Today Todd and I shared some money saving tips from our “Who Knew?” book!

Here are the hacks, tips and tricks we shared today:

Planning for the future: When you get a bump in salary, put a higher proportion of it into your savings account. For instance, if you get a 4% raise, add 1% to your household budget and set aside the other 3% for your retirement account. You’ll thank yourself later!

The average American household has $9,200 in credit card debt: and that’s just for households with only one credit card! The average amount of cards per household is a whopping 13.

Insurance isn’t A Good Idea: When purchasing a cell phone, never sign up for insurance or a warranty – if you’re paying a monthly fee for insurance, cancel it immediately. The insurance plan of many cellular providers has a deductible of up to $50 that you were responsible for paying, and the soon you’ll usually receive as a replacement it will be an already outdated model from last year. The cost of taking your chances and buying a cheap replacement if necessary is much less than what your cellular company is offering you.

Up Your Credit Score: It’s a tough time to get credit, so make sure your rating is as good as possible. Here are a few easy ways to raise your credit score:

  • Check your report for accuracy. On the internet, you can often click the item directly to dispute it. Make sure all the addresses listed are current or former addresses, and all loans and lines of credit listed are yours. If you are unsure, contact the customer service number on the report and ask for more information.
  • Get rid of credit cards you never use anymore. See three or four credit cards for stores that don’t frequently shop at? Even if you don’t carry balances on these cards, one of the things that can lower your credit rating is the amount of available credit you have. Call the number on the back of the cards and cancel then!
  • If you are listed as a secondary cardholder for an account of someone who’s racked up a lot of debt on the card, this can negatively impact your credit rating. If it isn’t necessary for you to be on this credit card account, call the company and get your name taken off.
  • You can request a free credit report. Tried to make a regular habit of requesting it and reviewing it as closely as you would your bank statements. The more quickly you noticed a discrepancy, the easier it will be to get it removed from your report.

You’re saving money on Dental Care: It’s true: you can get that root canal you’ve been putting off and keep your retirement account. Find a dental school in your area to visit for regular cleanings and checkups, and you’ll save big. Be prepared, however, for crowded waiting rooms, long visits, and less privacy. While you’re waiting, start dreaming about that cruise to Alaska. 

Good Guidance: If you feel like you’re in over your head with debt, or if you simply want some answers about the most efficient ways to pay it off and manage a budget, there is free counseling available to you. These one-on-one sessions are offered by organizations across the country who want to help people who are struggling with money problems. There they also often offer consolidation loans and debt management programs. To find an agency that will work with you in person, over the phone, online, or via email, call the national foundation for credit counseling at 1 – 800 – 388 – 2227. This organization make sure its members are accredited, not-for-profit, and generally on the level. 

Here is the link the the Christian Credit Counselors that we share here at WNZR: Christian Credit Counselors

Entertainment Spending: The point of making a budget isn’t getting rid of your entertainment spending, it’s just prioritizing what you like to spend your money on. Decide what your favorite activities are, as a family couple and by yourself or with friends. And then make sure you save enough to spend on the things you really enjoy. For Instance, you may decide you’d like you to give up going to the movies a few times a month so that you can go to a concert. Or you might prefer to spend your money on a nice dinner rather than a couple of trips to the expensive coffee house. 

Question of Day

What is your favorite way to budget?

Let us know below in the comment section – who knows, maybe you will help someone else out!

What was the name of Hillsong Young & frees first album, released in 2013?

Answer: We Are Young & Free

Congratulations to Paul from Mount Vernon who won the two passes to WinterJam2020! If you want to know more about WinterJam click HERE.

Thanks for checking out he blog!

-Hannah and Todd