California Salary Paycheck Calculator | Payroll Calculator | Paycheck City. 6 Strategies for Young Adults to Save More in 2012. By John Miley, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Saving doesn't come easily for us young adults. Entry-level salaries don't give you a lot to work with. And, well, we also tend to spend what we make -- and then some -- on the latest gadgets and flashiest fashions. But don't worry. We're not doomed to frivolity and the wreckage it can make of our finances. Here's how you can start saving smart throughout 2012: 6 Strategies to Save More This Year Review Periodically calculate how much you spend.
Just be sure when you do it that you track everything. The drudgery of tracking spending can pay off when you find surprising expenses you could easily cut. More Galleries on Kiplinger: Quiz: Are You Saving Enough for Retirement? Tax-Unfriendly States for Retires On the Home Stretch to Your Retirement Share Facebook Twitter Google+ Email Pinterest Periodically calculate how much you spend. More Galleries on Kiplinger: • Quiz: Are You Saving Enough for Retirement? • Tax-Unfriendly States for Retires. What not to buy before Christmas - Clothing (1) Unseasonably warm weather has left scarves, coats, flannel pajamas and even luxury items, like cashmere and fur, out in the cold this year. That means shoppers can expect those items to be even more discounted than usual after the 25th, according to Christine Frietchen, editor-in-chief of ConsumerSearch.com. If you have your heart set on buying a few of those things as a gift for a family member or friend, Frietchen advises getting them a gift card instead and suggesting a shopping trip on Dec. 27.
"You'll be able to get so much more," she said. But if you must have that cashmere turtleneck in eggplant and not olive, don't hold off, added Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the market research firm NPD Group. In anticipation of slower sales, retailers have limited inventory and may sell out of some items well before the real sales start. "You'll get a really good deal but you may not find your color or your size," Cohen said. NEXT: Televisions. Savings Experiment: Men's Basics. The best way to look good in your underwear is to look good in your birthday suit, so we probably can't help you there; that one's up to you. But if you're looking to save some money on underwear that fits well and feels comfortable, read on.
The best way to look good in your briefs is to look good in your birthday suit. Luckily, the trend of men running around with pants around their calves, wearing underwear as outerwear, has started to die down. But if you're looking for underwear that you can wear as, well, underwear, that also fits well and feels comfortable, there are several ways you can save money. Stocking Up I'll keep this brief: Buy in bulk. Shop Online While it's smarter to buy shoes, jeans, and suits in person, buying underwear online is easy, if you already know what you want. It's best not to buy a style or brand you've never tried before, because if it doesn't fit, you probably can't return it.
Designer Labels Sometimes you can't judge a pair of underwear by its label. Best credit cards for holiday shopping - American Express (6) Recommended by: Bankrate From Nov. 21 to Nov. 30 all American Express cardholders who use their membership rewards points to purchase gifts on Amex's reward site will get 20% off from retail partners like Banana Republic, Sony and Cuisinart. On Nov. 26, a day Amex has declared "Small Business Saturday," cardholders can get a $25 statement credit by registering on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page and spending $25 at a qualifying small business with an Amex card. Read the fine print: Only card members with a ZYNC, green card, gold card, premier rewards gold card, platinum card or centurion card can take part in the 20% off offer and all of those cards come with an annual fee.
There are also only 200,000 small business credits available altogether so cardholders need to register soon to snag one of the few remaining, according to American Express spokeswoman Melanie Backs. NEXT: Citi Dividend. Abbott Labs Employee Discount Program powered by PerkSpot | Login. 3 Ways to Save $300 With the New iPhone. The early numbers are in, and they are impressive. Apple (AAPL) has sold more than 4 million iPhone 4S handsets during its first three days on the market. So much for the sourpusses who lamented the Mac maker's inability to release an iPhone 5 ahead of the holiday shopping season, eh?
Breaking Records but Not Budgets This isn't mere fan enthusiasm. Last summer, Apple needed three weeks to sell 3 million iPhone 4 handsets. Fifteen months later, the Mac maker is once more breaking records -- only this time, the economic picture is bleaker. The message? Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's also an iBargain. 1. The app itself doesn't look different. And that adds up. 2. Admittedly, we haven't seen this work on a mass scale yet, but the idea is incredibly powerful. And the savings? 3. The controversy may be over, but localization is still a hot issue. Now imagine what happens if you don't need to check-in before an offer shows up in your notifications, organized neatly on your home screen.
Understanding Your Health Insurance Policy. When searching for a health insurance plan or after one has already signed up, the plan terms, or descriptions of provisions and coverages can be hard to understand. When one is reviewing the terms they often confusingly say, “What does that mean?” Help is here! Below is a list of common health insurance coverage terms to help everyone understand more about what their health insurance plan has to offer.
You may also be interested in the Health Insurance Reform Definitions Deductible The deductible refers to the amount of money that the insured would need to pay before any benefits from the health insurance policy can be used. Co-insurance This is usually a percentage amount that is the insured's responsibility. Co-payments The co-payment is a fixed amount that the insured is required to pay at the time of service. Out-of-Pocket This is the cost one would pay out of their own pocket. Lifetime Maximum This is the most amount of money the health insurance policy will pay for the entire life. What to do with $1,000 now - Buy a MacBook Air (1) - Money Magazine. The easiest way to safeguard your computer? Ditch the Windows machine. A Mac will keep the contents of your computer safer, says Avi Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
That's because Windows has a bigger market share, so it's a natural target for hackers. The upgraded version of the MacBook Air that made its debut in July is twice as fast as the previous generation, but the 11-inch model retains its $999 price tag. That's a great deal for one of the coolest and lightest (less than 21/2 pounds) laptops out there. To further protect your Mac, click on "System Preferences," then "Security," then "Firewall. " NEXT: Use a credit card that rewards you By Carolyn Bigda, Beth Braverman, Veronica Crews, Ismat Sarah Mangla, Peter Valdes-Dapena, and Penelope Wang - Last updated October 17 2011: 1:41 PM ET. How to Cut Your Car Insurance Costs. If you're looking for clues about what impacts your car insurance rates, check in the mirror -- it's mostly about you.
"When it comes to car insurance, there's hardly anything that isn't personal," says Carroll Lachnit, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information. Here's a look at what matters most. You Can't Escape History What's your driving history? How many tickets and accidents do you have on your driving record, particularly in the past three years? "The less you drive, the less risk of an accident and a claim.
How much you pay is directly related to how long you've had your license. Born This Way There are things that effect your rates that you can't control -- like gender and age. Insurance companies base their rates on actuarial information, and they look for patterns of claims activity among people like you. How You Can Change the Equation For starters, there's marital status. Your zip code counts too.
Another Time When Credit Scores Count. 10 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Cheap. EmailEmail Heather Johnson is a freelance finance and economics writer, as well as a regular contributor for forex trading, a site for currency trading and forex trading information. Heather welcomes comments and freelancing job inquiries so contact her by email. Ramen noodles may be cheap, but they sure don’t offer much in the way of nutrition. In fact, it seems that all the affordable foods in the grocery store are pretty bad for you. However, there are ways to maintain a healthy diet for less. It takes some commitment and a little creative cooking, but the 10 tips below should help you out.
Stretch Your Meat – If you are indeed a carnivore, then you know how expensive meat can be. Believe it or not, there are actually healthy foods that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Tagged as: Frugality Related Posts. Best apps for spending your money - Split a restaurant check more easily (1) - CNNMoney.com. 5 Tips to Stop Wasting Money on Clothes You Won’t Wear. If you’re like most people, you only wear a small percentage of your wardrobe. The rest is stuff that doesn’t really fit you, doesn’t flatter you, is out of style or things you’ve forgotten about.
Before you buy another piece of clothing, here are some questions you should ask yourself before spending money to bring home yet another thing you never wear. Am I buying it because it’s cheap or do I really want it? It’s so easy to get carried away when faced with clothing that’s on deep discount. Always keep in mind that you’re not saving whatever the reduction is, you’re spending whatever it is you’re paying.
Even dirt cheap clothes and shoes take up room in your closet and dressers and add to the clutter in your life. Does this fit me? How comfortable am I wearing this? Pay attention to things like fabric that rides up, itchy seams, sleeves that are too short or too long, pants that reveal too much, blouses that pop open and other common clothes mishaps. When and where will I wear this? 11 new tools for your money - Pay your bills with gift cards (1) Save $50,000: Bundle small savings - Mar. 16.
By MONEY Magazine staffMarch 21, 2011: 10:24 AM ET You may think you've done it all: You're careful with a buck, don't overindulge, and stash away as much as you can for future goals. But while it may not seem as if there's any more you can comfortably squeeze from your budget, there are ways to save more -- 10 pretty painless ways, in fact, to save $50,000 or more in almost every aspect of your life, from your everyday bills to your taxes and investments. The strategies that follow will get you to that goal in two to 10 years, without impinging on your quality of life.
Some need only one or two moves; others, several steps. A couple require making big changes, but most don't. What all 10 have in common: They'll put a lot more cash in your pocket -- money you can, no doubt, put to very good use. The strategy: Cut the cost of the stuff you need to buy. Years to $50,000: Seven 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Click here to see the remaining 9 strategies. Share this. How to save $50,000: Chop your mortgage - Mar. 14. By MONEY Magazine staffMarch 18, 2011: 7:04 AM ET You may think you've done it all: You're careful with a buck, don't overindulge, and stash away as much as you can for future goals.
But while it may not seem as if there's any more you can comfortably squeeze from your budget, there are ways to save more -- 10 pretty painless ways, in fact, to save $50,000 or more in almost every aspect of your life, from your everyday bills to your taxes and investments. The strategies that follow will get you to that goal in two to 10 years, without impinging on your quality of life. Some need only one or two moves; others, several steps. A couple require making big changes, but most don't. What all 10 have in common: They'll put a lot more cash in your pocket -- money you can, no doubt, put to very good use. Strategy #1: Refinance a 30-year mortgage to a 15-year loan. Years to $50,000: Nine But nabbing a lower rate by itself won't yield enough savings to get you to $50,000. Can you swing higher payments? Trade-in programs at Amazon, Best Buy, Sears, Target - Feb. 25. Trade-in programs are increasingly popular for much more than electronics.By Jessica Dickler, staff writerFebruary 25, 2011: 11:00 AM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- You could be sitting on a pile of cash.
The old sofa in your living room, the pile of sports equipment in the garage, the outgrown baby gear, the used electronics are all worth cash -- lots of it. The average household has more than $7,000 worth of unused stuff stuff sitting around, according to research firm NPD Group. And that doesn't include big ticket items like TVs and furniture.
"There are a lot of people who have more things than cash," said Brad Wilson, founder of BradsDeals.com, a website that tracks deals. So what do you do with all that stuff? "It goes beyond electronics, there really are a lot more options for trading things in," Wilson said. For example, national sporting goods chain Play It Again Sports takes sports and fitness equipment in exchange for cash. Share this. 6 apps to save you money on gas - GasBuddy (1) - CNNMoney.com. 10 biggest money wasters - ATM fees (1) Savings Experiment: Will Body Wash or Soap Get You Cleaner? In recent years, body wash has zoomed past soap in the sud sales wars -- the creamy liquid is emerging as the body cleanser of choice for more and more Americans.
According to a recent report from Mintel, a consumer products and market research firm, liquid body wash now accounts for the largest segment -- nearly 40% -- of the total soap, bath and shower market. And sales of liquid body wash are expected to surge 35% from 2009 to 2014, Mintel reports. For many consumers, body wash has replaced soap, the market research firm says, because of its ease of use and convenience: There's none of the goopy mess often associated with a bar of soap.
But what are the price and results difference between body wash and an old-fashioned bar of soap? We dipped into the suds of the matter to find out. Behind the Foam: Body Wash Vs. Just how do these dueling cleansers work on your skin? But what are soap's benefits over body wash? The Price Face-Off Skip the Lotion and Save Use Less and Add a Shower Puff. The 8 least evil banks - Ally Bank (1) - CNNMoney.com. Cut your spending by $500 a month - Hang up on high phone bills (19) - Money Magazine.
Monthly savings up to: $145* Eight out of 10 U.S. families pay too much for phone service, reports billshrink.com. Use one or more of these strategies to ensure yours isn't among them. Take a message. Teens who live at home average 1,742 texts a month. Switch to a family cell plan with unlimited texting. Get smart. Drop the landline. Add Mom and Dad. NEXT: Don't be a snob.