- Personal Finance Blog
- FIT AcademyPower of Pay Check Planning Instructor: Michelle Mealey Learn time-tested strategies to budget, manage and prioritize your paycheck. Take the Course Identity Theft Prevention Instructor: Lori Lamb Tips to protect you from identity thieves and restore your name if you’re a victim. Take the Course Understanding Your Credit Report Instructor: Sheri Stuart A comprehensive breakdown of the credit report and score system. Take the Course Tips for Borrowing Money Produced by: Common Craft This video teaches you the risks and benefits of borrowing money from banks. View the Video Tips for Saving Money Produced by: Common Craftt This video teaches you how to earn and save money from compound interest. View the Video Tips for Investing Money Produced by: Common Craft This video breakdowns the process of investing money and it’s risk factors. View the Video
- DownloadsFree Guides and Materials: Road Map to Financial Freedom This workshop helps you take the first steps on your journey to financial freedom with Springboard through the use of a Debt Management Plan to consolidate and pay back unsecured debt. Download the Road Map to Financial Freedom guide or view it online. The Wise Use of Credit You have credit or need to establish credit —now what? Managing your credit responsibly helps build a solid foundation for your financial future. Download the Wise Use of Credit guide or view it online. Preserving Homeownership and Foreclosure Prevention Information and resources so you will know what action steps to take and what options are available if your mortgage becomes delinquent, you are facing foreclosure, or you are facing a mortgage interest reset which you can no longer afford once adjusted. Download the Preserving Homeownership and Foreclosure Prevention guide or view it online. Couples and Money This seminar helps couples communicate about money matters, offers money and budget saving tips, and helps couples develop a spending plan for their future goals. Download the Couples and Money guide or view it online. Raising a Money Smart Child A parent’s guide to providing children with…
- CalculatorsCalculators for all your personal finance needs Explore your own financial information in greater detail by using these powerful tools for forecasting and assessing your financial choices. During the process, you might discover expenses you can eliminate or more effective ways to manage your money.Allowance Comparison Auto Loan Payment Back-to-School Budgeting Budgeting for a Baby Building an Education Fund Cost of Credit Emergency Fund Entertainment Planner How Much Car Can You Afford? How Much House Can You Afford?How Much Will College Cost? How Much Will My Bonus Net After Taxes? How Much Will My Loan Cost? How Will My Savings Grow? Inflation Impact on Retirement Mortgage Payment Mortgage Refinancing My Bonus After Taxes Needs-Based Allowance Pay Down Debt or Invest?Repaying Student Loans Retirement Fund Rework Your Budget Salary Conversion Save a Million Saving for a Goal Travel Budgeting Your Holiday BudgetCalculators by CategoryAuto Determine how much you’re willing and able to spend on a car and how much your payments will be before heading to the dealership. Auto Loan Payment How Much Car Can You Afford?Budgets and Goals Knowing where your money…
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Money Basics
A Different Way to Budget Your Money
The hardest part of being fiscally responsible is controlling your daily spending, sometimes no matter what your income level is. A method I really find useful is to calculate your daily variable spending allotment.
17 Ways Money Slips Through Your Fingers
There are times in our lives when money slips through our fingers. It may be because we aren’t organized, we procrastinate, or we don’t jump on an opportunity before the chance goes by. Here are some of the ways money can slip through our fingers:
Prioritizing Your Bills When Money is Tight
During hard economic times, unforeseen circumstances may prevent us from meeting every financial obligation on time. While we all strive to pay all of our bills promptly, sometimes we are forced to choose which payment to make with limited funds on hand.
How to Get Out of Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Most people who are barely getting by month-to-month feel that they simply don’t have enough money. They don’t even try to dig their way out because they don’t think it’s possible to improve their situation if they don’t have extra income to work with.
How to Effectively Manage Your Savings Account
Building savings is a crucial goal for every consumer, and something we stress with everyone we counsel. America Saves Week may have ended last week, but we urge you to think about building savings year round.
6 Tips to Pay Less for a College Degree
Judging by the headlines, it’s easy to believe the cost of college puts it out of reach for all but the most affluent. According to the College Board, average annual tuition at a four-year private college now tops $26,000. If you just look at the sticker price, four years at a private university approaches the cost of a Rolls Royce.
But that doesn’t mean only the rich need apply. While the sticker price may be $26,000, the College Board says the average price actually paid at private colleges is less than $9,000. How can that be?
5 Tips to Save on Rent
More people than ever are renting rather than buying homes – at the end of last year, there were 10 percent more rented homes in the country than just five years ago, according to a recent analysis of U.S. Census data.
While that isn’t a shocking fact given the economy, it does go against the well-worn assumption that owning is better than renting. After all, the money homeowners spend on their living arrangements is an investment, while the money renters spend is pretty much gone forever once it leaves their pockets.
5 tips for a 3-paycheck month
If you’re paid bi-weekly on Fridays, then this month might be a 3-paycheck month for you. It happens roughly twice per year for those workers who are paid every other week, and for many of us, it’s like winning a small lottery jackpot.
But rather than squander that occasional 3rd paycheck in a month, use those funds to help bring your personal finances into balance. Here are 5 suggestions for getting the most out of that extra paycheck:
Before You Even Get Started: Tracking Expenses
Many a commenter has cracked wise about budgeting and personal finance education: “Don’t spend more than you earn,” they’ll say, “how hard can it be?” Pretty hard, actually. Of course everyone knows the basic rule is to spend less than you earn.
10 Basic Rules of Money Management
This financial education article features 10 essential rules for being a financially responsible person. PLAN YOUR FUTURE – Plan for the future, major purchases and periodic expenses. You will not arrive to “financial freedom” parkway, without a road map to guide you. Follow your plan.
