Negotiation Techniques

(When It Comes to Negotiating, Ask and You Shall Receive) Here is a good article on how to negotiate. The tip to be persistent is a good lesson for us all. I usually give up after one no from the first person I talk to on the phone. The first person on the phone is no one special trained to answer the 50 basic questions asked most often. Move yourself beyond the first person and find something that can deal with your more advanced requests. If we could all negotiate a little better we all could be better off. All the little amounts add up quick and make for some money to put away and save.

Start Saving Late Here is Some Advice

(A Really Late Start on a Nest Egg) Here is a good article to look at if you are looking to start late in the game to save for retirement. I like this article because it gives simple advice. Not everyone can start saving young, but when you do start late you need to do it will.

Here's Some Motivation for Retirement

(How to retire on $12,000 a year) Here is an article I just read that says the best way to live on roughly what social security hands out is to room with as many people as possible. As the number of people living together and sharing things increases it become more and more possible to live off this small amount. I can't think of a better reason to save money then to purely avoid having to move in with 4 strange people in my golden years in order to make ends meet. I want a nice place all my own to enjoy the quiet and to spend time with the people I choose. There is going to be nothing there to bail you our in your golden years, so save while you are young and able.

Sane Savings Tips

Here is a good quick read article with some tips on savings. These tips seem simple and easy enough. Give this article a look. (Seven Steps to Saner Savings)

Skip the 20% Down Payment

This article says that savings for a down payment could prevent you from doing other things that could be better for you financially. It is a good article, but keep in mind that instance gratification is most peoples largest financial problem. This article is not telling you to buy a home without a down payment. It is telling you to consider some of the other things you can be doing with your money. (Skip the 20% Down Payment)

6 Money Dilemmas

Here is a good quick article with advice on six common questions in the personal finance world.

1. Pay off a credit card OR fund your 401(k)
2. Save in a Roth 401(k) OR a regular 401(k)
3. Lease a car OR buy a car
4. Prepay your mortgage OR invest
5. Buy a home OR rent a home
6. Take Social Security early OR late

(6 money dilemmas)

101 Ways To Save Around The Holidays

Here is a good list of 101 things to do to save money around the holidays. I hope you enjoy the article. (Trim Expenses While You Trim the Tree)

Cyber Monday

Here is a good quick article on some tips to score good deals today on Cyber Monday. (Beat the mobs on 'Cyber Monday')

Holiday Shopping Tips

Here is a good quick read article with some good advice on how to save around the holidays. The reason I put up this article is because I think it has a couple different ideas. (Ten Ways to Fatten Your Wallet on Black Friday)

10 Financial Planning Steps You Shouldn't Put Off

This article starts off by telling you that 25% of people report themselves as chronic procrastinators. The article then proceeds to give ten places where you can't afford to wait in your financial planning. Procrastination is a financial plan killer. Not starting to save is your biggest mistake when you are in your 20's. So along with a lot of the classic items such as starting to save. This article brings up a few less typical items. Take a second to read this and then get to work on your financial planning. Taking the time today, not waiting is always worth something. (10 Financial Steps You Can't Afford to Put Off)

Retire Early: Here's Some Advice

(Cash Out Early) This article explains what a few people are doing to obtain their dream of retiring early. I like this article because it gives both examples of actual people and what exactly they are doing, but it also give a generic example of a 35 year person and how much more they would have to save to retire 10 years earlier. Everyone would love to retire early, but as the article points out it takes a lot more savings to retire 10 years earlier.

Retiring early also presents problems with health insurance. Most people wh0 retire don't get health benefits from their previous employer. The cost of health insurance can be a huge hurtle to overcome when retiring early. Medicare won't cover you till you turn 65 and that is the current requirement. The age could raise as the program digs its self deeper and deeper into a hole. Looking for part-time work that provides benefits could be the perfect situation. But if you truly want to quit working, you are going to need to do a lot of planning and saving.

Your 5-minute guide to money in your 20s

(Your 5-minute guide to money in your 20s) Good quick read article. Article name explains it all.

10 Little Expenses That Add Up

Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for a cup of brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year.

Cigarettes: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,650 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236.

Alcohol: Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change.

Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.

Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.

Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.

Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.

Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.

Happy Halloween, Savings Tips

Here is a quick read article about how to save a few dollars when decorating and throwing a party at Halloween. (Throwing a Halloween party)

Make Your Money Last as Long as You Do

(Make Your Money Last as Long as You Do) Here is an article that describes some new products that are aimed at getting you a monthly check for the rest of your life after you retire. This is just something to keep your eye on. It appears that companies are moving past the annuities to funds that provide income for life. These new funds are at their beginning stages and seem to have some things that need smoothed out. This is just a good article with some information about a new choice when you retire.

Saving When Your in Your 20s

(Financial Tips for 20-Somethings) Here is a quick read article talking to a guy with some good insight into personal finance in your 20s.

Hanging with the money crowd

(Hanging with the money crowd) Your mother's advice of making good friends could go beyond keeping you out of trouble as a teen. This article shows a studies that found out that when the people around you do something you are more likely to do that same things. The article discusses how this works with finances. This is a good read and something to think about when trying to make good financial habits. You friend could be part of the reason you aren't savings as much as you want to.

Tips for Saving

(How to save $200,000 in 6 months) Here is an article with few personal example stories and some simple advice for savings. The 2nd page has the tips if you would like to skip the personal stories.

The Cost of Student Loans

(High-Priced Student Loans Spell Trouble) This article bring up how common and severe students loan problems are becoming. With the cost of college sky rocketing and the rate of savings for the nation shrinking it seems to be a place where people are coming up short in funds. The story brings up examples of what people's payments are for student loans. It is a lot harder to live when you are paying 15% of your take home pay to a student loan. The article goes on to discuss how if the economy were to go downward that it could be expected that student loan defaults are going to rise dramatically.

401K Information

(Five Things You Should Know About Your 401(k)) Here is a quick read with some good information that you should think about for your 401K plan.