Spring-Clean Your Car on a Budget

Get the salt and grime out of your tires.

As the warm months settle in, you are going to be cleaning more than your window sills. Spring cleaning is not just about removing clutter, but getting in the mindset to take on spring and summer. In addition to your home and backyard, a place that will surely need a solid cleaning session is your car.

When summer hits, it’s great to drive with the windows down and listen to your favorite song on the radio. Every day in the spring and summer months is like a celebration. But if you are driving around with salt stains from the winter on your vehicle’s fenders and still have extra gloves in the back seat, then you are not as ready as you think. Continue reading…

Find Hidden Cash with Spring-Cleaning

Get rid of those cards causing you to spend.

Spring-cleaning means more than just lightening your closets and wiping down window sills – it means taking a look at your finances and clearing away those items that are holding you back from being as financially stable as you’d like to be. Certainly there are subscriptions you acquired or memberships you took up that you didn’t get as much use out of as you thought. Now is the time to take a good hard look at these expenses and decide if they are necessary.

Obviously there is not a single task list that applies to everyone, but for some guidance on how to spring-clean your finances, check these out:

Review your budget

Take a look at how you spent money during the winter to find areas for improvement. While you paid additional for items like heating and you think these expenses won’t be included in the spring or summer budget, these warm months have expenses unique from other seasons. Continue reading…

Car Paint Problems: The Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Image via CarAdvice.

Your car’s paint job will show signs of wear and tear over time. Even the most mindful driver will have to weather some bumps and bruises at some point. However, there are things you can do to extend the life of the finish and keep your car looking its best.

Here are some common problems as well as prevention and treatment techniques:

Chemical Damage
Chemical damage can be caused by acid rain, tar, sap from a tree and bird droppings. When these things interact with the paint, they cause discoloration and pitting. The longer the substance stays in contact with the paint, the more damage is done.

Treatment
It is important to remove the problem item as soon as possible. Start by seeing if soapy, hot water will work. If that does not help, mix a solution made of 1 tablespoon of baking soda for every 4 cups of water. For these treatments, remember to rinse the car well and dry it off before applying a protective wax coating. Continue reading…

Pay Off Debt by Planning a “No-Spend” Month

Paying off debt often means making lifestyle changes and taking a close look at your spending habits.

Oftentimes, you can make some shortcuts here and there to improve your monthly payments. However, becoming debt-free takes time and patience.

Sometimes, the slow rate of progress can be discouraging. If you have ever felt like paying off old credit card bills and auto loans was taking too long, consider amplifying your payment plan by planning a no-spend month.

A no-spend month means that you will go on a fiscal fast for 30 days as a way to save more money and potentially boost your monthly payments.

Resolutions You Can Make AND Keep For The New Year

2016 is here and many are thinking about how they want to better themselves. Beginning anew in the first month of a new year is a symbolic time to begin a journey toward self-improvement. While the majority of goal-setters are making resolutions to live life to the fullest or to finally get in shape, there are still other aspects of life many can improve on in 2016.

Get Financially Stable

According to Nielsen, one-quarter of people set resolutions to save more and spend less. Even though the promise to pay down debt and begin saving money is made by many year after year, studies show that the majority of Americans are in debt. In fact, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, 80% of people have some form of debt. Continue reading…

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