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Every winter, there are reminders to do an energy audit of your home. An inefficient appliance here, some outdated insulation there can create a daily drain on your energy bill that adds up to hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. That may not be the only place you are leaking money though.
Consider doing a similar audit of your budget. Is your money well-insulated from unnecessary fees and expenses? Here are seven items that could be costing you savings.
READ MOREErica Boles remembers when she first fell in love with travel: “I was in college and went to Los Angeles [from West Virginia]. It was the first time I really had an adventure on my own,” she says. Fast forward seven years and Boles is an accomplished professional in Raleigh, NC, who has created a spending plan that serves her passion for globe-trotting.
READ MOREToday’s low-interest-rate environment means that consumers have to do everything they can to pick up the slack. When interest is hard to come by, it is especially important not to let any opportunity to earn interest go to waste. One way to do this is to make sure your savings are properly segmented.
Different types of bank accounts have differing characteristics to meet a range of needs. Your job is to make sure you match your money with the right type of account.
READ MORESavers don’t only marry savers. Sometimes they marry spenders.
But that’s OK, as long as the savers understand that they’re hitching themselves to partners who’d rather spend their paychecks than stash them in a certificate of deposit.
“Spenders and savers are often attracted to each other. And that’s great…
READ MOREA certificate of deposit (CD) is a type of savings account that allows you to earn a higher rate of interest than a traditional savings account. The “catch” is that you have to leave your money in the CD for a certain amount of time (the term of the CD) or else you’ll usually incur a fee for early withdrawal. CDs can provide you with a great option for increasing your savings especially if you select the CD that is right for you.
READ MOREOut of sight, out of mind: It’s the mantra that keeps ice cream out of your freezer when you’re trying to slim down. If something desirable is right in front of your nose, it’s hard not to reach for it.
If you struggle with spending and saving, you may find that your wallet–and your checking account–are but brief rest stops for your hard-earned cash. Savings goals can be hard to meet when your debit card and checkbook are close at hand.
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