Author Archives: Michelle Vandepas

Four ideas to save on the cost of child raising.

Raising our daughter K hasn’t been toooo expensive – yet. The diapers and pull ups have been the biggest financial commitment so far, and they are almost done. As she gets older though, I can already tell she’s going to be the kind of gal that wants ballet lessons, horseback riding lessons, after school activities, nice clothes. Since birth I’ve been shopping the thrift stores for the best in clothes, and for a young girl I’ve done pretty well. I found that the trick is to really take your time and not buy something just because it is cute – … Continue reading →

Saving a Million Dollars!

Want to save a million bucks? Maybe you just want to know how long it will take to reach your first cool mil. MSN.money has a great little tool to help you figure it out. Lets check out some numbers. If you are young, and can start saving now, in thirty eight years you’ll have a million without too much effort. (I know, thirty eight years sounds like a long time, but stats show most of us will live past eighty five years old now). So, pretend you start today, with a zero balance in your account, and deposit $250.00 … Continue reading →

Does my age shape my spending?

How do your money priorities change as you get older? As a teenager we want to buy a car, get out on our own, maybe pay for college. Later in life we want to buy a home, and pay off college debts. How should we change our budgets as our needs change? Obviously as a young person, you’ll spend more on home ownership, raising a family, and ‘toys’. As you get older, you will be more concerned with college expenses for your children, your aged parents, and your own retirement. We still want to buy toys, (bikes, skis, snowshoes and … Continue reading →

Small or Big, where do I watch my pennies?

Should you sweat the big stuff or the small stuff when starting out? What a great question I received from a friend, and I’ll try to answer simply. Both of course. Watch both the pennies and the dollars Ok, but that may be easier said than done – after all, your starting out and want to pull your finances in line, but everything seems so, well, daunting! I’ve written about baby steps to take when you are starting to plan a budget, but what if you have to start even smaller than that to get yourself motivated? Here’s what Hubby … Continue reading →

Is having a second income really a money generator?

Thinking about giving up a job so one spouse can stay at home with the kids? Worried about what the lack of imcome is going to do to your bottom line? There are lots of things to take into consideration when giving up a job- the loss of income probably being the utmost concern. If you take a bit of time to actually break down the finacial gains of working, you can see what you might save by not working, and what the actual loss of income would be. Lets look at what some costs of working might be for … Continue reading →

The Dirty Word – Budget

Say budget in a small gathering of your friends and you’ll likely hear a bunch of groans and sighs. The word itself is likely to stop any party dead and most of us find it pretty dang boring to think of setting up a budget. Why oh why should we be expected to control and keep track of our money if our government can’t seem to do it? What if our neighbor seems to be really happy living a million dollar lifestyle on a $100,000.00 a year salary? It’ll catch up. I warn you, living beyond your means – or … Continue reading →

Where to start on my debt reduction plan?

How do you set priorities when starting to budget or set up a savings account? Should you pay off debt first? Pay off your home mortgage? Save for emergencies? I think the answer is yes yes and yes, but actually, it depends upon who you ask. Some advisers tell you to pay off your largest debt first, or the debt with the highest interest rate first, and others tell you the opposite, leaving you more befuddled than ever. Perhaps you’ve also heard that you have to get an emergency fund going before you pay off any debt. Who should you … Continue reading →

Baby Steps for Debt Reduction

Are you up to your eyeballs in debt and feel overwhelmed? Welcome to the club. Most of the USA has more debt than they can handle and most of the of population says they are stressed about money at some point or another during their lives. Many people have made a New Year resolution to pay off debt and stick to a budget but don’t know how or where to start. Here’s my easiest baby step list for newbies: 1. Read this blog. There are several writers on the Money Blog that come with different perspectives and tips to help … Continue reading →

Rebates and Tax Credit for Windows and Energy Star Appliances

Sometimes spending money will actually help you save money in the long run. Highly efficient double pane glass windows are obviously more efficient than single glass windows and will save you money on your heating and cooling bill. – But did you know that you may also be eligible for a local rebate from your electric company and possibly a federal tax credit as well? Our local utility company offers rebates on windows, Energy Star compliant washing machines and dryers, furnaces and dual flush toilets! They also have rebates for insulation, lighting and programmable thermostats. The easiest way to find … Continue reading →

Three Hot Tips for Luxury Living on a Meager Budget.

I miss having two salaries. When I worked full time I had lots of extra money to go out, buy things, not count pennies. I didn’t know it then, but I was living the high life! Now I have to be conscious of bringing a bit of luxury into my life. Here’s three hot tips for today: Find the local gas station that still pumps gas for you. When it rains or snows, allow them to pump your gas, wipe your windshield and bring you the bill for your signature. Almost every town has one still somewhere, and when the … Continue reading →