Budgeting

Are your finances getting in the way of your exquisite aesthetic? They don’t need to, as there are many ways to maintain your style without having to constantly worry about the depletion of your fashion fund. 

If you are hoping to look good and feel good in these trying times, here are some useful tips for when the going gets tough on you and your wallet. 

Accessorize 

Like the olive in the Martini and the lights on a Christmas tree, accessories can help to elevate your look to the next level, whilst staying both classy and inexpensive. 

• The value of a great belt – A beautiful belt can be cost efficient and tie your entire look together, sometimes literally. Whether you wear it for a statement, or a touch of subtle class, a belt can help revitalize your entire look.
• Hair accessories – A bow is simple, inexpensive and delicately glamourous. Investing in a bow can be a superb way of brightening up your style.
• Right down to the socks – Animal print or vibrantly colored socks are great for livening up your look, taking some time to see which colors work together with the rest of your outfit can work wonders when creating a fashion forward aesthetic. 

Self-Indulgence

Sometimes you might find yourself wanting to eat some truly decadent confectionary. Allowing yourself to indulge in some delicious food on occasion can leave you feeling fulfilled and elated. 

There’s no need to feel guilty if you let yourself enjoy some of the finer things from time to time, as after a hard year you deserve a present. You might want to check out a range of scrumptious chocolates from Dallmann if you want that precise flavor of class, without breaking the bank.

Exploring Your Color Palette

It is quite possible that exploring the color palette is something that gets overlooked. If you take some time find yourself a free online color palette, you can start to match up your existing outfits and find a new look altogether. 

One of the best parts to this is that it is completely free, and discovering the color that best suits you can help you hunt for those bargains with a renewed sense of direction. 

If you want to go down a reliable avenue, the color black is a tried and tested provider of classic style. 

Whatever the Weather

Even if you are simply popping out for a walk or to grocery store, taking the time to apply some lipstick is a great way of building confidence and allowing yourself to feel classy, no matter the situation, whatever the weather. 

Living with Confidence

Feeling confident is a sought-after trait for many, as it helps to navigate daily routines with candor and satisfaction. Once you begin to bear in mind the option of staying classy whilst being able to save money, you might find that you do not have to worry about the unwanted strain of financial turbulence. 

Recognizing your strengths as an individual is a fantastic way to start nurturing that ever important feeling of self-confidence.

College is expensive, there’s no denying that. However, it’s also undeniable that a college education is extremely beneficial for your future. It boosts your job prospects and earning potential, plus is even correlated with better health and wellbeing. This makes it well worth the investment. Luckily, there are ways to help reduce the financial burden of going to university, so that you can graduate without finding yourself drowning in debt. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Check if you’re eligible for financial aid

Grants to help cover the cost of college are available at both the state and federal government level, as well as from colleges themselves. These grants do not have to be paid back and are usually awarded based on your financial need—in other words, the income level you declared on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. There are also special aid programs available for you if you come from a military family, or if you are studying certain subjects. For example, there are specific grants for those training to be teachers. It’s worth looking into what’s available early on, to give you a better idea of how much you can get and what you will have to cover yourself.

Apply for scholarships

Scholarships are another source of funding that does not have to be paid back. There is a huge variety available, and they can be awarded on the basis of all sorts of different criteria. For instance, there are scholarships for academic excellence, volleyball scholarships, and other sports awards, arts scholarships, and ones that are awarded based on financial need. There are also scholarships only for women, scholarships for those from an ethnic minority background, scholarships for students studying certain underrepresented subjects, and scholarships for people who live in certain areas. Set aside some time to research what’s available—you might be pleasantly surprised at what you can apply for!

Get a part-time job

If you are not lucky enough to land a scholarship, one option is to work whilst you study. Colleges usually have a number of part-time jobs available for students on campus, to help you earn some extra money without impacting too much on your studies. Remember not to take on too many hours, to ensure you can keep up with your schoolwork. If you’re an international student, you will need to check whether your visa allows you to work in the US and if so, where and for how many hours a week.

Lower your costs

If you’d rather not work at college, another possibility is to look at where you can potentially cut down on your spending. For example, you could buy second-hand textbooks instead of new ones, set a budget for food and nights out, and keep a close eye on your spending. Be sure to take advantage of your student discount too—this can save you lots of money on items such as clothes, travel, and computer equipment. Don’t worry, the more that you practice saving, the easier it will become!

Commuting can be an absolute nightmare, but a lot of it has to do with the method you’re using. A car may seem like the only and best option, but often, it’s inefficient and costly. On the other hand, you could get around with a scooter and do most of what you do with your car without the price tag. There are also tons of additional perks to owning a scooter that you may not be aware of. Let’s take a look at why switching to a scooter might be the best decision you’ve ever made.

It’s Cheaper

You will save in tons of ways when you’re buying a scooter – they’re cheaper to buy, they can get you anywhere in the city for a fraction of the cost, and filling a tank costs close to nothing. There’s also less to pay for insurance and maintenance, and parts are much cheaper too.

You can easily find a scooter for under £2,000, but expect to pay around £3,000 to £3,500 for a quality unit that will be performant and last a long time. If you want to check out a few models, we suggest you check out bmgscooters.com. Going with a supplier with a large selection is always better if you want to find a scooter that will fit your needs.

Taxes

Another reason why scooters are so great for the budget-conscious is that there will be less tax to pay. A lot of people will assume that buying a cheap older vehicle is a great way to save, but you’ll usually be taxed heavily and pay hundreds of pounds at the end of the year. 

Scooters, on the other hand, are taxed based on engine size. Anything between 50cc and 125cc will be taxed at the same rate, and you’ll only have to pay a measly £19 per year.

MOTs

You’ll also be able to save on MOTs when you buy a scooter. A scooter MOT will only cost you £24.99 for a vehicle under 200cc. For a car or a bike with a larger engine, this can go up to £54.85, so that’s a significant difference.

Good for the Environment

The benefits of riding a scooter are not just economic. They also produce much fewer emissions than other vehicles. This can go even lower if you decide to go for an electric scooter. 

A car and a moped will have a significantly different fuel consumption over the same distance, and you often don’t need to carry all that extra weight simply to go from point A to point B. If most of what you travel is short distances and you’re solo, choosing a scooter is a much better option if emissions are a concern for you.

So, if you were on the fence about buying a scooter or have recently thought of the idea, we suggest you give them a closer look. They could help you get to wherever you want cheaper, and often faster.

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At some point in your life, there’s a high possibility you’ll end up in debt. It happens to most people for one reason or another – and it isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, you need to be in debt to achieve certain things. For example, you need a loan to buy your first house, which means you have to be in debt. Of course, some debts are worse than others, and they can be financially damaging.

Speaking of which, you have to learn how to tackle your debts. Today, you’ll see the top three WORST things you can do to deal with your money problems. Give them a read, then be sure you don’t do any of them!

Ignore the debt

It’s never a good idea to ignore your debt as it will just get worse. Debt doesn’t care if you pay attention to it or not. If you ignore your debt, it will just accrue more interest, meaning you have more money to repay. In turn, this obviously makes it a lot harder for you to pay your debts, which sends you into a spiral that you can’t get out of. The thing is, there’s no excuse for avoiding your debt! It’s something you can tackle on your own, or you can get legal advice from companies like Wyolaw Law Firm. Either way, the worst thing you can do is turn a blind eye and hope everything turns out okay. Here’s a spoiler alert: it won’t!

Get a short-term loan to pay off the debt

Never ever get a short-term loan to pay off your debts. Why? Because short-term loans are deadly! They’re almost designed to catch you out, which is why banks don’t provide them anymore. You’ll often see them advertised as payday loans, and the concept is that you get quick money to pay for something. In this case, you pay your debts. The problem is that this lands you in debt once more. To make matters worse, short-term loans usually come with outrageous interest rates and all sorts of fees and penalties. So, if you can’t repay the payday loan in a few days, you’ll be charged extra and the loan starts to grow. Instead of getting out of debt, you’ve got yourself into a deeper and stickier mess. 

If you can get a longer-term loan or a consolidation loan, that could be a better idea depending on your circumstances, but you may need to ask the question ‘What does self-employment change in your loan application?’ If you happen to work for yourself before you go down that route, and you should always, no matter what your situation, work out how much interest you’ll be paid back first.

Lose hope

Finally, it’s never a good idea to lose hope when tackling your debts. Lots of people slip into a dark pit of despair when money problems come their way. Sadly, this leads to some individuals taking their lives as they can’t see a way out. Understand that all debt can be solved in one way or another. Speak to professionals to get the advice you need, and don’t forget that bankruptcy is a viable option. There’s a stigma surrounding bankruptcy, but it can help you clear your debts and enjoy a fresh start. It’s not ideal, but it shows there is still hope to start again. 

In summary, the three worst things you can do when tackling debt are: lose hope, ignore it, and take out a payday loan. Pay attention to these points as you really don’t want to be guilty of doing any of these three things!

Life can be your oyster, but you need to create the seeds of success yourself. No one is going to give your dreams on a plate, you could be lucky to find a pot of gold, but you may also have to do a little leg work yourself.

The National Life Group reviews are committed to giving back to their clients as they grow. The groups’ infamous motto: “Do Good, Be Good, Make Good” gives the customer the confidence to make the group part of their lives.

Growing your net worth, in every area of your life is a valuable skill that can help you live the life of your dreams, knowing you have 1`a Fairy Godmother standing by your side to champion you on to the finish line.

Everyone Needs A Helping Hand

When setting up a business or trying to rejuvenate an existing business, you may need to cast your net wide to find the necessary support. You could try to do all of the legwork yourself, or you could reach out for help from business networks, business support agencies or a trusted friend. Whatever route you take, don’t struggle on alone?

After all, you want your business to succeed, don’t you?

Here are a few helpful tips to keep up the momentum:

• Don’t get bogged down in too much business-speak.
• Give yourself some time out; it’s not all work and no play.
• Construct a plan or a schedule and stick to it.
• Seek help from reliable sources.
• Be kind to yourself.

 Growing A Green Business

There are many incentives to incorporate green ethics into your business, that could help it to flourish and seeds a sustainable way of living.

As more and more people gain greater awareness of climate change, environmental and socially conscious ways of working, you move a narrow viewpoint into the mainstream. You can then open up new business concepts, products, and pathways through collaborate with other businesses, allowing you all to grow as a collective. 

Through taking this approach, you may also reduce your businesses carbon footprint by working with nature to create a better world for everyone. All this from taking a more mindful approach to business, and it truly works. Read more here.

Seeds Of Success

You can grow your business and work with external sources to do this, or you may wish to consider a few ideas listed below:

• Consider franchising your business; this can help it to snowball.
• Build passive income streams to support your primary business instead of loading your business with expensive high-interest business loans.
• Diversify your offers.
• Create a webinar or a podcast.
• Build a sales funnel.
• Actively engage in online marketing.
• Keep connected with your customers and clients.

Whatever options you decide to take, they will need to be the right ones that work for you and your business. Do not try to fit into someone else’s shoes, what has worked for another business may not work for you and your business and success.

You’re trying to buy the house of your dreams. It’s a little hard to get the buyer to go down to a price you’re comfortable with though. Guess you should have done more than the minimum down payment but that’s all you could do. Why is saving money important for buying a home?

One reason is that buying a house is often expensive and this means you should keep more money in your savings. It’s not the only reason why you should be fluffing up your savings account though. Keep reading to find out more about why saving money is important and see how you can keep track of it all.

1. Why Save Money?

There are a million reasons why it’s good to have plenty of money in your savings account. The main three are it acts as an emergency cushion, retirement, and house downpayments. 

It Acts as an Emergency Cushion 

You never know when your car is going to break down or some kind of medical emergency is going to come up. If you’re not prepared you may be left with no other option than spending money you don’t have or sell something. Having cash in your savings account gives you a little cushion for emergencies such as these so you don’t have to make that choice.  

Retirement 

Are you planning to retire at some point? If so then you’ll need money in your savings account to cover you when you aren’t working anymore. All it takes is saving at least a hundred dollars a month to make your retirement fund build up in no time. 

Downpayment for a House

Being able to make a large downpayment on a house will impact how much you can negotiate. You may be able to get your dream home for a much lower price or at least get a smaller interest rate.  Larger down payments will mean a smaller mortgage as well so you’ll be spending less on your home each month. 

You can calculate how much you’ll be able to spend on a downpayment, as well as how much you can afford for a monthly mortgage payment by using a compound interest calculator. They’re also great for investments, so keep this resource in mind whenever you’re trying to save money and get a better understanding of what the outcome might be.

2. Have a Notebook 

Now that you know why you need to save money let’s go over how you can keep track of it. The easiest way is to use a notebook to write down every dollar you spend. At the end of the month, you can transfer this data to a spreadsheet so you’ll still have it when you inevitably have to buy a new notebook. You can also use a check stub maker to create copies of your paystubs to stash away in the pockets of your notebook. 

Why is Saving Money Important and How You Can Do It?

Why is saving money important? If you want to be able to retire or buy a house you’ll need to have a lot saved up. The extra money also works as a nice cushion in the event that an emergency comes up. The great thing is that it’s not too hard to keep track of your expenses. All you need is a trusty notebook to get started. 

Keeping track of your expenses is only half the battle. Check out my blog’s other daily tips on how to save your cash better, too. Read more here.