There’s something a bit lonely in your wallet. You may see it every once in awhile and use it every once in a blue moon. But it’s there. And can be helpful.

We’re talking about cash.

Cold. Hard. Cash.

It’s quite easy to whip out the plastic and use it for purchases. A few bucks here and a few bucks there adds up rather quickly. But it can also get you over your budget limits. That’s how you can get into trouble.

Try this for a week. Put the plastic away. (Keep one in there for an emergency.) Go to the ATM. Take out the cash out of the bank that you will need to spend for the week. And just spend that. When you run out, you run out.

You would be amazed at how quickly you notice bad spending habits. Also, it will help you get back on track for one week.

Need a reminder of our tip? Simple! Download a PDF of it, print it out and hang it for all to see!

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There’s an old American proverb that says “When one walks into a Target to buy one thing, they leave with 10.”

How many times does that happen to you? More often than you’d like to admit? There’s a good chance your checking account balance will reflect this habit.

The key is to make a list and stick to it. Write down on paper or make a note on your phone and with things that you need. And get just that. Nothing else.

Heck, you can even make it a fun game with the family. ”How long does it take for us to get out of the store?” Keep track and make it a fun time for everyone.

Help yourself out. Download a PDF of this tip, print it out and hang it to remind yourself!

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’tis the season to be saving, fa la la la la la la la laaaaaaa!

Know that fun feeling you get right after Halloween is over when you realize the holidays are just a few weeks away and you start to wonder “How the heck am I going to pay for all the gift I have to buy in the coming weeks?”

Yeah, let’s prevent that. Like, NOW.

No one really wants to think about the holidays every single day. It can get old. But taking a bit of money every day or every paycheck and putting it away can ease the stress in the coming months. AND it can help prevent you from going into more credit card debt for stuff that, let’s be honest, no one really wants anyway.

Start today. Get a box, wrap it in Christmas wrapping paper, and put a few bucks in there. Every week, add a few more. Over time, it will add it rather quickly.

Just add egg nog.

Sure you shouldn’t keep holiday decorations up all year long. But download a PDF of this tip, print it out and hang it up to remember that every penny helps from now until December.

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Stuff happens.

(there’s another version of that slogan, but this is a PG blog)

When it comes to our health, you really never know when a problem may arise. It’s always a surprise. That’s why having a “health emergency” line in your budget is so important.

Plan for it now. SAVE for it now. Every little bit you can put away will not only help when something happens, but will help with your insurance then as well.

Need a reminder of this? Simple. Save the PDF version of this tip. Print it. Hang it up. Show it for all to see!

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You may have heard the saying “waste not, want not.” This phrase means that if you’re not wasteful, you’ll save your resources, hence reducing the possibility you’ll need something (you can’t afford) later. There are many ways in which we leak money out of our pockets without realizing.

Here are some examples:

• Wasting food
• Paying for gym membership you never use
• Buying coffee everyday
• Buying lunch everyday
• Paying for magazines you don’t read
• Buying clothes you don’t wear

Most of us don’t waste money by making large purchases but rather in small increments. But all these small amounts add up. It maybe $5 purchase here, $10 purchase there and before you know it, it’s added up to thousands of dollars. The New Year is a great time to review your finances and find ways to reduce waste!

Do yourself a favor and start the change today. Download a PDF of the tip, print it out and hang it up for all to see!

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