- July 9, 2009 • Posted by Erica Adams
- Get Healthy, Win Money!
-
After experiencing the pitfalls of the current economy, New York Times columnist Ron Lieber was left with an extra week and a half worth of "vacation" to compensate for financial difficulties at the famed publication. But rather than lazing around during the dog days of summer, Mr. Lieber decided to stop putting off money related tasks and create a fiscal health day.
Now we love the coverage, but what we really loved is the lesson shared. There is so much we can do everyday to make our lives better from an economic point of view, and we encourage you to follow in Mr. Lieber's footsteps, creating your own financial health day. Figure out where you can pinch pennies, how you can save more and guarantee overall better fiscal fitness. Be it finally balancing the checkbook, organizing the bank statements, cutting back on the things you don't need, freezing your credit cards or starting a high interest bearing SmartyPig account like Mr. Lieber did, creating a day for getting your finances in order is a step in the right direction.
Another step in the right direction? Letting us pay you for your ideas!
Tell us what YOU would do to improve your finances on your very own fiscal health day by leaving a comment below. We'll randomly select 3 entries and send those chosen, a $100, $50 or $25 SmartyPig gift card in the order in which they were drawn.
Post time ends on Monday, July 13th at 3pm CST. We're looking forward to hearing all of the creative ways you're improving your fiscal health.
Good luck!
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175 Comments
On my fiscal health day I redid my budget to move some extra money towards paying off my car early. I was also able to negotiate a better package deal for internet and cable, saving over $50 a month. I canceled a Y membership I hadn't used in months, and was also able to save money by using some of my savings to pay off a credit card with a small balance, but a 15% rate! I also called to negotiate this rate down to 10%.
I have started eating more meals at home and taking left overs for lunch rather than dining out 3-4 times weekly and then again another 4-5 daily for lunch.
Quit eating out at restaurants (fast food especially). Take the time to shop for healthy foods on sale at the grocery store and make easy healthy meals at home. This way you will be helping your fiscal health as well as your physical health!
I'm going to start a "money" diary to see exactly where our money is being spent!
I bring lunches to work instead of ordering out, and I publicly post my financial expenditures each month to help hold myself responsible for my financial decisions. It also helps inspire other people to do the same.
1. Re-evaluate all subscription services.
2. Create a payoff plan for credit card debt.
3. Explore trading in the car that nickels and dimes us to death.
4. Find 3 things to sell online.
5. Find a better online bank.
6. Write a grant proposal to have someone payoff my student loans or the downpayment on a house (gotta have some fun!)
My wife and I have gone back to cooking everymeal and planning out our menu in advance. This helps us to better manage our food budget.
Start my emergency fund now!
I would do what I could to stabilize my budget and truly come up with a monthly spending plan. Instead of the small expenses that I accrue at work from buying a quick snack or water, I could plan accordingly by bringing a lunch or other things.
I'd also go over my student loan debt in-dept and figure out the best payments to make since their interest rates and amounts vary.
So much that would need to be done. Here are some examples...
1. Estimate upcoming large expenses and set up SmartyPig accounts for each.
2. Call around for auto and home insurance quotes.
3. Make sure my debt snowball is on track and adjust as needed.
I plan to have a financial health day in a few months, shortly after I'm married. First on the list: consolidating and shopping around for new insurance. After that, I'll probably look into consolidating my high-interest private student loans into a lower-but-still-high-interest personal loan.
After some unexpected major home repairs and the birth of our son, responsible financial behavior has become extremely important in our home. The best decisions we made were to stop using credit cards, set up a $1000 emergency fund, and simply live within your means. "Stuff" is not important, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy leisure time without spending it on needless gadgets and toys. Be creative and enjoy life!
Similar to other commentators:
I redid my budget and evaluated nearly all my expenses.
Moreover, for areas where there was a flexible amount spent per month (i.e., Food), I set new goals to be 10% below my current average.
Additionally, I added the potential savings to be distributed among my emergency fund and slush fund.
I have my savings divided up on paper for a house payment, emergency, etc., but it looks like i'm going to need to buy a car soon, which i didn't account for. On my financial health day, i would sit down and reassign my savings, and figure out how much i can spend on a new vehicle.
I'm going to work out a schedule to travel to a different supermarket. I live in expensive Lincoln Park, Chicago, where independent price-gouging supermarkets dominate. It is always easier to visit them several times a week than to take a big load.
I'm going to find a cheaper supermarket, get a "granny cart" that people take on the CTA busses, and start saving!!
I'd figure out how much and what kind of life insurance I need to buy, and get it done.
I reevaluated my finances and figured out I could afford to pay $90 extra per month towards paying off my student loans! This should help me get rid of those pesky notes much more quickly.
I have cancelled the cable, because there is free tv to watch, found a higher rate savings account, got an interest bearing checking account, and only buy groceries once a week because it cuts down on impulse buys.
I will create a document that details all my accounts and online passwords for my family in the event of my death. I will also create a new budget and savings plan since I just got a promotion and will be getting a raise.
I am going to start using smarty pig to save for all of my big purchases from now on in addition to my saving just to save account I already have.
1 - File any important bills and shred the rest
2 - Get a credit report and make sure there isn't anything unexpected on it
3 - Update existing budget based on a new mortgage rate, new cars, and current student loan debt. Revise online banking with any budget changes.
4 - Determine any large expenditures (>1k) for rest of year and FY 10 through FY 15
5 - Finish will
Teach my kids how to set savings goals using SmartyPig. That way, by the time they're able to live as adults, they'll know the value (and fun) of savings versus purchasing on credit. God knows in this day and age, kids who haven't learned the savings lesson, most likely end up back with their mums and dads until they dig themselves out of that debt. My $.02 opinion.
I planned to buy a coffee maker and bring my coffee on the go instead of dropping by the window for a latte. The saving is almost $800/year for a $40 investment. And I'm saving 5 minutes in the morning!
I am cutting down my Starbucks Coffee and making my own coffee at home in the mornings! I am even planning on substituting coffee with Orange juice 2 days in a week for starters. Save money and better health (again save money)!
I plan on stopping the bad habit of moving my money around in my budget areas just because I went over budget in one area. I should not be going over. if I go over, I should be required to be allocated less in the following budget period.
spent a day recording all my finances into moneydance because i work on both windows and macs. (works on both using same file format.) found out that i was spending money on internet services that i never used, buying expensive groceries that i didn't need to, and that my investment property was losing me money each month. sold the property, deleting the services, and shopping more frugally. saved over $1000 a month. :)
on my fiscal health day I set future goals I wanted to hit and setup a total of 7 goals on smartypig! Whatever is left in the checking account is less guilty spending.
I went techie and made a spreadsheet budget to automatically update savings goals and expenses. Then I downloaded all my revolving credit balances into a pivot table and graphed my progress in eliminating debt.
I would take the day to evaluate all my subscription services and look for ways to cut those bills down, i.e. cable, internet, phone, cell phone plans and options, etc. Then I would take some time that day to plan more meals at home and to motivate myself, I would look add up all my expenses from eating out for the past month. I know it's a lot but I would add it up to confirm that I need to plan more meals at home and stop eating out so much.
My financial health day is usually Saturday morning, on the patio with a cup of tea and my calculator.
Last week I finally cut off internet services (torture!)to cut corners. My biggest budget buster is grocery shopping. I've banned myself from the Safeway for the next 2 weeks.I need to deplete the food in my cupboards and fridge before buying more. I have way too much food for one person. Finally, I've started tacking $50 dollar bills to my tack board every pay period. I'm not saving for anything in particular. While I enjoy my Smarty Pig account, sometimes I just like to visually see my money grow before my eyes. Hopefully the whole tack board should be covered up completely by Sept/Oct.
I would bring lunch instead of eating out. Use youtube to listen to a song instead of buying it on iTunes on impulse. Go to the library instead of buy the book from Amazon. Those are just 3 of the things I plan to do.
On my fiscal health day I would ...
1. Start a Roth IRA and invest in index funds.
2. Start a SmartyPig savings account to save for my future wedding.
3. Apply for a Schwab Visa card (also mentioned in the article) which gives better cash-back rewards than my current one.
4. Sell some Stuff I don't need on eBay and craigslist, and put that money towards my student loan debt snowball.
Hmm ... maybe I'll start my fiscal health day today!
My husband has started taking lunches to work, I'm cooking more dinners at home and not buying coffee at Dunkin Donuts as much. These measures should save us some money, and keep away the extra calories!
Brew my own coffee, take lunch to work (and lunch is leftovers from dinner), eat in, coupon like a fiend and stockpile freebies, buy only what's on sale and make our meal menu from that.
In one word, Mint. Mint.com has really helped me set budgets and track spending. The email alerts when I'm approaching these budgets is also really handy.
brew my own coffee, use credit cards with rewards and always pay in full, take lunch and the lunch is leftovers from dinner, eat in, plan menus based on sale items each week at grocery, and coupon like a fiend
I put together a budget app with Google Spreadsheets complete with a form to submit expenditures (since I wanted to be able to access it from anywhere). To track credit card spending, I tag CC purchases with #cc (yeah, a hashtag) and a second tag for which card they're on, then load the whole thing into an sqlite database at the end of the month and figure out how big the credit card payments need to be to pay those - plus a certain amount to pay down CC debt.
SmartyPig has been a huge asset for me as far as savings. I set aside some money for PAX this year so it won't impact my budget for September as much, or hopefully at all.
Also, I switched to a bank that provides 3.05% APR on checking with no minimums and no fees - Verity Credit Union for WA residents. It's a little bit devious because it means there's not as much going to savings, but that's what SmartyPig is for. :D
I plan to list all my loans in a spreadsheet and track my payoffs each month. I'll print it and post it in my home office to give me a visual of my progress.
I have started by having a $1000 emergency fund through Smartypig and I also funded our vacation this year month's in advance of it occurring also through Smartypig. My husband and I cut up all of our credit cards and haven't used one in a year. We have also cut down on eating out tremendously. It's so much nicer to sit at the table with my family. Now, I plan to balance my checkbook and get all of my statements/bills in order.
I find I spend less money if I have a good book to read. I would payoff my library fine and start letting the string of letters flow into my mind.
I have been making salads to bring to work for lunch, instead of paying the $7.00 for sandwiches in the cafeteria. My lentil salad and my roasted corn and black bean salads have been the best! Cheap to make, healthy, and good!
I also spent $32 to replace the tires es on my bike, so have been riding into work 2-3 times per week. It's actually a pretty fun, healthy, and is actually faster than taking the bus. However, it still takes about 15 minutes longer than driving...
I've been systematically scoping out apartments closer to work so I can move when my lease is up. I'll be able to bike to work and save money I would have been spending on metro fare (~$1000/year).
Fiscal health day = any day I stick to my budget!
I would get my will written and some insurance needs taken care of. This is usually something someone puts off but I am going to do this real soon. Of course, I will need to adjust my budget. :) Thank you.
One of the things I would do on my fiscal health day is organize my various social security, pension, and retirement account statements. My generation (I'm in my early forties) is unlike my parents' generation, which often stuck to one employer for their entire working lives. I've been in a lot of jobs, and have thankfully vested in a couple of pensions, but I don't feel like I have a handle on where all of my retirement benefits are and what they add up to.
The number one thing that I'd need to do is roll over an old 401k into a IRA. I also love the idea of going on a gift card spending spree. I have about 5 burning a hole in my pocket. I would then call each of my credit card companies to see if I can get any rate improvements or better options. Hmmm, I'd then see if I had any extra cash to go towards my highest rate card balance.
I've started clipping coupons and buying things only on sale. I eat out only occasionally as opposed to daily in the past.
The Results of My Fiscal Day: A Poem
No more cable,
Sell some books,
Pay down credit cards(off the hook!)
One less haircut
Every year
(Also less hair there, I fear.)
All the small cuts
add up fast
I'll be SAVING! (Joy! At Last!)
Clean the garage out,
(Go Ebay!)
Think of SmartyPig
Everyday!
I plan to cash in my savings bonds that are currently making 0% and stash the money into my Smarty Pig goals for a much better rate!
Every day is fiscal health day ;-)
- buy things when they are on sale if they are things that you would need to buy anyway (especially good for frozen goods or non-time-sensitive purchases)
- look at your larger bills and limit these high value purchases (e.g. expensive restaurants vs. decent ones, trendy clothes, out-of-season fruit, etc.)
- think about what you need vs. what you're used to having
- grind your own coffee
we did a whole mess of things, more like a month of tuneup, not a day...
-signed up for Mint (mint.com) and really found where our Latte factor was (now not spending over $500 a month)
-shifted all of our bill paying to the 3rd and 17th of each month no matter when they are due (no longer paying late fees!)
-increased our contributions to all automatic programs (ESP, 401k, IRA, FlexSpend)
-established a SmartyPig account (for our vacation in 2010)
-got rid of a storage unit ($200/month) and held a garage sale of the contents (over $700)
-bought a freezer to store foods and shifted purchases of staple items from local hi end market to Costco (unreal savings and less eating out)
-turned off automatic purchases to such thngs as iTunes, Amazon to make me think twice before buying
-discontinued services from netflix, blockbuster, cable and moved all movie rentals to Apple TV (no more late charges, travel, subscriptions)
Overall - our day off has turned around our finances and we are no longer afraid of our financial future. We now open each bill happily, review the bill pay to doubt check the amount, and file the bill payed, with amazing peace of mind and many times money left over.
Also - this new strategy for us has really reduced the stress and strain on our marriage, and we have found enough money to begin to have date nights, and buy small gifts and live a little. Life is fun again.
-christopher
Summer is tough for us to save money, since every night is a practice or baseball game or another activity which makes eating at home difficult. One area that is small but will continue to add up over the summer is saying "no" to the endless requests for sports drinks from my kids and filling water bottles at home. Better for their health (have you seen the sugar content in those drinks?), better for the environment and $1.50 or more stays in my pocket with each one.
I followed his advice and opened a smartypig account.
1) go through items in my house to put on ebay or craigslist, and search out what i can contribute to a friend's garage sale
2) start putting aside $50 per paycheck to build up my "just in case" fund
3) cook meals at home, buying ingredients from farmer's markets and getting extras from friends' gardens and fruit trees, then working meals around those
4) freezing fruits, veggies, and other perishables so there is less waste
1) Close my BoA CD and switch to bonds/another SmartyPig goal
2) Close my Money Market Account
3) Get an Amex Blue instead of local credit union credit card
I'm taking all the money I use to eat out and putting that towards groceries to bring my own lunch and taking the left over and using it to pay down credit card debt
I recently sat down and moved most of my emergency fund money from a lower-interest Ally savings account to my higher-interest Smarty Pig account. I started a spreadsheet that tracks my savings balance, and I am working toward an 8-month emergency fund.
I also started couponing in earnest a few months ago (thank you, moneysavingmom.com!) and am now regularly saving 50% in groceries and household goods whenever I go to the store. I am tracking my grocery expenses more closely each month and challenging myself to reduce my overall total by 10% each month.
I plan on calling the cable company to lower my bill. I've been eating at home a lot more, and I've been saving for all of the stuff I want using SmartyPig instead of using my credit card.
1. Review spending over the last year to look for money sinks.
2. Pull credit reports and evaluate any old and stagnant accounts.
3. Review latest credit card offers to look for the one that would maximize rewards since I only use the credit card as a way to accumulate rewards, not as a debt vehicle.
4. See if there are any upcoming goals I should be creating a new smartypig account for ;-)
5. Rebalance my retirement accounts
6. Stop Junk Mail - mainly to reduce identity theft chances, but also just because it's wasteful.
I would review both of my credit card bills and find out if there are any charges I could have done without. I would stop watching for good deals on electronic/computer components because I have enough already. I would map out the costs associated with owning instead of renting my home and plan my budget accordingly.
I brew my own coffee and make coffee drinks at home, saving about $50 a month!
After reading the NYT article I took my own "financial literacy day"- I worked to educate myself about various financial terms that are often thrown around- what exactly is a money market account? What is a bear market? How does one choose a mutual fund? It's amazing what I learned in one day! It was on that day that I started my SmartyPig account, and moved a lot of my savings to here for a great interest rate! I also found another website which I am absolutely loving: www.mint.com. It lets you view all of your financial accounts (including SmartyPig!) in one place, and adds them all up so you can see the bottom line.
I'm generally pretty good at keeping my budget up-to-date and be aware of my spending... so on my fiscal health day I would do those things that take more time and dedication to complete :
1) Estimate all upcoming expenses and set up some more Smartypig goals. :D
2) Evaluate utility bills and see if I could save money by installing more energy efficient appliances or possibly shopping around for new providers (i.e. Internet)
3) Evaluate insurance policies, whether I have sufficient or too much coverage, and shop around for additional quotes.
4) Write a family "mission statement" for our finances, establishing strong values with which we can raise children and by which we can measure our purchasing decisions.
I remodeled my own kitchen to save on labor costs. We also try to eat at home as much as possible to avoid spending a lot on eating out.
1)I stopped buyingbottled water and bought a BPA free drinking bottle to carry water with me, our Municiple water is really good.
2) Stopped buying Coffee at the Cafe's and started grinding my own.
3) Coupons Clipping and following the Store sales.
4) Reduced utility bills by unplugging items when not in use.
5) and off course set up and contribute to my SmartyPig Goals.
I have been writing down every transaction so that I will be able to eliminate costs once I see where it is all going. At work one of my coworkers and I buy a case of soda instead of paying .50-1.00 a can from the machines.
Best thing ANYONE can (and should) do is attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.
Without those "health days" I would have NEVER found or even considered SmartyPig.
1. Sell my old books on ebay/amazon
2. Get rid of the landline phone
3. Learn how to cook to eat out less
4. Best one of all: Start a SmartyPig account
1. Discontinued satellite service and instead started watching t.v. via Hulu which is free.
2. Discontinued A.T.&T landline service and are using internet based long distance (VoIP). At 2 cents a minute anywhere in the world it is a great way to save money. We don't have a monthly fee either or any of the A.T.&T fees.
3. Used 26% less electricity and gas so we got a 20% rebate from P.G.&E on our spring utility bill.
4. Opened two smarty pig accounts. One for the 2010 Sep Ira contribution and the other for travel expenses next spring.
I started saving when I realized that I could end up like some people with tens of thousands of dollars in debt after watching Suze Orman on Oprah. Ever since I do the following at least once a week.
1. Read Suze Orman articles, as well as check CNN money, smart money. Reading these online sources remind me to keep going with my financial goals and keep me updated on any way to save extra money.
2. Review my finances to make sure I'm on track and didn't spend too much money on latte's or lunch during that week.
3. Check out my bank's website for any kind of updates such as a cashback rewards feature on my credit and debit card FREE of charge.
4. Go fishing. Fun, outdoor activity and if you're lucky you can get dinner for free! =)
Break open a box of mac & cheese instead of going out to dinner.
1) I would call up our insurance company and see if we're on track.
2) Call up the social security folks and get myself linked to my husband's social security number. I never did this since I didn't take my husband's name.
3) Order up my free credit reports and make sure they're right.
define my savings goals more clearly and finally starting an emergency fund. And looking to eliminate needless utilities, such as a pay-as-you go plan instead.
To improve our financial health, I have done the following,
1. Increased the deductible on both our home & auto insurance to the maximum allowed. Since we have been funding our emergency fund, we can take more of a financial hit in the event of something going wrong with either of those things.
2. Making a grocery list (and sticking to it). Actually finishing leftovers of meals planned and cooked.
3. We took advantage of cashing in credit card points to make some necessary purchases around the house. It took a bit more time figuring out where we could buy the stuff we were looking for and then ordering the gift cards from the credit card but it saved us almost $500. And made sure we actually used the points accrued rather than just hoarding them for "someday".
4. Turned up the thermostat to 76 for the summer. Made sure to schedule the yearly check up/maintenance on our heating and air conditioning unit. also, changed the air filter in our unit.
5. Take out the month's cash at the beginning of the month. Separate it into four weekly envelopes. At the end of each week, deposit any remaining money into savings acct along with regular scheduled savings deposit. It is amazing how much "extra" money you can save if you deposit any extra money remaining at the end of a week a opposed to letting it stay in your general funds.
6. Decluttered the house a bit to have a better idea of what we have, what we need and what needs to get repaired/replaced. I found a ton of stuff like new batteries and other sundries that I now won't buy again needlessly. It is also a great time to clean out your pantry and make a run to the local food pantry with any foodstuffs that you know you won't use that could be used by a needy family. And it helps keep you clear on what you personally use and don't use so that you wont buy the stuff again and spend that money wastefully.
6. Set up the rest of my middle & longer term goals and the plan on how to fund those goals. Planning fun stuff as well as necessary stuff helps keep me focused on why I am creating and sticking to my budget. I need to price out the big anniversary trip my husband and I want to take in a couple of years so that the money is there when we are ready to celebrate a decade of being together. Knowing the money will be there makes planning this trip more fun and more relaxing.
Every day is a fiscal health day for me and an opportunity to think about what I can do on a daily basis to be more fiscally responsible. Here are some steps I've taken recently:
1. Setup an 8 month Emergency Savings Fund via Smarty Pig
2. Reduced my cell phone plan
3. Stopped using all Credit Cards
Buy in bulk! Especially non-perishibles or items on clearance!
Since I'm already broke (repairs to my car took all my savings), I did the next best thing. It was to save with Smartpig!
No more lattes!
We have started writing down every little thing we spend money on to see how it fritters away so fast in $2 and $3 increments sometimes. We are also paying just a little bit more on every debt to get everything down faster. Shopping from the weekly ad, and making 2-3 meals a week meatless - and healthier!
The first thing I'd do to cut back on my spending would be to quit eating out. Then I'd try to shave a few more dollars off my daily budget.
For my fiscal health, I am bringing a brown bag lunch to work more often. Going out to eat is expensive and unhealthy!
Go Used.
Look, I'm so much more of a spender than I am a saver, because I love books and movies and entertainment. But they add up and they add up FAST. A great way to curb spending is to take advantage of programs like Swap-a-CD (or DVD) and Paperbackswap. Trade what you have for something new. Amazon and BN.com both offer "used" (often you can find items in new condition) versions of their inventory for significantly lower prices. For the regular new price of a single item, you can find several items. If you're not keen on web-shopping, most used book and music stores will offer credit in exchange for your previously read or viewed merchandise.
These same programs provide a chance to make some money. Most people read a book or watch a movie once, unless it's a favorite. So, take inventory of your shelves and open a Half.com account to generate your own entertainment funds!
My wife and I set a weekly spending limit and take that amount out in cash each week so we can pace ourselves and not spend more than we budget. Also much less eating out, more meals at home!
I recently got rid of my car, quit paying for parking downtown, quit paying car insurance, gas etc... saving over $200 a month by not having a car that had been paid off for years...
I signed up on notakeout.com and started making weekly meal plans so we don't end up eating out because of laziness.
Been paying with cash instead of using a credit card. This is a sure-fire way to save money because having cash in hand and having to part with it on the spot is much harder than using plastic, signing the receipt, and only worrying about it when the bill comes, hoping you have enough money to pay it off.
1. Call and increase my car insurance deductible.
2. See what I can de-clutter from around the house and sell on eBay.
3. Call and finally roll over money from the 401k at my last job.
I will increase the auto savings amount from my paycheck each pay period, use coupons, eat out less, pay off credit cards, (and I can't believe I am saying this) go shopping less!
Love comment 6 - re-evaluate all subscription services.
I'm due to go over all of my current accounts, balances and rates and all that. I also should go over my financial goals, see the progress I've made so far, update timelines for planned purchases if need be.
I cut expensive lunch meals, I do lunches my self for most of the days. Oh I quit smoking, that saved a lot.
I never used more than 200 txt msgs so I switched my cell phone plan on my G1 .....I blog more keeping up with tech industry...those little things can save big bucks!
Anyways love smartypig.
One thing to always look out for is never forgetting a credit card payment. Most companies offer a reminder email, but I like using Google Calendar. I just create an event on the date a payment is due and configure it to email me reminder(s) how ever many days in advance I want. Then just set the event to repeat on a monthly basis. Really cuts down on the potential of accidentally missing payments.
My wife and I started using a very convenient expense tracking site texthog.com (we guess we're fans of pork-related financial sites!). You simply enter all your expenses via there site or text message along with whatever tag/category of expense it is, and the site gives you very clear reports, graphs and charts to track your spending. Since we started seeing exactly how much we're spending and where we're spending it, it really opened our eyes and made us more conscious of our spending habits.
I have done a few things to try to save every single Penny,so far it is working BIG time. Never in a million years i thought i could be saving so much money:
I stop buying lunch at work, and started bringing food from home. Saving $30/wk Monthly $120.
Stop buying Lattes. Saving $15/wk Monthly $60.
Trade my SUV for a 2 door car. Gas saving a mth $90.
Downgrade my cell phone bill. Monthly saving $40.
Paid off my Credit cards, so no more Interest charges
Stop going out too often, and have limit myself to go out ones a month.
Pretty much i'm trying to live on half of my paycheck, and putting money away for the first time. Half of my paycheck goes to Smartypig, and trying to earn some interest on my money.
Save my change and stop getting coffee in the morning before work!
1. Eat at home instead of at a restaurant.
2. Sell some stuff you don't need on Ebay.
3. Call the cable company and threaten to leave unless you can get a lower rate.
I would do a few things:
1. "Shop" out of my current closet. There is stuff in the very back that hasn't been worn in ages. I'm sure I could put together several new outfits eliminating the "need" to shop for new clothes.
2. I would reevaluate my bills. Call and ask for lower rates and specials.
3. I would put several things up on Ebay, Craigslist, etc. They're sitting in a box waiting for me to have the time. The money made can be tossed in savings.
4. Redo my budget to reflect a few changes over the past few months.
5. Organize a clothing swap party. (See: #1. Perhaps I can fill in some holes in my wardrobe with my friends old cloths...for free)
I have this kind of day about every 3-4 months...I update the excel spreadsheet I began when I started the Dave Ramsey plan so I would know exactly how much debt I have paid off. I love updating that sheet seeing the progress I have made in the last year and a half. Thanks for the contest!
on my fiscal health day i would have a yard sale and finally get rid of the things sitting around the house that we don't use (and that are only depreciating in value). i would then deposit any earnings to snowball my savings goals.
I started my SmartyPig account after receiving a gift card. My goal is to save enough for a motorcycle, which I can ride as an alternative to my car that burns much more fuel.
I plan to cook at home more; I search Google Reader's 'Deals' group to find great deals; I use Craigslist to buy anything used I need; I'm using Craigslist to get rid of unneeded furniture and stuff
Fiscal Health Day, great name!
I got a copy of my credit report, paid off the old, forgotten, lost stuff that was on it.
I stopped impulse buying expensive things, instead building smartypig accounts to save for them allowing time for the price to come down and for me to reconsider the purchases.
I've started giving myself an allowance out of my check that is for spending, and the rest goes into savings accounts. Built my emergency fund and got it where it needs to be.
Not bad progress for only being at this saving thing around a year. Before that I never paid attention to money. I didn't have debilitating debt, but didn't have any savings either. Things are much more relaxed around the house now.
After a "fiscal health day" a few months ago, I started writing down all of the automatic payments (including auto savings) that would be coming out of each paycheck. That way I knew the exact balance I had to work with for the following two weeks.
I transfered money in long-term CDs and opened a SmartyPig account. Very smart.
On my fiscal health day, I opened a Money Market savings account separate from my checking account. I have the money automatically withdrawn from my checking account. To get the higher interest rate on this savings account you have to use it to pay at least two online bills. I set it up to automatically pay my cell phone and internet bills. Not only do I get a decent savings interest rate but I now have to worry about two less bills to pay each month!
Talk to an insurance broker about my car and home insurance. I have never shopped it around and know I can find some significant savings if I do.
Opened a SmartyPig account - increasing my rate of return by 1.4%
I just had my fiscal health day, when I opened up a SmartyPig account. I also tallied my monthly expenses in several categories, identified where I can spend less and what I need to do to meet my current savings goals, and set budgets for each category including a cash budget for daily expenses.
I quit my gym membership and am taking much more affordable classes at the local community center. I get great workouts while making new friends with people in my neighborhood.
On my "fiscal health day," I cleaned up my old truck, canceled the insurance on it, and put it up for sale. Why let that money go to waste on a vehicle I barely drive?
I put my textbooks from the last two years up for sale online. I also changed my cable tv plan to a lower priced option with less channels. Organized all my bank statements and transferred my savings account to a higher interest option.
I listed all my textbooks from the last years online. I changed my cable to a lower priced option. I also switched my savings account to an option with a higher interest rate.
Fiscal Health Day - I now try to pack all my lunches for work and also eat before going out so my stomach is full and I'm less likely to buy junk. Also when making purchases I round all my expenses to the next dollar in my check book and at the end of the month I make an additional addition to my smartypig account with what ever the left over change is! :)
I look on Ravelry for free knitting patterns and keep a list of things I can make for Christmas gifts. Washcloths, hats, and easy scarves are all quick to knit and always appreciated by recipients! I generally buy inexpensive yarn on sale at stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics and Michael's.
1. I would first cut back my expenses on eating out and cook more.
2. Get a copy of my credit report and check its correctness.
3. Use my credit cards wisely and maximize cash back, and pay off all credit card debts full every month.
4. Stay on budget.
5. Open a Roth-IRA.
Transferring money from low interest rate accounts to SmartyPig and shopping "free sales" along the road after yard sales close. And always price stuff online before buying
1. Cut down on red meat in my meals as they are more expensive
2. Drop back to laundering clothes to every 10-12 days from 5-7 days
3. Incrementally increase my savings by 1% and see if it 'hurts', if not, leave it there.
I would rank my savings goals by priority. That way, when money is in short supply, I can delay low priority goals rather than delaying all goals equally.
I would prioritize my savings goals, so when money is scarce, I can delay only the low priority goals...
I'm going to rebalance my portfolio, especially my 401(k) which is probably a bit heavy on bonds after the crash in stocks. It's time to take a look and deal with my new financial reality.
A pack of cigarettes cost almost $7 now, so I quit smoking!
I would take a whole day to go through my student loans one by one and figure out the balance and the interest rate and figure out which one is costing me the most in interest so that I can put some extra money toward it to pay it down quicker.
In the last several months I've taken the following steps:
1. Cut my Netflix account to a cheaper plan.
2. Reviewed and changed to a cheaper phone plan.
3. Combined 3 cell phone plans into a family plan.
Thanks
Ashley Sherer
-Eat out less
-Bring my own soda to work instead of buying from the soda machine
-Remember to use existing gift cards
-Stick to a shopping list
I already started a SmartyPig account to have an emergency fund, built off my tax refund and a monthly withdrawl. I'm also hanging on to my 8 year old car for another year rather than buy something new.
The past few months have been all about making sure that my family is fiscally sound no matter what happens.
We have created a budget and tracked all our spending. This helps us identify our priorities and stick to them.
We have moved family dinner out to family dinner in. Every Sunday we invite our close family to share a home-cooked meal at our house.
We are in the process of researching life insurance, creating contingency plans, and most importantly my husband and I are communicating early and often about how to handle money!
Of course, all our savings is invested in Smartypig accounts!!
I would spend a day setting up some new habits to help us reach a new level of fiscal fitness.
We already monthly review our expenses, stick to a budget, stopped using credit, and we're building savings and paying down debt.
So I would do things like make room for a homegrown garden in the yard, make a meal plan, and set aside some freezer meals, and spend time getting rid of stuff we don't need, and finding little ways to save around the house (cleaning the air filter on the heater, cleaning out the dryer vent, etc.).
We've already tackled a lot of the big stuff, and our plans are humming along nicely, but tackling the little stuff always seems to be on the to-do list, so that's what I'd do.
I would set up direct debit accounts for EVERYTHING so that they are immediately taken out and i don't risk a single late payment!
I started a SmartyPig account to use as a rainy day fund. Have started a track my spending to maximize savings and will now take one day a quarter as a fiscal health day.
I would set out a schedule of when I would eat out and how often. Without a schedule or goal it seems like I I eat out almost every day. That can add up quickly. Also, I would go over my budget and see if there is anything I can do without. When the economy gets rough, its time to go back to basics!
I took a sharpie to my bank card and wrote the names of important purchases I'm saving up for so that whenever I try to use my card for an unnecessary purchase, I'm reminded of my larger savings goals.
I've discovered couponmom.com where you can find local sales and where to find coupons for those sale items, therefore making the purchase price for those items the lowest possible price. Check it out! SmartyPig is also helping me spend within my means and save for things that I normally would charge to a credit card. I am no longer using credit cards!!!
We take our lunch to work every day instead of eating out!
I'm going to create a healthy diet. (One that is reasonable to follow) I am also going to run everyday in the morning and twice a week I am going to work out.
Things I have done or am doing to save $$:
1. Cancel all but one credit cards. Consolidate as much as possible.
2. Carry less cash - somehow cash seems to disappear more quickly, and is harder to keep track of.
3. Pay bills twice per month - 12th and 25th.
4. If possible, pay off entire bill every month.
5. Use online bill pay to pay bills. It is entirely free (a box of checks is quite expensive!) and makes it easier for me to keep track of deadlines.
6. Directly deposit every paycheck into a free checking account. Set aside enough to last me until the next paycheck and transfer the rest into a high-interest savings account (smartypig).
7. Try not to dip into said savings account.
8. Eat in. Pack lunches.
9. Stop browsing shopping websites. Cut impulse buying.
10. Borrow library books. Listen to the radio. Use public transportation, or walk on nice days.
11. Cut land lines (which I rarely use). Cut cable (which I rarely watch).
12. Use coupons. Look for free shipping deals.
13. Plant a garden. Fresh, juicy, organic tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash. Yum.
I started a physical budget for the weekly expenses such as groceries and gas. I put them into envelopes, and this way I pay cash, and ensure I have enough money to cover it. And extra can be rolled into the following weeks in case of a suprise expense or need
I would start by canceling Blockbuster Online and going to Redbox for movies. I would make sure all of my money is in the highest interest bearing savings account.
First, I would refinance my wife's six-figure student loans at all-time-low rates. The new interest rates came out July 1, and she's a med student so that's a huge savings! Second, set up an Emergency Fund - SmartyPig is great for that. Third, to echo Esther's post - set up Direct Deposit. It makes it much easier to transfer money into savings, and also saves your employer money.
We refinanced our 30-year mortgage in January and went down 1.125% points. We had 21 years left at the time so we went down to a 15-year mortgage and rolled the remaining 7K of a car loan into the balance. By not refinancing into the same 30-year option, we're closer to paying off our house and saving more than a 1% of interest on the original mortgage and our car loan.
I cancelled cable & turned off my AC this summer.
I would set up all of my accounts for auto-bill pay to save on the transfer and services fees, and use my health day to organize and balance all of my accounts so that those auto transfers were ready to go and the balances were adequate.
I'd set up automatic bill pay for everything and use that day to balance all of my accounts and make sure there were adequate funds in my account for each thing, with no last minute scrambling.
Set up an automatic payment for the minimum on my credit card, so I never forget to make a payment. Use the library instead of Barnes and Noble. Bike instead of drive, when I can.
I would start paying cash for everything instead of using my credit card and paying it off each month. I've always wanted to see if the "pain" of paying for something in cash makes me spend less.
A few months ago, I looked into what rates I could get from my credit card companies-one offered me 2.74% for the life of the loan and provided me with checks. I paid off a car loan that was $12,000 at 4.50%, as well as making a payment against my mortgage (which was at 5.15%.
Also, i always bring bags with me when I go shopping-most grocery stores will give you $.10 off per bag and you would be helping the environment!
Every Sunday night, I map out my personal errand and work to do list. I map out exactly what needs to be done and where, then apply the most efficient routes of getting there, making sure I can do errands near each other at the same time. This saves me time and gas money!
My fiscal health day is the day I get my first check after I receive a raise. I go over my budget and increase my savings by half and use the other half for fun goals like travel, shopping sprees, etc
I have a program on my phone which allows me to input all of my purchases. I can then track how much I am spending on for instance eating out. Once I saw how much money I'd spent in restaurants, I made a decision to cook more. A simple program like that has been very helpful.
i would sit down and re-do my budget. try to figure out some kind of meal planning/shopping/couponing strategy. research and actually try to understand my 401k and understand where my money is going and if i need to change anything. organize all of my online banking login and password info. organize all of my piles of statements and old paper copies of bills.
I recalculated all our of bills in a given month (with groceries and gas estimated) and found a pile of extra money that was somehow getting spent on 'wants'. I did some figuring on our credit card and furniture payments and how we can get things paid off by using that extra money towards payments. There's no sense in paying a minimum payment on a credit card and then having half of it get tacked back on in interest! The sooner we can get rid of those cards, the more we can put aside in our SmartyPig account. Woo hoo! The end is in sight! I'm pleased to say that I haven't swiped my credit card since last October!!
I use mint.com to track all my expenses. I'm much more aware of my spending habits and redid my budget. I've set up SmartyPig accounts to have an emergency fund and to help with my student loan payments. Renting in a big city means every penny counts, but also means it's easier to save. For the past two months, I've walked to work every day and bring my own lunch!
I never had money left for savings after paying my bills, but now I have 4 different savings goals with Smarty Pig and have money deducted weekly. I can still pay my bills, and now I have savings too!
I'd take the day to finish my budget, esp. with regards to all the known, big-ticket items that I have to pay annually (auto insurance, registration, inspection, tires, etc.) and put those into a SmartyPig savings plan.
I no longer impulse buy but read through the weekly flyers carefully looking for bargains and planning my shopping route on Saturdays. I have saved quite a bit lately doing this.
I just had a Financial Health Day this past week and my peace of mind is at an all-time high. I negotiated my car insurance and used the savings to increase my student loan payment by $30/month which will pay off my loan 6 months faster, saving me $600 in interest. I also recalibrated my direct deposit so more money goes into savings and not checking where it is easily spent.
I just started tracking our spending (dining out, groceries, etc) on Google doc spreadsheet templates. I can put in the budget for the month, and see how much I have left after each deduction. The best thing is that I can share the file with my fiance, we can access it on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It really helps us to be on the same page with our spending, and to see where we can cut back.
lose my land line
lose cable
lose credit cards
buy groceries at Angel foods ministry
make my own laundry soap
emergency fund
I recently started tracking my spendings (groceries, dining out, etc) on Google Doc spreadsheet templates. By creating a budget for each category at the beginning of month, I can see how much there's left to spend after each deduction. The best thing about it is that I can share the files with my fiance, the files can be accessed on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It has really helped us to be on the same page with our spending. Just being able to see how much we spend gives us an overall picture of what we can do to change our habits, and shows us where we can cut back.
I stopped going to Starbucks everyday.
I save all my five dollar bills.
I transfer all overtime into my savings
I stop buying books and started using my library card
On the days we don't have lunch at work, I bring my lunch
I use Smarty Pig to save for large purchases
I put my atm card to my credit union savings acct in an enveloped marked do not open for year.
I recently started tracking my spendings (groceries, dining out, etc) on Google Doc spreadsheet templates. By creating a budget for each category at the beginning of month, I can see how much there's left to spend after each deduction. The best things about it is that I can share the files with my fiance, the files can be accessed on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It has really helped us to be on the same page with our spending. Just being able to see how much we spend gives us an overall picture of what we can do to change our habits, and shows us where we can cut back.
We will be doing this later in the year. Our activities will include getting the will finalized, life insurance updated, debt snowball payoff and having savings mapped out (to include Smarty Pig target savings accounts). Also, we will be doing not only a financial cleanup but also prepping for charitable donations up to our max tax allowance.
1)Go through all my financial papers and accts
2)Re-do my budget to eliminate as many "wants" as I could.
3)Clean and find as many items as I could to sell online
4)Lay down on a grassy spot and stare up at the clouds - remembering at care-free time in my youth when I didn't ever worry about money.
I'm planning to move next month and so I'm looking for an apartment close to work. Though this may cost a bit more in monthly rent, it will allow me to walk, bike, or take public transit to work meaning I'll save money on gas and possibly reduce my insurance costs as an occasional driver. However, I'll also be getting more regular exercise this way so I won't need a gym membership and can hopefully stay healthy to avoid future health care costs.
Since March I've set up 5 accounts w/Smartypig, 3 colleges savings (for my brothers and cousin) and 2 personal accounts (a laptop for work & apartment security deposit). In order to contribute to the accounts, began living on several budgets each tackling education, debt, bills & utilities. My fiscal health day will include reevaluating several memberships & subscriptions (ex.. gym, premium cable), and placing the savings towards my own college loans. I would like to create another account that would tackle my only debt, student loans. It's quite difficult saving for college when you are still paying it off.
I recently started tracking my spendings (groceries, dining out, etc) on Google Doc spreadsheet templates. By creating a budget for each category at the beginning of month, I can see how much there's left to spend after each deduction. The best things about it is that I can share the files with my fiance, the files can be accessed on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It has really helped us to be on the same page with our spending. Just being able to see how much we spend gives us an overall picture of what we can do to change our habits, and shows us where we can cut back.
Since March I've set up 5 accounts w/Smartypig, 3 colleges savings (for my brothers and cousin) and 2 personal accounts (a laptop for work & apartment security deposit). In order to contribute to the accounts, began living on several budgets each tackling education, debt, bills & utilities. My fiscal health day will include reevaluating several memberships & subscriptions (ex.. gym, premium cable), and placing the savings towards my own college loans. I would like to create another account that would tackle my only debt, student loans. It's quite difficult saving for college when you are still paying it off.
Since March I've set up 5 accounts w/Smartypig, 3 colleges savings (for my brothers and cousin) and 2 personal accounts (a laptop for work and apartment security deposit). In order to contribute to the accounts, began living on several budgets each tackling education, debt, bills and utilities. My fiscal health day will include reevaluating several memberships and subscriptions (ex.. gym, premium cable), and placing the savings towards my own college loans. I would like to create another account that would tackle my only debt, student loans. It's quite difficult saving for college when you are still paying it off.
1 evaluate all our bills and see if we can reduce them
2 cook at home and bring the leftovers to work for lunch
3 start saving for the "what ifs" in life a better
4 review credit reports
Finally taking pictures (and listing!) all of the larger baby-related items we've been meaning to sell (high chair, exersaucer, etc). Should bring in some extra cash and the big bonus will be all the extra space!
Since March I've set up 5 accounts with Smartypig, 3 colleges savings for my brothers and cousin and 2 personal accounts a laptop for work and apartment security deposit. In order to contribute to the accounts, I began living on several budgets each tackling education, debt, bills and utilities. My fiscal health day will include reevaluating several of my memberships and subscriptions, ex.. gym, premium cable, and placing the savings towards my own college loans. I would like to create another account that would tackle my only debt, student loans. It's quite difficult saving for college when you are still paying it off.
I've started to have more money come out of my paychecks go towards saving. When I don't see the money I won't spend it as easily.
I will enjoy the day by not spending any money.
I recently started tracking my spendings (groceries, dining out, etc) on Google Doc spreadsheet templates. By creating a budget for each category at the beginning of month, I can see how much there's left to spend after each deduction. The best things about it is that I can share the files with my fiance, the files can be accessed on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It has really helped us to be on the same page with our spending. Just being able to see how much we spend gives us an overall picture of what we can do to change our habits, and shows us where we can cut back.
Since March I've set up 5 accounts with Smartypig, 3 colleges savings (for my brothers and cousin) and 2 personal accounts (a laptop for work and apartment security deposit). In order to contribute to the accounts, I've began living on several budgets each tackling education, debt, bills and utilities. My fiscal health day will include reevaluating several memberships and subscriptions (ex.. gym, premium cable) and entertainment (reduce restaurants visits and night life, and placing the savings towards my own college loans. I would like to create another account that would tackle my only debt, student loans. It's quite difficult saving for college when you are still paying it off.
I recently started tracking my spendings (groceries, dining out, etc) on Google Doc spreadsheet templates. By creating a budget for each category at the beginning of month, I can see how much there's left to spend after each deduction. The best things about it is that I can share the files with my fiance, the files can be accessed on any computer, and there's only one copy floating around. It has really helped us to be on the same page with our spending. Just being able to see how much we spend gives us an overall picture of what we can do to change our habits, and shows us where we can cut back.
I am going to start paying off my balance on my credit card. No more paying off just my minimum.
we're going to look into Gold & Silver as a way to out-pace the inflation that is coming as a result of the FED's doubling the amount of US dollars in circulation!