Tag Archives: bills

Three Ways We Lower Winter Energy Costs

We have been experiencing some pretty cold weather here, with slow, sleet and wintry wind chills that make it dangerous to be outside, unprotected, for any length of time. Naturally, as we use more energy to heat our home, our costs for this month (and the next few) will be higher than normal. A couple of years ago, we installed new energy-efficient windows and insulated the attic and the basement, two moves that really helped our bills. Still, each year, there are some simple methods that can be used to reduce the winter energy costs even more. They don’t require … Continue reading →

Bills, Bills, Bills!

This time of year it seems like the bills really start to pile up. There are normal bills like rent, utilities, and food, but now you have the additional Christmas bills as well. As a single mom who is barely making it as it is it can really put a damper on your holiday spirit. If you’re wondering how you are possibly going to make it this Christmas season, you may be tempted to pull out the credit card. Before you resort to plastic look around and see if there might be some other options, rather than spending all that … Continue reading →

Five Signs that You Are Living Beyond Your Means

You could be living beyond your means and not realize it. Why is this a problem? Well, when we live beyond our means, we can quickly run up debt. This debt can snowball until it becomes hard to manage, a real crisis. That is why it is so important to recognize the early warning signs and make the changes that are necessary to get your finances back on track. Sometimes it seems as though you are supporting your lifestyle and don’t have a problem paying for anything. After all, your credit cards aren’t being turned down at the store, and … Continue reading →

Getting Your Finances Straight Before the Hospital Bills Arrive

Posted on by

When it comes to paying for prenatal care and labor and delivery, get your ducks in a row before you give birth. While eight months may not be enough time to get completely prepared financially, preparing for the large stack of bills before they arrive will give you the upper hand and reduce your stress. First of all, figure out what you can afford. Not many people have the kind of cash it takes to pay a hospital bill in full when it is due, so most of us end up making monthly payments. Figure out what the maximum monthly … Continue reading →

The Christmas Credit Card Blues

Normally a frugal person would avoid a credit card at all cost. However, this is not always the case, especially at Christmas time. I will admit, we used a credit card for several of our purchases. There is hope for you in your frugal world though. If you are saving money each month by cutting costs for food, clothing, bills and other sources, then you should have a little bit left over to make a larger monthly payment on the credit card bill. Your goal? To get that card paid off as quick as you can and avoid any unnecessary … Continue reading →

Beware of Budget Billing

There are many options that companies may offer you to help you “save” money. They may market it under budget friendly or by having a set amount. Recently I received one such offer. I am going to share it with you, so that you can learn how to evaluate whether your offer is worthwhile. There may be some legitimate offers out there, but you should always read the fine print carefully. The offer I received was for budget billing. The company offered a year long contract with a set monthly payment. They sent me the average monthly payment for this … Continue reading →

Saving Money by Cutting the Phone Cord

Two years ago my husband and I moved into a new home. While I hate moving, I love the opportunity it gives me to clear out the clutter. How often do we get the chance to empty every single drawer, closet, nook and cranny in our homes? I’ve moved about five times in ten years and I am finally starting to get good at it. This time, I decided to use the move as an opportunity to rethink (and reduce) some of our monthly bills. Since I’ve always had the tendency to be a bargain shopper, I wasn’t able to … Continue reading →

Marriage In the News: April 1, 2007

Bi-Partisan Committee Announces Disallowing Marriage as a Legal Institution In an effort to reach an accord with all disparate views the California legislature announced today that they will be introducing a bill that if passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger will disallow the use of the word ‘marriage’ in any state documents including licenses and more. All couples, both heterosexual and homosexual will be able to apply for Civil Union licenses. Civil unions will be recognized with all the rights usually attributable to ‘married’ couples. When asked about the recommendation of the committee, one member stated under … Continue reading →

Do You Forget to Pay Your Bills?

Do you have trouble remembering to pay your bills on time? It may be that you have the money, but you just don’t have a system set up to handle the bills. It could be that you are struggling to make ends meet, and the late fees are really beginning to hurt you. Here are five simple suggestions that can help you to meet your monthly obligations. 1) Set up a system of where you place your bills each month. Then schedule a time each week or each month where you sit down and pay the bills. If this hasn’t … Continue reading →

Are You Behind on Your Bills?

What do you do when you fall behind on payments? You may have been out of work for a short time, and you got behind on all of your bills. You have enough to move forward, but are having a difficult time catching up. If you consistently do not have enough money to meet your obligations then you will need to find ways to increase your income. You will need to take several steps to fix your situation. First you will need to prioritize your bills. It is important that you keep a roof over your head, food on the … Continue reading →