Living with friends might seem like a good idea on paper, but it won’t always work so well in reality. While you may have plenty of things in common with your friends, are you on the same page in terms of your attitude towards money? The last thing you want to do is let money come in the way of something more important, which is your friendship. There’s a right way to handle the situation and a wrong way to handle it. On the TV show, “Friends”, there is a great episode where Chandler knows that Joey is broke and he feels so bad for him that he goes out of his way to try to give Joey some money. Unfortunately, TV shows aren’t real life, and most of us can’t afford to support a roommate. Here are some tips for staying sane while living with friends.
Sally AquireSally is a UK-based freelance writer. As well as personal finance, she also writes on health & beauty and lifestyle topics. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, shopping, hanging out with friends and generally making the most of her downtime!
Money Management Tips for Living With Friends
Sally Aquire
Why You Should Say No to Retail Store Credit Cards
Sally Aquire
If you’ve been shopping in a retail store lately, you might have been given the opportunity to sign up for a store card. Having the chance to save 10% (this is just an example figure as the real percentage could be higher or lower depending on the store) on your purchases that day, and in the future it might look good on paper. But, you need to remember that store cards are just another form of credit, and you’ll be getting into debt by signing up for one. If that’s not enough to put you off, here are a few more reasons why you should stay away from store cards.
Getting the Best Deal on Your Cell Phone Plan
Sally Aquire
When was the last time you checked your cell phone deal to see how competitive it is against other providers? New deals are coming on to the market all the time, so it pays to see whether you can get a better deal elsewhere. Saving money on fixed monthly bills such as your cell phone bill is the best way to find extra money in your monthly budget. We often focus on cutting out the variable expenses, but we neglect the large bills we pay on cell phones, cable, utilities, and insurance. Finding the best cell phone deals can be a daunting and time-consuming process though, so here are some tips for finding the best cell phone contract.
Personal Finance Round-up: 5 Secrets to Getting a Better Price on Anything
Money Crashers
Are you a born negotiator, or do you shy away from trying to haggle prices down? If it’s the latter, take a look at this article from The Dollar Stretcher, which gives some great tips on how to use the art of negotiation to get a better deal for yourself. There are some examples that I didn’t previously think would be open to negotiation. For example, who knew that tuition costs could be negotiated in the right context? Take the plunge, and you might just get what you’re asking for!
Here are some great posts from the personal finance blogging community that you might have not have seen:
What to Do If You Can’t Even Meet The Minimum Payments on Your Credit Cards
Sally Aquire
In an ideal world, you’d be far exceeding the minimum payments on your credit cards, but what do you do if money is so tight that even the minimum payments are out of reach? Many of you have faced a temporary situation like this at some point in your life, and it can take a toll on the other areas of your life when you know that you’re falling behind on monthly bills. As dire as the situation looks, you’ll be pleased to know that there are a few ways to get out of the mess without having to resort to the dreaded bankruptcy.
Negotiating With Your Creditors: How to Pay Your Debts When Money Is Tight
Sally Aquire
Realizing that you can’t pay your debts is a terrifying prospect, and it’s tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope that the situation somehow resolves itself. As scary as it sounds, you need to get in touch with your creditors and inform them of your situation so that they can be more receptive to the prospect of negotiating your debt repayments. Here are some tips for negotiating with your creditors:
Work out your budget
You Need A Budget 3 Review (YNAB) – Ultimate Personal Budgeting Software
Sally Aquire
Creating a budget is essential for keeping on top of your finances, but drawing up your own often creates too much headache and not enough results. We all know that budgeting is important, but actually sitting down and taking the time to write one is another story. Fortunately, you don’t have to if you sign up for You Need a Budget (YNAB), because this budgeting software does the hard work for you.
What Is It?
YNAB uses what it calls the “Four Rules of Cash Flow” to help you manage your cash. These are fully explained in the introduction to the software, but here is some brief information on the four rules.
Spending Money Abroad: Should You Use Credit Cards, Cash or Travelers Checks?
Sally Aquire
If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need to make some decisions about how you’ll actually spend some cash. Usually, the choice will be between credit cards and debit cards, cash and travelers checks. And everyone seems to have a different opinion as to whether you should take money out as you go with a debit card, bring cash with you, or take traveler’s checks.
Credit and debit cards
Top Cheap Spring Break Destinations to Visit
Sally Aquire
Getting away from it all is the perfect way to spend Spring Break, but how do you choose a suitably exotic destination without spending a fortune? You don’t have to spend a lot of money during Spring Break to go somewhere nice. You just need to be smart, pick a spot that makes sense, and make a few compromises. Here are our top picks for where to go for your Spring Break on a budget.
The Caribbean
How to Travel Cheap On Bus and Train
Sally Aquire
I don’t use public transportation all that often, but when I do need to take the bus or train, I can’t help but notice how expensive itls become. Using public transportation may be unavoidable if you don’t have any alternative means of getting from one specific place to another, but there are some ways that you can make it more affordable. Here are a few ideas to save money when using buses and trains.
Making Your Own Green Skincare Products
Sally Aquire
Are you tired of spending a ton of money on skincare products? Making your own beauty products is a great way to save money, and it has the added bonus of being greener than most shop-bought offerings. Most of the ingredients that you’ll need are probably already in your cupboards, but they are inexpensive if you don’t already have them.
Cleansers/Toners/Spot Treatments
There’s no need to buy expensive skincare products to take care of your skin. Natural cleansers, toners and facial scrubs can work very well and don’t contain harsh chemicals.
Opinion: Should You Save For Retirement or Pay Off Debt First?
Sally Aquire
Should you save for the future or throw every extra cent at your debts to pay them off quicker? This debate is one that pops up all the time and causes a lot of confusion. Some personal finance experts advocate combining debt reduction and saving for retirement, but what if your money doesn’t stretch that far? Here at Money Crashers, we sway towards paying down debt first, and then use that extra money towards funding your retirement accounts.
How to Go on Dates for Less
Sally Aquire
Dating can be costly, but don’t let this put you off, because it’s more than possible to have great dates without breaking the bank. We often fall into the trap that we can’t have fun with our significant other without spending a bunch of money, but that’s simply not true. Whether you’re on the hunt for your perfect partner or are looking to inject some romance into an existing relationship, here are some ideas for dating on a budget.
Dinner Dates
How to Get Cheaper Entertainment Without a Cable Subscription
Sally Aquire
Following my post about getting music downloads for less, I’ve been thinking about how to cut entertainment costs in general. If you’ve had to tighten your belt recently, luxuries like a cable subscription were probably one of the first things to be dropped. Entertainment costs can quickly become excessive, but you don’t need to spend lots of money to have a good time. Here are some ways that you can get cheaper entertainment without having to sign up for cable again.
Books/DVDs
How to Spend Less on Music Downloads
Sally Aquire
If you regularly download music to your iPod or MP3 player, you will find that the costs quickly mount up. While some people turn to illegal downloading to save money, there are legal ways to get cheaper music downloads without having to resort to illegal methods. Here are some tips for spending less on legal music downloads.
1. Shop around
Most of my friends and family stick rigidly to iTunes for music downloads, especially if they’ve got an iPod. When I asked them why, only a few of them knew that you can buy music from elsewhere and still download the tracks to your iPod or MP3 player quickly and easily.
