budget

Installing a swimming pool in your backyard is a fantastic use of the space. If you want a way to cool off on a hot day or somewhere to be the social hub for friends and family, a pool is a perfect solution. But it also costs money not just to install it but to maintain it too. The price of installing a pool might not seem too bad when you look at local prices. However, you also have to keep in mind that taking care of the pool will continue to cost you money. It’s important to budget for these ongoing costs too.

Installation

Installing a pool is obviously going to be the first cost you have to face if you want to add a pool to your home. The price range you could be looking at for an in-ground pool will range significantly depending on the size and the type of pool, as well as any finishes and extras you want to add. Plus, your upfront costs will also need to include things such as a filtration system, pool cover, a fence and alarm, and anything else you might need to get set up. You might need to think about costs such as electrical wiring, landscaping, and hardscaping.

Image from Pixabay – CC0 License

Running Costs

The cost of owning a pool doesn’t end with installation. You also need to think about what it costs to keep the pool running. There are utilities that you will need to consider to keep your pool running. You will need to think about the cost of filling the pool, as well as powering anything such as lights or your pool filter. You can also find that your property taxes and home insurance costs increase after you have installed a pool. These costs are ongoing so it’s important to budget for them.

Cleaning

Another ongoing cost of owning a pool is the cost of cleaning it. It’s important to clean your pool so it’s safe and pleasant to swim in and to keep it looking good too. You will need to account for the cost of the chemicals required to keep the water clean, as well as other cleaning costs. You might want to hire a service to carry out proper pool cleaning to make sure you get it right. The wrong mix of cleaning chemicals could prove to be a disaster, making your pool impossible to swim in.

Maintenance

Other maintenance costs for your pool might include the cost of repairs or general maintenance to keep the pool and its surroundings in good condition. These costs might be difficult to budget for, especially because they can be unpredictable. However, you can consider what possible maintenance issues could arise, whether it is the cost of repairing your pool filter or replacing a tile to ensure your pool stays in good condition.

A pool can be a wonderful addition to your home, but it’s important to calculate the costs before you commit to it. Set a budget to ensure you can afford both installation and maintenance.

Photo Source

Breadwinners are the primary financial providers for their families. They have many responsibilities on their plate, which means they need to be thrifty with every dollar they earn. If you’re a breadwinner in your family, then this blog post is for you! Here are some tips to help save money on a tight budget:

Cut Every Category a Little Bit

You don’t need to cut back on everything at once. Instead, keep an eye out for savings opportunities in other areas, but focus your attention on budgeting tips for what you can do with the resources you have right now. 

One of the most obvious ways to save money is by cutting your spending. For example, try using public transportation instead of buying gas for your car or paying for parking at work. Think about the necessities in life that you will have to pay off each month (e.g., mortgage/rent, utilities) and start figuring out which ones can go down next month without affecting those must-pay items too much? 

Prioritize Paying Off Your Debt 

After receiving a promotion or raise at work, many of us make the mistake of spending more. The truth is that if you are going into debt because you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck and there’s no money left over for other expenses, then it is much harder to catch up with your financial situation. Try working on paying off all of your debts first before adding your costs. 

Also, it can be challenging to sock away money when you’re struggling with bills and debt. However, if your goal is to save up for emergencies or the future; take care of these financial burdens first. You’ll find yourself feeling more confident about saving once you’ve eliminated this burden from your life.

Limit Your Television Subscriptions

Many people find themselves paying for a package of television channels they never watch. The best way is to get rid of the subscriptions with expensive premiums like sports or movie channels that your household rarely watches. Also, make sure to see what other services you might get included in the deal, such as Hulu Plus or HBO Now; some providers offer free DVR storage space, which can help cut costs if used properly. 

Switch To Cash, Stash Your Credit Cards

Using cash is easy when buying one item or small purchases like groceries or gas. However, it is unreliable when purchasing oversized items from furniture stores, for example. Still, other money-saving options include using a credit card with cashback rewards that will give you store credit for later purchases.

Stashing your credit cards would help with impulse spending while still giving access to emergency funds.

Cook Instead Of Eating Out

Cooking at home will save you money, and it’s probably healthier too. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, think about this: cooking is also a great way to spend some time with your family! It’s the perfect excuse for everyone in the house to sit down together over dinner every night. Plus, if mom or dad has had a long day at work, there’s nothing better than a homemade meal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you’ve come to the right place if you are looking for some helpful tips on how to save money. As a breadwinner, you must take care of yourself and your family, so make sure you don’t get too caught up in saving every penny!

Whether you are looking to hone your skills in a specific career or just seeking to climb the education ladder, several options are available. Unfortunately, not every option available will look attractive, especially if you’re working with a tight budget. It is an undeniable fact that those with better education or academic qualifications mostly earn more. For example, people with college degrees earn over 50% more over their lifetime. 

Unfortunately, for any adult, the higher you seek to climb on the academic ladder, the more you can expect to pay. And this situation has caused loads of people to postpone or abandon higher education. But getting further education doesn’t have to be expensive. So, are you looking for ways to continue your education without going into debt? Here are a few budget-friendly ideas you can use. 

Leverage on low-cost and free online training; learn at an Ivy league 

Image Credit

The internet has made it possible for billions of people to further their education, with online courses available in almost any field of studies. An Ivy League education has a lot of prestige associated with it, mainly because of its years of offering unmatched higher education quality. But you don’t need to study in an Ivy League school, as many individuals have succeeded in smaller known institutions. Plus, it sounds great to learn something from an Ivy League school without paying for it. 

Through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), you have the opportunity to learn from Ivy League professors right from home. Today, you can find a rapidly growing movement of MOOCs offering various people an opportunity to advance their studies. For example, you’ll find options like Udemy, Khan Academy, Code Academy, Fluent U, Alison, etc. Khan Academy and Alison are popular for most people, as they offer free studying resources, study videos, assessments, and assignments in various fields. They cover various professional disciplines, including the humanities, science, and math. Udemy, Code Academy, and Fluent U offer law courses at low costs, ranging from as little as $20 to as much as $200.

Opt for an adult education program for the basics

Perhaps you could not complete your high school education, and you’re interested in getting your GED done. In that case, there are several opportunities available for you as an adult to go back and complete those basics. Most of these adult education centers offer very low-cost and budget-friendly education. Indeed, some of these options are also free or covered financially by different nonprofit organizations. 

What about the paid options?

Image Credit

If you prefer to pursue a certificate course or opt for a degree course, these options will probably cost some money. However, they provide greater returns. One option is to sign up for an online certification course from a reputable higher learning institution that offers low-cost education. Today, no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find options available online, from an online master’s degree in nursing to even law courses. All you need to do is find low-cost alternatives that’ll fit easily in your budget.

Your budget is important to your life. It is the thing that will help you ensure that all the bills are paid, and that you are not pushing yourself in the wrong financial direction. It can be far too easy to rack up debts and buy things that you can’t really afford when you live without a budget, but it’s also easy to ignore the one that you have set out. You shouldn’t do this though, because it could land you in more hot water which is absolutely not what you need in your life right now. If you want to find out more information on how you can be sure you can stick to your budget then you have come to the right place. Keep reading down below, and you will find the information that you are looking for.

Credit Image – CC0 License

Make It Accurate

The first thing that we’re going to be looking at is making sure that the budget you have set is accurate. It is always better to overestimate than underestimate, so for those things that have a few extra pennies, round up. Don’t think that the pennies don’t matter, because these are usually the place where people go wrong and mess up the entire thing. Making it better to create rainy day funds in lieu of obtaining bad credit loans.

Your budget needs to be as accurate as possible if you’re going to stick to it. If something is wrong, you’re more likely to feel as though there is no point in following it and simply do what you want anyway. 

We suggest that you go through all of your bills and your incoming money and find the exact amounts for things. Then, round everything up to the next whole number so that you’ve got a little bit of wiggle room. It is always going to be better to have a little bit of extra money than to not have enough when you need to pay your bills. Write a list of the outgoing money and a list of incoming, and then take the outgoing off of the incoming number. This is what you have left to spend on little luxuries through the month, and this alone. Having it in black and white may be more of an incentive to do what you are supposed to and stick to it as much as you can.

Update It Frequently

Source Location – CC0 Licence

You should always be updating your budget when your financial situation changes. If you no longer have to pay a certain bill, take it off the budget. If you need to add a new one, add it in so that you don’t forget about it. If you now make more money or you’ve got slightly less, make sure this is added too. Nobody else is going to see the budget, so you don’t have to worry about anyone judging the things that you do. Your budget is only for you, so be honest when you’re writing it all down, otherwise the entire exercise is pointless to begin with.

If you don’t do this, then you won’t want to stick to any kind of budget because it won’t be relevant anymore. Or, you will try but it’s not going to work out because it no longer reflects your financial situation. 

Think Through Big Purchases

When it comes to big purchases, you’ve got to think them through. You can’t just make a huge purchase and hope that you have enough money to cover it in the coming months, or as one payment. There are tools online that you can use such as a car note calculator and these will help you make a decision as to whether or not the big purchase is something that you can afford. Sometimes, you’re going to have to put a little more thought in because there isn’t a calculator for everything, but where there is, your life is certainly going to be that little bit easier. 

Any big purchase is something that you have to consider carefully before you buy it. For example, you probably wouldn’t think twice about buying a bottle of water in the store, but you would before you bought a house. Big purchases tend to be the ones that we want to make most, but can’t just make without a care in the world. 

If you think it will help, you could even make a pros and cons list of the reasons for and against the purchase. This is only going to be relevant if you’re actually going to go off what the list says though, instead of just deciding to do what you want either way.

Stop Living Beyond Your Means

CC0 License – Image Source

One of the problems that a lot of people have is that they enjoy living beyond their means. Having credit cards is all fun and games until you remember that you actually have to pay back the money that you are spending. This is the part that a lot of people skip as well, but it will put you in a place that you don’t want to be in. Instead of having and using credit cards, we recommend that you only use the money that you have spare in your budget. Sticking to your budget means that you aren’t spending any money past what you have, so this is an important step.

If you know that there is something you want that you can’t afford right now, why aren’t you saving up for it? Instead of trying to purchase it when you know this isn’t a reasonable option, you should simply save some of the money that you have leftover every month and then buy it when you’ve got enough.

Clear Your Debts

We’re sure that you made room in your budget to pay off at least a little of any outstanding debt every month, and this is a fantastic idea. You need to clear off your debts so that you have more money at the end of each month and if you are allocating some money to this in your budget, it’s not going to be a constant source of stress for you anymore. With this in mind, you will have the knowledge that when you stick to your budget, your debts will be cleared sooner rather than later which should give you the kickstart that you need to keep to it.

Nobody wants to be in debt, but unfortunately if this is the place that you have found yourself in, you just need to do whatever you can to get out of it. This means that you take your budget seriously, and then you are going to find yourself debt free!

Hire Some Help

Pic Location – CC0 License

If you are finding managing your finances on your own to be tough, and sticking to your budget is included in this, then you might want to think about hiring some help. Yes, we know that you have to pay for this, but it could be invaluable. These professionals will be there to handle the budget, how much money you have and they can even set it up so that you can’t access any more money than the leftover sum that you’ve got. 

A professional will also be able to recommend some of the things that you can do to save some money in certain areas, leaving more leftover for you to play with. They can see things that you won’t be able to see because you haven’t been trained to look for the little things, and it’s there that you find all the difference.

Learn To Say No

You must learn to say no if you want to stick to your budget. This is what everyone else on a budget has to do, and you can as well. We know that it’s never easy to say no when you want something, or when someone you love wants something, but it is necessary. Remember that it’s not going to be forever, and there might be a time where you can simply purchase whatever you like, whenever you like, but now is not that time. To get to that point, you’ve got to stick to your budget and live like this for a little while longer. It’s not all bad because it teaches you discipline which is an important lesson that everyone should learn at some point in their life. 

Even if you want to say yes right now, remember that in the long-run, you’re going to be glad that you said no.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the ways that you can be sure you can stick to your budget. It’s not going to be a simple process because it requires a lot of willpower on your part, but you always need to keep in mind that a budget doesn’t have to be forever. Things will always change, and as long as you are ahead of the curve and know what you need to do, everything will work out just fine. We wish you the best of luck, and hope that this advice has provided the answers you were looking for.

Credit: Pixabay

Budgeting is a skill everyone is taught as young as being in kindergarten. Many children are raised with having a piggy bank or being told they can only choose one toy to have while being at the store. This is all to teach the importance of saving money for the future.

It’s important to practice the skill of saving money in the future. Money is the sole item that gets you everything you need to grow in life—food, transportation, education, shelter, etc. By budgeting, you can have enough money at all times to provide for yourself and buy big things in the future.

To help you on your budgeting journey, here are five tips to get you started and continue growing your money savings.

Track Your Spending

It’s important to keep track of the money your bringing in. One common mistake many make is spending more money that is in possession. If one has one hundred dollars, then it is ideal for spending less than that amount rather than more. It is important not to get into debt because debt begins to grow the longer it is not paid off.

Gather the income you are bringing in on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. A salary calculator can help assist you in gathering these totals to help you build a budget plan. With this information, you can see and have an idea of how much you should be spending without going into debt.

It is important to track your spending because debt builds easily and quickly. Getting out of debt takes years, and plenty of stress takes its toll as long as you owe money. Avoid the negative habit of spending more than you have. Learn to purchase necessities rather than wants. This is a great way to step into the budgeting world. 

Cancel Any Unnecessary Subscriptions

There are plenty of monthly subscriptions to choose from. Odds are you probably have more than one subscription plan under your name that you are responsible for paying every month. This can add up, especially if you are not making enough to pay for it.

Take a look at your list of monthly subscriptions you are responsible for, whether Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, etc. This is the time to cancel the subscriptions you don’t need. Canceling some of our subscriptions can help you save money and put it away towards something else in the future, and that’s more important. 

If you find it hard to decide which subscriptions to cancel, think about which one you use the most. If you don’t use a subscription often, that is the best choice to cancel that one. Though these subscriptions don’t cost a lot, the money towards them will gather over the months and allow you more room to set a successful budget. 

Grow Your Savings Account

With all the extra cash you’re not spending and money you are deciding to put aside, decide on building a savings account to accumulate all that extra money. With a savings account, you can see the growth of your savings account over the months and years. 

Tacking your income to build a savings account will help you provide for your future. Budgeting is all about being able to provide and grow in the future money wise. Be able to give yourself better necessities in the future. Better yet, plan for your retirement. 

A savings account will help you see physically and track without problems your deposits bank growth over time. Also, having a savings account will encourage you not to pull out any money to save money for better things.

Reach Out to an Advisor

Sometimes, help is needed to better your budgeting skills. It’s okay to reach out for some guidance, especially when it’s about money. When in doubt, reach out to a budget counselor. They are professionals and can help and assist with all your budgeting needs.

Getting assistance from someone about your budgeting skills is a great resource to use. Many individuals pride themselves on not using any resources that will help guide them. Although you can research tips and tricks to be better at budgeting, an individual who knows everything about budgeting can help you go a long way. One on one time is great to get all your questions and secret tips to help you budget and go a long way. Give yourself the much-needed help to help you budget successfully.

Update Your Budget Plan Yearly

It’s important to build a budget plan to help you store money away with the many bills to spend. Tracking your funds yearly is important to do so. With that said, the budget plan you build should be followed and updated every year.

Every year, there is new income and bills to note. Building a new budget with the new information is important to make sure you are saving money rather than overspending. Creating a budget every year will help you be aware of your income and spending precautions. This will help you avoid or prevent any growing debt.

Conclusion

Budgeting is essential to be successful in life. Money is needed to buy the necessities needed to give yourself a good and healthy life. With these five tips to help you on your budgeting journey, you can look forward to having a greater savings account.

It’s best to have savings than no savings at all. The future of yourself depends on savings so you can live an easier going life. Build and lead in the habit of budgeting. 

When having the habit of successfully budgeting, you will be able to provide yourself with everything you need without others’ need. Also, you will be able to help and give tips to others when it comes to budgeting. 

Managing money is not an easy thing to do, especially when it is for several years. Building this habit of budgeting as a kid will grow significantly as an adult. Remember to reach out for needed help while taking on your budgeting journey.

When organizing a wedding, setting a budget can be essential for keeping a lid on costs. Overspend on your wedding and you could end up having to take out large loans and debts that could make the next few years a financial struggle. This could cause you to regret your wedding day rather than looking back on it fondly.

On top of having a budget in place, you need to be able to break down that budget effectively so that all necessary costs are covered. This can be an area where couples commonly fail – it’s easy to overspend on one thing and then have to scrimp and save just to afford everything else.

By having a budget and knowing how to break down this budget, you can put on a wedding that’s affordable, while also not having to sacrifice too much. Below are just some of the main budgeting mistakes to avoid and what you should be doing instead.  

Not tracking costs

It’s important to keep a record of costs as you’re spending them so that you know exactly how much you’ve spent. If costs go untracked, you could find that you have less of your budget left than you expected.

You can track costs by buying a diary to document costs or by keeping notes on your phone. There are also apps that can help you to track your wedding budget. You can compare some of the best wedding budgeting apps at Paste Magazine.

Not considering the time, day, and season

The time, day, and season that you get married can have a big impact on the overall cost. This is something that shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your big day.

Summer is the peak season for weddings due to the greater chance of good weather. It’s also the most expensive time to get married. Opt for a winter, spring, or fall wedding and you could halve your wedding costs in some cases – because there’s less demand, vendors often offer deals to help attract business during these months.

The day you get married can also affect the cost. Weekend weddings are most popular because they don’t require as many guests to book time off work. Getting married on a weekday could result in reduced costs – venues often find it harder to attract business during the week and so often offer discounts to couples.

Finally, you should consider the time of day. In most cases, a morning wedding is cheaper than an afternoon wedding. This depends of course if you want to reserve the venue for the whole day – this will work out much more expensive and you’ll have to provide more food and drink, so maybe best avoided if you’re on a tight budget.

Some couples may have their hearts set on an afternoon weekend summer wedding. However, if this isn’t the case, consider taking advantage of the off-peak discounts that are out there.

Not booking far enough ahead

You can also save costs by booking far in advance. The closer you leave bookings to your wedding date, the less availability there’s likely to be when it comes to venues, photographers, caterers, and other professionals. You could find that all the best deals have gone, in which case you’ll be stuck hiring overpriced vendors. Some vendors may also charge more because they have less time to prepare – for instance, a wedding dress tailor may have less time to do alterations and may charge extra if they’re already queued up with clients.

Many of the vital aspects and most in-demand aspects – such as the venue, photographer, entertainment, and transport – should be booked six months to a year in advance so that you get the best choice and the best deals. Booking far ahead will also allow you to pay for things in installments, which could help you to spread out the costs.

Blowing most your budget on the dress

The dress is the biggest thing that couples overspend on. It’s all too easy to fall in love with a dress that is completely out of your price range. Buying this dress could then mean having to make compromises on everything else.

To avoid falling trap to this, set a separate dress budget within your overall budget, and only try on dresses that fall within this budget. Once you start trying on dresses that are outside your budget, you’re more likely to be tempted into overspending.

Remember that alterations can be an added cost to factor in. On average, people pay $250 to $450 on alterations – which can be a big chunk of money if you’re on a small budget.

Planning to slim into a dress – and failing

Some people deliberately buy a dress that is too small in order to spur them into losing weight before the big day. This is dangerous – if you don’t lose the weight, you could end up with a dress that doesn’t fit you. Last-minute alterations may be able to fix this, but in some cases, even this might not be an option, which means you’ll have to buy a new dress.

It’s easier to alter a dress that’s too big than a dress that’s too small. For this reason, you should always buy a dress in your current size – if you do lose weight between now and your wedding day it might be easier to adjust it.

Underestimating the cost of an outdoor wedding

An outdoor wedding might seem like an opportunity to save costs, particularly if you’re getting married on land that you own. However, it can work out more expensive than many people assume due to all the extras that are necessary.

A few of the extra costs that come with an outdoor wedding include marquee hire (important in case it rains), electric generator hire (for lighting and entertainment), table and chair hire, portable toilet hire, and specialist equipment hire (for instance, a DJ may charge more for use of outdoor speakers).  

Outdoor weddings can cost as low as $4000 (which is a lot slower than the average $29,200 indoor wedding), however, they can be just as expensive as indoor weddings if you hire expensive land to get married on or overspend on outdoor equipment. This Wayfaring Weddings guide to outdoor wedding costs could be worth a read to help you understand how you can save costs.

Inviting too many guests

The more guests you invite, the bigger the venue you’ll need, and the more food and drink you’ll have to supply. Consequently, you should be careful about letting your wedding invite list explode.

Consider having only your closest circle of friends and family at the ceremony and meal – the reception can be a chance to invite everyone else. Understand the costs that come with each person so that you can work this into your budget. If you’re inviting kids along, consider whether there may be discounts (if you’re planning a sit-down meal, any kid’s meals should be cheaper than adult meals). 

Not knowing your numbers

Not keeping track of how many people you’ve invited could also cause you to overspend. This could include ordering too many invites or paying for more meals than is necessary.

Make sure that you know precisely how many guests you’ve invited. It can also be important for preventing the opposite problem – which is not ordering enough food and drinks or not supplying enough chairs.

Overlooking all the small extras

A lot of couples get side-tracked by the big costs and forget about all the little extras such as the guest book, wedding invites, licenses, and wedding favors. These extras can add up, so make sure to include them within your budget.

You may be able to find deals online such as these discounts on MagnetStreet’s wedding thank you cards. These deals are worth hunting for – lots of small savings could result in big savings overall. You may be able to DIY some of these extras without affecting the overall quality of your day (such as making your own invites). This could be another way to save some money providing that you’ve got the time and resources.   

Not reading the small print

Last but not least, you should be careful of hidden costs included in the small print. These hidden costs can often catch couples out and add huge amounts to the overall wedding bill.

For instance, some vendors may charge extra service fees, travel fees and money for equipment hire than may not be included in the initial price. Venues meanwhile may bill extra if you stay over your allotted time even for a few minutes. 

By reading the small print, you can get a good idea of what is included before committing to anything. If you believe that may be billing errors or there are extras included that you don’t want, make sure to bring this up with vendors to avoid paying for more than is necessary.