How to Track A Household Budget
4 MIN READ
Emergency Savings
Maryland-based financial adviser Lamont Corprew, a Certified Public Accountant, is an advocate for having an household budget emergency fund. "Make saving for an emergency a a priority, because you never know when you'll need it," Corprew notes. "But keep it separate from your regular savings account. Commingling your emergency fund and other savings can be a spending temptation... Continue reading
Financing Your Wheels: How Much Should I Budget for a Down Payment on a Car?
5 MIN READ
Financing Your Wheels: How Much Should I Budget for a Down Payment on a Car?
A new car will lose a huge amount of its value the minute you drive it off of the sales lot. Typically, depreciation in the first year is between 20 and 25 percent, while the average buyer makes a down payment of only 5 percent. That amount is often not enough to cover the sales tax and other fees, let alone the vehicle'... Continue reading
How to Calculate Your Net Worth
3 MIN READ
To figure your net worth, you need to figure out how much everything you own is worth and how much money you owe to various creditors. Using a computer program, such as Quicken, can help you keep your finances in order and make calculating your net worth a piece of cake
Net Worth Formula
At the most basic level, your net worth is a measure of your assets minus your liabilities. Your assets... Continue reading
Taking Inventory of Your Personal Finances: How Much of Your Paycheck Should You Budget for Bills
3 MIN READ
Taxes
Whether you get paid an hourly wage or a monthly salary, at the end of the pay cycle, chances are that your paycheck is less than your earnings. Your employer is typically required by law to withhold a percentage of your paycheck for income taxes, Social Security and Medicare. You might have additional withholding for retirement contributions or health insurance. The federal tax system is... Continue reading
Car Shopping? Budget Tips for Buying or Leasing a Car
3 MIN READ
Before you start shopping around for a car, either to lease or buy, you need to know your budget. And keep this in mind: "A car is transportation," notes Jim Blankenship, a certified financial planner practicing in New Berlin, Illinois. "It won't make you money, and it won't make you better looking or more popular. It's a practical purchase only if you're getting value for your money. The value... Continue reading
The Lifetime Costs of Pets
3 MIN READ
This year, Quicken users will make 5 million pet-related purchases, totaling more than $216 million dollars. That’s an average of $42.96 per transaction!
Like any parent, pet owners can be impulse buyers and don’t always worry about the cost of pets. A quick trip to the pet store for dog food can evolve into picking up treats, toys, and accessories for your furry friend. But when it comes to your... Continue reading
3 Steps to Creating a Wedding Budget
3 MIN READ
Estimate Savings From All Sources
Though creating a wedding budget can seem like a daunting task, in reality a wedding budget is simply a math equation. To determine how much you can realistically afford, start by figuring out what you can comfortably save on a monthly basis. Multiply this amount by the months you have until your wedding and you'll have a baseline number for your total wedding... Continue reading
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
7 MIN READ
In this economic climate, more of us are struggling to pay the bills, buy groceries and fill up our gas tanks. Paying off the mortgage, putting the kids through college without financial aid, and amassing $1 million for retirement seem out of the question now. Just having cash left over at the end of the month would be nice.
Accumulating a nest egg—or even saving for a rainy day —gets put on the... Continue reading
Last-Minute Costume Ideas For Under $5
3 MIN READ
Want to be scared this Halloween? Take a look with your budgeting software at what you're paying to celebrate the year's spookiest holiday. Renting a basic pirate's outfit from Boston Costume will run you $65. Add candy, snacks, and drinks and you'll soon be over $100.
Maybe you want to spend that much, but with the holiday almost here, there's no time left to get fancy. The good news: making... Continue reading
Spring Clean Your Finances With These Four Simple Steps
3 MIN READ
Spring has sprung and now is the perfect time to spring clean your finances! The Consumer Reports National Resource Center found that one in four Americans admit to having misplaced or lost some information critical to their finances. If you’ve ever been there, then check out our four simple tips to help you declutter your finances and get your funds back in tip top shape!
1. Go Paperless
In... Continue reading
