"The future will be better tomorrow."Dan Quayle
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Eating out in Paris on a Budget
This is Paris and it is raining, which is as it should be. Paris rain is not as the rain of other cities. It is softer, benevolent. It caresses, rather than soaks.Perhaps the main reason I come to Paris is because of the food. Not that I am a true ...
Family Night on a Budget!
When you and your family are on a tight budget, sometimes one of the first things to be cut out is money for entertainment. When our 3 children were small, my husband and I always tried to find fun things to do as a family that didn't make a huge dent ...
Modular Home Plans Offer Dream House on a Budget
Modular Homes are not those old trailers you see in mobile home parks or low income housing shelters. Gone are the early days of temporary looking structures, modular housing construction has undergone a designing renaissance over the last decade. ...
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Mention the “b” word, as in BUDGET, to a friend and they'll look at you like you have a third eye growing from the middle of your forehead. For most people the word budget too often carries negative meanings such as limits, restrictions, living on an allowance, giving things up, no shopping, no fun.
Unfortunately, the point they're missing is that a budget doesn't limit you but instead gives you freedom. That's right - FREEDOM. The words “budget” and “freedom” are not mutually exclusive, once you understand what a budget can do for you.
Having and using a budget will give you direction. Your budget is your personal map of how you're going to move financially from “point A” to “point B” and so on. Would you like to pay off your credit card debt? Buy a new house or car? Save for retirement? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then let me ask you one more - how are you going to do it? What's your plan?
Let's take a look at paying off your credit card debt. You've decided to lower your debt by adding an extra $20 to your monthly payments. Great idea - as long as you can afford it and you stop using your credit cards. However, you won't know if you have the extra $20 if you don't know what your monthly expenses are from the start. With a budget you may find that you can actually afford more and pay off your debts faster. You'll have the freedom to use your money more wisely and achieve your goal.
What about buying a new house or car? If you don't have a budget, you won't know how much you can pay for a house or a car payment. Make that mistake and you'll get a visit from the repo man or you'll find yourself in foreclosure. Your budget gives you the freedom to make an informed decision.
How about saving for retirement? Unfortunately most of us don't consider retirement savings until we're into our forties or even fifties. Imagine if only we'd been smarter, had a budget, and started contributing toward our retirement when we were 10, 20, or 30 years younger?
Having a budget doesn't limit you. It gives you the freedom to make informed financial decisions, allows you to use your money more wisely, and achieve your financial goals more quickly and easily.
Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
About the Author
James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a free weekly newsletter with tips to help you manage your personal finances. Subscribe today and receive his e-book “IDENTITY THEFT- How To Avoid Becoming the Next Victim!” and other bonuses by visiting http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
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Budgeting for periodic expenses can be critical for householdsGuelph MercuryIn other words, budgets are in deficit and the deficits are being addressed through debt. If this continues over time, a significant debt problem can occur. So, what is the fix? First determine what your periodic expenses are, and then pay them just ... |
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Letter: Budgeting MediocrityVirginia Connection NewspapersThe following open letter was addressed to members of the School Board, Superintendent, ACPS Central Office Staff, teachers and citizens of Alexandria. My name is Scott Gordon and I write this today not as a candidate for Alexandria City Council but as ... |
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White House on Legally-Mandated Budgeting: "No Opinion"Town HallCapitol Hill Republicans are circulating this clip, and for good reason. Watch in wonder as our Law Professor President's top spokesman breezily expresses "no opinion" over whether the US Senate should meet it's legal obligation to offer and pass a FY ...and more » |
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