Stale Green Light

As you stand at the checkout would you like to walk away with more bang for your buck? Here are some simple grocery shopping tips to help you save on groceries:

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When trying to find a potential partner it is important to have similar ideas and habits when it comes to money. Here are some tips to help:

1-Are you agreeing on where you go and who buys what? It’s great to be wined and dined but look out if one person always picks up the tab. There may be resentment if one person is always picking up the tab, especially, if the other person never even offers to help with the tab.

2-Determine each others spending style. Do they tip big, eat out alot, buy the latest fashions? Do they eat at home, budget, and save? How do you spend your money and will you complement each others spending style or do you have common priorities and goals?

3-Instill good spending patterns while dating that can carry over into marriage. Go on some cheaper dates, make dinner together, go shopping together, and talk about money before getting engaged. These will help you to get to know your partner better and give you more time to spend together.

Trying to decide between renting and buying? Here are some renting pros and cons:

Pros:

- Not responsible for repair and upkeep. When the toilet breaks, the ceiling falls in, the walls need a new coat of paint, or the sink is leaking…you don’t have to deal with fixing it or calling to hire personal to come fix the problem, not to mention paying for costly repairs.

-Don’t have to worry about what property values or interest rates. You don’t have to worry about refinancing your loan for a lower interest rate, or that your neighbor is rapidly destroying their previously lush lawn because a lack of water and mowing.

-Easier for relocation. Within the bounds of your contract it is much easier to move when renting because you do not have to sell first. Much easier for those who don’t want to make roots yet.

Cons:

- Not building equity in the property. When you rent that money does goes to the renter and does not help you come to own the place. When you buy the monthly payments get you closer to owning the house.   

- Dealing with bad management. Although you may not have to fix the problems you may have to get in contact with a mananger who is less enthusiastic about fixing the toilet or de-molding than you are. This can create an extremely frustrating and stressful living environment.

- Can’t buy new major appliances, paint, or landscape. Dependinf on your management there may be many restrictions on what you can do in the rental. Including if you can have pets, put nails in the walls, etc.

- Rent prices can rise. Every couple of years rent prices often go up. If you buy you could be putting the money into your home not into renting.

- Most rentals are in neighborhoods with other rentals and rental-communities are often different from owner-occupied areas. This can be a pro or con just depending on the personality or circumstances.