I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Free Online Calculators Courtesy of the Federal Government

Free Online Calculators Courtesy of the Federal Government

It’s the rare American citizen who is highly appreciative of their government right now. But try and forget about those lousy lawmakers for a moment and stop and consider that while taxes are never welcome, they do allow for us to have access to a multitude of services. The departments and agencies of the United States federal government are here to help, and your tax dollars go to funding them – so why not get what you pay for? In particular, take advantage of easily-accessible financial calculators available courtesy of such agencies, which can assist in the following:

Credit Card Repayment

The Federal Reserve’s website includes a simple-to-use credit card repayment calculator that you can count on to be objective and honest. Simply plug in your credit card debt, the APR, and your desired payments or repayment time frame, in order to get an accurate estimate for the opposing figure.

Student Loan Repayment

Since the government took complete control over the federal student loan process last year, you can trust the repayment calculators provided by the Department of Education website to be reliable. They cover the entire range of varying loans, and are designed to make the potential borrower completely aware of loan specifics over the long-term before they make an actual commitment.

Mortgage Repayment

It can be safely said that government leaders want more Americans to have a better awareness regarding the ins and outs of specific mortgages. By visiting the Ginnie Mae website, users can smartly project where particular home loans will take them, and avoid the pitfalls that resulted in the recent housing bubble.

Goods and Services

While not itself a calculator or a determiner regarding cost-of-living, the Consumer Price Index created by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is what is used to develop such figures. It remains an invaluable resource for those who wish to figure out long-term spending budgets without making potentially naive estimates.

Energy

The United States needs citizens who are aware of the potential for savings when it comes to things like replacing old appliances and swapping traditional bulbs for CFLs. Otherwise, we’ll continue to waste countless watts of energy, and countless billions in the process. Utilize extensive calculations found through government data collecting to know how much you could save.

The federal government is staring down the barrel of the lowest approval rating it’s seen in decades. But it’s incorrect to think that there aren’t real benefits to having such a massive engine built to serve the people. We like to complain about government waste, but perhaps the real problem is we let government go to waste when it comes to our day-to-day lives.

How to Stop Overspending on Holiday Meals

With Thanksgiving fast approaching and Christmas not too far behind, expect your mouth to start watering much more than usual. Images of densely delicious meals will descend upon our daily thinking processes. In the weeks and days leading up to our anticipated culinary collaborations, we’ll become so blinded by thoughts of baked goods and stuffed birds that we’ll completely ignore the fact that all this food comes with a hefty price tag. Before you head out to stock up on foodstuffs, stop and consider the following in order to prevent over spending at a time when every dollar saved counts.

Crunch the numbers

It’s vital that you get a head count on how many people you’ll be feeding as soon as possible. Not only does this ensure that you make enough for everyone, it’s important when making sure you don’t fetch too much food. Quantify to the best of your ability a reasonable estimate for how much each person is likely to eat of which food. That way you avoid buying far more than you need.

Consider fridge life

Buying too much can sometimes be justified by the wonderful creation known as leftovers. But the problem with leftovers is that after a day or two, what tends to be leftover is sure to remain that way until it is thrown out. Stop and consider what does and doesn’t tend to be gobbled up in the days afterward: mashed potatoes, greens, and other vegetable-based dishes tend to never get eaten, while turkey, other meats, and baked casseroles tend to remain eatable for up to a week.

Stick to traditions

It’s easy to hop on the holiday bandwagon and use it as an excuse to experiment with a whole host of exotic eats you’d otherwise not bother to make. While variety should always be welcomed, keep in mind that most guests will shy away from questionable items in favor of reliable mainstays. Therefore, only invest a little bit into new ideas, and make smaller portions. That way you won’t end up with tons of leftovers of a particular dish nobody wants to take home with them.

We like to obsess over finding ways to find much needed money for Christmas. But at the same time our food spending gets a free pass. In order to avoid dropping an extra $50-$100 on food that goes to waste, stop and plan ahead to ensure that you budget your belly-busters in a smart way.

Black Friday Deals to Keep Your Eye On in 2011

Black Friday is nearly upon us and the Internet is abuzz with rumors of outrageous deals. The general consensus is that the 2011 holiday shopping season will be huge for electronics, but dedicated bargain hunters will be able to find unbelievable savings on everything from housewares to apparel. Here are ten Black Friday deals to get excited about.

Best Buy

If Black Friday 2011 is the year of electronics, then Best Buy will be the undisputed champion, with significant deals on things like smartphones, laptops, cameras and flatscreen TVs, as well as less glamorous big appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.

Expect the store to be a nuthouse on the morning of the 26^th. You might just want to avoid it altogether and take your shopping online, especially since Best Buy announced free shipping between November 1^st – December 27^th. In addition, the online sale starts on the 25^th, a day before the physical sale.

Toys R’ US

Toys R’ US is the primary destinations for parents desperately trying to get their hands on the hottest new fads like Beyblades or Fijit dolls, but few people realize that Toys R’ US offers significant Black Friday discounts on non-toy electronics. In 2010, they had one of the best deals on tablet computers, offering a fully loaded Android 2.1 Tablet for 30% off at $139.99. With tablets only growing in popularity, expect similar deals this year.

Dollar General

Dollar General has an interesting Black Friday strategy for 2011. They will be rolling out their biggest deals from Nov. 13-19, about a week before the traditional late-November shopping frenzy. This is perfect way for casual shoppers to enjoy outrageous Black Friday deals on electronics and Thanksgiving supplies without the unruly crowds that materialize around late November. 

Gamestop

Gamers are some of the most competitive shoppers on the planet. If you don’t believe me, watch this video. Gamestop has a history of great deals on Black Friday, and is known to throw in free copies of big games with the purchase of new consoles.  The recent release of huge titles like Gears of War 3 and Batman: Arkham City, along with the big holiday update of XBOX 360, practically ensures some door busting Black Friday deals.

Amazon’s Kindle

Between the iPad, the Amazon’s Kindle, and Barnes and Noble’s NOOK, the e-reader market is getting highly competitive. Black Friday will see these companies slashing prices in order to gain the upper hand, benefiting the consumer.  This holiday season, Amazon’s Kindle Fire is capturing the most attention. This full color version of their popular e-reader is rumored to sink as low as 129.99 this Black Friday.

Bath and Body Works:

When the stress of holiday shopping starts to hit, head over to Bath and Body Works and take advantage of their Black Friday VIP Bag. The bag is filled with lotions, creams, soaps, candles, and loofahs and is valued around $100 dollars. You can get one for $20 with an additional purchase of $40.

Cricket Wireless:

Black Friday 2011 is all about electronics, and cell phone deals deserve special recognition. Plenty of carriers are offering attractive discounts, but perhaps none will give you a better Black Friday cell phone deal than Cricket Wireless. With their popular Muve Music service winning CTIA’s Hot for the Holidays Award in the music lover category, Cricket is sure to be a hit this holiday season.

WalMart:

No discussion of Black Friday deals is complete without the mother of them all: WalMart. The retail giant consistently sets the bar for deals to beat. For 2011, Walmart’s secret weapon is its price match guarantee. From November 1^st – December 25^th, they will match the price of any eligible item advertised for less, even if you already bought it. With an ace like that up their sleeve, WalMart has once again proved why it’s the king of Black Friday.

How to Save Money This Holiday Season

How to Save Money This Holiday Season

While the holiday season is full traditions and good cheer, it also comes with a high price tag. It isn’t unheard of to find parents that sent themselves into 6 months worth of credit card debt to get their children everything they wanted, or find women who maxed out the credit card to fill the house with the most elegant of decorations.

The holiday season is about indulgence, but it is the indulgence of friends, family, and good food, not excessive money spending. However, gifts are expected this time of year and they are fun to give so to keep yourself from going in the red this holiday season, try some of the following tips:

Create a Budget

Before you even step foot in a store, you need to create a budget of what you can and are willing to spend. Consider you monthly budget, and what a little extra spending will do to you. Do you have enough reserves in case you need a last minute tire repair or the heater in your home goes out? Don’t ever spend more than you have, and never plan to dip in to your emergency fund.

Make a List, Check it Twice

To help yourself keep within the budget you set for yourself, create a list of everything you intend to buy. This should be done before you begin your shopping as well as should include everything from additional food purchases to gifts to travel. Once you have made your gift shopping list, stick to it. That means no last minute additional purchases for anyone…even if they would love it.

Avoid Layaway

Many stores are bringing back layaway to entice shoppers to make bigger purchases, and they are smart for doing so. Many shoppers are more inclined to spend more money if they can break down the payments. While layaway may be better than using a credit card, you are still likley to overspend if you use it, so it’s just best to avoid it altogether.

Shop Online

No need to battle it out at Black Friday sales when you can just shop online. Online you can buy books, clothes, movies, and electronics at 30 to 75 percent less than what you would pay in store. So instead of heading to the local department store, get on a site like Amazon.com instead.

Start Early

If you will be shopping on a limited budget this year, consider starting shopping early. This way you will be able to break your spending up into manageable chunks that won’t strain your budget, force you to use credit cards, or dip into your energy savings.

The holiday season is supposed to be a time of enjoyment. Don’t spend the holiday months and the months following stressing over finances. Adequately plan for your needed shopping, and you should be able to avoid using credit cards or straining your everyday monthly budget.

In Your Apartment Search, Look to Cut Those Unanticipated Costs

In Your Apartment Search, Look to Cut Those Unanticipated Costs

If you’re currently on the market for a new apartment, you probably have a good idea of the kind of price you’re willing to pay. Whether you’re looking at the high end or low end of the available apartment range, there are certainly universal costs that everyone wants to reduce. Some of us are willing to pay for granite countertops while others can’t afford it, but everyone can agree that utilities and superfluous charges should be minimized whenever possible. With that in mind, here are some hidden fees and unexpected costs to look out for – and eliminate – when searching for your next apartment:

Unusual Utilities and Maintenance Charges

This should go without saying, but it’s best to always be on the lookout for utilities and maintenance charges that the landlord should really be providing. In most cities, gas and electric are usually charged to the tenant while the owner takes responsibility for water and sewer fees. If the apartment market in your city follows this precedent, make sure that your landlord will hold you accountable only for gas and electric. In the same sense, be sure to ask if the apartment has any maintenance charges. Some sneaky landlords will work lawn mowing, snow shoveling, and bush trimming into the lease, fees all that should not normally be the tenant’s responsibility.

Needed Repairs that are the Tenant’s Responsibility

A good landlord will fix a sink if it starts leaking and will do some extra work – including a paint job – before a new tenant moves in. Some landlords, however, will term a certain problem as something that was “as is” when you moved into the apartment. After signing the lease, for example, you may learn that broken ceiling fan in your bedroom is listed “as is,” meaning that it’s an unnecessary problem to fix, you knew it was broken when you saw the apartment, and that your landlord has no intention of fixing it for you. With this in mind, it’s important to ask those pesky questions when you first visit the apartment. If something appears broken, or is not to your liking, ask your landlord whether it can be fixed before you move in. You’ll be surprised how much nicer landlords are before you’ve signed the lease.

Penalties

Every lease will have a mention of penalties incurred for late rent checks or through breaking something in the apartment through personal fault. Although having penalties is a fair and unavoidable process, you can definitely work to make sure that you find an apartment where the landlord is more lenient. If the rent comes on the second of the month or if the sink gets clogged despite your best efforts to prevent it, a flexible landlord will cut you some slack – and save you some money.

Ultimately, you can best reduce hidden apartment fees by being astute in your search process. This means not only scouring the apartment and the lease closely, but also evaluating your landlord. If they seem like a person who wants to extract every last penny from you, you can be rest assured that – if you sign that lease – they probably will succeed.