Totally Frugal

Most of us have learned along life's journey that we must have a
budget in place to succeed in our financial goals. And it is true
that using your budget as a tool will make it easier.

But, what happens if budgeting has become a real drag for you? Will
it prevent you having money for those things you need and want?

It can. Let me share *Lisha's* challenge with you. (Not her real
name.)

By: kim
You've probably stood in a checkout line behind someone who has a coupon for every item they've purchased, and it seems like eternity until they are finished. But, they probably saved over 50% to 80% off their grocery bill in that few minutes!

By Kyle James

Online shopping continues to grow in popularity and the deals that can be found online are also growing in number as well as overall savings.  There is more than one way to find a great deal online.  I have family and friends that always contact me before making a purchase online because they know I have some inside tips on how to get a great deal.  In this article I will share some of these money saving tips.

Good News: You don’t need to strike lottery to be rich. Neither do you need to hold three jobs simultaneously or stay in the office till midnight. In fact, experts say that following just five easy money rules will put you in control of your cash, for life.

1 Pay Yourself First

I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart.

e.e. cummings

Money. You can't live with it, you can't live without it. No matter how hard you try, there's never enough. The only thing increasing in your bank account is your debt, and you're beyond understanding how to make ends meet. Is that how you feel?

Next to our physical health most of us are primarily concerned
with our financial health, and with good reason. Although our
intentions are usually great our follow-through and discipline
generally isn’t. Mere mention of the word budget or cutback
sends us into fits.

Healthy spending habits need not be synonymous with deprivation
– a bad word in our “you deserve it/you’ve earned it culture.”
Those interested in cultivating more healthy spending habits

Do you frequently get cash from ATMs and then have no idea where it ends up? Do you end up paying late fees simply because you don't have a good system in place for tracking and paying your bills? If you don't have a good budget system in place, it is easy to lose track of your hard earned money. The tips below can help you to keep your finances under control.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have complete control over your finances?
If you are like most normal people, you have a job. You go to your job every day. Every week or two weeks or month you get a pay check for some amount.
You have taxes. The government, in an effort to make your life easier, lifts something like a third of your pay check without your having to do a thing.
You have problems. For example, you get a speeding ticket one day, and then your insurance goes up. Or your car blows a gasket. Or you lose your job!

Creating a budget can be a very difficult task. Although we as consumers know that we need to pay our bills, buy our necessities, and put money away for savings, we don't really know how to start.
I know from personal experience how hard creating a budget can be. In the beginning stages of my road to financial freedom, I would write all my expenses down on paper and noticed that I had little and sometime nothing left over to save. I tell my clients that seeing everything on paper is only the first of many reality checks while getting their finances in order.

What is a mutual fund anyways an average person may well ask?

A mutual fund is simply a co-operative means by which means many people can pool their savings together and have it professionally managed and as well take advantage of institutional volume discount pricing of purchase and sales commissions.
The concepts of pooling allow investors with relative small amounts of money to access investments that may require larger sums to achieve affordability.

Consignment shopping can be fun as well as rewarding. I was first introduced to consignment shopping when I was pregnant with my daughter, about 12 years ago. The trend of buying second-hand items was just beginning. I started shopping at a store that consigns women's and children's clothes, toys, and baby furniture. At first I just bought some baby clothes there and marveled at how inexpensive they were (1/3 or less of retail prices). As my daughter got older I didn't have any little girls to give her clothes to, so I started consigning her clothes.

By: Judy Turner
We all know that we need to eat better but isn't it frustrating that the healthier you try to eat the more money you seem to spend? It doesn't have to be that way. Here are just a few tips to help you feed your family nutritious meals without breaking your budget.

By: Angela Tyler
A major issue for those who are trying to create a healthy lifestyle is the cost of healthy food. There are many products on the shelves of your local grocery store that are healthy, but most of them have a larger price tag than the unhealthy, high-fat foods. There are options. If you shop wisely, you can eat healthier than you ever have before and decrease your grocery bill at the same time. Nutritious eating doesn't need to be expensive.

Less Junk = More Savings:

By: Terri Seymour