saving/money Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Save Money on Fabulous Accent Pieces for Your Home

December 11, 2017 by Have Sippy Will Travel Leave a Comment

Whether you are just starting out and need to save money due to a low budget, want to re-decorate because you are tired of the same old décor, or you just have some plain walls that need some love – you can do it all on a thrift store budget!

Thrift shopping is not only a great way to save money – but it can also be a lot of fun. The thrill of finding that perfect thing for your home, for pennies on the dollar. Who wouldn’t love doing this? The thing about thrift store shopping – you must have patience and a willingness to hunt for that perfect thing.

I have found that one of the BEST places to find those perfect unique treasures is my local Goodwill store! They not only have some great unique items, but their prices are always reasonable. We also find that they frequently have sales that slash their prices even more. It is a total win!

When you’re at the big box retailers – you know you are grabbing up something other people have too. And even at the for-profit thrift stores, while you might see some nice unique items, their price tag tends to be a bit steeper than what you find at Goodwill – so you aren’t really going to save money.

And as a bonus, over 313,000 people in the United States and Canada connected with jobs or earned employment using Goodwill organizations’ career services programs this past year. And more than that – tens of millions access the Goodwill education, training, and online learning services that Goodwill offers to strengthen their job training skills. As a non-profit, they are dedicated to helping create jobs and providing on-the-job training for many who would find employment opportunities scarce without Goodwill’s help.

So – have an open mind and get yourself ready to shop! Remember, if you’re crafty, there are tons of ways to spruce up and refurbish pieces to make them new again. If you’re one of the lucky people who has more than one Goodwill store near you – be sure to hit them all up!

Here are some great Goodwill finds from just the last couple of weeks.

Outdoor and Patio items – this was a really fun find! Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was already sold.

Lamps and Lampshades can be so much fun to DIY!

Photo frames, photos, and canvas paintings can be used as is or restored in so many ways.

We found a TON of different kinds of decorative vases – some in wood, some in glass.

Unique pieces of furniture can really be fun to restore – if it is your first time doing a DIY restoration, you can bet you can find something awesome at a bargain to get you started.

All kinds of baskets – I can think of so many things that I could do with these.

Google DIY canning jars – there are about a million things, right? Look at these jewels!

Do you have some amazing finds and restoration products you’ve found by shopping at Goodwill? I would love to see them! Share them with me on social media using the #ShopGoodwill hashtag!

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: budget shopping, shop locally, shopping sales, thrifting

Plan Your Retirement Now and Secure Your Future

November 17, 2017 by Have Sippy Will Travel Leave a Comment

One of the most stressful things is when you’re unsure about your financial future. It is tough being pulled in so many directions – children’s college funds, vacation and family outings, home ownership and more. But I’m being reminded that it’s important not to neglect long-term savings for your retirement years. I’m may not be anywhere near retirement age yet but I definitely want to make sure that I am well-prepared for retirement when we reach that stage.

Understanding retirement needs can be confusing sometimes and may feel like an overwhelming and impossible task. That’s why I am sharing these simple tips for helping you get started with easy-to-understand resources at AceYourRetirement.org. Here are seven things to consider to help you maximize your retirement savings.

Minimize debt – but not at the expense of paying into your 401k or other retirement accounts. The less debt-load you have during your retirement, the more you’ll be able to make your retirement dollars stretch.
Don’t rely solely on Social Security – in fact, people are often recommended to wait until up to age 70 to collect Social Security to allow benefits to grow more.
Consider whether downsizing your living quarters makes sense once children are grown and out of the house.
Make sure your beneficiary designations are up-to-date and talk to your spouse to make sure everyone is on the same page.
If you’ve been divorced but not remarried you may be eligible for Social Security benefits from your ex-spouse.
Enroll in a retirement savings plan. Even a little bit held out from each paycheck can really add up.
Never contribute less to your 401k account than your employer matches if they offer a matching program. Save more if possible and increase your savings by 1% per year whenever possible.

As we approach a new year it’s important to take stock of your current situation, and make adjustments where needed. Pop over to AceYourRetirement.org and get personalized, simple tips on how to jumpstart your retirement savings. It was so helpful to me to see a couple areas that I could adjust to help improve the financial situation of our family.

I wasn’t surprised to find out that I was the only one struggling with what to do with our finances. But it’s especially tricky being self-employed since the income varies month to month. But I’ve got some great tips now that I’m going to begin implementing and already feel better. When you have a plan it’s easier to feel more confident.

I found out that Americans know they should be focused on the long-term, with nearly 6 in 10 (58%) preferring to save for retirement over something more short-term, a vacation (40%). But approximately 2 in 5 households headed by people age 55-64—over 9 million households—have no retirement assets saved at all. I definitely don’t want to be in that position when I am in my 50s.

Taking steps to take control of your retirement planning could have a positive impact in many areas of your life. More than half of people in their 40s and 50s say that feeling more confident about saving for retirement would help them feel less stressed (54%). And 46% would be happier knowing they are taking care of their family’s future. I know I feel better after walking through the AARP website AceYourRetirement.org. We’ve been savvy with our money – paid off car loans ahead of schedule, living debt free for a while…I know we are capable of achieving large financial goals. But I just wasn’t sure where to start. Now I feel much more confident and you can too.

Where will you start with your retirement planning? What’s your biggest challenge today?

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: 5 Money Saving Tips for Moms, retirement, saving money

4 Tips to hiring an ecommerce web design firm on a budget

September 5, 2017 by Samantha Leave a Comment

For owners of small to medium-sized businesses, setting up a website is an effective strategy that you can use to increase your brand awareness in the online market. There are several website platforms claiming that even those who are not very familiar with programming can create good-looking websites using their products. There are also online guides that can help you learn both the basic and advanced techniques of web designing. The downside of relying on these online resources is that many people also use the exact guides too. Chances are your website may look very similar to others.

Hiring a web designer is definitely a great idea when setting up a website for your business. Instead of wasting several hours experimenting with things you’re not really good at, you may able to use your extra time focusing on what matters more for your business. But that doesn’t mean that you have to pay tens of thousands of dollars just to set up and maintain a website. There are actually many ways which you can hire an ecommerce web designer on the cheap. That is without compromising the quality of your website. Read more about the 4 tips to hiring an ecommerce web design firm on a budget and start seeing great results for your business now.

Avoid hiring web design firms that specialize only in one aspect.

When looking for the best web developer for your business, you may encounter ones that are adept at creating attractive web designs and those that actually know how to incorporate them into your site. The problem with hiring two or more firms for your website is that the work usually takes longer and more costly in the long run. If possible, look for an ecommerce web design firm that can do all the work; from your company’s logo to the website’s user interface and everything that you might need. For owners of small to medium-sized businesses, setting up a website is one of the top 10 branding effective strategies that you can use to increase your brand awareness in the online market.

Set up a realistic budget and don’t hesitate to negotiate the price.

Before starting the project, you should be able to discuss the timeline and plan with the web design firm down to the smallest of details. Set up a realistic budget and don’t hesitate to negotiate the price. For brochure-style websites, the price typically ranges from $2,000 to $5,000; while it can go up to $20,000 or more for sites which feature a bunch of products and which support electronic payment. You might find some good offers at less than $1,000 but be wary that the quality might get compromised.

Plan ahead on the things that you need and you don’t need.

Web design services usually become expensive when the package includes a lot of features that can optimize your website. Although most of them are useful, you might not essentially need some of those features for your website. You may choose a couple of websites that you admire and pick some features that you really want for your site. Discuss the details with the web design firm carefully before making a deal.

Trade for services if you personally know the web designer.

If you personally know the owner of a web design firm (or some other people who work there), you may consider discussing if they are open for bartering. For example, you may offer them accounting or legal services for a certain period in exchange for web design services. Discuss the terms properly so both of you will neither profit nor lose in the barter.

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: money

The Top 3 Loans That Can Help You Eliminate Debt Fast

August 30, 2017 by Samantha 1 Comment

Unpaid debts can be really stressful. If you don’t take care of it soon enough, it will catch up with you. Debt has become a part of today’s culture and comes in different forms for different reasons. Paying off debt, is perhaps, one of the most common personal goals among different people. And while some may think it is hard, it only requires some good strategy and enormous discipline to finally get out from it. Sites like MTP Loans provide loan choices for people who want to pay off their debt.

There are various types of loans that one can get to help pay off your debt, here are some of them:

Personal Loan

Personal loans are one of the many loans you can borrow from the bank. It is an unsecured loan that can be paid on agreed terms. This can be used by the borrower for whatever purpose. If your credit ratings are good enough that you can borrow a money, this can be used as a debt consolidation loan. However, there maybe instances that you will be allowed to borrow a small amount, a big amount of higher interests, or not be approved at all due to bad credit score. Secure personal loans from a bank you trust and settle for payment rates that are doable for you. This will take the stress off your loans.

Home Equity Loans

Home equity loan is taken out using your home’s equity as a collateral. To qualify, you need to have a good amount of equity in your home and a good credit score. Home equity loans have very low interest rates because of its secured nature. You can also borrow money big enough to pay off your other debts. However, many are cautioning against this to be used as a debt consolidation loan because of the risk involved. Once payment becomes too expensive and you are not able to pay it, your house will face foreclosure and lose it.

Debt Consolidation Loans

In past years, the needs for bigger loans were so high that banks started to offer debt consolidation loans. This is offered for the purpose of combining your debts. There are many types of debt consolidation loans and you need to choose wisely what to pick. These types of loans have usually lower interest rates than what you pay monthly, but you need to set terms strategically. Low interests rates are achieved through extending the period of repayment.

There are many options to pay off debt, but you need to be smart and careful as to which you choose. Find terms that will not burden you anymore than being burdened with your current debts. As well, make sure to know the terms and conditions of each loan so as not to encounter any surprising problems that may arise from missing payments and other situations. Finally, stop accumulating more debt once you start eliminating them so as not to be buried with more debts in the future.

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: check in, debt, money

The top 3 Loans That Can Help You Eliminate Debt Fast

August 7, 2017 by Samantha Leave a Comment

There are various types of loans that one can get to help pay off your debt, here are some of them:

Personal Loan

Home Equity Loans

Debt Consolidation Loans

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: check in, money

How To Save Money On Your Move To Your New House

July 10, 2017 by Samantha Leave a Comment

If you have finally found a new home to move to, you might be so excited that you forgot how daunting and expensive the process of moving can be. However, it really does not have to be that way if you take a few minutes to review the following suggestions. This way, it doesn’t have to be as stressful as it could be.

Getting The Right Kind Of Help

One of the very first things you are going to want to do is to work on finding the best moving companies in your area. When you hire a moving company to assist you with your move, you will not have to worry about loading a moving truck on your own, or even having to worry about driving that big thing. After all, unless you have a lot of experience driving those types of trucks, you might be in for a shock in regards to how different it is to turn them, back them up, or simply judge how close you are to going over the lines on the road so you will stay in the correct lane.

Now, even though you will have to pay for their services, you might find that hiring professional movers is a great way to save money. In the end, you will not have to take as long to move everything. Whether it is because they will come with a few people to carry all of your boxes and furniture, or because they can take everything in one load, you save time. Remember, time is money. The sooner you have everything in the new house, the sooner you can unpack and get back to work.

Checking Their Reputation

Of course, you will want to look for the most reputable moving company in your area. This way, you will not have to worry so much about any of your belongings coming up lost, damaged, or completely ruined. A good way to check the reputation of a moving company is to ask others about their experiences with them. If you do not personally know of anyone that has used them in the past, you can always turn to the internet. You might be able to find some reviews that were posted online about the moving company you are thinking of using.

Another thing you might want to do is to check with the Better Business Bureau. You can check with them to see if the moving company has any major complaints that should cause you to be alarmed. Just remember, since anyone can complain to the Better Business Bureau, or BBB, you will want to thoroughly read through any complaint that you find. It might have been a small issue or misunderstanding and you will be able to see how well the company resolved it.

Give The Kids A Job

If you have children, instead of paying a babysitter to watch them while you pack and move, you could always put them to work. Depending on their ages and physical abilities, they might be able to help pack up their own rooms and even carry some boxes out to the moving truck or to your personal vehicle if you are taking some things in that. This way, the kids are involved and you might not have to hire a friend or outside family member to help you.

There are a lot of ways to save money when you are moving. Just make sure that you are never putting quality of service over the cost of the help. When you take your time to plan your move, you should end up with a great moving company to help you and some friends and family to assist you as well.

Filed Under: home, saving/money Tagged With: check in, home

The top 5 things you can use a personal loan for

July 8, 2017 by Samantha Leave a Comment

There are loans that are given for very specific things. For example, mortgage loans are for buying a home, an auto loan is, of course, used for purchasing a car while student loans are used to pay for college tuition fee.

Good thing there is a personal loan, which can be used for a variety of things. While there are some lenders who will ask you what the money will be used for, more often than not, it is up to you how you want to use it.

There are many circumstances when you can utilize a personal loan. Here are some of them.

Pay a credit card debt – yes you can use a loan to pay off another loan. This is smart when you have several credit cards that are already maxed out. It is good to consolidate all the charges into one monthly payment, especially if the interest rate on the credit card is very high. You just need to make sure that the personal loan you get has a lower interest rate.

Home improvement – maybe you need a new HVAC, or you feel like you need to do repairs in your home but you do not want to dip into your savings. Use a personal loan instead of emptying your bank account.

Vacation – some people may advise against this as they feel it is not a worthy investment, but you can indulge in something once in awhile, especially if it’s been a long time since you went on a vacation. But don’t just take out a personal loan for your dream vacation without actually starting a savings fund for it. The personal loan can be used when you have not met your target budget or if you feel like raising your emergency fund when you go abroad.

Wedding – couples can take out a personal loan to get their dream wedding, as they do happen once in a lifetime. If you are a bride and you really want that perfect wedding dress that costs a little more than the budget you have in mind, you can just take out a personal loan instead. Of course, make sure that you have planned that the loan will be paid in the right timeframe. After all, no one wants to start a new chapter in their lives with a lot of debt.

Business – maybe you have already graduated and you now want to start a new business. Perhaps you are a small business owner and now you want to make expansions to your business. You can use the personal loan for costs like materials, rentals or to pay business permits. Getting a personal loan is smart so that you will not need to use your own savings or liquidate other assets.

If you feel like you need to take out a personal loan, it’s a good thing that it does not take long to apply for one. Check out https://www.luckyloans.co.uk, where you only need to answer a short application form, and once approved, you may get the cash transfer in only 15 minutes. Check the site today and start planning how you can best use that personal loan.

Filed Under: saving/money Tagged With: check in, money

Taking Savings to a Whole New Level: Yesterday’s Tomorrow

July 1, 2017 by Have Sippy Will Travel 1 Comment

It happens to everyone sooner or later – the big financial emergency that makes you feel like your life may crumble and fall. But if you have a good financial plan from the start, great big one time bills or financial emergencies aren’t as life altering as you might expect.

Saving money is critically important in today’s society. Unfortunately, a majority of young adults are still struggling with high levels of debt and lack of a personal budget to help save for the future. For the past decade, Ad Council and AICPA’s Feed the Pig campaign has been working to improve financial literacy among Americans by encouraging them to make savings part of their daily lives.

The action you take today could change your life, really. But how do you know what financial decisions are the right ones? There are tons of resources and articles out there on what people think you should do with your finances, but not everyone could possibly understand where you come from, where you are going, and what your future financial goals are.

Thankfully FeedThePig.org has great resources to help you figure out how and where to save more and spend wisely, including a new game called Yesterday’s Tomorrow. The game is like a “choose-your-own-adventure” in the form of a digital photo album! You get to develop a relationship with a future version of yourself – how incredibly cool is that? You get to jump through key life stages and instantly see the outcomes of those choices you make from teenage years through retirement. As you think through some life decisions like school, job, and awesome vacations, you’ll see how your choices may save, or lose money. No one wants to blow their money needlessly, right?

With kids and young adults today being so involved in gaming, what better way to teach them important life skills than with a game, something they can really relate to. And if my kids are going to be playing “video games” I would much prefer that they be learning something along the way. The new Yesterday’s Tomorrow game lets you not only have a little fun, but also see that financial literacy is important. I love that you can virtually see how adopting healthy financial habits can pay off!

After using Feed the Pig’s resources, I realized that just by switching up how I spent my money, I could really begin to save. It felt impossible before, but playing through Yesterday’s Tomorrow helped me to focus more on my future self and realize the different ways to reach those goals for where I want to be financially. It is also a great game to show tweens and teens the importance and impact of specific financial decisions. At that stage in life, all they can think about is the fun stuff. This shows them how great the fun stuff can be, and how to get to a point where you can do the fun stuff without losing out on the important stuff too.

The game and FeedThePig.org helped us a lot. A majority of millennials (65%) attributed their lack of saving to impulse buying and not establishing a personal budget (62%), so I’m not the only one who has done this (and immediately regretted it!).

Yesterday’s Tomorrow helps young adults realize the importance of making positive financial decisions early in life, and shows the long-term benefits of being financially savvy. This unconventional approach to financial literacy is a win/win in my book – no matter what your age.