Talk About Money

There are many ways in which you can save money on moving costs. One way is to get free boxes from your local drugstore or retail outlet instead of buying them. While these may not be as big as purchased packing boxes, they won’t be as heavy when packed, either. There’s another way to get free boxes too. If you see a For Sale notice in your area suddenly taped over with “Sold”, watch to see when the new residents move in. They’ll probably be glad to get rid of all their packing boxes for free, instead of paying extra to have the garbage man take them. You’ll need lots of tape to secure the boxes with and even this can be bought more cheaply at a hardware store than a grocery shop.

Once you’ve settled into your new home, getting rid of those boxes may cost you extra, so see if you can donate them to a neighbor who is moving. Otherwise you may be able to let garden worms dispose of them for you. Mulching the garden will save your water bills, too. Cover the flattened cardboard with straw and manure to get those worms munching.

It will probably save you heaps if you hire a truck and drive it yourself. But be sure you have a strong back or some good, strong friends to help with the loading. Also, check that your insurance for both household goods and auto will cover your goods in transit and any truck damage or repairs. Don’t forget you have to pay for gas, so factor this into your costs.

If you hire a removalist, be sure to get at least three quotes as the cost varies considerably. Ask about insurance and times, too. Some removalists also hire out storage that could come in handy if there is a delay. Many items that you’ve accumulated may be things that you don’t now use. Why pay for the cost of carting these items if you don’t want to keep them? Instead, send them to your nearest charity of have a garage sale to dispose of them.

Remember to cancel all your utilities ahead of time; if you paid a deposit, you may be eligible for a refund. Make sure you set the date for cancellation for the day after you leave, then you won’t be likely to be left without power if they come early. Do it a day early for switching on in the new house. You don’t want to arrive at midnight and be unable to have a coffee or shower.

Save all your moving receipts because if your move is associated with a new job, it may be tax-deductible.

One of the best ways to save money on buying a car is to buy a used one. That doesn’t mean you should buy something that is a clapped out old rust-bucket. This will only cost you more in the long run for repairs. But if you buy a used car that is in good condition, then you’ll be ahead by at least half the new purchase price plus the interest you would have paid on the loan.

Another way to save on buying a car is to buy it at the end of the month, but never wait until then to show up. Salesmen have a monthly quota to sell and if they haven’t filled it they’ll be desperate to do so - to the point that you may not be able to resist their sales ploys. After all, they are trained to sell - you’re not trained to resist.  While the end of the month is a good time to buy, you should be smart and show up mid-month, take away all the details, get your own financing and then go back towards the end of the month.

Once you have that car home, you’ll need to look after it. Keeping it under cover will extend its life both inside and outside. Rust will soon appear in a car that’s kept on the street and the high temperatures inside will fade and wear out the dash and seats. Always have regular tune-ups done as these will increase the life of the engine and save on costly repairs. It’s not hard to learn how to check the air filter; it should be done every month. Clean it by blowing out the junk with an air hose or replace it altogether. A clean air filter will save on the cost of fuel consumption by up to 10%.

Steel-belted radial tires will also save about the same on fuel consumption. Find out what the inflation pressure should be and check it regularly. Under-inflated tires can cost you another 6% in fuel consumption. Making sure your tires are properly balanced will increase their life by preventing unnecessary tread wear.

Keep your car hydrated with the fluids it needs. Battery, radiator, clutch, automatic transmission and brake fluids all need to be checked. To save money running your car, always buy the correct gas and other fluids for it. If the engine was built to run on regular gas then use it, not something else.

The way you drive is also important for fuel economy. If you start off by stamping on the accelerator you will use much more gas than easing smoothly into your preferred speed. Driving with one foot on the brake will tend to wear out those brake pads faster then needed, while holding your foot down on the clutch - e.g. at the traffic lights - in a manual car, will cause it to wear out quickly.

Whether you have children in the crib or in preschool, one day you will be faced with the costs of higher education such as college and university fees. Don’t wait until the day comes to think about the cost involved, but start preparing for it beforehand. If you do this, you may be able to reduce those expenses significantly.

The time to start on that all-important quest to reduce college expenses starts when you child is in 7th or 8th grade. Your child should be able to easily secure a place in the line for grants and merit scholarships by sitting for the SAT or ACT tests. If they also take the special test prep class it will boost their results. Your child doesn’t have to be a genius to take advantage of a grant or scholarship. Students of average ability can boost their grades with a plan tailored to fit their strengths and weaknesses.

You can save thousands of dollars on your child’s education if they pass the Advanced Placement (AP) test; they will earn college credits automatically. They may even be able to enter college at sophomore level. Students should enroll in all the classes they can possible manage; there are so many available, thee is sure to be some to suit. They can also join the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and earn credits for what they already know. Why pay more for your child to learn things they already know?

Teach your student to budget wisely once they leave home for college. It is possible to make do without all those credit cards offered on campus. While the free gifts may be tempting, they are only there as a hook to get the students’ application. Credit cards make it too easy to spend unwisely and end up with a big debt that is difficult, if not impossible, to pay off.

While many students set their sights on those big name colleges that cost the earth, a wise student will look into doing at least half their chosen course at a local college. This can save a great deal of money on course fees - and if that seems confusing, you can even get help to compare academic and scholastic levels of specific colleges through CAPlus, a Christian based organization in the Northeast.

Remember that the fees charged by private colleges are usually higher than public college fees, because they don’t get as much government funding. It may be possible for your child to attend college on a part-time basis and work to help pay fees.

While paying income tax is something that we can’t get out of doing, no one wants to pay more than they have to. In fact, it is a wise person who takes a critical look at the amount of tax they pay and sees how to reduce it. This is not dishonest; there is no need to pay Uncle Sam any more than is legally required.

One way to reduce your income tax is to be taxed on less than you make. How can you do this legally? It’s simple; participate in that retirement fund your employer sponsors. If it is a 401(k) or a 403(b) scheme, you can put in a whopping $15,500. Your employer deducts this amount - or whatever you decide to put in - before your taxes are calculated, so you won’t be paying tax on it.

If you are over 50 years of age and have not used that retirement fund much - or even if you have - then you are in luck because it is possible to make a catch-up ‘donation’ of up to $5,000. Since this also reduces your pre-tax gross income, you will pay less tax.

Most people know that if they give to a charity, it is tax deductible, but this also applies to goods and services, so if you have stuff you don’t want, you can donate it to charity, get a receipt and claim it off your tax. The same goes for services; just be sure you get a receipt. Every little bit mounts up.

Your employer may also sponsor a flexible spending plan for child-care and certain medical expenses. It will pay you to participate in this, as once again, your employer will deduct this amount from your pay before calculating your income tax.

Making solar improvements to your home will gain you certain income tax benefits that may be up to the value of $2,000. Make sure this tax benefit is applicable to your improvement before you go ahead.

Whether you prepare you own tax returns or have an accountant do it, you may save a considerable amount by itemizing. You can accept the flat amount offered - which was $3,300 for 2006, or you can itemize. This is certainly worthwhile looking into, particularly if you have a mortgage, because the interest you pay is an allowable deduction for most people. This is mostly enough to put you over the limit and make itemizing worthwhile. Real estate taxes (but not added charges like garbage pick-up), and state and local taxes are also deductible.

When most families struggle to live on two incomes, you may think it would be impossible to live on one, but it can be done. But before you throw you job in, it will pay to take a good hard look at what your expenses are and how you can whittle them down.

One easier way to see what your running expenses are is to bank and pay bills online. This will enable you to see exactly how much money goes to what expense and when. You need to add up all your expenses per week or fortnight and see if they exceed your one income. If they do, then see where you can cut back.

Do you eat out a lot? Try cooking bulk meals on your days off and freezing portions to eat later. This will save an enormous amount and can be quite fun if you both get in and do it. Do you buy your lunch at work? Taking it is a great deal cheaper and probably healthier. The four or five dollars you spend on buying one sandwich will buy enough bread and fillings for one week - or more. That’s not counting the cost of the drinks you buy.

Many people think that they really have to have that latest new gadget, but you might ask yourself why? Just because someone invented it, do you really have to buy it? There are other options. Why buy new stuff when you can get pre-loved stuff that’s just as good at the thrift store for a third or less of the new price?

 If one of you stopped work, would you need that second car? It’s not just the fuel, but the insurance, registration, repairs and new tires that cost money. Of course, living on one income may not necessarily mean that one of you stops work. You might both want to keep on working and save the whole of one wage to go towards a dream you have. It may be a new house, a holiday overseas or starting up a business.

To do this, start gradually by saving a certain percentage of that one wage for a month, then you’ll gradually find other ways of cutting your costs to increase the percentage. As you see your savings increase, you’ll be highly motivated to continue in this manner until you are saving the whole of one wage. Others have done it, why not you?

It all depends on what your definition of a good life is. If you want to spend a thousand dollars on a new outfit every week and drive around in a stretch limo, then yes, to save money you will certainly need to be deprived of these things. On the other hand if you live an ‘ordinary’ life with a car, a house and two kids at school then the answer is no. There are many things you can do to save money.

Take entertainment for instance. Instead of taking the kids to the movies, you could hire DVDs for them to watch. Better still; take them to the beach for the day. It’s fun, healthy and FREE. Likewise with walking and jogging activities. You could let them camp out in the back yard for a treat. Have a campfire and roast marshmallows. Most kids would certainly prefer to do something like that than go to the movies, especially if they could have their best friend to stay over.

Do they have to play all that sport and do costly after school activities? Why not get the kids into gardening instead? This is good exercise, they’ll learn about saving the environment and as well, save you the cost of buying vegetables. When the table is laden with all those healthy homegrown vegetables, you’ll never feel less deprived. And it’s a great way to spend quality time with them.

If you live close to the shops, you could consider walking there to get those things you just ran out of - but make sure it’s safe. This will save you the cost of fuel, wear and tear on the car and keep you fit and trim. You could buy a second-hand bike and cycle there and back if it’s too far to walk.

If you’ve been in the habit of driving the kids to school, then how about letting them walk? You could go with them for safety. Even doing this for two or three days a week will save quite a bit of fuel over a year.

Cutting down on snacks and treats can only make your kids healthier and if they really want some munchies, get them making their own. Popcorn is simple to make, homemade cookies much healthier, and if they make their own ice treats their creative side can get to work in a number of fun ways. Try crushed berries and fat-free yogurts, or simply mix-up cordial frozen with pieces of fruit. Deprived? Not a bit of it!