5 Reasons Why You Can’t Stick to Your Budget and How to Fix It
For years, I struggled to budget. I was frustrated that I was following all the budgeting rules but still coming up short. After carefully looking at my spending over a few months, I realized I was making several budgeting mistakes. Once I corrected the errors, I was able to stick to a budget that helped…
Read MoreShould I Rent or Buy a Home?
Renting versus owning – how to determine which is right for you Choosing whether to own or rent a home is a big decision. The “right” answer for you will be deeply personal, based on a few key considerations that we will explore below. 1. Examine your personal values A good place to start is…
Read MoreGrab a Friend! Social Strategies to Help You Save
There is strength in numbers! This is especially true when you’re trying to reach your goals and change behaviors. Weight Watchers uses this principle to support healthy eating, and Alcoholics Anonymous uses it to encourage sober living. Emerging research shows that peer support can increase your confidence and sense of control. Social support also makes…
Read MoreHow much income is enough?
How much income is enough? Submitted by Charles A. We would all like to know this! What is the income we need to lead a happy life? To find the true answer to this question, let’s take a tour of our personal habits. Enough? For who? Where? With what lifestyle? Will it be enough forever…
Read MoreWhat is an Opportunity Cost?
Opportunity cost is an economics concept with huge implications in every aspect of our lives. To put it simply, when you say “yes” to one thing, you are saying “no” to another. Opportunity Cost in the Real World Let’s try an example. Say your goal is to build healthier habits by exercising every day. When…
Read More3 Reasons to Set Up an Automatic Savings Plan
There are endless strategies for saving money, but one that comes up again and again is setting up an automatic transfer. Lots of research, including our research here at SaverLife, shows that this is a good way to save more. In fact, SaverLife members who set up automatic savings transfers are 5-6% more likely to…
Read MoreHow to Be a Holiday Hero while Sticking to a Budget
Holidays can be filled with both joy and stress. As a starting point, think about the end of the holiday season. How do you want to feel? What experiences are important to you? And of course, what do you want your credit card balance to look like? What are the holidays about? As you go…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to “pay yourself first”?
Hi, I’m Saundra Davis, SaverLife’s financial coach. Let’s talk a little bit about the golden rule of saving: pay yourself first. So many people say, “I’m going to wait and save after I’ve paid all my bills and I’ll save what’s left,” but we all know what happens then. Very seldom is there anything left. So the idea of…
Read MoreWhat’s your money style?
Hi, I’m Saundra Davis, SaverLife’s financial coach. Today we’re going to talk a little bit about our money personalities or our money style. Are you a spender, saver, or planner? Our approach to saving or spending really is rooted in the foundation of how we live with our money in our individual personality. Some of us are savers. Some of…
Read MoreMaking Your Money Work for You
Hi, I’m Saundra Davis, financial coach here at SaverLife. Today we’re going to talk about how you make your money work for you. What is a budget? If you ask, “Do you have a budget?” many folks will say no, they don’t have a budget. The fact is we all have a budget, whether we know it or…
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