Six Ways to Enjoy Life As You Know and Stretch Your Dollar in the Process

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Who doesn’t want to save a little extra money? Exactly. So one of the best things you can do is to live life as you normally would but in a way that allows your pockets to fatten up a bit in the process. If you’re someone that HAS to have a $6 gourmet cup of coffee made by the cute blonde at the national coffee chain on the way to work – think again. Join a coffee club, get a coffeemaker (usually free with most clubs you join) and learn to make the perfect cup o’ joe yourself.

Here are six more things you can change in your life so that you can actually enjoy life fuller and longer in the end – with more cash in hand. Doesn’t everybody want to retire in style? And if you’ve got more on your plate (and mind) than retirement, living frugally for a few weeks (months? years?) can definitely pave the way for a great retirement someday.

Free Entertainment

City and county governments are always trying to fill up their calendars with lots of great things to do for their citizens. Enjoy anything from outdoor events like seasonal concerts, holiday parades, and heritage celebration to the local library, community recreation centers or fruit/veggie picking. The possibilities are endless when you factor in each holiday throughout the year (Halloween, St. Pat’s Day, Easter, or National Apple Pie Day to name a few). Most of these events cost little to nothing and are usually free for kids. You can visit parks, see fireworks, enjoy natural beauty in the area, go on a picnic or attend charity-based events while getting in some exercise too.

Use It or Lose It

We’re not talking about exercise here, rather your old stuff. You won’t believe how much you can make (saving with a little discipline) by selling off things you don’t need. This can be anything from old computers and electronics, furniture, magazines and books or toys. If you have an old vehicle you have sitting around thinking you will “get around to fixing it up someday” JUNK it and save hundreds (more?) for a rainy day. So many people are obsessed with owning stuff that they tend to have so much of it that they don’t even need! If you have duplicates of one thing, over and over again – get rid of the extras.

Get Couponing

There is a two-sided message here. 1. Get Couponing and 2. Get Coupons! By “get couponing” we mean that you ought to understand how it works, respect the process and get going on it. The latter is simple – just go out and start grabbing coupons for anything and everything you see that you would normally spend money on. Long before the TV show Extreme Couponing came out, people were clipping coupons to save hundreds upon hundreds of dollars each month. Do it just a little bit to get a feel for it and then dig in! Don’t forget the library has a million of them (at least) on hand.

Plan Meals Ahead – Way Ahead

The whole idea of fast food is not necessarily that food is available fast but also that you didn’t have time (or make time) to plan a meal so now you have to think fast. The amount of money Americans end up wasting on take-out (and dine-in) is astronomical and with just a few simple changes you can be way ahead of the game both food-wise and financially. Put meals on paper, plan them out so that one blends into the other*, shop ahead of time. It’s as simple as that to save hundreds of dollars if not more – each month.

*If you bake a chicken on Monday, make chicken fajitas with the leftovers on Tuesday.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

We’re not talking about washing out the empty milk jugs and chucking them in the recycle bin (although in the long run that IS saving the planet some cash) but instead, investing in used furniture pieces and then refurbishing them. It’s amazing how nice an old dresser can look after it’s been sanded and stained. Paint some old dining chairs and you’ve just saved yourself a TON (depending on where you might shop for regular price chairs). This even works great for those really expensive kids’ toys that have been around for generations and will be around for generations more. Why waste if you won’t know the difference once you personalize the secondhand stuff?

Savor the Stuff You Already Have

Too many people buy stuff and then forget they even own it. Savor what you have and forego the next trip out shopping. If you have old books, let go of spending $5, $6 sometimes more on a magazine and go for the classics. In fact, visit your local library (yes, we keep mentioning the library) and enjoy all the freebies there – books, CDs, or DVDs. Depending on where you live, a lot of libraries even offer a ton of activities for kids or enrichment classes for everyone else.
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Try it for one month – and write back to us. We’ll post it on the blog to share how everyone’s doing. Trust me, it will be a ton of fun!

Eight Reasons Why Mint.com Is a Great Catch

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Anytime a new relationship is on the horizon, who doesn’t want to be absolutely sure that they’ve got a great catch?  Well let me tell you, it’s no different when it comes to finding someone (or something) that will manage all of your finances.  Mint.com is exactly that – an agent (well, a website) that will handle the most important aspects of your financial life and keep it all organized in one neat little package.  But why choose this one as opposed to myriad other options out there?  Here’s a list of qualities you’ll absolutely love about this new love in my life and I’m sure that once you explore it a little bit, you’ll feel the same way as I do.

Total Monogamous Relationship

One password, one log in and you get everything you want and need rolled into one, perfect little website.  What’s more, it’s not complicated or complex.  Once you decide to get involved with Mint, you won’t want to stray in other directions.

Likes To Travel

Mint’s easy mobile connectivity allows you to access all your financial information in one spot, from one spot – your phone – no matter where you are.  With optimization for smart phone technology, being a modern player is definitely not lost on this newbie.

Smart AND Organized

All information about what you have to spend, what you’re saving for later, notes for your car and home plus anything (financial) in between – is easily organized and at your fingertips.  You’ll get reminders and alerts to make sure you stay in line with your goals and budget.

Team Player

Mint.com is up-to-date and cares about making your life easier.  They’ve teamed up with Turbo Tax to make tax time a breeze.  The site works with your bank information, mortgage lender and investment firms to streamline everything, making life easier (and wonderful) for you.

Young and Fresh

You’ll see innovative concepts and streamlined processes that clearly make it obvious that this is a young and totally current player in the game.  Clean lines, no heavy baggage, simple and easy handling – you’ll wish that all your relationships were as easy as this one.  The administrators make sure that everything you do is über-easy and completely user-friendly.

Wants a Future With You

Not only do you get fantastic tools to help you through today, mint.com has the provision of some great budget and planning tools to help you move successfully into the future.  As you work toward achieving your goals, the site has ample positive traits that help your success right along, just like you’d expect from any good, devoted partner.

Low-Maintenance

You won’t believe how little it will cost to keep this relationship in a happy place!  In fact, becoming friends with Mint is completely free.  Not only that, you aren’t paying anything for added safety in security and you know you’re in good hands because you can trust them.

Invested in Your Personal Growth

Browse through the tons of really valuable advice and content that you get through the Mint community page and you’ll realize that there is genuine support toward your personal growth.  Since there are so many articles available about personal finance, money and financial topics that will help you get and stay successful, there’s one more reason that this relationship is definitely a keeper!
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Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.  https://www.mint.com/ 

Lenders Watching Over Borrowers With Big Brother Eyes?

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Even though we have been seeing very low interest rates for some time now, it does not mean that lenders haven’t been putting potential homeowners through hoops of fire. The many hang-ups being reported throughout the country on various tiny little nuances is a list that keeps growing longer. For example, a borrower in Michigan was recently forced to prove his motivation for selling his home and wanting to buy in Florida. The lender was finally satisfied after receiving a photograph of the sub-zero thermostat sent by the borrower, demonstrating the desire to move somewhere warmer.

The point is that just when you think lenders are going to be reasonable again, they raise the bar on the seemingly ridiculous requirements in order to borrow. You cannot really blame them though, given the intense mortgage meltdown crisis that finally brought all “good things” crashing down in 2007. But how far can we expect them to go?

Prying Eyes Provides Lenders With Transparent Access to Almost Everything

You may have heard the company name CoreLogic, its services have traditionally been to provide lenders with a consolidated version of all credit reports from the three main agencies. But there is a new product available through the company that is going to change the face of lending practices across the board. The CoreScore credit report will include a far more detailed glimpse into the lives of those wanting to borrow to purchase a home. Though the company is currently working with FICO to develop the exact formula by which consumers’ data will be measured and quantified for consumers’ sake, it is already available to lenders. Once there is a formula in place consumers will be able to access the report online without any charge. The report is available now by contacting the company directly and sharing proof of identity, including name, social security number, date of birth and addresses.

How This Will Impact Borrowers Looking for a New Mortgage

Most people know that when a credit report is pulled and viewed by a potential lender, the information contained on the report usually includes any lending history – such as previous loans on a home, vehicle loans, credit card accounts and other forms of revolving credit and student loan history as well. In addition to that, bankruptcies and settlements on debt are also included on the report and each time a request is sent to the credit reporting agencies, the inquiry shows up on the report.

With the new CoreScore credit report there will be a wider scope of information available for review. Housing payment history for those who have rented in the past will appear on the report, including any missed payments regardless of whether they are disputed or a matter of tenant negligence. Eviction records, property tax liens and also homeownership fee payment history will be available for lenders to review in detail. All this shares a very broad perspective on the potential lender’s financial responsibility level in things that go beyond the traditional credit report. Any applications for loans that go against paychecks plus child support and other court judgments will also be included on the report. One way that could potentially hurt otherwise viable applicants is the capability for lenders to see the value of real estate property currently owned – providing them an avenue to raise interest rates if values are lower than the borrowed amount.

Since most of this information stems of publicly available records, there is a higher probability of inaccuracy however consumers will be able to provide explanation for items on the report. Still, the information is pulled and ready for lenders review as early as three weeks from the date of a new transaction – as much as two months faster than traditional credit bureau reporting lead times. Boasting a current database of 1 billion records that cover virtually the entire US population, CoreLogic is two steps ahead. It seems this type of credit reporting could become the norm for lending practices as we progress further into the New Year and beyond but it is important for consumers to understand their rights. Here is more information about this product, directly from the company’s website.
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The main thing to keep in mind is that like with any other negative data on a credit report, the potential for a less-than-optimal interest rate exists. The best way to combat that is to request a copy of the report at regular intervals and periodically review it for any erroneous information. Once corrected on the report itself you should also provide your loan officer with a detailed explanation for any misrepresented items on the report. And now that you know somebody’s watching you, you will surely be careful with every move you make!