Wednesday, September 12, 2012

10 steps to start saving

1) Develop a simple and easy plan how? It is in the right place to start. Click here for "taking the right steps."

2) Imagine how much could repay the balance of your credit cards. Cut some unnecessary monthly expenses and pay more than the minimum for each of the cards you have. Remember, repay the balance of your credit card can be one of the best investments paid to do.




3) Find out if your company offers employees a retirement plan, known as 401 (k) (or 403 (b) if you work for a public agency or organization). The moment you decide to benefit from this plan, your employer will automatically deduct the amount of money you determine each paycheck and deposited into your retirement plan. Often you can choose which type of fund you want your money to be invested. The four main benefits of this type of retirement plan offered by your employer are:

    
the company does all the paperwork for you;
    
is an automatic deduction from your paycheck, so it forces you to save;
    
most companies contribute a certain percentage to the contributions of its employees, and
    
at least a portion of your contribution will prepay taxes, which will reduce the amount of tax paid at the end of the year.



4) Become a retirement plan, but the amount contributed is small. Open an individual retirement account (IRA) through a local bank, credit union or brokerage background. You can make a contribution up to a maximum amount per year, the contribution, in the case of many people, is tax deductible. So save in two ways: for retirement and paying taxes at the end of the year.


5) Make an annual extra payment on your mortgage. Type the phrase "capital" in the reminder of your check and your bank will know that the money is intended to pay off the capital. Decreasing this amount is also decreasing the interest rate of your mortgage ... allowing you to make significant savings and even shorten the years of your mortgage.


6) Keep an accurate record of all your expenses for a month. Write everything. At the end of the month, browse the list. Sort your expenses and begin to see where you can make cuts. You'll be surprised how much you can save when you know exactly where the money is going!


7) Change the debit their credit cards to others in which the interest rate is lower. When reporting a new card, make sure you get the lowest interest rate for at least six months. Carefully read all the terms of the request.


 You will find that the attractive "offer to 7%!" envelope is just a "hook" and that is only valid for a few months, then the interest up to 18, 20 or 22 percent, often without warning. If you have a good payment history with the company credit card, find out the possibility of lowering your interest rate or reduce or eliminate some of the fees as just reward for the continued use of the credit card.  

Many companies accept. You can also browse www.bankrate.com or see if your local library has a newsletter on bank rates (BRM, Bank Rate Monitor) with the list of the best credit card interest, both in his state and throughout the nation. You can ask any of the banks listed in the lists, obtain an application and transfer your balance.

 If you belong to a credit union, you should ask them how to benefit from a lower interest rate. If you want to compare the costs and services of your local bank with a credit union, you can contact the National Credit Union (CUNA) in the U.S. through its Web site or by calling (800) 358-5710.

8) Have you checked lately bills for utilities? Take a few small steps, you can save hundreds of dollars. For example, lower hot water temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (recommended for families with young children) and save between 10 and 15 percent.  


Ask your electric or gas company what are the high rate hours. You'll save money if you do not use the dishwasher or washing machine in those hours. And although it is difficult to recognize that our parents were right ... not need to have all the house lights on. Turn off the switch helps save money. They are small and simple steps to save money and that even children can do. Many companies that supply energy will send you, free of charge, a list of tricks to harness energy (ie, to save money), or even come to your home to assess your needs.

9) Check your phone bill and see what you pay for services you do not really need. You can make a contribution up to a maximum amount per year, the contribution, in the case of many people, is tax deductible. Many companies downgrade rates suggests that if you are thinking of switching to another provider with a cheaper plan.


An alternative is to stop using your landline permanently and use only your cell phone to save money.


10) Review your insurance policies. Are you paying for more coverage than you really need? If you visit websites like www.quotesmith.com can compare any type of insurance, including life, home, disability, dental and even covering small businesses. It is worth taking a few minutes to determine if it can reduce the monthly and still get the coverage you and your family need.