4 Ways You Can Retire Wealthy

When a person is in their twenties, they rarely start to consider retirement as a priority that needs to be taken care of. Many of us will see a million dollars or more pass through our hands, but very few of us will actually accumulate a million dollars towards our retirement. Why? Because many of us suffer poor planning and little foresight. There are many methods to set aside extra money for those later years, but it’s hard to know where to start without expert advice and great financial habits. If retirement is something that you want to live well, here are four ways for you to get on your way to enjoying your golden years.

Save Early and Often

It stands to reason that the more you put away towards retirement, the better your nest egg will be. It’s true that many young people simply don’t think about their life after they leave the workforce, but by saving early you effectively create the most effective retirement plan there is; preparedness. Something will always come up, in any stage of your life, to challenge your savings, but with diligence and dedication you will see your retirement savings growing exponentially. Remember that there are tax breaks offered to those who submit money on a yearly basis to their RRSP funds, and that some employers will match your contribution to a predetermined sum.

Invest Wisely

Make a point to either employ a stock broker you can trust, or to learn the market yourself and put money into low cost, high return investments. Careful of high interest mutual funds, and always advocate for yourself when it comes to investing. Investing your hard earned money is a dangerous game for those who aren’t sure what they’re doing, which is why a professional may be a the best option to help you select your investments wisely.

Borrow Well

Heavy debt can effectively cancel out any savings that you have in the bank, so be sure that when you borrow you do so wisely. Not only will smart financial decisions keep your retirement fund growing, but they will protect your credit score which you desperately need to build equity and make big ticket purchases. If your credit score is ruined by the time you hit retirement, you’ll be in for a rough ride after your working days are through.

Be Consistent

Nothing can throw a stick in the spokes of your retirement savings so fast as a job loss, career chance or time off for illness of injury. While it’s obviously best to avoid any of these things, it’s also sometimes unavoidable to experience a gap in your retirement savings. Always ensure that you have a cushion of cash in another savings account so that you never have to dip into your retirement funds.

This guest post is from Allison with CreditReport.org.

Photo By 401(K) 2012 on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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How to Cut your Business Electricity Costs

I won’t waste your time. You want to cut your business electricity costs. I’m going to tell you how.
Read on and don’t bother thanking me. You’ve got an office to run and a world to take over.

Office Lights
A lot of offices keep their lights on, all day, whether it’s summer, winter, night or day. This is a terrible waste and an easy way to cut down on your energy costs. So, don’t do it.

First things first, turn the lights off a night. When I walk past a ground floor office, lit like a shop window I do not stop and think ‘ooh, how pretty’ or ‘that company must be doing extremely well if they can keep their space lit all night. I must buy their product.’ No. I keep on walking imagining the huge amounts of money they’re throwing down the toilet every night, or how easily I could smash a window and grab that iMac.

If you absolutely must keep lights on overnight – so your security can see any smash-and-grab chancers like me coming – then make sure they’re dim.
For day-time stuff, try not having any lights on at all. If you see your staff falling asleep in a dark corner, then you’d better turn them on, but make sure they’re energy-saving. Spirals are cool and they can save the planet, too.
One last thing, please don’t expect your staff to remember to turn lights off. They’re too busy thinking how to steal your pencils and loo-roll. Invest in timed light switches and you’ll reap the benefit. You’ll also get the added bonus of hilarity, when your staff sit there in darkness, rather than stand up and activate them again. Priceless.

Computers
Unfortunately, it’s hard to find computers with timed power switches. You can try to ask your staff to turn them off, but don’t be surprised when they forget, deny they even use that computer, or go full hog and turn off the fridge, as well, resulting in a sticky swamp of a kitchen.
You can’t whip them when they forget and you’re far too busy to do it yourself, so get someone who leaves late (a cleaner, or your security) to turn everything off as part of their duties.
In case you’re confused, when I say turn something off, I mean turn them off, completely. Setting it to ‘sleep’ is not good enough, neither simply shutting down the monitor (you’re not fooling anyone, Sandra).
Meters and Companies
This is so obvious, I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s time – which I hate – but for completion’s sake, check your meter readings regularly and compare supplier’s prices. There’s no point paying for energy you’re not using and if someone else can give it to you cheaper than say hello to your new best friend.
This will be tedious, so give it to the temp or intern you can never remember the name of. They’ll love the responsibility and it’s a genuinely useful task. Then get them to make you a cup of tea and shout at them when they get it wrong.

Derek Blythe works for www.businesselectricityprices.org.uk the UK's #1 in finding cheap business electricity prices. He’s been known to buy the odd round in the pub, but but likes to play aggressive in the office.

Photo By fsse8info on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Tips for Great Holiday Money Deals

When planning for your overseas holiday, it is worth your while to shop around for your holiday money as it could end up saving you a reasonable chunk of money. Usually, good holiday money deals means spending less money on commission and charges, and enjoying a good exchange rate. To make your holiday money comparisons easier, we’ve compiled a few tips that will make your hard earned money go further.

Buying Cash

There are various means of buying holiday cash. A convenient way is to order holiday money online and then pick it up from the airport. This is far easier and less expensive than exchanging money at an airport’s bureau de change. According to the Post Office, around £21 million is wasted on buying currency at the last minute at airports, as they generally have higher holiday money rates as well as commission charges, especially for lower value transactions.

Watch Out for Additional Charges

Just because a holiday money deal doesn’t charge commission, it does not mean that it is the best deal, as it’s likely that fees are already included in the rate. Flat fees and minimum charges are often expensive, especially if you are purchasing small amounts. However, if you are purchasing a large amount of holiday money, it can be good value for money. Handling fees are another additional charge that may be added to your holiday money. Also, when buying cash, check whether your debit card charges an exchange fee. If so, rather withdraw the cash for your holiday money purchase. Check at your bank or building society for holiday money benefits for account holders.
Money Holiday Services

Travellers’ Cheque

Traveller’s cheques have long been a preferred method for holiday money. Their main benefit is that they are far safer compared to carrying cash. If they are lost or stolen, you can get a refund. The downside to this type of holiday money is that the exchange rates are usually quite high with added fees. For example, Travelmoneymax revealed that for £100 one could only purchase €102 of holiday money from Lloyds TSB travellers’ cheque. Furthermore, when you cash in your cheques at your holiday destination, you are likely to face additional fees.
Pre Paid Cards
There are simple, safe and effective, and are increasingly popular options for holiday money. Money can be loaded onto the prepaid card, which can then be drawn from the ATMs at your holiday destination. Stolen or lost cards can also be reported, cancelled and then replaced, making it a safe holiday money option.

Penny Munroe is an avid writer in finance related news and tips. Articles include forex broker tips to the latest in economic news.

Photo By krejcirikmira on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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6 Frugal Date Ideas This Summer For A Better Savings Account

The Fab Four mentioned money can't buy love; so, why spend moolah while making amore?   This summer, rather than drain the savings account, keep it intact, finding other ways to court your main squeeze.
Love is in the air; so are plenty of dollar-thin-date opportunities.  Check these 6 frugal-date ideas.


1)  Picnic
You could show (and shed) off your savings account, bringing a date to the city's newest café.  Meh, plenty of people will be doing such.  How many lovers are opting for more intimacy, more creativity, and less money?  You, for one.  Rather than a high-priced dining occasion, opt for a low-key picnic.
It's about detail, not dollars.  Think of your companion's favorite snacks and entrees.  What you don't spend in dollars one can accumulate in picnic detail and 'brownie' points.
2)  Stroll
"I really want to get to know you."  That is such a sweet sentiment!  What better way can you get to know one another than through a long, whimsical (and free) stroll?  Consider the layout of your geographic area.  Where are the botanical gardens, the neon night-life lights, the beautiful views off in the distance?  Find and leverage them for a stroll with your sweetie.
Place the emphasis on spending quality time while secretly maintaining the savings account.  Do you want to make an added impression?  Remember to drape your jacket over puddles (Has anyone actually ever done that?)
3)  Museum
Give occasion to flex your brain brawn.  Survey museums in the area; do some preliminary research.  Find times of interesting exhibits; and tell your honey how you've been anxiously awaiting to take them.  Museum entry is often a minimal charge; yet, one can spend hours perusing museum halls.
Companions find a big savings account attractive as well as a diverse mind; going to the museum facilitates both.
4)  Board Games
We were all little kids once.  Little kids are competitive by nature; they like to win.  Winning is always fun; often, the pursuit in trying to do so is also enjoyable.  Does your companion have a competitive spirit?  Are they a self-proclaimed wordsmith?  Challenge them to a game of Scrabble?  Are they good with money?  Can they beat you in Monopoly?
While free of charge, board games are not void of fun and child-like excitement.  Couples often gather together for board games.  Grab a pal and his gal; don't be stingy with saving; help a friend save too!
5)  Cooking at Home
Do you really want to WOW your companion?  Create something for them.  No, not a horribly-rhymed love letter! (Remember the not-so-desired reception your love poem got from your fifth-grade crush?)  Make them dinner.  It costs a lot less than eating out; but the sentiment means so much more.
Better yet, find what meals your companion really enjoys ahead of time.  They'll appreciate you making dinner and being perceptive regarding their likes.
6)  Exercise
'Dates' usually connote some sort of activity connected to draining the savings account.  This does not have to be so; but countering lost savings necessitates alternative thinking.  Tell your date rather than spending hours being pampered, you're going to make them sweat…
That's right.  Opt for a jog, bike ride, hike, or excursion to the gym.  Rather than spend dollars on your companion, spend time burning calories.  Keep the heart rate racing;  but keep your savings in place.

About Author | Amie is a passionate savings expert, she enjoys to make the most of her high interest savings accounts and visits sites like http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/savings_accounts.aspx.  She enjoys comparing a range of savings accounts such as fixed rate bonds and investment plans.   Follow her on Twitter @amielaroux

Photo By Mukumbura from Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Can I Spread Bet on Major Companies Stocks?

The reason why spread betting has become so popular in recent years is the ability for traders to place bets on a whole range of different markets using just one platform. These markets range from stocks, currencies, commodities, bonds and indices. Many spread betting brokers also provide multiple other special markets. Traditional stock traders have made a simple transition to spread betting, not only because it is a simple way to make money from share price movements, but also because it requires less capital to make money from these movements.

The World is Your Oyster

If you are looking to place bets on major companies stocks, this is possible on all trading platforms and with all major brokers. These typically range from the largest companies from the UK and US, with many spread betting platforms offering the possibility to place bets on large companies from other European and Asian stock markets. These markets are derivative markets, meaning that you will never actually own any of the stocks that you place bets on, they follow the actual price movements of the underlying asset and provide the same charting possibilities as regular stock investing.

Spread Bet With Limited Funds

One of the major advantages of trading stocks using spread betting is that it does not require a large amount of capital in order to make significant profits. Unlike traditional stock trading, spread bets are placed on a per point basis, meaning that a trader can place a stop loss of just a few points and invest very little in each bet. Traditional stock trading requires stock to be purchased at the actual share price; this requires a large investment in order to make rapid profits from expensive stocks such as Google. Betting per point allows even small movements in the value of a stock to be highly profitable whilst requiring a far lower investment.

Spread betting platforms use highly advanced charting software in order to analyse the potential for good trades. These charts use exactly the same analytical studies that professional stock traders use to spot investment opportunities. The benefits of spread trading major company stocks are enhanced by the fact that, in the UK, earnings on stock spread betting are tax-free. Earnings on traditional stock investing are taxable in the UK so the benefits on profits made through spread trading can be seen as instantly more attractive than conventional stock trading.

Tristan from http://www.spread.co.uk is interested in how spread bets can be made on the largest stocks with limited budgets, giving you the chance to make money when the big companies do.

Photo By Iman Mosaad and Lars Plougmann on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Debt Management Advice & Tips for Students

For many students, money management is a challenge. Faced with the temptation of alcohol, clothing, food, late night partying and spring break trips, many students still find it difficult to stick to a budget. To stay on track financially, track costs, and reduce your expenses wherever possible you need to be fully aware of where your money goes and how you can manage the inevitable debt that will be accrued.  Here is some advice and handy hints designed to help students make sure that they can manage their college and university debts a lot better.
Be Aware of the Fees
Although it may be tempting to skip a re-payment or write a check you know will bounce if funds are low, do not forget the associated costs may put you deeper in the hole. Many banks, a bounced check or overdraft could end up costing you $25 to $35 and costs will continue to accrue for each additional withdrawal. Closely monitor your bank account and also pay attention to payment deadlines.
Try Not to Use Credit Cards
The major credit card providers love to target students during their college days as they know that they operate on a small budget. During a four-year academic course you can accumulate a lot of debt and if you are only able to pay the minimum payment the interest can add up fast. Avoid ending your college course with a large credit card debt and try to avoid major credit cards entirely. With the temptation of spring break trips and other last-minute spending, debt can be built easily and quickly become debilitating.
Perhaps Sell Your Car
On many campuses, a car can add additional charges for parking, gas and maintenance fees. If you live on campus or nearby, then store or sell your car at home with your parents. This will help you to save money on gas and insurance and you might even cut back on expensive road trips if you can only rely on public transportation to get you and your friends there.
Benefit Services
Most universities and colleges provide services for students from everything from health care to travel. Identify your high-cost areas and search for any assistance and support options that are on campus. You may find that you can get cheaper gym membership on campus or could learn that your university has partnerships with local businesses for price reductions on activities and services.
Make a Personal Budget
When you live on a fixed income or a scholarship then it is important to keep track of your out-going costs. At the beginning of each semester or term, make a budget that takes into account the money you take in and your expenses.  Do not forget to consider the cost of travel, food and books for classes. When you are aware of your financial situation, it is easier to stay on track and manage your student debts and finances a lot better.

Guest Post Author Details: Thanks to the Wall Street Subscriptions website for this guest post.  If you are student studying financial and business disciplines then you should consider a student discount offer on the Barron’s Magazine.  It contains up to date news and interviews with people working in finance and also lists valuable internship opportunities with large companies.  Please click here to find out more.

Photo By Images_of_Money on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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4 Tips for Business Success in Hard Times

In today’s poor economy, many people have found that the business world isn’t exactly what they had pictured when they started out. Long hours, low pay, marketing mistakes, unsatisfied customers… not the glamorous picture that may you may have romanticized in your business plan. If you’ve found yourself in a business bind because of this harsh economy, here are some tips that can get your head back above water.

Track and Control

If you aren’t already diligent when it comes to tracking your business spending, start today. Many failed business owners contribute a large part of their failure to a disconnect in money matters. If money hasn’t ever been your strong suit, hire someone who can help you get a handle on your spending and keep track of your books. You need to have a good idea of your profitability, as well as what your overhead ratio looks like. A business can’t succeed without an excellent handle on money.

Borrow Smart

More and more often, businesses are leaning towards self-propelled borrowing instead of taking out massive loans from banks right away. If you’re already in the debt trap, talk to a professional about how you can work yourself out of debt and back into the black. Debt can stifle your success before you even realize what’s happening, and that’s why many business owners today prefer to work with a business credit card over bank loans. This is an easy way to build your business credit without biting off more than you can chew.

Think Outside the Box

Some of the most successful businesses have spawned from people who were brave enough to try out atypical solutions to typical business problems. Have you been too locked into solutions that are well known? Maybe you could consider getting rid of your physical office and having your employees work remote; telecommunications has never been a more viable method of business communication. Cut out costs in places that others may not have considered, and you may find that your money troubles work themselves out in a hurry.

Utilize the Internet

Most small business owners already realize how incredible an asset the internet is when it comes to awareness and advertising. If you’re not already online with your marketing strategy, talk to a social media consultant about the best method for you to appeal to potential clients in the internet. Online marketing is effective because it can have a big impact without a big price tag, a perfect solution for a struggling business.

This guest post is from Allison with BusinessCreditCards.com.

Photo By 401(K) 2012 License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Tips to Reduce Holiday Spending Stress

As the world economy continues to evolve, some countries struggle mightily with inflation, unemployment and negative trade agreements. National credit ratings have been downgraded around the world, and only a few countries have maintained their pre-crash levels. Unfortunately, each nation's citizens – consumers – stagger under the weight of the financial continuing financial crunch: Unemployment vacillates, wages freeze or fall and spending plateaus. Considering an estimated 32 percent of US consumers pay major monthly bills with credit cards and not from savings, how might this available-money squeeze impact holiday spending?

Merchant Sales Timing
The winter holiday season is traditionally the most important to retailers in most parts of the world: Sales may slow during other seasons, but the merchants need the winter holiday proceeds to maintain the financial health of the stores during those slow-down times.
Consumer sales during the winter holiday seasons of past years have lessened for many years, and most of those sales are made via credit card purchases, whether through an online retail outlet or a brick-and-mortar store.
To compensate for a projected less-than-stellar holiday sales season, more retailers are breaking out the holiday decorations early: Roughly 8 percent of major retailers nationally have tinsel and garlands already hung. No longer is the US holiday of Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November each year, the starting point for the winter holiday shopping.

Consumer Purchasing
Lower wages or income, stressed employment situations and rising costs of health benefit, fuel, grocery and utility payments stretch a great many household budgets to the breaking point. Because non-living expenses, such as student loans, car loans, entertainment expenses and even car insurance, for example, are lower priorities on expense lists than rent, mortgage loans, groceries or other miscellaneous expenses, those items are usually pegged for payment via credit cards.
Consumers have spent less for holiday gifts during the last four years, and merchants are nearly desperate for ways to improve projected profits. With personal expenses loaded onto credit card payments, and merchants rely so heavily on that mode of payment, how might the demand support the supply?

Budgetary Restraint
A two-edged sword, as employers have reduced expenses by releasing workers or sending manufacturing overseas. Stores are relying more toward online retail websites, reducing brick-and-mortar expenses. Sales start earlier and extend longer than historical guidelines.
Consumers have also created budgets and try hard to maintain them to accommodate reduced income. However, true savings isn't simply meeting a budget. Budgets monitor spending -- not savings.
As employers have reduced expenses, so must consumers, and much of that expense reduction comes from reduced credit card debt.
First, devise a comprehensive budget that is honest, realistic and adjustable. Identify where you can shave even pennies reliably. Then cut the maximum allowed on everything possible by 5 to 10 percent. Then reevaluate your budget.

A budget is intended to keep your spending consistent. Living below your budget limits is the key to sound financial management: Pay off interest-bearing loans and revolving credit lines. Cut the number of cards you actively use. Use alternate energy sources. Buy more generic foods, or buy in bulk instead of the per-serving items.
Use cash for purchases instead of credit cards. Debit cards are also better than credit card purchases.
If you have credit cards with balances, above all, pay at least the minimum due each month: Don't risk a declination of your credit rating, for it's far harder to repair that than it is to buy a cheaper fuel or food for a few months, for example.
Start now – before you start the bulk of your holiday shopping – and enjoy a smoother, less stressful spending spree later.

By Jaye Ryan, a freelance author who likes writing  about budget and money management tips for Octopus Loans.

Photo By krejcirikmira on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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Credit Cards or Short Term Loans. Which Do You Preffer?

When in need of funds, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Two of the most common services people use when in need of money are credit cards and short term loans, each of them with their own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some facts that may help you choose the method best suited for your needs when in need of cash.

Credit Cards - Is one card enough?

First I would like to apologize for my prejudice but I fully support companies that run their prospective employees credit histories before interviewing them. Barring few exceptions such as certain communities that do not apply for the credit card in the first place, research supports that most individuals with bad credit are irresponsible with corporate money as well.
Most of us would have got our first credit card at our college campus or from the local bank where we receive our paycheck.

The interesting thing when using credit cards is that they create this greedy behavior that makes you think you need to have many store credit cards rather than just sticking to one credit card that offers the maximum credit line. During my research I observed that if one is patient and does not accept every credit card offer that comes in the mail then invariably the local bank where you deposit your paycheck would eventually offer you a balanced credit line that will never go in default and work as a real companion. Multiple credit card ownership sends a signal to different credit card companies to restrain from giving out their best credit rates and maximum credit line as your loyalty can rightfully switch each month.

For some reason all of us feel that we must carry at least one credit card from each major brand such as American Express, Discover, Visa, Master Card etc. My research shows this is not true and in my travels to dozens of countries I felt that most of the respectable merchants accept all variations and brands of credit cards.

Therefore multiple credit card brands are a merchant centric problem and as a credit card user you essentially should be comfortable with any single major brand. As a thumb rule the overall credit card line of credit normally offered is anything between one year’ salary to a maximum of two years’ salary for individuals with high credit score. Usually it is prudent not to accept a credit card with a lower interest rate but instead take the offer to your local bank and ask them to reduce your rate of interest on existing credit card.

Short Term Loans -

Payday Loans are like tug of war. On one end you find most of the payday lenders who know that the money they lend will not come back easily while on the other end we find the borrower who resorts to short term loans when all other options are closed.
Research shows that as high as 60% payday borrowers have to be dragged to legal courts. This happens because payday loan providers have managed to offer their services to the most risky and most poorly served strata of population. Invariably the law sides with the borrowers and in most cases the lender is barely able to recover only his principal sum. Still this tug of war continues between the lenders and borrowers.

From a payday lender’s viewpoint the money they loan to each borrower is so small that in spite of very high interest rates the actual factual amount collected is miniscule and therefore it becomes a viable business only if the number of borrowers is very large.

From a borrowers viewpoint the money borrowed is so small that she/he is able to pay it off in a single transaction thereby getting a sense of relief that she/he is not been chased by one more loan collection shark.
In spite of this tug of war there are huge defaulters and the cost of collection for such small amounts from borrowers with negative net worth is prohibitively high.
Both credit cards and payday loans have both several disadvantages and several advantages and what it comes down to eventually is the situation of the borrower and prefferences.

Whichever method you decide to choose when in need of cash, you should always remember to never borrow more than you need, pay extra attention to the interest rate and if possible try not to borrow at all. Think budgeting.

My name is Chris Smith, I work in finance and one of my goals is to help people in need of money make educated choices when their hard earned money is concerned.

Photo By 401(K) 2012 on Flickr License By http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Online Tools to Help you Understand your Spending

Understanding your finances can be daunting, especially for those of us who were never the best maths students. Debt most commonly occurs when people are spending more than they are earning, but when you don’t understand your spending habits, it becomes difficult to prevent the accumulation of debt. A number of online tools are now available, which may assist you in better understanding your finances. When browsing the internet, you will find that your options are limitless, with online tools for finance calculators, graphs and charts, budget trackers, projected expenditure and savings goals. If you’re concerned that your spending has become out of control, check out the latest and greatest tools for tracking your money.

Knowing how much you spend

The first step in understanding your spending is to determine how much you spend on regular expenses. Reoccurring costs may include payments for credit cards, fuel, groceries, gym membership and various household bills, just to name a few. Online budgeting tools are a great way to really understand how much you are spending, without including any unnecessary items. Debt solutions companies often provide the best budgeting assistance, outlining the expenses that most people incur, to be sure that you don’t miss any costs, no matter how small they may be. Once you have determined your regular spending habits, you can then further develop your understanding of your financial situation.

Understanding your Finances

While many people understand that they aren’t maintaining a healthy financial situation, they often struggle to see why. If you’re anything like me, you can sit and talk to a bank employee for hours and still have no idea what they’re talking about. A number of online tools provide easy to read formatting, allowing you to see your money in a straightforward way. Graphs and charts can often make it easier for us to see where we are spending money and, more importantly, where we could be saving.

What if my spending has gone too far?

If you’re past the point of understanding your spending and first need assistance in regaining control of your finances, you may need to talk to a debt solutions specialist. Once you have taken the necessary steps to begin minimising your debt, you will then be able to begin to understand how your spending habits are affecting your finances. A debt consolidation company can provide you with a range of options for solving your money problems. If your spending has led to numerous credit card bills, for instance, it may be suggested that you apply for a debt consolidation loan, in order to receive a lower interest rate to repay your bills faster.
Online tools allow you the luxury of understanding your finances, in your own time. Online, you can spend as much time as you need, finding the right learning format for you. Once you begin to understand your spending, you will be able to better control the incomings and outgoings of your money, allowing you to have more financial freedom.

Tara Blair writes for many leading business, finance and news sites.  She recommends using online tools to help manage your spending habits but if you have large amounts of debt it would be worth seeking professional advice from a reputable debt consolidation company.

Photo By philcampbell on Flickr License By  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

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