Get ready for savings on big-ticket items this month! Retailers are looking to bring the crowds back after the big back-to-school storm has passed, and bargain prices are always a great way to attract shoppers. They also need to clear shelves before the holiday season blows in with its shopping frenzy. Add in the Labor Day sales that kick off the month, and it means big savings during September – but not on everything. Here’s what to buy and what to skip in September.
Buy: Mattresses and bedding Mattress sales practically give Labor Day its awesome name, and for good reason. You can find crazy-deep discounts on mattresses this month at almost any retailer that sells them. Top off the deal with some bedding and bath supplies, which are also selling at bargain prices. Be sure to start comparison-shopping at least a week or two before Labor Day to snag the best deal. After all, if you snooze, you lose. Skip: Halloween costumes and décor Retailers might have you thinking Halloween is tomorrow, but you still have plenty of time to prep for Oct. 31. Though Halloween costumes and décor will hit the stores this month, it’s best to hold off on these purchases until October rolls around, as that’s the earliest you’ll start seeing scary-low discounts. Buy: Airfare Since the days are getting shorter, it’s time to think winter! The holidays will be here before you can blink, and if you’re looking to grab airline tickets at a great price, you may want to shop for them now. The best deals on plane tickets usually show up eight weeks before the travel date, and for Thanksgiving, that means you’ll need to buy tickets in September. Look out for deals on tickets at the end of the month to save big on your travel plans. Skip: Autumn wear It’s too early in the season for slashed prices on clothing. Pick up some essentials if you must, but you’re best off waiting until October or November to shop for your complete autumn wardrobe at sizzling-hot prices. Buy: Plants Hold onto summer a little bit longer with some vibrant greenery. All summer plants, trees and shrubs will be retailing at dirt-cheap prices this month as garden centers make room for autumn and holiday plants. This can be a terrific time to upgrade your property’s landscaping with some well-placed perennials. You can also find some fabulous deals on summer flowers, though you may not have much time left to enjoy them. Skip: Electronics Labor Day might bring some incredible deals on big-ticket items, but electronics aren’t among them. Instead, TVs, headphones, audio systems and more tend to see their lowest prices during Black Friday sale events. Wait just a little bit longer and you can snag a fantastic deal on an electronic item you’ve been eyeing for months. Buy: Denim Jeans are a hot item during back-to-school shopping. Come September, retailers will slash prices to unload their unsold inventory. Cash in on a great deal by shopping these sales for a new pair of denim jeans this month. Buy: Beauty and skincare products Early autumn is a great time to stock up on beauty and skincare products. As college students pack up to head back to the dorm and consumers pick up skincare routines, prices may have dropped over the summer. Look for price cuts on products like shampoo, body wash, moisturizer and all kinds of cosmetics from Labor Day and on. It’s back to school, back to work and back to savings this month! Use this guide to know what to buy and what to skip in September. Your Turn: Have you picked up any great bargains in September? Tell us about them in the comments.
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Just when you think they can’t possibly jump any higher, gas prices start rising again. They’ve long passed the $5 mark in much of the country, and in some areas they’ve even gone beyond $6 a gallon. This means it’ll cost the average American close to $100 just to fill a 16-gallon tank. With prices peaking on so many other goods, the pain at the pump is real. There isn’t much you can do about the cost of gas, but there are ways you can pay less at the pump. Here are six ways to save on the cost of gasoline.
Use cash Lots of gas stations offer a discount for cash payments, sometimes up to $0.20 per gallon. This can quickly add up when pumping a full tank. Just be careful to have the cash handy when you need it, as you don’t want to lose all those savings to ATM fees when using machines that are not connected to your credit union. Use a rewards program or credit card If you don’t like the idea of carrying around a lot of cash, but you still want to save at the pump, consider signing up for a rewards program or credit card. Tread carefully, though; not all of these programs actually benefit the consumer. Ask these questions about any rewards program or credit card you’re considering before signing up:
Check your tire pressure According to the US Department of Energy, a well-inflated tire can save you $0.15/gallon by boosting your gas mileage by 3%. Check your tires regularly to ensure they’re always inflated. To make this easier, consider springing for a tire pressure gauge that will automatically monitor the health of your tires. Use a gas-tracking app In 2022, there’s no need to search for the gas station offering the best-priced gas. There’s an app for that! Popular gas-tracking apps include GasBuddy, Upside and Waze. Using the gas station conveniently located right near your home or workplace might be easier, but taking the extra time to find one that sells fuel for less can save you a bundle. Buy gas at the right time of day Did you know there’s an ideal time of day to fill your tank? And no, we’re not talking about shorter lines, or even the time of day before prices will change yet again. You can get more bang for your buck if you buy your gas in the early morning or late evening hours, when it’s generally cooler out. If you pump gas during the midday hours, after the sun has been beating down on the gas reservoir all day, the gas has likely expanded. This means you’ll be paying the same price for a less-dense gasoline, which will not last as long. Pump when it’s cooler outside for the densest gas. It’s sticker shock at the pump these days, but there are still some ways you can save on gas costs. Use these tips to get started. Your Turn: How do you save at the gas pump? Share your best tips and hacks in the comments. Now that you know how to spend mindfully, pay it forward, and regularly set aside money for savings, you’re ready to learn how to indulge in the occasional expensive treat–responsibly.
Many people equate financial health with a life of deprivation, but this is far from the truth. In fact, living a life of true financial wellness means being happy with a lifestyle that is within your means, but does not leave you feeling like you are lacking. Like an overly restrictive diet, an overly tight budget is more likely to become broken. On the flip side, financial wellness means spending your money wisely and learning how to treat yourself for less – or for free. It means money choices are governed by discipline, and not by emotion. And sometimes, it means telling yourself no. How, then, do you strike a balance between the two? Here’s how to indulge responsibly. Live with a budget The first step to financial wellness is knowing where your money is going and how much you actually have to spend. The best way to always have this information is to create and stick to a budget. If you’ve been following all the steps to financial wellness until this point, you’ve already developed and live with a budget. So you know how to stick to it. Let’s take a quick review of this crucial money management tool. Create your budget by tracking your spending for three months. Make a list of all your expenses, including fixed, non-fixed and discretionary expenses, and list your income in a parallel column. Tally up your totals and assign a realistic dollar amount to each expense. Going forward, be sure to only spend within the allocated amount for each expense category each month. Leave room in your budget for “just for fun” purchases As you work on building and sticking to a budget, be sure to leave room in your spending plan for the occasional treat. The exact amount will vary by income level, lifestyle and personal choice. However, choose an amount you can easily afford without feeling deprived. To ensure you don’t overspend in this area, you can borrow an idea from the money-envelope system and withdraw the designated amount from your checking account at the beginning of the month. Place this cash in an envelope, and use it as necessary. When the money is gone, so is your “allowance” for pricey treats this month. It’s important to note that the indulgences referenced here are spontaneous buys, or small purchases that aren’t part of your normal budget. Large purchases you have planned for and saved toward for months, or even years, are in an entirely different category. Review your savings Before giving yourself permission to indulge, make sure you are setting aside a percentage of your monthly income to savings. Savings should be an item line on your budget, with short-term savings like an emergency fund in a savings account, holding enough to keep you afloat for 3-6 months if you have no source of income. Long-term savings should be sufficient to support your retirement and any long-term savings goal you may have, like saving for a house or a luxury vacation. Choose your “treats” Everyone’s got their personal vices and their guilty indulgences. Take a look at where your non-discretionary money went during the last month or two. Highlight the more expensive impulse buys and hold them up to these questions:
Lose the guilt Once you’ve decided how much you want to spend each month on indulgences you can afford, it’s time to let go of the guilt. If you’re spending responsibly and you’ve already fed your savings as well as your future, there’s no need to eat yourself up over an impulse buy you could have done without. As long as you’re keeping these just-for-fun purchases within your budget, and your choices fill you with happiness or positive energy, you can still maintain your financial wellness. Your Turn: How do you indulge responsibly? Share your best tips in the comments. If you’re under contract for a new home, you’ve likely had an inspection conducted on your
new home. This inspection is an important part of the home-buying process, and is generally required by the mortgage company. It can help you find any major defects in the home, such as a faulty roof or dying HVAC system, which may prompt you to walk away from the deal. Alternatively, the seller can choose to repair any areas needing major work before the closing. In addition, a home inspection often reveals other, smaller recommendations the seller is not required to fix. This can include a long list of items that need minor repairs or replacements, such as a leaky faucet, overstuffed gutter, or an insecure stair railing. Often, in the rush to close on the home and all the tasks that must be tended to before the big move, these repairs are forgotten about and never get fixed. Some homeowners mistakenly assume that it’s no big deal to leave some repairs on their newly purchased home unfixed. Unfortunately, though, nothing will fix itself. Instead, the longer you wait to make a repair, the more likely it is that you will need to make more extensive and expensive repairs or replace the faulty system, appliance or part. Consequently, it’s best to make any necessary repairs on your home as quickly as possible. Here’s what you need to know about following up on a home inspection. Hold onto the list of recommendations Most inspectors will leave the potential buyer with a list of items that need repairs. While some will require urgent attention, the less-important items on the list can be forgotten about and never tended to at all. You may not have the time or resources to fix everything on the inspector’s list before you move, but it’s a good idea to hold onto that list for future reference. File the list in a safe place so it won’t get lost during the move. You can also snap a photo and upload it to a digital storage space so you can always find it if the original document is misplaced. Categorize repairs according to urgency Once the dust has settled after your move and you’re ready to tackle the household repairs you haven’t yet gotten to, dig out your list and categorize repairs by urgency. Look for repairs that can cause extensive damage if left unfixed, such as a leaky pipe, faulty exterior drainage or the presence of mold or mildew. These should be tended to as soon as possible. Cosmetic repairs, on the other hand, can be delayed without major consequences. Create a new list with all the repairs written in order from most to least urgent. Identify what you can do on your own It’s almost always cheaper to do home repair projects on your own. However, there are some areas that are best left to the experts. In addition, if you will need to spend a lot of money on supplies you will use just for this one-time repair, it can actually be cheaper to call in the experts. Keeping these two factors in mind, look through your list carefully to see what you can realistically do yourself. Start working through your list Now that you’ve sorted your list according to urgency and you’ve identified which repairs you can do on your own, you’re ready to start tackling the repairs. Start with the most urgent repairs, and set aside time on weekends for the repairs you plan to do on your own. When hiring professionals, be sure to do your research carefully and to ask for references of past clients. Uphold general household maintenance It may be a while before your entire list of repairs is complete. To help prevent further damage, and to keep your home in the best condition at all times, follow these tips for general upkeep and maintenance:
Your Turn: Have you followed up on your home inspection recommendations? Tell us about it in the comments. Q: With inflation soaring, I want to spend my money in the best way possible. When paying for various everyday and occasional purchases, should I be using cash, credit or debit?
A: There’s a time and place for everything. Some purchases should be paid for with cash, some with a credit card, and others with a debit card. Your lifestyle and personality may influence this choice as well. Let’s take a closer look at each payment method and when they should be used. When should I use cash? Between P2P payment platforms, mobile payment wallets and the growth of cryptocurrency, the world of commerce is becoming increasingly cashless. In fact, some consumers barely touch cash at all. However, there can be times when you’d be better off using cash. First, some gas stations charge less per gallon when the driver pays in cash. The difference is usually modest, up to 10 cents a gallon, but with gas prices soaring, it can add up to substantial savings over the course of a month. Next, if you have trouble sticking to your budget when you shop, it can be helpful to take only the amount of cash you need and leave your cards at home. This way, you’ll be forced to stick to your budget. Finally, some small businesses, like food trucks or independently owned stores, only accept cash payments or offer discounts for paying cash. On the flip side, there are many disadvantages to using cash. First, cash provides no purchase protection. Consequently, it’s best not to use cash for very large purchases. Next, cash leaves no paper trail and it can make tracking expenses difficult. It’s best not to use cash if you’re trying to get a clear picture of where your money is going. Finally, cash always carries the risk of being lost or stolen. When should I use my credit card? Credit cards are the double-edged sword of personal finance. On the one hand, credit card debt is one of the leading causes of consumer debt in the country. On the other hand, owning credit cards and using them responsibly is a crucial part of one’s financial health. In addition to the impact to your credit score, responsibly used credit cards offer two primary advantages: rewards and purchase protection. Using a rewards card for purchases you’d need to make anyway, such as paying utility bills or subscription fees for a service, can help you earn cash back, airline miles or another reward. The second big advantage to using a credit card – the purchase protection it offers – makes it the ideal choice for paying for large purchases or when buying something from a newer retailer. Knowing you can always dispute the charge or even cancel it if the product turns out to be different than expected, can help you shop with confidence. In addition to these advantages, paying with a credit card and making on-time payments can help boost your credit score while making expense tracking easy. Ideally, credit cards should only be used to cover fixed or steady payments, such as monthly bills, and for purchases you know you can pay for in full when the bill becomes due. It’s never a good idea to swipe your card for a purchase you cannot pay for today or within the next few weeks. Use your cards responsibly to ensure a healthy credit score and to stay out of debt. When should I use my debit card? In many ways, debit cards offer the best of both worlds. You can always track your spending by reviewing your checking account statement, and you generally can only spend what you have. This helps minimize the risk of falling into debt. In addition, if your card is lost or stolen, you can cancel it and/or close the associated account. Debit cards can be a great choice for everyday purchases of any kind. However, since they typically don’t offer rewards or the same level of purchase protection as credit cards, they may not be the best choice for large purchases, or for paying for products from a new retailer. Life is expensive, and you want your money to go as far as possible. Use this guide to help you choose the right payment method in every situation. Your Turn: When do you use cash, credit and debit? Tell us about it in the comments. |
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