Good question. While sites like Mint.com are a godsend for those who have online banking, it leaves the rest without such privileges out in the cold. Don’t worry MS Excel has your back.
MS Excel has budget templates that allow you to manually enter in your income and expenses. The best part is that these templates do all of the math for you.
Let me first say that neither plan is better or worse on its own. The best plan is the one that fits your finances and lifestyle the best. Let’s break each type of plan down so you can determine which is appropriate for you.
What’s for dinner?
Sure, you could grab fast food or pizza, but if you want to save money and calories, there’s a smarter way: preparing your own food. While it takes a little planning and time to shop and cook, think of the time you’ll save in the gym later, not having work off those extra junk food pounds.
If you’re making most of your own meals, here are some tips:
Ever wonder why your parents complain about too many lights being left on or why they have a panic attack because the sink was left running? These things are done to try and save money on monthly expenses.
Don’t worry, you will find yourself doing these same things when you are finally out on your own. But why not adopt these energy saving habits in preparation for your move away from the nest? The water bill is one of the largest utility expenses a household will have. Here are some ways to keep this bill down to a minimum:
I recently purchased the wrong book for my physics class and returned it to the bookstore. It has been over two weeks and I have not received the credit back to my card. The store gives me the run around and I am still out $85. What can I do?
You’re in luck! Since the store accepted the return they do have to refund your money.
You can dispute the charge with the bank who issued the credit card to you 30 days after the book’s return. During these 30 days, you are going to have to keep contacting the bookstore, asking about the status of your credit.
Nike. Juicy Couture. Abercrombie & Fitch. American Eagle. Designers for these brands, and a host of others, want you to buy your clothes from them. A baseball cap with a Nike Swoosh can cost $18. A plain ball cap from Target can cost a third of that.
It’s the same with all sorts of apparel, from jeans to shoes. Why? For one thing, you pay the price to wear a famous name. Companies that do a lot of advertising need to pay for that advertising, and do that through their higher prices. Designer clothes often have better quality and materials. But sometimes, it makes sense to go with a lesser-known brand.
For many people, a product name sends a message. It could say: quality or experience or reliability. It could say exclusivity or expensive.
Marketing executives at companies spend a lot of money trying to get consumers to identify with their particular brand.
Do you remember these?
Frosted Flakes. They’re G-R-E-A-T!
Maxwell House. Good to the last drop.
Campbell’s Soup. M’m! M’m! Good!
I never seem to have any money, and most of it seems to go toward food. How can I spend less?
It’s so easy to do. On the way home from work or a class, you stop at the coffee shop for a flavored drink. Or you have a quick meal from the drive through as you run your errands. It may be just a few dollars at a time, but they can add up.
Studies consistently show most people can save money by making their meals at home instead of eating out. When you make a meal at home, you don’t pay for the restaurant ambiance, service, taxes or tips.
If you saw a shiny quarter lying on the sidewalk, you’d pick it up and pocket it, wouldn’t you? It’s the same kind of concept with using coupons. Stores, restaurants and manufacturers offer coupons as a discount in order to entice shoppers to buy. Shoppers use the coupons, considering it money saved.
The Sunday paper usually has an insert filled with manufacturer’s coupons. Some newspapers also have local grocery store coupons listed in the midweek paper, usually on the day that the Food section is featured. Magazines are a good source for coupons targeted to their audience.
While money can’t buy everything, sometimes you can buy something even without money. How? By bartering.
Bartering is the practice of exchanging goods or services. Although it’s an ancient practice, people are re-discovering it as a way to get something they may not have the money to pay for.
It could be as simple as exchanging a computer game with a friend. Or detailing the family car in exchange for driving it on a date. It could be doing heavy lifting or yard work in exchange for meals.