a place to live or the basic necessities in life. If you are working with a limited income and struggling to pay everything at once, you must make the decision to pay housing expenses, utilities and day-to-day living expenses first before focusing on other priorities. If you are just getting by paying these expenses, you want to look closely at where you can cut costs to free up more money for other financial responsibilities. This may include canceling cable or Internet services or dropping gym memberships.
Savings- In a struggling economy, many people find themselves weighing the need to save money or pay off debt. Having a well padded savings account is one of the best ways to avoid future debt, however if you are losing hundreds of dollars each month to high interest debt, you may not have time to build up the desired amount of savings. With that being said, after paying bills, you should try to tuck away just a few hundred dollars to have a small cushion of money for emergencies. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, missing a few days of work can put you so far behind the eight ball you will struggle for months to catch up. By saving a few hundred dollars you have the peace of mind that should you find yourself with even less available cash, you have something in the bank to get you by in the short term. Once you get past your financial hardship you can then focus on building an adequate emergency fund as well as putting aside money for retirement.
Pay off high interest debt- There is nothing more frustrating than watching your balances grow to epic proportions due to high interest rates. Clearly making the minimum payment will never get you out of debt, however if you are truly facing tough times, you should at least make the minimum payment to avoid late fees and other penalties that occur as a result of not making the minimum monthly payment. Ideally you should tackle your high interest debt aggressively to pay down your balances and stop the hemorrhaging of money. Once you have eliminated your high interest debt you will have extra money to put toward other financial goals.
Retirement contributions- If you have managed to get to this point, you are in good shape. You are paying your bills, have a growing stash of money in savings and have paid off your high interest debt. Now you must try to make up for lost time and begin contributing toward your retirement. If your employer offers a tax deferred retirement plan take advantage of this opportunity to sock away money each paycheck toward your retirement. If your employer provides a company match, all the better, increasing the money that goes into your account with no effort on your part.
It is almost impossible to address all financial goals at once, especially if you are dealing with a financial hardship. By prioritizing your financial goals you can make it through tough times and continue your journey toward other goals.
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