Going into the home stretch of the holiday season, your wallet is probably feeling a little stretched. Even if you’ve finished holiday shopping, there probably will be more expenses coming in the way of food and holiday gatherings. Stay on budget with these tips for a festive and frugal holiday party. 1. Go Simple, Think Presentation You don’t have to get fancy appetizers and drinks to make the party special. Instead, focus on presentation. For example, you can use small votive candle holders as individual serving cups for veggies. You can also break out the tablecloth for a more elegant…

Probably one of the most consistent messages you’ll hear about managing your personal finances is that you need to have a budget. But there are a few myths swirling around about budgets, and maybe one of them is preventing you from budgeting properly. It’s time to quash them so you can get your finances on track! 1. You Need Specific Tools A budget doesn’t require expensive software, or even a computer. If you’re more comfortable, you can keep your budget on a pad of paper. All you need to do is figure out your monthly net income and your monthly…

Almost everyone has to tackle financial issues at some point in their life. It could be you lost your job, got sick, or have an overwhelming amount of debt you’re dealing with, but whatever the reason, recovery can seem impossible. You’re not alone. And you will get through this. Sometimes it helps to be mindful of the steps you can take to get back on the right track. 1. Acceptance You’re not going anywhere if you keep sitting around wondering what happened and are afraid to take any action. Come to terms with the reality of your situation, but also acknowledge…

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that if Americans put 3% of their salaries towards a retirement plan, it still may not be enough for a comfortable retirement. The problem is many people don’t even want to part with that 3%. In fact, almost half of the people surveyed had no retirement funds at all. And many of those who are contributing to a 401(k) are not putting in the required amount to get their full employer match, leaving $42,855 behind on average per year. As these people get closer to retirement, the savings crunch can be extremely stressful and the well-deserved break…

If you’ve been making plans to try to be debt-free, sometimes it helps to look at those who actually are debt-free. By learning from them you’ll find there are some easy things you can do to get things rolling in the right direction. Pay Attention to Your Finances It is always important to know how much money you have and where your money is going.  You may be paying for things you no longer use, such as gym memberships or magazine subscriptions, which is money you could be saving. Make a point to log into online banking and review your…