Ben Edwards's Blog: Money Smart Life, page 21

Why You Should Do Your Christmas Shopping Now

Christmas shopping in September? Sure, it’s a little bit early, but not by that much. Some of the large retail chains are even beginning to stock their stores for the holidays, and some are even beginning to decorate. (When you are in the retail business, there can never be too much Christmas!)

It might not be a bad idea if you get into the spirit now and start doing some or even all of your shopping before the season officially launches on Black Friday. There are at least five reasons why now...

Real Estate Investing: Creative Financing

If you have ever met a real estate investor, you know they are from a different breed. When you talk to them, they look as if they know something you don’t. The truth of the matter is they do. They have taken the leap into this world and have found that the hard work truly pays off.

For those that are not involved in the business, the biggest question they have about it is, “How can I do this if I don’t have any cash to put down?” There are many ways to answer that question, but here are a few...

Where to Find the Best Exchange Rates

Stretching your horizons and visiting foreign lands is an enriching experience. Unfortunately not everyone takes U.S. dollars when you travel abroad, and even if they do you have to constantly be aware of the exchange rate they are giving you.

It is almost always better to deal in the local currency than to take dollars with you. You are guaranteed to have your payment accepted in the local currency.

That leaves the problem of how to acquire that currency. Exchange rates can vary widely and the...

Ready to Move? Consider Renting in Your New Town First!

When making a move, it seems like a nice idea to buy a home first, and move in. However, it might make sense to rent for a little while first, especially if you plan to sell your old home.

Here’s why it might make sense to rent first:

Finances

Trying to pay two mortgages can be difficult. Plus, if you haven’t managed to sell your old home yet, or you don’t have someone lined up, some lenders won’t let you buy the new place. It’s just too risky.

Even if you plan to rent out your old house as a sou...

How to Save on Organic Food

Organic food used to be hard to find but has quickly grown in popularity. But do you have to rely on Whole Foods to open a store in your area to be able to get tasty food that isn’t laden with additives and chemicals? And when that happens how many credit cards do you need to be able to afford to shop there?

Saving Money on Organic Food

Thankfully, saving money on organic food is not as difficult as it seems. You might have to get a little creative compared to your normal shopping habits for no...

5 Top-Notch Productivity Tips for the Freelancer

Freelancing is a great way to make a little extra money on the side, and sometimes it turns into a full-time business. Many first-time freelancers get overwhelmed by all the tasks they didn’t see coming when they first started. When I first started building my business, I had to learn productivity techniques along the way. I read books such as Getting Things Done by David Allen and Zen To Done by Leo Babauta. I also picked up some best practices through experience. Here are some productivity...

4 Financial Perks of Traveling with Friends

Traveling is great. Being with friends is great. Why not combine the two and get the extra benefit of saving money?

Granted, you can’t travel with just anyone. It has to be the right set of friends. Some people are nice to be with a day or two but any longer and things get a little tense. But there are some financial perks to the having the “more the merrier” mentality when it comes to traveling with friends.

4 Great Financial Reasons to Travel with Friends

There are some trips that there is no...

5 Signs You’re a Good Money Manager

It’s nice to know that you’re doing a good job. However, sometimes you are your severest critic. It can be hard to recognize when you are doing a good job, and when you are on the right track. This is especially true when you are trying to figure out how to manage your money.

You might not realize that you are actually a good money manager. If you have been down on yourself because you don’t feel that you are exactly where you wish you could be, take a step back. It could be that you’re on the...

Family Financial Etiquette 101

Money is still a somewhat-taboo topic in many situations. And I don’t see a lot wrong with that. While my husband and I discuss our finances, and talk about money with our son, I don’t feel a need to share the intimate details of my financial situation with other members of my family – including my parents.

On top of that, it’s important to be aware of finances when you are involved in other situations where finances come up as well. Here are some of my thoughts on family financial etiquette.

S...

How to Live on One Income – Even if You Don’t Have To

Many couples and families would love the opportunity to be able to live on one income. At a minimum, a stay-at-home partner could go a long way toward minimizing so many of the stresses of everyday life. Let’s face it, with all the chores that it takes to run a household, to raise kids, to pay bills, and to write letters, emails, and make phone calls in order to straighten out whatever seems to go wrong in life, it can be a real backbreaker if each partner also has a full-time job.

If you have...