Dream Crushing Debt Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dustin
A place where we talk about all things money and budgeting. Get Dustin’s take on money management and become inspired to take control of your financial future! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dreamcrushingdebt/support
“It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.” – Theodore Roosevelt
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We all love a good deal and who doesn’t want to save a bit money in the process of buying the things we want and need. However, some deals aren’t as good as they seem and some deals are designed purely to get you to spend money. For example, be wary of the ones like “Spend $100 and get free shipping.” Or “Spend $50 get $10 back.” Those are great if what you’re actually buying is going to cost more than that… but most of the time, it takes a lot to reach those minimums before you qualify for the special offer and you end up buying more than you needed and spent more than you had just so you could say you saved $10 at checkout.
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If part of the debt your fighting is credit card debt, give your credit card company a call and let them know you’d like to negotiate your interest rate. It’ll take a bit of your time to make the call and work through any details, but you’d be surprised just what these companies are able and willing to do for their customers to keep them happy. With that said, keep in mind that the worst they are going to say is, “No.” So there is no reason to get upset if you can’t lower your interest rate… at least you tried. Always remember, you get more with sugar than you do salt… so be nice and be gracious with the outcome.
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This might be a great idea of someone who seems to have the knack of selling things online. They know how to price things and handle negotiations. It’s a great way to de-clutter your space, but your might also start offering up your skill to others for a fee. I’ve done this before where I’ve offered to sell things for people at a 10% fee of the selling price.
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These are some side-hustles that can turn into some serious summer work. The only downside is you need to have the equipment to do the work. So there might be some upfront capital costs, but there are some great ideas that you can do to earn some extra money. (Lawn care, sprinkler installs, concrete pressure washing, etc) (Marketing tip: put a flyer on garbage can on trash day)
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You might not be interested in doing airport runs for strangers or picking up late-night bar goers, but you can pickup food for people who are “too busy” to go get their own food. You can get up with services like Doordash, Grubhub, and UberEats. Walmart Grocery has even partnered with all the popular food delivery services to delivery groceries to their customers. Aside from these, there is also pizza delivery you can do to make some extra money through the tips you’ll earn.
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With as often as we are on our phones, we might as well be productive by filling out surveys. There are lots of places out that will compensate you for your time in taking a survey to provide them with information. You can checkout places like SurveyJunkies and Inboxsurveys. These aren’t big money makers by any means, but a little extra here and there can add up to something big for you. When doing surveys, companies are looking for information for specific demographics to help them better understand how “working women in their 30’s” find time to go grocery shopping.
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DISMISS THE DISTRUCTIVE
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Never skip an aid station
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Update budget. Listen to inspirational podcasts. Take a break. Celebrate the small wins.
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Comparison and Complaining will kill you!
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Complaining is unattractive. The more you are critical of yourself, the less likely you’ll be able to recognize the good that is in you, and all around you.
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When we compare, we become arrogant and complacent. Meaning, we find reasons to be content.
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Never Stop! Make it to the finish line.
- There will come moments that seem so hard you can't go on.
- The man or women who can drive them self further when the pain comes will win.
- “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent, or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.” - Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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“Pay the price today so you can pay any price tomorrow.” - Grant Cardone. Put the time and effort into things the first time. And stop wasting weekends on nonsense. — This quote showed up while scrolling through LinkedIn (again) from an article of what successful entrepreneurs would tell their 25 year old selfs. I think it would almost go without saying that “we would thank ourselves later”, but there is a balance in all things. If we spend our youthful days working so we can play later, or travel later or do whatever later... we might not be able to enjoy it later.
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It occurred to me that I after talking about car buying tips, I never shared with you how I went about buying my car. Inspired by Ramit Sethi, I found email address for all the dealerships I was willing to buy a car from and emailed them.
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At the end of the day, you’ll save yourself some money if you do this. First, auto bill pay is great because you’ll always have a payment on-time with no late fees attached. Second, some loans will give you a discount on your interest rate if you enroll in auto-pay. If you missed a payment (and it’s your first time), you can usually call your bank and have them forgive the late payment fee so long as you enroll in auto-pay. The worst they are going to say is, “No, we can’t do that.”
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Don’t waste your money on something you’ll only ever use once. If it’s an absolute must, see if there are renting options available to save you some money. An example of this might be with a home improvement project that requires a specific tool. Don’t buy the tool (although all us guys want to), rent it and save money that way.
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This is an interesting concept, and much lesser known one, when it comes to the topic of how to budget. However, basically this method is that income and expenses balance each other out each month to zero. Sound a bit confusing, well, think of it as every dollar you earn has a purpose or a place to go each month. There is no left over money at the end the month.
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One day at work, my first job out of college, I was sitting in a team meeting and the owner was discussing finances and where we were at with everything. After listening to him talk, I turned to my office manager and said, “I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t sound like he really knows where the money is going. Could you run me a P&L?” Shortly after that, I was let go because they could no longer afford to pay me.
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A few years ago I attended one of the LIFE Leadership conferences here in Salt Lake City and it was very motivational to say the least. There were some great keynote speakers and above all, a community of people all thriving on this concept of becoming financially free and taking control of not only that in your life, but every other area as well.
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This is a common feeling and one I’m feeling right now. I’ve been starting to get down on myself because with all my effort to save money, it doesn’t feel like I’m getting anywhere. Then it occurred to me… I’ve spread myself out a bit to thin into multiple areas rather than just one. I’m saving for retirement, emergency funds, etc.
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I came across this app because it was being featured in the App Store one day and I thought I would give a whirl to see what all the fuss was about. If you’re looking for creative ways to save money, then this your app. I want a new mountain bike someday and so I have this savings rule setup to round up everything purchase I make to the nearest dollar, and then saves that amount.
I'm saving money faster with Qapital. Sign up and use my code cn6d75eu or my link and get $10!
https://get.qapital.com/C6YFdRRtYX
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There is a lot of risk involved in buying a branded vehicle from either private party or a dealership. Branded titles indicate that the car has been in some need of extensive repair simply because the insurance company did not “total” the car. You’re putting all your trust into someone who you hope did a good job repairing the car and didn’t cut corners to save a buck.
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This is some great Dave Ramsey advice. It’s really easy to become car poor these days with the many options and variables. But, the rule of thumb is that all of your cars and recreational vehicles (anything with a motor) should add up to 50% of your salary if you’re making a payment on them. For a depreciating asset like this, you shouldn’t be spending all your money on something like this.
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60 minutes working out: "I wish I had time"
60 minutes on Netflix: "Let's watch another!"
Therapist ($130): "Too Expensive"
Trip to Walmart ($130): "Good Deals"
Professional training course ($1000): "Can't afford it"
New iPhone ($1000): "A Necessity"
15 minutes meditating: "An eternity"
15 minutes on social media: "Time flies"
Life is full of trade-offs between short-term and long-term investments. This holds true whether the investment is in the form of time, money, or talent. Where do you want to be in 10 years?
LinkedIn Post by Benton Crane - CEO of Harmon Brothers
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Well, you’re certainly listening to the right podcast for that. As the old saying goes, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for the night. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” Or another one, “I can lead you to water, but I can’t make you drink it.” — All of these require some effort on your part to learn and to do.
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Just knowing where to start is very daunting for sure! There are a lot of options out there that people have found success with. The best thing you could do is break it down and then focus on that one thing until you have all the information gathered together for that one thing. Move onto the next. Taking budgeting as a whole is rough - but piecing it together is a lot easier than you might think. Just take a deep breathe.
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Yikes! Yes. This is a major roadblock and is sure to leave anyone defeated for sure. This was, in fact, my biggest fear of working towards paying off my student loans! I didn’t have a whole lot of room for error or surprises. But, that’s when a little forward thinking comes into play when you’re setting up your budget. You should be saving a tiny bit every month for your annual expenses. And, before you started tackling your debt, you should make your emergency fund priority number 1. You need to have money on hand to take care of bigger expenses.
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This roadblock I can big-time relate to. For sure! Most of the time, when friends get together it’s bound to be a good time and who wants to miss out on that? (Aka: FOMO). But sometimes, there just isn’t the extra money to go and do all the time. Rather than being the one to wait for the invite, research some free (or nearly free) things you can do that all your friends can do with you. You’re still with your friends, but you’re not spending money. Here are some ideas: Hiking, Art-in-the-park, Movie night, Dinner party
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This is something I can relate to, a little bit. It’s not that there wasn’t any effort from my parents to teach me out to budget and track my spending - because there was - but it just never seemed to apply to me. Not to mention at the time, online banking was becoming very popular. But, just because you were never taught or the principles didn’t quite apply while you were growing up, doesn’t mean we can’t learn something new today.
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Generally speaking, we are all very hush on the topic of money. We don’t want unsolicited advice from others who think we should be managing our money differently. We don’t want our friends or family to question our ability to buy a new car or go on a trip somewhere. So why would we then open up about our debt? We want to take care of it quietly leaving everyone else none the wiser about our financial burdens.
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There are 2 reasons I think people struggle with budgeting. 1) They still need to change their mindset about budgeting and essentially believe they have all that it will take to be successful with it. 2) They don't want to track their spending. They want to keep things as they are, but hope their financial woes will disappear simply because they have a budget.
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Budgeting is tough. There are so many different methods and approaches you can learn about. Each one claiming why their method is better than all the rest. In reality, what most fail to realize is that what works for one, doesn't mean it'll work for another. Yes, you need to look into different ways of budgeting, but you need to craft your own method of what works for you. Then do I believe you'll find success.
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It's very surreal actually. Whether you're focused at paying them off or going at them with minimum payments, in any case they will have been around for years. They'll feel like they are a part of the family with has much as they hang around that once they are finally gone it is hard to believe. You've imagined your excitement anticipating such a day, but aren't quite sure you can believe it just yet.
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Sadly, there is no set timeframe on this except for the set minimum payoff timeline that was established when you took out your loans. Which is typically has a payoff term similar to that of mortgages... 15-30 years. Paying them off sooner than that will depend largely on income and loan size.
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I started asking myself this question after college and started to sense the weight of my student loans. Where was my money going? I couldn't account for most of my spending and still felt like I had nothing to show for all the money I was making at the time. It felt like I was dazed, and confused about what was going on... and I hated that feeling. I didn't like not feeling in control.
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What might be easy for me, might not be the easiest or most efficient way for you. Everyone is different and some budgeting methods might come more naturally to you than they do for me. Which is okay, but until you explore or at the very least research into different ways, you'll never be able to find what works for you. For me, I use Mint.com to track my spending because it links to my bank accounts.
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Using a spreadsheet, I've listed out all of my annual bills (and even my semi-annual bills) and then added them all up. That gives me a total for the year, and then in another cell, I enter a basic math formula that divides that total by 12. I know have a number I save every month into my savings account automatically.
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Wow! This can be really hard sometimes. You probably already feel that you’re out of your comfort zone and can’t possibly handle any more than you are. That’s okay, but growth and change will only come when we keep putting ourselves out there - whether by our own choice, or someone else’s.
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This is script we are using to frame our lives and guide are actions. When we are negative and doubt, we respond to life in that way. When we believe that we can do hard things, then we start to accomplish the impossible.
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Throwing a party can be stressful, especially when you aim to impress. However, I have learned that most people just like getting together and are more than willing to bring something to contribute to the party if you just ask. But you have to have a plan and be organized - the less thinking people have to do, the more likely they will contribute freely.
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How to celebrate a birthday without breaking the bank. Especially when celebrating a birth week. Going out to eat is often the least stressful way to celebrate, which means you might be eating out a lot around the week of your birthday. To save money, be sure to sign up for the different birthday clubs at your favorite places so that you can get free or discounted meals.
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Buying gifts in the first place can be difficult, especially if the person you’re buying for isn’t very good at dropping hints at what they would like to have. However, if you have time to plan and shop, you buy gifts on budget. What I like to do is set a budget... whatever it is I’m comfortable spending for that individual and then decide what it is I want to buy for them. Once I’ve figured that out, I go to DealNews.com and search for current deals, or create an alert for future deals.
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I love the summer time. There are so many different things you can do outside with your family and friends that will cost you next to nothing. I did things like float the river. Ride bikes along the Greenbelt. Attend local festivals and other events that were free to get in.
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Traveling can be addicting and just as expensive. Without careful planning, any trip or vacation could seriously hinder your financial goals because things cost more than you were expecting and all your spontaneous spending went on the credit card. Wherever you go, you need to create a plan of what you want to do and research how much it’ll cost.
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Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years seem to happen all at once! But planning ahead can really make a difference in being able to afford the travel, the food, the gifts, and all the festivities. Even having a quiet holiday season can cost a little bit of money. The key to planning for the holidays is to give yourself plenty of time to save smaller amounts of money.
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With Memorial Day still in the rear view mirror, all of the pools and water parks are officially open - Summer is here! Here are some great ways you can still have all the fun in the sun while not breaking the bank. 1) Buy season passes on discount to water parks. 2) Do BBQs with neighbors to save money on all that great food. 3) Search on Groupon for discounted events or on Facebook for the events calendar for neighborhood or community events. 4) Make a list of what you want to do for next year.
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I think it’s important to believe that this is a myth and a mental roadblock. What is your roadblock? What is holding you back from even just believing that you’re capable of getting out of debt? Once we are able to identify that (even if it’s multiple things) then we are address them one by one. And I’d love to hear from you what you feel your roadblocks are.
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It’s time to dive in head first, or at least with both your feet. At this point, you have a budget and you’ve already identified different things you can do or change to create some extra money for you each month. It’s just a matter of putting it all into practice. Spend a weekend make whatever adjustment are needed and setup whatever automatic banking you can so you don’t have to think about it anymore.
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You probably weren’t expecting me to just say, “Take a chill! Soak up some sun.” Well, I am. Before committing to big lifestyle changes, it’ll be worth the time spent thinking through everything. This isn’t a time for doubt or to give up, it’s a time to reflect on you imagining yourself living this new way of life. The budgeted life. Once you can see yourself living this way... you have that mental game plan... the break time is over. It’s go time!
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Getting out of debt sooner than later relies 100% on the amount of extra money you’re able to put towards your debt every month. This tip basically requires you to add it all up. How much extra money do you have from your paycheck every month, and how much could you have after making those adjustments. How much do you have? How much faster will you be able to pay off your debt with it?
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Now that you’ve created a budget, meaning, you’ve setup some spending categories and now know how much you’ve been spending in each of them. It’s time to evaluate what you’ve been spending money on and if there are any adjustments that can be made to save some money. This could be realizing that gym membership you forgot you had. IMPORTANT NOTE: For this tip, or step, don’t take action right away on anything. You’re just making a list of things you could cut out, or make an adjustment to.
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Creating a budget is no easy task. Don’t let anyone fool you if they are saying otherwise. The most important thing you need to figure out is which method you’re going to use to track your spending. You might even have to try a few before deciding which budgeting system works for you. Once you’ve figured out what works for you, you need setup some basic spending categories that every bit of spending can be tracked in. Even using previous transactions, you start to figure out how much you spend in each category and put a limit on it. This is going to be a tremendous step, but the most important as it will establish the foundation for everything else.
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Knowing where to get started is tough, but if you can do these things, you’ll find success: 1) Create a budget. Know where your money is going. 2) Find areas you can make adjustments to with where you are spending money. 3) Add up how much extra money you have. 4) Let it soak in and take a deep breath. 5) Go gazelle (as Dave would say).
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Oh man. What do you have?! Honestly, selling of random things is great for the sprint, but not the marathon. Sell your couch, but where will you sit? Sell your car, but how will you get to work? I believe its less about what we are able to sell as much as it what we are able to change or switch out that will help us get out of debt faster.
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A common roadblock is just knowing where to get started. Simply put, getting out of debt is paying more than your minimum every month. However, that proved to be much harder for me and I struggled over this concept because putting an extra $50/month towards a loan was good, but not enough. I needed more than that, but where do get more than $50/month if your paycheck isn’t magically going to increase?
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Unhesitatingly, yes! It is so worth it. In the last episode we talked about why it’s important, but is it worth it? From a self-worth perspective, getting out of debt is easily in my Top 3 of major life accomplishments. Sometimes the worst experiences in life are often times the best teachers because of how they shape us and help us grow into better people. If you allow it for yourself, I think you’ll find many wonderful life lessons along the way that will change you for the better.
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There are a lot of reasons why this might be important, but for myself, getting out of debt was important to me so that I was no longer burdened every time life was turned upside down. Going along with the last episode of how do I get out of debt with no job... well... being unemployed with a mountain of debt constrains how far you’re able to stretch whatever income you do have.
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The answer to this will vary greatly depending on individual situations. My experience of being unemployed while still trying to pay off debt was tough and everything was reduced down to paying only the minimums until I could sort everything back out. I have a follow up question... Does no job also mean “no money?”
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A low income certainly makes us squeeze if we are trying to get out of debt. The good news is that it’s not impossible, but it will require some thought out sacrifices until your debt is paid off. Just remember, getting out of debt with a low income only means it might take a little while longer is all.
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You bet it will! There are two things that impact your credit score greatly: 1) Being on-time with your payments and 2) Using only a small portion of your credit line. The more you pay down your loans and get out of debt, the more you’ll improve your credit score naturally.
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I’m going to assume that you have bad credit because you had a rough go at paying back some borrowed money. Which might make it seem like history might repeat itself, but the good news is that paying off debt doesn’t require good credit - only borrowing money needs good credit.
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A credit score is basically a ranking system that tells lending companies how well you handle money that doesn’t belong to you. There are a bunch of things that affect your credit score such as: on-time payments, usage, average age, number of accounts, inquiries, and derogatory marks.
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So much of this comes down to your ability to recognize the struggles and the fears that you have and addressing them one by one. You’ll be stopped dead cold in your tracks every time if you’re unable to get over the barriers that are there. We won’t be vaulting over hurdles, most likely, but we’ll be more willing to try.
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Write down the positive things that are happening in your life everyday. Training your brain to see the positive will go a long ways in your ability to roll with the punches. Also, finding trusted outside perspectives can help us see the bigger picture.
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It’s a myth that creating a habit only takes 3 weeks. It takes a lot longer, especially with the habits that are deeply engrained within us. Start slowly and put things in place to help you become accountable.
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Getting out of debt deserves a celebration! Whatever that might be for you, but going somewhere you’ve always dreamed of (being debt free) and having the trip paid for sounds like a great reward!
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While I’m not at all suggesting this so you can compare yourself against others, but rather know that you’re not alone. That there are others how there who can relate to you and more importantly, reassure you that the you too can do hard things. That you too will become better because of it.
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Creating some type of visual reminder is a great way to keep in the front of your mind what your goals, dreams, and aspirations are and how debt is not going to help you get there, and instead, slow you down.
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This is really really tough because we want or wish so badly that our situation was a little more like that of someone else we probably know. Just remind yourself that you can only work with what you have access too. And that’s okay!
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It can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel some days. Reminding yourself how far you’ve come and where you want to be are great ways to keep focused. You can keep a journal of your journey and create a vision board of things you want once you’re out of debt.
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Some states still use jail time to encourage you to pay debt. Some states allow debt collectors to chase after you for 4-6 years. Not to mention, you’ll be financially ruined and branded. Rebuilding your life after avoiding debt may very well feel impossible.
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The magic number for this has been defined at 36%, with the max being at 43%. 36% DTI gives you some wiggle room for changes in your income. Debt included in this is for any money that you owe: Mortgage, car, loans, etc. Income your gross monthly income. DTI = total monthly debt payments/gross monthly income.
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Good debt are loans with low interest rates and often considered as a type of “long-term” investment. Such debt would include mortgages, car loans and student loans.
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The simplest way to look at this would be anything with a really high interest rate. Such as credit card debt, personal loans, or payday loans.
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You want to first tackle debt that has the highest interest rate first. Ideally, you would be paying extra on these types of loans first until they are paid off and then snowballing money spent on that loan into the next loan you have. You’ll probably find varying opinions on this as some are math based, others are based motivation and staying committed.
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The are countless ways a person can make a monthly budget. With so many options, it can be overwhelming to know which way is better or more successful. My advice: Research about many of them and take from each the elements or the concepts that you like and make the most sense for you.
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Money is a major stress point and is only compounded when more than just yourself relies on the same money. The best advice is to have open communication with the whole family to make sure they are onboard.
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A monthly budget, in my mind, tracks where all of your money is going every month. In other words, a monthly budget includes everything you’re spending money on. How you categorize your spending is where the art of budgeting is different for everyone.
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This budgeting concept has been popularized by Senator Elizabeth Warren. You divide up your after-tax income: 50% on needs. 30% on wants. 20% on savings. This budgeting style is rather casual, but can be effective so long as you always know where your money is going.
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Living paycheck to paycheck makes it very difficult to find a way out of your debt. However, it is possible and it starts first with changing your mindset and believing you can make the changes needed to create a budget and live within your means.
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Often times our greatest achievements come when we’ve had the support and accountability of a friend or mentor.
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It’s so much easier to save a a couple hundred dollars a month than it is to come up with $1,000 for new tires or whatever.
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Living on the side of having nearly nothing, it makes you appreciate the kindness and generosity of others. Whether directly, or indirectly. Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about.
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When I was unemployed, the amount of my monthly expenses seemed to tower over me like the Empire State Building. What seemed manageable, was suddenly daunting.
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Despite what some people might think, claiming unemployment was probably the best thing I did because it allowed me to focus on finding a job that was a good fit for me.
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It's very much a surreal moment, no matter how much you might have wished for it, as you mind catches up and begins to tell you all the ways in which your life has just been turned upside-down.
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After having been budgeting for a year and a half or more at this point, I was more than thrilled when I was accepted into the Unemployment program and that the money I would earn was nearly identical to the amount I was already budgeting and living within. This meant that my lifestyle didn't have to take a major hit, and I could focus on the more important issue of finding a new job or opportunity.
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It's not as big of a celebration of as actually paying off your loans, but it was pretty monumental for me to actually dive in and start paying off my loans, being committed to my new budget, and making needed lifestyle changes to make it happen. For me, this was a major turning point that is worth recognizing.
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Earning extra money soon became priority-number-one. There are a lot of options out there when it comes to earning some extra cash on the side. What you decide to do needs to be conducive to your situation... for me, it was going after more side-hustle work. The part-time gig for whatever reason could not work out for me.
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This might be a whole other daunting task, but has the potential to greatly accelerate your end goal. My advice/suggestion to you is to evaluate what your talents and skills are. Try to make money off of it. If that's not an option, you can always find a second job or donate plasma or broadcast your video game skills on Twitch.
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It’s daunting, believe me, but once you’ve seen, you’ve gotta zoom back in and focus on the things you can control for that day, or that week, or that month. As much as you might wish the time to fly by and be at the tail end of your debt, it doesn't work that way. But the good news is that days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and the months into years. Don't get caught up in what might or could happen next year when you can simply worry about today. The rest will come, without a doubt.
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Find joy in the things you do have and have accomplished. Simple as good health, no car troubles, food on the table.
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These days will come, but you can’t forget to take a look back to see how far you’ve come. Just remember, we aren't going back or giving up, we are simply looking back to see how far we've come. To remind ourselves that we have made progress and that it is possible for us to keep going.
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Autopilot is nice because we aren’t constantly stressing over details, but every now and again, we need to stop and readjust. We need to make sure that we are in fact staying with in your budgets, and if we aren't, make needed changes so that we can still be successful by living within our means.
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It can become extremely taxing on our mental selves to be constantly saying to different things or people all in the name of getting out of debt. It's difficult. Even more difficult when you're not feeling as if you're making progress on your debt. Remind yourself that your debt isn't a forever thing. That your sacrifice isn't a forever thing. Once your debt is paid off, you'll be more free to do as you please with your money.
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If your company offers a 401K program, plus a match to go along with it... you should be signing up for that right now if you haven't already. Getting a match on your own 401k investment is like getting free money. Ok, maybe not free but extra money from your company. Each company sets their own terms in which they payout out the match, so check with your HR department for more details if you're curious.
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There are a lot of suggested methods out there, however, for myself personally I like to find an average of what I spend over a period of time for that specific category. This is often a much more realistic expectation of how much I'll likely spend in this category and can therefore make a better education decision to make any adjustments to it.
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While there are somethings I was able to justify spending my monthly paycheck on (Ie. Rent, Car, Gas, etc), but then... the remaining 50% of my paycheck goes unaccounted for. I couldn't tell you where it went or how fast it went or if there was something worth much value I spent my money. Until I started tracking my spending, I wasn't able to achieve any sort of savings goal or know how much extra I could put towards anything much less believe I had extra to save.
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There are a lot of categories in Mint to choose from to track your spending, but I feel as if it's too specific... to narrowed, when it needs to be a bit more board and more along the lines of where we spend our money and not what we spend out money on.
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Mint was created by Intuit - the creators of Quickbooks, TurboTax, and T-Sheets. So, when it comes to linking bank accounts, I think they've got it figured out how to handle sensitive information. Furthermore, with Mint, you can't do anything with your bank other than import transactions.
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I like to create goals in Mint because it's an easy way to account for the extra money in my paycheck that isn't being used for my budget. I also like that Mint keeps track of how long it will take me to achieve my goals based on how much is in the account I've linked the goal to. I don't create Mint goals for anything outside of my base full-time job paycheck.
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I have different savings goals with very different purposes for that money. To avoid getting things intertwined with different goals, I keep money separate so that at a glance I know how much I have available to spend on travel or for an annual bill that just came due.
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Get at least $1,000 or, 1 month's salary saved. Once you have that, circle back and focus on your debt until it's gone. Being debt free, you can work on building up your emergency fund to have enough for 3 month's salary and then 6 month's salary. You never know when life will happen and having something set aside will be a lifesaver. The time to save for this is when you have a job and things are, well... going okay.
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When I was looking for ways to make some extra money every month to pay towards my loans, I wasn't too keen on the idea of working a second job because I wanted a bit of a social life and flexibility. So, I started donating plasma earning a few hundred dollars a month for just a few hours of my time a week. A lot less commitment than a second job and certainly no skills required and convincing job interviews. Not to mention, you're contributing to research endeavors designed to save lives through the use of plasma.
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Some people will roll a balance on their credit card just so they can maintain their savings goals every month. When you roll a balance you are charged that insane interest rate, costing you more money than spent. If you have credit card debt, don't save your money until it's paid off. Once you have paid off your credit card debt, make sure that you're only spending money within your allotted budget for the month so that you can pay them off every month.
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Booking your hotel, rental car, and sometimes even your flights through services that offer free cancellation allows you the opportunity to rebook at lower prices should they go on sale after you've booked. This is a great way to save on travel if you're more interested in having experiences that don't involve the high prices of hotels, cars, and flights.
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I'm not a big fan of surprises when it comes to money. Surprises usually indicate some type of setback and I hate it. Budgeting for trips and vacations usually involve a few different rounds to determine if I can afford the trip, how much the trip will cost, and then making sure everything is paid for before I leave. This method ensure that I have 100% of everything taken care before I leave so I can mentally enjoy the trip.
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A lot of credit cards come with additional benefits we often forget about or brush over when we first get our new credit card. One card benefit that will help save some money is Car Rental Insurance. This means you can decline car rental insurance the next time you rent a car when you pay for the rental using one of your premium cards that offer this protection.
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There are a lot of travel credit cards out there and most them are really only good for the promotional sign up offer that comes with them. However, I think the Southwest Priority Credit Card is probably the best of them out there for many reasons.
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There are oh so many credit cards out there for a person to choose from. In this episode I talk about what I think are the 2 best credit cards are from a "daily driver" standpoint. These credit cards might not work for you depending on where you shop and spend money the most.
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They get people into trouble, but if used right they can have great rewards. My advice for you though, pay off your balance every month and track spending easily with Mint.com
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My brother told me how cheap his credit card was. And, I couldn't help but face palm when I finally realized what he thought made it cheap.
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When I was evaluating my spending and categorizing it into my different budget areas, I had to ask myself the question, "How important is this to me? Are there alternatives?"
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Inspired by Dave Ramsey, I sold a car that I loved for a lower payment. It was very difficult for me, but I did it so that I could have even more extra money to put towards my loans.
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For myself, I put together several scenarios using spreadsheets to determine which loan needed tackled first so that I could get out of debt faster. Believe it or not, it was my highest interest loan which was also my largest loan.
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Knowing what I know, would I still have taken out my student loans? I'm torn over this because I've felt just as much hate as I have love for them. I learned a lot from it and that's something I can't ignore.
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Dave Ramsey suggests using an envelope system to help ensure that you don’t spend more than you have available. It makes sense to me, but that’s not what I did.
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Inspired by Ramit Sethi, the way I viewed budgeting changed when I learned about conscious spending.
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There are a lot of budgeting apps and solutions out there but my favorite is Mint.com. #dreamcrushingdebt
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I think Dave has a lot of great ideas, but I didn’t follow his suggested path of getting out of debt. #dreamcrushingdebt
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