Posts by Kathryn Katz:
Saving Money on Mother’s Day Gifts
Mother’s Day is May 8th, and retailers are gearing up to entice people to the stores to buy for mom. Depending on your budget, you might find fitting mom into your monthly expenses a little tough. The average gift for mom is $127, and if you haven’t planned on the expense, you might be tempted […]
13 Ways to Save on Summer Camp
Summer is right around the corner. For parents with school-age kids, now is the time to start planning out what camps your kids are going to participate in. Obviously, the type of camp, size, location, hours of operation (for day camps) and activities are going to play a part in your decision. In today’s economy, […]
What’s Holding You Back from Negotiating with Your Creditors?
When you’re struggling to put food on the table and a roof over your head, your credit card payments can get behind. If you’re delinquent more than 60 days, you could suddenly find your interest rate has sky rocketed and your minimum payments are more than what was previously expected. If you’re in financial crisis, […]
Daily Deals are Dead, Long Live Coupons
Recently, the newspaper headlines have been stating that daily deal sites, like Groupon and LivingSocial, aren’t practical, cause impulse buying and encourage people to spend more money. Instead, they’ve been encouraging consumers to get back to their couponing roots, where you can save money on the essentials that you’re buying. They’re right, daily deal sites […]
Dining Yourself into Debt
When you have a busy lifestyle, it’s easy to justify a quick run to Dunkin Donuts on the way to work, McDonalds for lunch or even an evening out at the local restaurant with the family. It’s common sense that dining out is going to be more expensive than dining at home. You might pull […]
Don’t Pay Your Taxes With a Credit Card
If you owe the IRS money this tax season and don’t have it available, avoid using your credit card or opening a credit card account for this purpose. It’s not financially productive and can lead to a substantial amount of further debt. Credit card issuers and even the IRS tout the convenience of using a […]
Spring Clean Your Credit Card Debt
Why not use spring as a springboard to clean up your credit card debt. With food and gas prices rising it’s time to wipe out any unnecessary spending and pay down your credit cards so you’ll have money for more important things. Credit card debt acts like an anchor for many people who are trying […]
Being Cheap Doesn’t Always Save You Money
It’s great to save money, be frugal and occasionally cut corners to keep your financial status in a healthy state. But sometimes being cheap can cost you, especially when you’re sacrificing or ignoring important components in your life that require attention, regardless of the price. Here is a list of things that can erode your […]
Look Out for these New Tax Breaks
As you prepare your taxes for 2010 take a close look at some of the new tax breaks afforded to you; some have changed since 2009 but you’ll still be able to save money this year. It can get very confusing so use this as an easy guide but also continue to investigate yourself or […]
Valentine’s Day Dining Do’s and Don’ts
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many couples are finalizing plans for their romantic evening out. A recent Valentine’s Day survey estimates that $3.4 billion will be spent on dining out. With your romantic life, and your pocketbook on the line, here’s some basic do’s and don’ts to dining out on Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s […]
15 Ways to Save Money Every Day
It’s great to look at the large picture when saving money – 401k, retirement funds and stocks – but you can also focus on the small stuff every day to save more money and keep yourself financially fit. This doesn’t mean you have to be cheap; but it will take some discipline and a prudent […]
5 Money Saving Habits that Could Break the Bank
When you’re trying to save money, sometimes well-meaning practices, like clipping coupons, could result in you spending more money at the end of the month if you’re buying items that you don’t need. Rather than saving a few dollars here and there, you’re spending a lot more than you’re saving. Here are some money saving […]
Are You Still Shopping?
During the month of January, post-holiday sales and clearance advertisements have littered print, TV, radio and internet. Recent retail forecasts are projecting that consumers are continuing to spend into New Year. Many shoppers are rushing to the store to get these great deals before they dry up. However, the question remains, “How long can shoppers […]
How Much are You Saving?
Believe it or not, by saving just a little bit more and choosing the right savings vehicle, you can end up saving big over a period of time. Right now the average personal savings rate is 5.3%. If you’re the average American that makes $49,777 after taxes, then you’re looking approximately $2,638 in yearly savings. […]
Negotiate Your Medical Costs
If you are afraid that you can’t afford your medical bills you should try to negotiate. That’s right; speak to your doctor directly or ask for the office manager or billing department. In most cases you will receive a break. It’s not unusual during these tough economic times to bargain with the medical community […]
15 Ways to Save on Winter Energy Bills
The winter storms have brought snow, travel snarls and increase energy needs as consumers batten down the hatches. While not turning on your heater isn’t an option at this point, it’s important to still wear your frugal hat when using energy around your home. Here are some things you can do now to ensure your […]
Warning on Prepaid Debit Cards
In an effort to reduce their credit card usage and avoid high interest rates, many Americans are turning towards prepaid debit cards. Partially, because they think it will help control their spending, but also because credit card companies are actively pushing consumers with low-income and/or bad credit towards this new, emerging product. On the surface, […]
Combine Money and Life-Style for Your New Year Resolution
By Kathryn Katz New Year’s resolutions inspire brazen propositions regarding life style or financial transformations – lose 50 pounds; or pay off all credit card debt. And the success rate is dubious. So why not try a healthy combination? According to a recent survey by TD Ameritrade 27% of those polled said they are less likely […]
5 Step Plan for Post Holiday Shopping
The holidays are over, but many consumers are still out in the stores, taking advantage of the post holiday sales. While there are plenty of deals to be had, you need to make sure that you’re not throwing away your frugality for a quick sales fix. Here’s some post holiday shopping tips to help you […]
Know Your Holiday Shipping Deadlines
While Santa might wait till Christmas Eve to load up his sleigh and deliver all the holiday presents, online shoppers will need to put a little more planning into the holiday shopping to make sure that their holiday gifts arrive on time. This means knowing the standard, two-day and overnight shipping deadlines. Also be aware […]