Stale Green Light

It is hard to make wise financial decisions when you cannot find a job.  Millions of Americans are finding themselves in this position. Although unemployment rates are falling, it is important to remember that we still have a long ways to go.

The Labor Department reported that there was an increase this week in the number of people that filed for their first-time unemployment.  Although there was an increase this week of just around 20,000 people the downward trend continues.

When you are trying to be wise about the way that you are going to save your money and make wise financial decisions, take time to learn to budget well with what you have.  Budgeting can be difficult when your income is minimized drastically, but take time to rid yourself of any unnecessary costs.

If you are unemployed make sure that you file your unemployment papers as soon as possible. Keep up with your paperwork so that you can continue to get the unemployment benefits that you need.

When you are traveling there are tons of ways that you can get nickeled-and-dimed.  There are a lot of people that do not plan for these expenses and sometimes there is no way to avoid these nickled-and-dimed expenses.  You should be sure that you are aware of the many different fees that you may incur while you are traveling.

1. Airlines may charge for luggage-Although many people realize this now, it is important to be sure that you know exactly how much your luggage is going to cost with you to tote along on your vacation.
2. Hotels may charge for…everything-From getting WiFi to being charged for parking there are many small charges that hotels may slam you with.  Some hotels charge their guests with a “resort” fee that covers the many different fees that they would otherwise charge you with separately.
3. When you rent a car you should be sure that you fill the gas up before you return to the car rental facility.  Often times gas stations right around the facility will jack up their prices to ensure that they can take advantage of the drivers returning their cars.
4. If you are traveling internationally be sure that you have a good credit card that you can take with you.  This way, you can be sure that you are getting the best exchange rate that you can get.
5. when you know that you are going to have to use cash on your trip try to take it out beforehand and travel safely with it.  This way, you do not have to pay the ridiculous ATM fees that many banks will charge to take out cash.

As the prices of food items continue to rise, it will be very important that you learn how to save money when you are providing meals to your family. There are many ways that you can do this:

1. Eat old leftovers before they go bad instead of throwing them out
2. Select generic brands rather than name brands
3. Only purchase prepackaged foods sparingly
4. Buy in bulk as it generally costs less per ounce
5. Plant a garden and get fresh produce from your backyard

Doing these things can save you quite a bit of money per month on your budget. This will allow you to save it or spend it on other things.