The Monster Spending Season Is Beginning

The Monster Spending Season Is Beginning

Throughout the year, I have blogged about spending and misspending. About being wise about where your money goes and not to let your credit cards run away with you. This is the season to create a Gifting Budget. To make a list—with names to give to and the what you would like to give. To keep your eyes peeled but special buys.

As this month unfolds, the biggest Spending Season of all rolls out. I know, I know, the reality is that it seems we are always in one kind of spending season or another! Birthdays, Back to School. Kids out growing their shoes. But the Holidays … it’s the spending monster time.

Soon, Amazon will bubble up it’s Prime Days … Use them. I’ve found items with deep discounts during this time that bubble up when I put the type of product in Amazon’s search box and waited to see what popped up. You did know that Amazon is the #3 search engine, behind Google as #1 and YouTube as #2.

During Amazon’s  Prime days—remember Black Friday—which sometimes starts the Monday before for bargain hunters … and Cyber Monday for digital and electronic stuff. You may be able to score an amazing deal.

I was the oldest of four children—two girls and two boys. Our mother made my sister's and my clothes  and her own clothes as well. But those, then,  were the days of stay-at-home moms. In many families, it was assumed that mothers were seamstresses and masters at everyday clothes and the coveted Halloween custom. A coveted possession was a Singer sewing machine.

Today’s moms aren’t. Many hold down full-time jobs, are the driver of the car pool … and buy most clothes commercially. The arts and crafts and DIY markets are alive and well … just not for making every day clothes.

What this all means is that times will continue to evolve and change. Where in the past, many items were “homemade” … and certainly Christmas time, Mother’s and Father’s days brought out items from kids—most will gift others through shopping. Online and In-person.

Which means you really must plan ahead! This is the season to create a Gifting Budget. To make a list. Check it twice … and promise yourself you will stick to it.

Patricia Lane Williams is a retired CPA and has worked with thousands of men and women sounding the warnings. She is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Money: Get It. Save It. Grow It … Before Debt Steals It. It’s her first book in the Four Corners Prosperity series. Her website is www.PatWilliamsAuthor.com.

LOWERING YOUR CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATE okay

If you have credit cards . . . with or without balances . . . Get them out and research  each card issuer and determine if there are any specials for new accounts -- the ones that offer reduced rates.

If you succeed than this is what I want you to do. Do not reduce your payments on an outstanding balance. Because the interest rate get hold of more moneys lower your minimum payment is reduced but ignore it. Always pay more than the minimum to reduce the balance.

GET HOLD OF MORE MONEY

Need more money? Here's a list of short term solutions. Sometimes referred to as ''side hustles.''

Sell stuff. Everyone has a lot of stuff just lying around the house collecting dust. Your stuff could be somebody else's treasure.

Sell at a flea market. Sometimes called swap meets you can find any number of flea markets by searching online.

Have a yard sale. No matter what you call them yard, tag, or garage sale once the stuff leaves the house it it never comes back. back.

Make stuff'. Are you a creative person? Like to work with your hands knitting, crocheting ,woodworking? I know one woman who does quite well by taking photographs and turning them into greeting cards and selling them on her own website. Search the web and you'll find many more groups willing to sell your stuff.

Get a part-time job. Part-time jobs have been known to lead to full-time jobs or a changes in careers.

Make it stand out

Is Debt Stealing Your Money?

To get hold of your money, you will have to understand what it is, how it works, how other people affect your money decisions, and how to stay in control when it seems the entire world is falling apart. Within the pages ofMONEY: Get It. Save It. Grow It., you are going to learn the real basics of money management. Basics that are rarely taught today—basics every adult needs to succeed financially.

MONEY $$$ MONEY $$$ MONEY

You need money. At times, lots of it. And others, just the bare funds to cover the necessities of food, utilities, rent, or a mortgage payment.

You need money to pay for the essentials of living. What are they for you?

To get money, the great majority of people do it by working. If you are self-employed or own a business, it comes from what is “left over” after you pay your expenses for your work. If you work for someone, you get a paycheck.

No matter how you get money, you need a portal to keep it in: a bank, a credit union, savings account—something that has insurance behind each account. Commercial banks are covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for up to $250,000 per account. A credit union account is covered by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) with $250,000 for each account.

Banks and credit unions have a number of services, including:

•  Checking accounts

•  Saving accounts

•  Certificate of Deposit accounts

•  Credit and Debit cards

•  Auto loans

•  A way to deposit money and pay bills by check or online

•  Auto loans, personal loans, home loans, mortgage refinance, and HELOCs

•  Loans for business, school, and other consumer needs

•  Online bill payment

•  CDs, money orders, and safe deposit boxes

•  Financial coaching

•  Investment services

•  Insurance

•  ATMs

There is a difference between banks and credit unions. Many large banks have a nationwide system where most credit unions are within the region.

Credit unions are financial institutions owned by their members. They are designed to make money; rather to help the community they reside in. Credit unions often offer competitive or higher interest rates on checking and savings accounts.

Banks are profit centers. Some are private and more community oriented; others are publicly owned via stock. Many pay dividends to the shareholders, usually based on the profitability of the bank’s holding company. They can be a challenge to getting to a decision maker.

In making a decision to where you place your money—convenience, location, hours, and services offered should be on your decision list. And of course, what your personal needs are. It’s always a good idea to ask those you trust who they would recommend.

Patricia Lane Williams, CPA has worked with thousands of men and women sounding the warnings. She is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Money: Get It. Save It. Grow It … Before Debt Steals It.
Her website is www.PatWilliamsAuthor.com.

MONEY $$$ MONEY $$$ MONEY

You need money. At times, lots of it. And others, just the bare funds to cover the necessities of food, utilities, rent, or a mortgage payment.

You need money to pay for the essentials of living. What are they for you?

To get money, the great majority of people do it by working. If you are self-employed or own a business, it comes from what is “left over” after you pay your expenses for your work. If you work for someone, you get a paycheck.

No matter how you get money, you need a portal to keep it in: a bank, a credit union, savings account—something that has insurance behind each account. Commercial banks are covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for up to $250,000 per account. A credit union account is covered by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) with $250,000 for each account.

Banks and credit unions have a number of services, including:

•  Checking accounts

•  Saving accounts

•  Certificate of Deposit accounts

•  Credit and Debit cards

•  Auto loans

•  A way to deposit money and pay bills by check or online

•  Auto loans, personal loans, home loans, mortgage refinance, and HELOCs

•  Loans for business, school, and other consumer needs

•  Online bill payment

•  CDs, money orders, and safe deposit boxes

•  Financial coaching

•  Investment services

•  Insurance

•  ATMs

There is a difference between banks and credit unions. Many large banks have a nationwide system where most credit unions are within the region.

Credit unions are financial institutions owned by their members. They are designed to make money; rather to help the community they reside in. Credit unions often offer competitive or higher interest rates on checking and savings accounts.

Banks are profit centers. Some are private and more community oriented; others are publicly owned via stock. Many pay dividends to the shareholders, usually based on the profitability of the bank’s holding company. They can be a challenge to getting to a decision maker.

In making a decision to where you place your money—convenience, location, hours, and services offered should be on your decision list. And of course, what your personal needs are. It’s always a good idea to ask those you trust who they would recommend.

Patricia Lane Williams, CPA has worked with thousands of men and women sounding the warnings. She is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Money: Get It. Save It. Grow It … Before Debt Steals It.
Her website is www.PatWilliamsAuthor.com.