Many people are experiencing financial hardship today. People who have never experienced the pinch of economic stress are buckling under the pressure of abysmal unemployment rates, high cost of living and record-high interest rates.

If you are among those struggling in today’s financial world, you may have wondered how you will make all of your payments at the end of the month. How should you prioritize your bills and keep afloat in this turbulent time?

Food and Household Necessities

Set aside money for your personal survival needs first. If you pay all of your bills but cannot eat, you are left with another difficult obstacle. Budget yourself tightly: Buy only the necessities when it comes to food. Skip expensive items such as fast food or sugary beverages. In addition to food groceries, budget for soap, toilet paper, tooth paste and laundry detergent as well. If you have infant children, include the cost of formula, diapers and other supplies, as needed. [Read more…]

In nearly every state, the law requires auto insurance for drivers. But it can get very pricey. The typical American driver spends more than $1,000 per year for coverage. And the number of different coverage options can be dizzying.

Whether it is a matter of cutting back on the little extras in your policy or doing better comparison work before you buy, these 7 car insurance savings tips can help reduce your expenses: [Read more…]

Living (and loving) Life

There are several different types of life insurance plans on the market today.

In order to choose the plan that is right for your situation, taking the time to learn about each option is very important. Here are overviews of the four main types that you should investigate.

Term Life Insurance

Far and away, term life insurance is the simplest. With this coverage, you pay a fixed premium every month, in exchange for your beneficiaries receiving a lump sum payment in the event of your death.

In many instances, there is no need for any type of physical examination or review of your medical history. Plans of this type are not affected by changes in your health status. [Read more…]

No one ever wants to imagine that they will someday have to face the death of a loved one. Unfortunately, death is a grim fact of life that everyone will face at some point in time.

When a spouse dies, it presents a totally unique set of consequences to deal with – namely, learning how to take over complete control of your financial well being without the support and guidance of a partner.

This can be an especially scary prospect if you had not yet had the chance to secure your financial future with your spouse. If you are young, newly single, and struggling to regain control of your finances after the death of your spouse, here are some tips that should help ease the strain: [Read more…]

Do you find yourself constantly fighting with your partner about money? It’s a frustrating thing, because it seems so petty and unimportant compared to our romantic vision of what love is supposed to be. But the fact is that money is important.

It is how we make it from point A to point B in life, how we are able to have a roof over our heads and a decent car to get to work, not to mention fulfilling dreams like travelling the world. Of course we fight about money!

How you spend, or don’t spend, your money should reflect your priorities. And when our partner’s use of money is different from what we anticipated, we feel that our priorities aren’t the same. Suddenly the whole relationship seems unstable. If you’re looking for peace and connection instead of a battleground, get started with the tips below. [Read more…]