When it comes to holiday food, leftovers are inevitable. Some may be excited about this, but others may not know what to do – and no one wants waste! We’ll walk you through how to manage the holiday mess to ensure you’re getting the most out of your holiday investment. Get Leftovers Put Away Promptly Food should not be left at room temperature for long. Keep the time on the table to less than two hours. This will give everyone plenty of time for leftovers while also keeping the food safe. If you have guests driving long distances, be sure…

With today’s technology, there is no need to travel in the chilly air to get to your favorite department store or “Mom and Pop shop” for holiday shopping. You can do all of your shopping right from your home computer; the world of e-commerce is right at your fingertips! But with “the world” just a click away, the abundance of information that’s presented to you may become overwhelming. That’s why the Federal Trade Commission has offered tips to help you get the best deals. The bottom line: Some extra research can really pay off. Set a Budget. Create a gift…

If you spend any time analyzing your spending, you’ll probably see a large portion of your money going towards groceries. With a little effort, you can reduce the impact groceries have on your wallet. 1. Plan Your Meals Create a menu for the week prior to going to the grocery store. Having a list will ensure you’re only getting the items you need – just don’t cave and get extra snacks! 2. Check Out Discount Grocery Stores Instead of automatically heading to your usual chain, figure out what discount options are in your area. Chains like Aldi often have much lower prices…

Holiday meals tend to get extravagant thanks to traditions and the general spirit of the holidays. More often than not, people budget for how much they will spend on gifts this season without thinking about the added cost of food. While it’s easy to put your diet on hold for the festivities, your finances are not as easy to ignore. Here are five ways you can avoid losing more than you need to this season. Stock Up Early Take inventory of what you have and start making a list of what you need. Basics like flour, pumpkin, spices, cranberry sauce,…

Navigating automobile financing can be one of the biggest financial headaches you’ll encounter. But, unless you want to walk everywhere, it’s something you’ll have to deal with. The biggest hurdle is figuring out the angles and understanding the entities that stand to profit from the transaction. Let’s go through some of the more challenging parts of automotive financing by addressing some of the questions about automobile financing your dealer hopes you won’t ask. 1) How do dealerships secure financing? Car dealers usually have a department that is responsible for setting up financing and insurance (commonly referred to as “F&I”). These…