How Starbucks, Uber and Obama are making you go broke

There's nothing fun about being stuck in a financial rut. It can feel as if you're spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. So when the price of a service you use increases, you feel the pinch. Here's a look at different ways Starbucks, Barack Obama and Uber can affect your cash flow and keep you broke.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1EqKMWI

Group proposes transforming Cashman Field to soccer venue

A development group is pitching the city of Las Vegas on a plan to convert Cashman Field into a professional soccer venue as the first step to attracting a Major League Soccer franchise to Sin City.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1HKlxyI

6 secrets to getting free flights

Think you can't afford a spin in a private jet -- jacuzzi included -- or a night at a lavish, five-star hotel? Think again. A dedicated group of frequent fliers (or "aero-sexuals") have mastered the fine art of scoring travel freebies. They share their top tips on getting that free ride.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1LajHic

CBA customers can buy food today

TWO days after a computer glitch left CommBank customers in the red, the bank has finally processed all refunds. But some of those charged overdraft fees are still waiting.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1L9KQ4S

Henderson-based online shoe designer poised to launch sales

When Sinan "Stanley" Hu's parents moved to the U.S. in 1985, they were looking for a better life — the American dream — for their family, he said. Now the entrepreneur is chasing his own dream. Hu is the man behind LIUID, a Henderson-based online retailer that designs shoes and will begin selling them on its online store Tuesday.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1faNrxc

Details of Switch deal with Nevada Power emerge

Elements of a deal struck by Switch and Nevada Power Co. to keep by the data storage company as a customer of the utility for at least the next three years are detailed in a new filing with the state Public Utilities Commission.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1faNrx8

Wendy’s restaurant coming to Tannersville

A Wendy’s restaurant proposed in Tannersville is expected to win final approval Monday night.

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1hAmpB4

The Best Credit Cards for Customer Satisfaction

U.S. News ranked creditors based on customer complaints. See which best resolve billing disputes, ID theft and other issues.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1h7rKQt

Everi Holdings will replace Global Cash Access this month

Las Vegas-based Global Cash Access announced its new name Thursday, saying the company will be known as Everi Holdings Inc. starting Aug. 24.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1NedtgY

Meadows Bank reports profits up 51 percent in first half of 2015

Meadows Bank, a full-service community bank based in Las Vegas, has reported that its net income is up 51 percent for the first half of 2015 compared to the same six-month period in 2014.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1UFU8aB

Infographic: The Best Credit Cards of 2015

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1ILGXzn

Marketing Day: Twitter Publisher Report, Global Mobile Ad Revenue & Buffer Adds Video

Here's our recap of what happened in online marketing today, as reported on Marketing Land and other places across the web.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1MmY5y5

A Sporting July Helps BBC Remain Top Publisher On Twitter [Report]

Fueled by Wimbledon, England's success in the women's World Cup and a deep well of content, BBC stories receive nearly 4 million tweets, 1 million more than the runner-up New York Times.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1hA7hUf

Transportation agency OKs contract with SEIU workers

The second of four contracts for work groups affiliated with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada was approved Thursday by the organization's board of directors.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1DNFYQG

Welcome to the U.S. News Best Credit Cards Rankings

Use our rankings to find a card that suits your needs.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1JfBxQP

Getting Approved for a Credit Card: What You Need to Know

Here's what credit issuers look at when approving your application for credit.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1ILmuuy

How to Choose the Right Rewards Credit Card for You

Check your credit and consider your spending patterns before applying.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1ILmr1X

How U.S. News Ranks the Best Credit Cards

An in-depth look at U.S. News’ process for selecting and ranking the best credit cards each year.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1JfBx33

3 Best Rewards Credit Cards for Seniors

If you don't have a rewards credit card, you could be leaving cash on the table.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1JfBxQE

Report: Billions In Local “Co-Op Advertising” Funds Left Unspent Annually

Ask digital agencies and marketers about “co-op advertising” and many of them have only a vague idea of what that is. Co-op advertising at the most basic level is a brand or manufacturer sharing (or subsidy) of local retailer, vendor or dealer advertising costs. This represents a pool...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1JfxFz4

Google May Be Bringing Twitter To Desktop Search Results

Twitter integration into Google's desktop search is spotted in the UK. Up to now, it was only on mobile and in the US.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1NdR2bL

Spirit Airlines to launch Las Vegas-New Orleans service

Deep-discount air carrier Spirit Airlines will launch its 20th destination from Las Vegas in November, offering nonstop round trips to and from New Orleans, the company announced Wednesday.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1Pa5mQR

How to Use Back-to-School Shopping to Teach Your Kids About Money

The annual shopping spree can be a valuable teaching tool for kids, but parents can still learn a few money-saving tricks.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1L8SjOV

SPONSOR MESSAGE: Guide to Social Advertising

Social advertising challenges a brand to think differently about both social engagement and advertising. It requires marketers to appeal to the prospect in new ways. This Grande Guide from Oracle Eloqua is about advertising in the social media sphere — What it means, why it’s worth it...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1J6vPi0

Global Mobile Ad Revenue Up 64%; Mobile Display Ads Top Search First Time Ever [Report]

Global revenue for mobile display, search and messaging ads climbed to $31.9 billion in 2014.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1Ty4cjx

Back to School on a Budget: 7 Smart Ways to Get Kids’ Clothes for Less

Although the days are still warm and you’re in full summer mode, retailers are already preparing for back-to-school season.

You can’t walk into a store or flip through an ad without noticing the shift. Gone (or at least relegated to the clearance racks) are the shorts and T-shirts. Jeans, pants and sweatshirts have filled the space.

For parents, this time of year not only means having to shell out money for school supplies, it’s also time to reboot kids’ wardrobes and get them ready for the coming school year.

But just like there are ways to save money on school supplies, there are also plenty of tricks to save when it comes to their school clothes. As a mom of two middle-schoolers (yikes!), here are seven ways I save on getting their wardrobes ready for the new school year.

1. Do a Thorough Inventory

Before you set foot in a single store, go through your children’s closets and drawers and see what still fits and in good condition.

My kids wear uniforms, so for me, this is a fairly easy process. I check their khaki pants and shorts and their polo shirts.

Of course, I still have to check on their non-school clothes too — the casual ones they put on the minute they get home and wear on weekends (basically athletic pants, shorts and T-shirts).

After taking inventory, figure out what the kids still need. Do they have enough pairs of pants to get them from one laundry day to the next? If not, how many more do they need? You may be surprised at how much they already have.

2. Set a Budget

Determine how much you can spend on back-to-school clothing. Some people already include clothes in their monthly budgets, so that’s a good place to start.

Whatever you do, make sure to have a dollar amount in mind before you start shopping. This way, you’ll prevent sticker shock — or credit card regret — later on.

3. Be Patient

Yes, it’s tempting to start looking at the new fall clothes as soon as they hit the shelves, but think about it: Does your child really need a bunch of jeans and sweatshirts right away?

Think about the weather where you live — maybe they’ll be able to make it through most of September wearing shorts. The longer you wait to buy, the more you’ll save, since stores will start having bigger sales to clear their racks.

4. Shop Consignment Stores

Depending on your kids’ ages and interests, they might not care much about their clothes or where they come from. (If you have a fashion-savvy teenager, you may not be so lucky.)

Use that ambivalence to your advantage and visit local consignment shops and thrift stores to see what they have in stock. These stores can be hit and miss, but it doesn’t hurt to look, and it can pay off with big savings.

Don’t forget to check the shoe area — you might be able to pick up a great deal on shoes that need to stay at school for gym class. When my kids were younger, I frequently found brand name sweatshirts that looked practically brand new for under $10.

5. Check Facebook Garage Sale Groups and Online Rummage Sales

I view these sites as another form of consignment shopping — except it’s from your home.

On my local VarageSale site, I can easily search for the clothing sizes I need. Facebook garage sale groups are great, but don’t have quite the same search functionality.

As with consignment shops, these options can be hit or miss, but they’re still worth checking out. And if you have clothes your kids have outgrown, go ahead and post them to see if you can make a few bucks. It doesn’t hurt to try!

6. Shop Sales Strategically

We all want to be smart shoppers, but are we? Before heading out, make sure you have any store coupons and check your in-store app, such as Target’s Cartwheel, to make sure you’re not missing out on additional savings.

Do you prefer to shop online like I do? Always head to Ebates or another of these cash-back sites first to earn cash back from your shopping.

When shopping online, type in as many promo codes as you can. For example, Kohl’s is notorious for having multiple sales and codes available at once, so combine them to see just how much you can save on your purchase. Use online codes as well as codes from coupons in the mail.

I know it can seem like a pain, but once you get used to doing it and start seeing the savings add up, you’ll be motivated to keep trying. Or, to make things easier, consider installing one of these browser extensions that help you find the best price, add as many coupon codes as possible and earn cash back.

7. Ask Around

If you have friends or relatives with older children, don’t be afraid to ask what they do with their kids’ old clothes. You never know — they might be looking for an easy way to part with them and might hand them over for free!

I’ve received countless bags of clothes from people at school with older children — and I’ve also passed on my kids’ clothes to others. Sure, there may be some duds in there, but there may also be some treasures, too.

I always tell people that what I can’t use, I’ll pass on to a local charity. Everyone wins — your friend is able to find a home for her kids’ stuff, you get some clothes for free and a local charity gets a donation.

If your friend is planning to sell the clothes online or at a consignment store, ask if you can have first dibs. She’ll likely give you a deal since it’ll cut down on some of her running around.

Getting your children dressed to head back to school doesn’t need to break the bank. Planning ahead and thinking outside of your typical big-box retailer can help you stay on budget.

Your Turn: What are some ways you save on back-to-school clothes shopping?

Disclosure: We have a serious Taco Bell addiction around here. The affiliate links in this post help us order off the dollar menu. Thanks for your support!

Freelance writer MaryBeth Matzek is a mom of two and always on the lookout for a good deal.

The post Back to School on a Budget: 7 Smart Ways to Get Kids’ Clothes for Less appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1UFoY35

How does median household income relate to bankruptcy?

Income matters when it comes to filing for bankruptcy. Learn just how median household income relates to bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1fa2szc

Can the trustee sell your exempt assets in bankruptcy?

You don't lose every asset when you file for bankruptcy. Learn if the trustee can sell your exempt assets at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1Tw7n0g

How are unsecured claims treated in bankruptcy?

Filing for bankruptcy is difficult without knowing what will be left over. Learn how unsecured claims are treated in bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1IKQ83a

How does median household income relate to bankruptcy?

Income matters when it comes to filing for bankruptcy. Learn just how median household income relates to bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1fa2szc

Can the trustee sell your exempt assets in bankruptcy?

You don't lose every asset when you file for bankruptcy. Learn if the trustee can sell your exempt assets at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1Tw7n0g

How are unsecured claims treated in bankruptcy?

Filing for bankruptcy is difficult without knowing what will be left over. Learn how unsecured claims are treated in bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1IKQ83a

Want To Speak At Marketing Land SocialPro? Here’s How

The agenda for our upcoming Marketing Land SocialPro conference (formerly known as SMX Social Media Marketing)is live and we’ve opened up our “speaking pitch” form for select sessions for the show, taking place in Las Vegas on November 18-19, 2015. To increase the odds of being...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1J2kaMV

Learn Profit-Boosting SEO & SEM Insights At SMX East. Register & Save $200 With Early Bird Rates!

Don’t miss out on SMX East, THE conference for digital marketing professionals. Register now and pay $1695 (early bird rate, expiring August 29). Get three days of tactical sessions, keynotes, clinics and career-defining connections! Score Oscar-winning results for your campaigns! Choose from...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1UF678o

Can you get credit cards after being discharged from bankruptcy?

Credit cards can actually help you healthily rebuild your credit. Learn how to obtain them after being discharged from bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1JeQK4p

Does filing for bankruptcy hurt your credit score?

Bankruptcy can provide relief, but you should know the consequences. Learn if filing for bankruptcy really hurts your credit score at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1L8rX2k

Can you get credit cards after being discharged from bankruptcy?

Credit cards can actually help you healthily rebuild your credit. Learn how to obtain them after being discharged from bankruptcy at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1JeQK4p

Does filing for bankruptcy hurt your credit score?

Bankruptcy can provide relief, but you should know the consequences. Learn if filing for bankruptcy really hurts your credit score at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1L8rX2k

Follow The Leader: How Starbucks Is Dominating Mobile Commerce

Looking to step up your mobile strategy? Columnist Aaron Strout explains why you could learn a few things from Starbucks.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1TxjqFw

We Finally Found a Free Alternative to PayPal and Venmo

Sending money to friends and family through services like PayPal and Venmo is great, but these companies often take a cut from your payment, meaning you’ve either got to pay a little extra or your recipient doesn’t get the full amount you owe them.

Square Cash wants to change that. It’s a peer-to-peer money transfer app that deposits cash directly into your bank account without charging any fees. That means there’s no need to log into the app and request a bank transfer!

Square Cash also includes some other great features, including cashtags and the ability to send money via email.

Will our guide convince you to add Square Cash to your list of must-have apps? Let’s find out.

How Square Cash Works

Square Cash comes from the same company that brought us Square credit card swipes.

You’ve probably seen these white, square card readers at some of your favorite coffee shops or local stores; they’re popular among small businesses because they turn iPads into cash registers. If you’ve ever been in a dealer’s room at a convention, you’ve definitely seen Square credit card swipes in action!

Square Cash is different than the Square credit card reader, though. It’s designed to help you transfer money from person to person for free, without swiping a credit card.

When you set up a Square Cash account for your small business, Square takes a 1.9% cut of each transaction; when you set up a personal account, the transactions are free and you get to keep all the money you receive.

The Square Cash Signup Process

Signing up for Square Cash is quick and easy. Here’s how I did it:

First, I went to the Square Cash website. I started the account process by entering my phone number. Square Cash texted me a confirmation code, which I used to confirm that this was in fact my phone number. You can also enter your email address, and Square Cash will email you a confirmation code.

Then Square Cash gave me the choice between setting up a business and a personal account, and I picked “personal.”

I linked my debit card to my Square Cash account, and then Square gave me my personal cashtag, which is like an account nickname. Mine’s $NicoleDieker, for example.

When people want to send you money via Square Cash, all they have to do is type in your cashtag and it’ll get to you — but we’ll discuss Square Cash transfers more thoroughly in a minute.

The last step was to download the Square Cash app to my phone, which only took a few minutes.

Once you get set up, Square gives you the opportunity to invite your contacts to try Square Cash, and you’ll both get $5 if your friends sign up. Consider it a quick way to make a few extra dollars!

Transferring Money With Square Cash

Square Cash offers three easy ways to transfer money to friends.

First, you can do it through the app. I recently used Square Cash to treat a long-distance friend to lunch, for example.

I opened up the app, typed in the amount, hit pay, and then entered my friend’s name. Square Cash automatically pulls from your phone’s address book to send the money via email or text message. If your friend has a cashtag, you can skip the address book step and type in the cashtag instead.

If your friend has already linked a debit card to Square Cash, the funds will be transferred automatically. But you can send money to any friend or relative, regardless of whether they have a Square Cash app on their phone, and Square will invite them to link their debit card so they can receive their funds.

You can also transfer money via email without using the Square Cash app. Open a new message, and put the cash recipient in the To: field and cash@square.com in the CC: field. Put the amount you want to send in the subject line (like “$15”) and add an explanation in the body of the email (like “thanks for covering me at dinner!”). Then hit send.

If you’re sending cash to someone who doesn’t have a Square Cash account, consider sending a follow-up email or text to let your friend know that you just sent them money. If they aren’t already familiar with Square Cash, they might not trust the site — so send the follow-up to let them know Square Cash is for real!

Lastly, if your friend has a cashtag, you can transfer money by visiting your friend’s cashtag page (it’s cash.me/ followed by their cashtag, like http://ift.tt/1WlQFjj) and entering the amount you want to transfer.

You can even transfer money through a cashtag page without having a Square Cash account; just input your debit card number like any other type of online payment.

Requesting Money With Square Cash

You can receive money through Square Cash when people choose to send it to you — like my choosing to treat my friend to lunch — but you can also use Square Cash to request money from family or friends.

Let’s say you and a friend want to go together on a wedding gift, and you’re the one who goes to the registry and makes the purchase. You can use Square Cash to let your friend know how much money he or she owes you.

Requesting money through the Square Cash app is kind of like sending a mini-invoice. Type in the amount requested, hit “request” and add a contact. Type in the reason why your friend owes you money, then send your request on its way!

You can also request cash via email. It’s the same as sending cash via email, except this time you put request@square.com in the CC: field. Put the amount requested in the subject line, add an explanation in the body, and hit send.

If you receive a Square Cash request from someone, don’t worry — money isn’t going to magically disappear from your bank account. When you receive a Square Cash request, you get to decide whether to approve it. If you don’t approve the request, no money changes hands.

What Makes Square Cash Different

What makes Square Cash different from other money transfer apps? Here’s a list:

• The money you receive is deposited directly into your bank account. Other tools, like PayPal, hold your money until you log in and request a bank transfer. Square deposits funds into your account within one to two business days.

• No fees. PayPal charges a fee every time you receive money. Venmo charges a fee if you pay via credit card or “non-major debit card.” Square does not charge fees for personal cash transactions.

• With cashtags, sending and receiving money becomes super easy. It’s already easy to send and receive money with Square Cash, but the cashtag system makes it even easier.

• You can send money to people even if they don’t have a Square Cash account. No need to email someone and ask “what’s your account name?” Just use Square Cash to send them money and Square will take care of the rest.

What About Security?

Square Cash requires two-factor authentication at login (that’s where they send you a code as part of the login process), to confirm you are the real owner of your Square Cash account.

This is one layer of protection from hackers and from people who may accidentally gain access to your phone or your Square Cash account, but you can also go into your Square Cash account settings and set them to “security lock,” which requires you to enter your debit card’s three-digit CVV number before you can send cash to other people.

Another important step: Don’t forget to log out of your account or app after every use!

Check out Square Cash and see if it works for you. With its no-fee personal transactions and easy-to-understand interface, it might be your new favorite app!

Your Turn: Have you ever used Square Cash to send or receive money?

Sponsorship Disclosure: A huge thanks to Square Cash for working with us to bring you this content. It’s rare that we have the opportunity to share something so awesome and get paid for it!

Nicole Dieker is a freelance writer focusing on personal finance and personal stories. Her work has appeared in The Billfold, The Toast, Yearbook Office, The Write Life and Boing Boing.

The post We Finally Found a Free Alternative to PayPal and Venmo appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1WlQFzz

How do you write a hardship letter to creditors?

A well-written letter could effectively prove your hardship to creditors. Learn how to write a hardship letter to creditors at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1WlOvju

How do you write a hardship letter to creditors?

A well-written letter could effectively prove your hardship to creditors. Learn how to write a hardship letter to creditors at HowStuffWorks.

Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1WlOvju

15 Financial Mistakes I’ve Made and the Better Solutions I’ve Figured Out Since Then

I’ve made a lot of financial mistakes over the years – some obvious, some not so much. If I’ve learned anything, though, it’s that the mistakes you make yesterday do not define you today. Every single day is a new day, a day in which you can fix your bad habits and work to right the wrongs of your past.

This article is a long list of some of the many personal finance mistakes I’ve made in my life, along with notes on what I did to turn those mistakes around.

Mistake #1: I Never Knew Where All of My Money Was Going

Whenever I looked at my checking account balance, I’d have some idea in my head of how much money should be left, and there was always less there than I expected. It seemed like money just evaporated and I really didn’t have any idea where it went. I’d assume that I must have used it for something worthwhile that I had forgotten about, and if I looked through the actual list of withdrawals, it never seemed wrong. It just never made sense.

I needed to overcome this mistake because it meant that my spending was literally out of control. I truly did not know where all of the money was going, and that made it very hard to step back and see where I was making spending mistakes. It also made it impossible to see where things like identity theft were occurring.

How did I fix it? I started keeping a detailed spending log using an old spiral-bound Mead pocket notebook. Whenever I spent any money at all, I wrote down that expense in that pocket notebook, explaining exactly what I bought. I also saved every single receipt that I received. Then, every few days, I went through those receipts and recorded them in my personal finance program of choice (which, at the time, was Microsoft Money, which is now defunct). Over time, I began to realize the truth: I was wasting a lot of money on small, unnecessary, completely forgettable things.

Mistake #2: I Didn’t Save Adequately for Retirement at the Start of My Career

Don’t get me wrong – I did save a little. The person I trusted most at the time for career and life advice basically demanded that I do so. However, instead of looking at it as something really useful for my future, I looked at it merely as something to check off my to-do list.

I ended up contributing about as little as I possibly could. My first employer did offer some nice matching funds, but I only scooped up some of those matching funds because I contributed so little.

A much better move would have been to contribute a lot to retirement, which is essentially what I’m doing right now. I wish I had contributed 10% of my income at a minimum, and perhaps as much as 20%. If that were the case, I’d be doing great right now. I ended up spending money that should have been saved for retirement on the stupid stuff I discovered with that first mistake. The truth is that when you contribute more to a retirement plan, the only thing you actually “cut” from your spending are the dumbest and most useless expenses, which aren’t really much of a loss in terms of your quality of life.

Mistake #3: Sarah and I Had a Food Budget That Approached $1,000 a Month for Just the Two of Us

How is that possible? Well, we ate out several times a week, and at least a couple of those meals were at very nice restaurants. We never ordered a meal without drinks, either. I often went out to lunch with coworkers, and Sarah did so on occasion (her job wasn’t as prone to lunching with coworkers as mine was). When we did prepare food at home, it was usually either convenience food or loaded down with expensive ingredients. We always had purchased beverages in the fridge, too, and we usually had a few bottles of wine on hand as well.

This added up to monthly food-related spending that often approached $1,000, believe it or not. That’s a lot of money, especially for two people.

So, how did we fix it? First of all, we started to realize that by eating out so often, we really didn’t appreciate it any more. These expensive meals were kind of the norm and not anything special. Not only that, many of the meals we ordered there were pretty simple things that we could prepare at home. It turned out that our biggest obstacle to preparing more foods at home was our lack of confidence in the kitchen, so we simply tried making more things at home – and more challenging things, too.

We also figured out pretty quickly that many of the expensive ingredients we were buying were largely unnecessary. They were either solely for a small moment of convenience or were minor elements. We scaled back and started using more produce, dried beans and rice, spices, and other elements in our dishes. We cut out most of the soda and alcohol, switching to water as our primary beverage. The end result? Our food expenses dropped through the floor. We now spend barely half as much as we spent back then and we’re now a family of five.

Mistake #4: I Didn’t Financially Prepare for the Birth of My First Child

When Sarah and I discovered in February 2005 that a baby would be joining our family at the end of the year, we were elated. We had both dreamed of becoming parents and we felt that our relationship was at the right state to make it work.

We were aware on some level that a child would bring lots of expenses: diapers, formula, a crib, clothes, sheets, blankets, child care… oh, the child care… but we didn’t really incorporate those realizations into our thinking in any way. We didn’t alter our spending routines or save much money for the arrival of our baby and it went as disastrously as you might expect.

Over time, we came to realize that a baby means a number of changes in your life. It means staying home a lot more. It means eating at home a lot more. Both of those things lead to savings provided you’re smart about those decisions. Those changes helped with our financial predicament and we were able to survive, but the changes were much rougher than they need to be. The better solution is something that we can’t quite roll back the clock on – we should have started saving money, at least $100 a week, as soon as we discovered that Sarah was pregnant.

Mistake #5: I Had a Bad Book-Buying Habit

About twice a week, I would stop at a bookstore that was along my commuting route and buy two or three books. On some level, it made sense – I was an avid reader and I did plow through a book or two a week. However, I was buying five or six books a week, meaning that each week I was picking up three to five books that I just wasn’t reading. That meant that my shelves slowly filled up with unread books, much like the closet of a clothes aficionado fills up with unused clothing.

This added up to more than a hundred dollars in spending per month, easy. However, I was only actually using a fraction of that spending – the rest just went to stuff my shelves with more unread books.

Several things changed that broke this habit. I changed my commute, for starters, so that I didn’t drive by that store. I resolved to stop buying books while there were still unread books on my shelves. Then, in a desire to read some new releases as well as a desire to plunge myself deeper into personal finance, I started hitting the library, where I practically melted my library card checking out new releases.

Today, I don’t buy many books at all. I mostly just use the library. I do buy occasional “daily deal” books for my Kindle. The truth is, I have more books that I can access for no cost than I’ll ever be able to read. I came to realize the “abundance” of books available to me instead of believing in “scarcity.”

Mistake #6: I Didn’t Have an Emergency Fund for a Very Long Time

For the first several years of my professional life, I scarcely kept anything at all in my savings account. Mostly, this was because I was blowing through my checking account so rapidly, but there was also a sense for me that it wasn’t important. Savings meant that you were saving to buy something in the future and I kept thinking that I would just put off that kind of savings for some future date – not today.

The problem was that whenever something unexpected happened – like a brake problem on my truck or an emergency trip or a lost wallet – I didn’t have any cash to tap. Instead, I had to stick with just the resources in my checking account and my credit cards – and sometimes, like when the wallet vanished, I didn’t have the credit cards, either. Even when I did have the cards, it just meant more high-interest debt.

The solution was simple. I finally started listening to the good personal finance advice out there and set up an automatic transfer from my checking account to my savings account that triggered each and every week, moving a little from one to the other. That same transfer is still in place and my emergency fund is big and fat. I don’t tap it very often these days, but when an emergency happens, I just don’t worry about it. I know I have the cash there to handle whatever it is.

Mistake #7: I Didn’t Assemble a Budget Because I Thought It Would Be a “Waste of Time”

Whenever the thought of “financial responsibility” crossed my mind back in the day, I always thought of the kind of budgets that we learned about back in my high school consumer education class. Those were the kinds of budgets where you had a list of categories, you estimated a number for each category, then you tried to match that number. It seemed rather trite and pointless.

Whenever I thought about budgeting, I thought about that experience and defined it as a complete waste of time. In that, I was right – that procedure would have been a waste of time. It’s not a good way to make a budget, though.

Instead, I eventually tried a much smarter approach. I started instead by keeping track of my spending over the course of a month or two and using that to build a budget. I sorted all of my spending into sensible categories, averaged them out to determine what an “average” month was like for each category, then designed a budget that encouraged me to tighten up the belt a little bit in the categories I had more control over, like food spending.

That, my friends, worked like a charm. Not only did it give me a realistic look at how I was spending my money, it also gave me some gentle guidance for how to improve in the exact areas where it made sense for me to improve. That’s incredibly useful guidance for anyone.

Mistake #8: I Focused Almost Entirely on My Paycheck-to-Paycheck Finances

Many of my spending choices on a day-to-day basis were once made based on the current balance of my checking account and the current balance of my credit cards. I’d check my balance at an ATM or look at my credit card balance online and if I had the money, I’d buy the thing I wanted. Sure, I’d mentally account for things like “food I will need to buy between now and payday,” but that was about as far as future thinking went.

Unsurprisingly, this failed me many times, and I’m not just talking about emergencies. It failed me even worse in terms of big expenses that I would see coming down the road. For example, I knew that I would need a vehicle for about a year in advance of when I was actually forced to buy a new vehicle back then (my old red truck), but did I save for it? Nope. It was an expense that was more than a pay period down the road.

What changed is that I finally lifted my head and looked more than two weeks down the road. Rather than looking at my expenses and asking myself whether they seemed worthwhile right now, I started asking myself whether they would still be considered worthwhile in a month or two. I began to look at the obstacles coming down the road as not something my “future self” would take care of, but something I needed to start handling right away. What happened? Before very long, my day-to-day life became a lot smoother.

Mistake #9: I Didn’t Talk About Goals with Sarah in Any Realistic Fashion

Sarah and I talked about goals on occasion, but it was in a very vague sense. It was more about sharing dreams than about things that we might actually accomplish in the future together.

We simply did not bother to establish any specific shared goals during the first few years of our marriage. Our “big ideas” remained very vague and had a timeline that stretched out into some unspecific future, which allowed us both to not worry about taking any actions right now. Unsurprisingly, those “big ideas” floundered.

What changed? We started having a lot of detailed conversations about what we wanted for the future. Without question these were painful at first, but over time they became easier and easier. We started talking about what exactly we needed to do to buy a house or to achieve our career goals or provide the things our children would need, and we started creating real timelines for those things that required us to start taking action now. Not only that, we became each other’s cheerleader for those kinds of positive moves.

Mistake #10: I “Rented” an Apartment with a Friend Without My Name on the Lease

This was a very old mistake from the late 1990s. I rented an apartment with some friends, but when the papers were signed, only some of the names were actually on the lease. Mine wasn’t.

At first, there wasn’t any problem, but a few months into the arrangement, a big fight broke out between a roommate that was on the lease and one that wasn’t. The one that wasn’t was unceremoniously tossed out, even though most of us were on the side of that roommate.

After that, I was pretty paranoid about disagreeing with anyone who was on the lease, and so I spent a lot of my free time looking for other housing options. It wasn’t long until I was out of there, but not without a lot of stress.

It could have easily been me being the one evicted.

After that, I never rented an apartment or a house without my name on the lease, period. Ceding control of my housing to someone else – outside of the landlord/tenant arrangement – was a giant mistake that could have ended in disaster. No matter what happens in my life, I will do everything in my power to never, ever repeat it.

Mistake #11: I Believed Spending Money on Showy Stuff Made People Perceive Me Better

I bought an expensive watch. I bought a really nice vehicle to drive. I bought expensive clothes. I bought several gadgets, including a “too soon for prime time” smartphone.

Why? I bought all of that stuff because I thought it would make others perceive me better. I thought it would build up some respect from my professional peers and establish me as someone “successful” in that group.

It turns out that the only things that really mattered during that period were the things I actually achieved at work. I could have shown up dressed like a homeless person and it really wouldn’t have mattered.

Yes, there are some career situations where your mode of dress does matter, but they’re in the minority. Rarely, if ever, do your clothes matter, nor does the car that you drive. What matters is you – your achievements, your willingness to work hard, your skills, your willingness to build skills.

Mistake #12: I Bought Very Expensive Things with a Credit Card and Without Savings

When I wanted things, it often didn’t matter whether or not I actually had the cash in my checking account to pay for those things. After all, I had credit cards.

My perspective at that time was simple. I was making a lot of money (at least compared to what my parents made at a similar age and what I had been making earlier in my life) and I anticipated making more in the future. So, why not have all of the good stuff now, even if I don’t have any cash on hand? There’s another big check coming in a few weeks, right?

The problem, of course, is that my spending was more than my earnings at the time. My credit card balances were going up and I didn’t actually have the means to pay them off. I was saddling my future self with a lot of debt.

How did I fix it? I stopped buying stupid stuff. I got a grip on my spending, cut out a lot of the less essential purchases, got smarter about the things that I was still buying, and put my credit cards aside for a while so that I wasn’t tempted to use them.

Mistake #13: I Hung Out with a High Spending Social Group

The people I hung out with were big spenders. They went out for expensive meals, bought expensive drinks, went golfing a lot, owned expensive gadgets, dressed well, had expensive cars… you get the idea. That was the group of young professionals in my field in my area at the time – or at least that was the most socially available group.

Hanging out with them was unsurprisingly very expensive. I always felt a strong pressure to “keep up” with the things they were buying and that blew through my money really quickly. I had to have the latest gadget. I had to dress well. I had to buy drinks and meals. I had to have a shiny vehicle. I had to have this stuff to fit in.

Eventually, I realized that I didn’t really need this stuff to “fit in” with this group and, not long after that, I realized I didn’t really have much in common with that crew after all. I spent some time cultivating other friendships, both old and new, and today I have a thriving social circle that doesn’t push me to spend constantly, a social circle I’m very thankful for.

Mistake #14: I Believed Being Frugal Was “Boring” and Was a Sign of Poverty

I couldn’t imagine anything more dull than being “frugal.” What kind of life was it to obsess over spending less money? Youw ere much better off if you didn’t worry about it much at all and just trusted that things would turn out in the end.

What a fool I was. That entire philosophy was a crutch so that I could just buy whatever I wanted on a whim without really thinking about it too much. That philosophy only makes sense if you assume there are zero consequences from spending more money than one earns, which is obviously false.

What changed? I actually tried some frugal strategies. I learned that things like generic corn flakes are identical to the name brand version. I learned that installing energy efficient lighting had no impact on my day-to-day life but that my energy bills were lower. I learned that saving leftovers and eating them for lunch the next day was pretty easy, made for a good lunch, and made lunch dirt cheap.

Sure, some things didn’t click with me, but some did, and the frugal tactics that did work ended up saving me a ton of money without making my life any harder. That’s a pretty sweet life change.

Mistake #15: I Had Zero Plans for a True Life-Changing Emergency

What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow? Today, I have plans in place. Back then? Not at all. I just trusted that my job would be there the next day and I couldn’t possibly get hit with a pink slip.

The same thing is true for things like illnesses and other things. Right now, I have plans in place for those outcomes. Back then? Nope. I just figured they wouldn’t happen to me.

Why did things change here? The biggest reason is that I finally realized that such things could actually happen to me and the ones that I loved, and if I planned now, the negative impact of an event like that would be drastically lessened.

I made plans. I wrote out documents. I took out insurance. I made sure that my life was as resistant as possible to those kinds of disasters.

It’s not perfect – no plan is. But it’s far far better than nothing and it helps me to sleep better at night.

Final Thoughts

To put it bluntly, I was a fool in many, many different ways over the years. I’m still a fool in many, many different ways. The difference is now that I recognize that I’m going to mess up, that I’m not living a “perfect” life, that my assumptions are rarely spot-on (especially at first), and that I can always do things better.

When that perspective is applied to personal finance, the biggest change is summed up in mistake #8: my perspective is now long-term, and I see an awful lot of short-term spending as a big mistake.

The true key to building a better life and overcoming your mistakes is to constantly keep your eyes open to the way you do things. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself if the things you’re doing actually make sense, and don’t be afraid to change things if you realize that the way you’re doing things is actually pretty foolish.

Good luck.

The post 15 Financial Mistakes I’ve Made and the Better Solutions I’ve Figured Out Since Then appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/1DPR9YG

4 Ways Overdelivering at Work Can Backfire

You may be wasting time, skewing expectations and annoying others.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1KjfJhA

The Pros and Cons of Cutting Cable

Here's what to consider before kicking your cable provider to the curb.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1L88WKB

Full House Resorts reduces quarterly loss

Las Vegas-based Full House Resorts reduced its net loss in the second quarter, announcing its results the day after revealing plans for a $650 million gaming development in Indianapolis.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1JVLBwX

When Brand Loyalty Costs You More

You might be loyal to a hotel or airline rewards program, but it's likely not being loyal to you. 

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1IKa8D8

Is the Bond Market in a Bubble?

Bonds have been on a 34-year bullish run, but that may come to an end soon.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1IKa8D4

How to Be a Savvy Shopper for Your Health Care

With out-of-pocket costs rising, you need to know how to make the most of your health care dollars.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1KjbMtb

4 Ways to Stay Optimistic While Job Searching

Bounce back from past disappointments, and seize new opportunities.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1h5LZOD

How Back-to-School Shopping Can Hurt Your Credit Score

Parents beware, too much shopping can lower the marks on your (credit) report card. 

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1IKa8D2

Why Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter & Others Should Collaborate: A Proposition For An Online Reputation Issues Clearinghouse

Columnist Chris Silver Smith explains why collaboration among internet companies is key as online reputation attacks proliferate and the costs involved in fighting them surge.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1KjcxCK

New From Buffer: The Ability To Post & Schedule Native Video On Facebook & Twitter

Buffer's feature also enables posting video to Google+ pages and links to video on LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1J1VGU1

Rewards Cards With the Lowest Minimum Spending Requirements

Some credit cards offer signup bonuses of $100 or more just for spending $1,000 in three months — a milestone the average American family can reach on grocery shopping alone. Photo: Fareway via Facebook

By now, you’ve likely heard all about how lucrative credit card signup bonus offers can be. In many cases, the best rewards credit cards offer signup bonuses worth $300 to $500, or even more. And if you’re able to take advantage, these offers can help you score free travel, gift cards, or even hundreds of dollars in cash back.

Unfortunately, huge minimum spending requirements often serve as a roadblock between the average spender and the best offers. With some cards requiring you to spend $3,000 or more in 90 days, the bonus deals we all wish we could get can sometimes be out of reach.

But, there is some good news: Some of the top rewards cards out there offer minimum spending requirements that even people with few bills and expenses can meet easily. I’m talking cards that require you to spend $1,000 or less within 90 days – or less than $333 per month – on credit.

After all, almost everyone in the U.S. spends at least $333 per month just to live – whether on food, gas, utilities, miscellaneous costs, or a combination of those expenses. By putting those moderate expenses on credit, and paying your bill in full each month, you can secure a hefty sign-up bonus worth hundreds of dollars in cash back or travel.

5 Credit Card Signup Bonuses With a Minimum Spending Requirement of $1,000 or Less

Here are some of the top offers with a minimum spending requirement almost anyone can handle:

Chase Freedom®

With the Chase Freedom® card, you only have to spend $500 within 90 days to earn a $100 signup bonus. Plus, you can earn an additional $25 bonus for adding an authorized user and having them use their card in the first 90 days. Earn 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases, plus 5 points per dollar on categories that rotate each quarter. Use your points for cash back, statement credits, or gift cards. And the best part is, this card never charges an annual fee.

Chase Freedom®

Highlights:

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

With the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you’ll earn $100 statement credit after spending only $1,000 on the card within 90 days. Even better, you’ll earn an astounding 3% cash back on up to $6,000 in grocery purchases per year, 2% cash back at gas stations and select department stores, and 1% cash back on all purchases. This card is also fee-free.

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Highlights:

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express makes it possible to earn a $150 signup bonus after spending only $1,000 within 90 days. Meanwhile, you can rack up points easily with 6% cash back on up to $6,000 in grocery purchases per year, 3% cash back at gas stations and select department stores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The $75 annual fee is not waived the first year, however, which is something to consider as you compare cards.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Highlights:

IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card

As a co-branded hotel card, the IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card offers a slew of points for users who are able to put just $1,000 on the card within 90 days. The current sign-up bonus of 60,000 points is worth at least four nights at a lower-tier InterContinental Hotels Group property nearly anywhere in the world. Paying the $49 annual fee for your second year also qualifies you for a free night at any IHG property in the world, no matter the cost. Here are some more details to consider:

IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card

Highlights:

Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rounding out our list is another card with an easy-to-hit minimum spending requirement of only $500, the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card. On top of the $100 bonus, you’ll also earn a respectable 1.5% cash back on all types of purchases. No annual fee and 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases for a limited time also round out this card’s offerings. Here are some details you should consider before you sign up:

Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Highlights:

What to Remember When Pursuing Signup Bonus Offers

Although these rewards offers are easy to earn, it doesn’t make them any less dangerous. In order to really benefit from a signup bonus, you have to make sure you’re using credit to your benefit – and not letting your spending get out of hand.

• Related: Eight Tips to Make Credit Cards Work for You, Not Against You

Remember, it never pays to pursue rewards if you end up carrying a balance on your credit card and paying interest — or worse, spiraling into a lifestyle of debt and worry. To avoid falling victim to this common credit card trap, only pursue rewards if you’re able to use your card for regular bills and expenses and pay it in full every month.

Once you know you have mastered that skill, however, you’ll be in a good position to earn all kinds of rewards for purchases you planned to make anyway.

The post Rewards Cards With the Lowest Minimum Spending Requirements appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/1h5B1bG