When homebuyers lock in their mortgage rates and budget for the future, they oftentimes forget the financial burden of property taxes. Depending on what state and county you live in, tax payments on your home can easily break the bank. Continue reading
For as long as high-end designers have produced exclusive handbags, buyers have had to avoid near identical fakes. Thrifty fashionistas enjoy a convincing knockoff, but the majority of people want the real thing. So, how can you tell that the item you’re buying is authentic?
The reality is, people are duped by designer knockoffs every day, and the counterfeit bag market remains a billion dollar industry. Scam artists no longer prowl the streets of major cities looking for their next shopping victims. Instead, they target online buyers by providing false descriptions, pictures, and the promise of an unbelievable deal for their inferior products. So-called “purse parties” also remain popular, where hosts bring in vendors to supply designer or imitation bags at down-to-earth prices. Continue reading
In this day and age, spending money like water often seems like part of the American way. Unfortunately, it’s this kind of frivolous spending that gets so many people deep in debt and cripples their ability to save money for their future security.
In order to combat the problem, it’s necessary to rethink the way you spend money. Here are some tips that can help you achieve this. Continue reading
Our society relies heavily on the Internet for information, commerce, communication and entertainment. Increasingly, though, logging on comes with a distinct Big Brother-style unease. Many people are worried how much the Internet knows about them and would like to limit this information, but can’t find the right answers. Well, here they are. Below we’ve outlined some of the most salient questions Internet users have, as well as the best ways to protect yourself. Continue reading
Maybe you’re a new graduate embarking on your first full-time job. Or, after much effort, you’ve managed to pay off all your credit card charges. Or you’ve just gotten a big raise, so that your income comfortably exceeds your expenses.
Isn’t it great not having to worry either about having to pay interest or whether you’ll have the money to meet next month’s bills? If you want to keep yourself in your happy state, follow these tips for staying debt-free: Continue reading
Whether you are a teenager or about to retire, it is important that you are able to manage your money effectively. Although your financial goals may be different as you get older, it is never too early or too late to learn and master sound fiscal habits.
Let’s take a look at some common financial goals and how you can achieve them. Continue reading
By Bryan Cambra
While congress continues to debate the issues surrounding the funding of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, millions of Americans face the daunting challenges of making it through the month on a fixed income. Over the past years taking care of family members receiving Social Security or Social Security Disability payments, I have learned how to make the most out of little money. Each year, the amount of the benefit payment grows slightly, but it’s not nearly enough to live the same lifestyle as many people who are still employed. To help you adjust to the lower-income of Social Security, try making some of the following lifestyle changes. Continue reading
Tourism is booming beyond the major capitals of Western Europe, and you can fuel your Champagne tastes and live like the 1 percent for a song in these three deeply discounted destinations. See a sight or two in the capital cities and then make your way to the hidden treasures in outlying areas. Follow along as we circle the globe to three budget countries on three continents.
If you’ve always wanted to hang with the jet set on the sun-drenched beaches of the Greek islands and Spain’s Costa del Sol or explore the canals of Venice and the Seven Hills of Rome, you can experience it all in Western Europe’s budget destination on the Iberian Peninsula.
You’ll land in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city built on the banks of the Tagus River and its seven hills. Lisbon has transformed itself into a modern city while embracing its rich history. The walking city offers breathtaking views around every corner from the tree-lined avenues to the crooked, cobblestoned alleys. You can’t help but get caught up in the food, drink, laughter and life on the streets.
If you have time to see only one sight in the Lisbon area, make it the 19th-century Palácio Nacional da Pena, one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. After your palace visit, it’s time to splurge on a sunset cocktail at the Park Restaurant and Bar, a hidden jewel of a rooftop garden with a splendid view of the Targus River, popular with the locals for its view and its music.
Feast your taste buds on a local specialty at an outdoor café. My favorite is chicken piri piri, a grilled chicken with a spicy sauce, served with a heaping side of french fries—best enjoyed at an outdoor café. Beware the innocuous-looking sauce—sample before applying liberally or you might end up drinking a carafe of wine (straight from the carafe as I did) to put out the fire. To come away from a memorable meal is to have a pitéu. End the evening by catching a Fado, the
authentic folk song of Portugal, raising a glass of Port, and joining the locals in the traditional folk dance.
For two hours and $25, take the train north from Lisbon to the coastal town of Aviero. Known as the “Venice of Portugal,” crisscross this picture-perfect city through its canals in a gondola as you pass brightly colored buildings and azulejo panels that depict the history and culture of the area on ceramic tilework. See more of the city on a free bicycle “rental” at one of the BUGA shops. Then, hit one of the pristine beaches along the Silver Coast.
Expert surfers can stop in Nazaré on the way to Aviero to navigate the world’s largest waves while mere mortals soak up the sun and watch the surfers perform the dance of their lives.
Head south along the coast from Lisbon to the Algarve region by train for a three-and-a-half hour ride (under $30). Here you‘ll find dramatic cliffs and whitewashed beaches, cobbled streets, olive and orange groves, and a full complement of water activities on the beaches. If you’d rather pass on surfing and jet skiing, you can explore bridges, castles and monuments or play a round of golf. Top off a fresh seafood dinner along the beach with some local “Firewater,” Aguardente de Medronhos, something akin to a strong fruit brandy. Be sure to ask for a side of water.
Ecuador is a country of surprises. From the cosmopolitan capital of Quito to Cuenca and Vilcabamba, this is a country of endless variety and surprises. I plan to make it my home when I hit my third act—retirement.
Easily accessible from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, start your visit to Ecuador in Quito, the capital city with a European flair. Stay in one of the elegant, historic hotels for under $50 a night. Start your tour of the city with a morning ride on the teleferico (sky tram) to the top of Cruz Loma where panoramic views of the city, the snowcapped mountains and Pinchincha volcano await you. Back in Quito, explore the colonial architecture, Plaza Grande and Monastery of San Francisco in Old Town.
Known as the cultural capital of Ecuador, Cuenca sits high in the Andes. If you blink your eyes and click your heels, you’ll swear you’ve landed in Rome. The city is built around four rivers, and everyone in the know walks in Cuenca; to drive is to take your life in your hands.
Parque Calderón, in the heart of the city, is the best place to rest and spend time people watching. Wander through the flower market before stopping at Tutto Freddo, the preferred ice cream purveyor of locals, visitors and expats. Take a carriage ride through Paradise Park in the afternoon. Coy, Ecuador’s national meat and frequent restaurant specialty, is guinea pig—it comes highly recommended. After dinner, join a street festival, catch some live music or attend a free cultural event.
Vilcabamba, known as the Valley of Longevity, lies four hours to the south of Cuenca in the foothills of the Andes. The idyllic Izhcyluma Hostería and Spa offers doubles with private baths for under $40 a day as well as daily shuttle service to and from Cuenca for $15. Wander the lush flower gardens, take a free yoga class, hitch a ride on a horse, indulge in a spa treatment or relax around the pool—all while marveling at more panoramic views and soaking up the magical atmosphere. Even Type As can’t help but relax until they discover the free Wi-Fi access. There’s plenty to do at Izhcyluma and in the area, but don’t plan to do anything. Let your time there take on a life of its own.
For a colorful vacation, turn your eyes toward the East and head to India. With the Rupee at nearly 64 to the dollar, India is on sale at half its usual budget price.
Most international visitors fly into Delhi, the capital city and sprawling metropolis that encompasses New Delhi.
India is a huge country, so if it’s your first trip, explore the Golden Triangle on a guided tour, which runs around $100 per day inclusive. I never (say never) recommend tours, but India is not a country you want to see on your own as a first-timer. If you have your own ideas about where you want to go, it’s easy to design a custom tour.
The Golden Triangle journey begins in the chaos of Delhi as you weave through the streets touring the colonial buildings, bustling bazaars, and majestic temples and mosques.
Then it’s off to Agra to the south, home of the Taj Mahal, the magnificent, white marble mausoleum that houses the favorite wife of 17th-century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and the 11th-century Agra Fort.
In Jaipur, you’ll visit the finest specimen of Rajput architecture, Hawa Mahald, of red and pink sandstone with its unique honeycomb structure.
If you plan a few extra days in Delhi before or after your Golden Triangle adventure, book a food tour. To experience the food of India is to experience her people and culture, but don’t make the painful assumption that even experienced travelers make—that the spices in Indian food will keep you safe. A food tour is the safest way to sample the flavors of India.
The food tours have been described as an “Anthony Bourdain adventure,” with tour guides leading you by rickshaw and car while you eat your way through the city under the experienced eye of your guide. In addition to getting an intimate view of life in Delhi, your tour guide will explain where and how to eat safely for the remainder of your trip. Take the advice.
One of the most shocking pieces of information that most people eventually discover is that their spending habits can literally control their lives.
While most people want to believe that they have full power over what they spend, habits are what truly set the pace for what ends up being spent or saved. Realizing that habits have a dramatic impact on how much money we have is the first step in taking control, but after that, critical decisions must be made in order to create a life of wealth and freedom.
This summer, avoid making terrible financial decisions by understanding how to get rid of the worst of the offenders. The following three bad decisions are some of the worst that can be made, and anyone would be wise to eliminate them from their day-to-day habits. Continue reading
The Internet is filled with ways to save money on a wide range of items for house, home, and closet. Few sites, though, address the needs of the thoroughly modern family in quite the way that the money saving sites, dedicated to helping you save serious money on groceries and other necessity items, will.
This amazing coupon website offers daily news about new products that website visitors to get at a fraction of their regular costs, including things like:
The list goes on and is updated throughout the day. The site also offers a coupon database, a dedicated area with information for couponing beginners, and page after page of money-saving tips for shoppers of all levels and budgets. They’ll turn you into discount divas in a snap.
The best thing about Krazy Coupon Lady, though, and what sets them apart from so many other sites, is the Brag Lounge. This is the area where real people, just like you, who are either seasoned pros at coupon bargain shopping or rank beginners celebrating their first “Hauls” go to show off their grocery store scores! Be warned you could spend hours sifting through these pages in awe!
For moms who understand just how fast diaper dollars, or lack thereof, add up and never seem to have enough arms to lug those big boxes inside, there’s Amazon Mom. This club allows monthly autoships of diapers (they ship them to the door for you!) for 20 percent lower than the average discount diaper in the grocery store. The service is designed to help moms save money from prenatal months through the toddler years with discounted items and money saving offers throughout.
You must be a prime member to join Amazon Mom, which is free to join. Since it is a prime service, you also get the free two-day shipping on prime items (like the above mentioned diapers).
Featured on The Today Show, TLC’s Extreme Couponing, MSN Money, and Rachael Ray, My Litter is a site dedicated to helping all moms save serious money while feeding their families. Site owners have seven children and are able to maintain their sanity and their family budget by following the same money saving tips and tidbits they share with their readers.
The site features money saving offers, coupon matchups, and even deals on travel and (drum roll please!) kid-approved recipes made with ingredients purchased with coupons.
Perhaps one of the most famous of coupon sites, Coupon Mom does require users to join the site. There’s no fee for doing so. The site offers a database of online coupons, printable coupons, national deals with drug stores, grocery stores, and traditional retail stores. The deals are updated weekly to include the latest coupons and store advertisements.
In addition to traditional money saving offerings, Coupon Mom offers a spreadsheet style display that organizes deals according to the percentage saved over normal sale prices for the retailers as well as weekly freebie or almost free items at major stores like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target.
Another great site offering matchups and special offers from major retailers, pharmacies, and grocery stores, Hip2Save takes things even further offering information about sweepstakes, restaurant deals, online bargains, and more. It’s a great place for savvy and stylish shoppers to stretch their limited funds even furthers.
While these amazing sites alone won’t help you make more money, they can certainly help you save enough on the essentials that it will feel like they have.
