August Already!!

As another page turns on the calendar it is time to make the most of the remaining weeks of the summer. Some out there are just trying to use the warm weekends while they have them, others need to go all out before it is time for school again!

 

So make your list and start checking off the things that make a summer complete!!

• Baseball Game
• Day at the pool or Water park
• BBQ
• Plant a flower or vegetable
• Wash windows (not fun but easier now than with a foot of snow on the ground
• Have A Yard Sale
• Go to A Yard Sale
• Day trip to the lake or a night camping outside

These are just the things that make up my perfect summer but with limited time left I better get busy!!

Confessions of a Spender; Saving without Sacrificing

I admit it, I’m a shopper! I like browsing and if something catches my fancy browsing often turns to buying. I have clothes in my closet I will never wear and enough candles to light my house for the next year. I’m afraid to say Clothes, Purses, and Candles are my weaknesses!!

 

I have tried to tame my spending ways but trying to stop cold turkey just makes me want to spend even more! What’s a shopper to do?

 

So with the economy not looking so bright and the whole world telling me to save I had to come up with a plan of action. For the sake of getting to retire some day and my marriage! (How spenders end up marrying savers I’ll never know.)

 

First plan of attack was a budget. When I saw how much I was spending with help from the free website mint.com it shocked me into some reality. I exceeded my monthly shopping budget in the first week I used the site.

 

It helps to see it on paper and mint.com connects with my on-line banking and tells me right away were my cash is going. Then I try to stick to the budget so I save the same every month for my emergency fund.

My next little plan of action is what I am most excited to share. Second Hand shops! I am one of those shoppers that can’t resist a bargain and when I first discovered second hand shops I was in heaven! I like the ones that specialize in gently used name brand clothing. I have picked up shoes, tops, and dress pants, all with store tags still attached. And for some of those clothes I know I’m not wearing again I can sell them to the store or get store credit.

 

For furniture and home décor my new friend is craigslist.com and my old reliable friend is yard sales. A little imagination and a lot of determination you can change any space with limited funds. I also like the idea that I am saving things from the landfill and giving them a new home.

 

If you have more tips for shop-a-holics out there please leave them in the comment section. Times are tight and shoppers have to stick together!

Improving Your Credit Score

This is the second article in a two-part series about credit score information. Our previous post showed you what information is included in a credit score.

Now that you know a little more of what goes into your credit score you may wonder what you can do to improve it. Here are a few simple tips:

Pay Your Bills!

The first and foremost thing is to pay your bills ON TIME, EVERY TIME. Pay them a little early to make sure they process on time. Being even one or two days late affects your score the same as being 30 days late. Once you are over 30 days late you are hurting your score even more.

If you can afford it, try and make more than the minimum monthly payment on your credit cards. It will save you money in the long run because you will pay less interest, and it will show lenders that you take your debt seriously and work hard to repay it.

Close Unused Accounts

Close unused accounts. If you have paid off a loan or a high interest credit card and you no longer intend to use it, close it. You do not want to close every line of credit offered to you as another thing credit bureaus look at is your used credit versus your available credit but if it is a card with a high rate have it closed.

Get a Free Credit Report

You can always get a free copy of your credit report every year from all three bureaus. Simply call and request your report so you know what lenders are looking at when they evaluate you as a borrower. Looking at your free credit report can also help you evaluate where you can improve.

To request a free credit report, visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com.