As you think about the New Year and what resolutions you will make for 2011, we want you to make a change that will help you tackle two different resolutions at once.
The two most popular New Year’s resolutions are to get in better shape and to improve one’s personal finances.
In our seminars and in our “Surviving the Holidays” material we advise creating a holiday budget that includes gifts, decorations, family meals, and all the other expenses that come around during the holiday season.
We know this is not as easy as it sounds, and if this is the first year you’ve tried to create a holiday budget, you probably encountered a lot of unexpected expenses.
Financial author David Bach’s latest book, Debt Free For Life, is available for a free download for one day only. From 12:00 am to 11:59 pm today (Wednesday, January 5th),… read more →
Whether you use a credit card, debit card, or write checks for your holiday shopping, it’s very important that you check your accounts after the holidays to make sure you haven’t been the victim of fraud.
Many scammers attempt to run through unauthorized credit and debit card transactions during the holidays, when people are using their accounts more frequently and the occasional fraudulent transaction will be overlooked.
There’s nothing like the New Year to let you wipe the slate clean, forget about past mistakes and make a new start. That’s how the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions got started and people make them every year.
One strategy for offsetting housing costs is to rent out space in your house. We suggest this from time to time, but sharing your home with a renter is not a step to be taken lightly.
We’d suggest you start with a standard lease agreement. Talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor and come up with documentation that follows all applicable landlord/tenant laws. Standard forms like this may be available at office supply stores.
We have often suggested renting out space in one’s home as a strategy for increasing income and cutting housing expenses. Naturally, this is much easier said than done, so we’ve been offering some posts about what goes into renting out part of your house.
Here are some important Dos and Don’ts when renting out space:
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