Worried about the economy? Been hoarding all your pennies lately? You’re not alone. Heck, even the US federal budget is looking a little hefty these days and might topple the scales at nearly $1.2 trillion next year.
If you’re not sure where to start, Quizzle has you covered. Take a deep breath and we’ll make this as simple as possible. We’ll assess, act & automate. I’ll be your financial fitness trainer.
1. Assess. Oh hey, Quizzle fits beautifully in here, doesn’t it?
Free credit report comparing all your debts, rainy day funds, budget tool…yes, we need all that. Clear your dining room table; pull out all your bills. Pinpoint all your “problem areas.” Are there just nagging issues there that you’ve been meaning to do something about, just “haven’t had the time”? Time is money – and you’re wasting it.
2. Act. Let’s do something about those issues, yes?
If you have credit card debt, ask yourself why. That list on your credit card statement….was each one of those card swipes necessary? If they were, consider consolidating. Call your current credit card company and tell them you want a lower rate. You’d be surprised what you can get by just asking. If they won’t budge, find a 0% introductory offer somewhere else and start shedding the wallet weight.
Mortgage an issue? Like I’ve said before, you’d be nuts to not consider refinancing right now. If you haven’t talked to a banker yet….well, let’s just say I’m going to make you run an extra lap for that one. Do it. Mortgage rates are at 37-year lows. It does not hurt to check and it could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.
What else? You probably know a thousand ways to save a little cash, don’t you? You just might not do them yet. You might not need to cut coupons (hey, everybody is doing that, too), but how often are you buying lunch on the fly? A little planning ahead in this department can not only save you some dough, but you could enjoy healthier cooking and eating with your family.
Need motivation? Check out more than 25 Ways to Save from the Frugal for Life blog. Easy stuff. These are like the push-ups…we all know how to do a push-up and we know they’ll put us in better shape, but how often are you nose-to-ground? Drop and give me 20!
3) Automate. Ah yes. Back to cruise control, but now we’re traveling at a safe speed.
Here you are at Quizzle, so I know you have the Internet. No hiding. Is your internet/cable/gas/electric/rent/mortgage/insurance payment automatically deducted? No? Well, come on – nearly all service providers allow automatic deductions from your bank account. Sign up! Not only will you never have to suffer a late payment (Ouch! Credit! Ouch!), but your life could become significantly less stressful. No hunting for stamps (ooh! Saved $.42!) and no midnight “Did I pay that?!?” panics.
What about the money you get to keep? Is your paycheck direct deposited? Are you contributing to a retirement fund? What about overdraft protection on your checking account? Ask your bank about linking your checking and savings so you never have to pay an overdraft fee again. It’s your money and no one is going to do this stuff for you. Driving by the gym does not equal pounds lost, right?
As you can see, the key here is automating. Once you begin to automate, you’ll have much less to worry about. And really, with these lovely online inventions like Quizzle or Quicken Online that are totally FREE, you have no excuses. We all know technology is a great thing – start utilizing it for your finances and you’ll be surprised how much easier your life can be. If you follow these easy rules, the only pounds you should gain are a few extra in your wallet.