Get Money Smart in 2011 - September

Here is this month's Get Money Smart in 2011! August's post is here.


Gather an emergency package. It's a good time to make sure you're prepared for natural disasters. Go to www.ready.gov for information on emergency preparedness, including what financial documents you'll want to be able to grab if you have to evacuate your home.

Cut auto-insurance bills. Compare your premiums with those at other companies to find a better deal. You can compare multiple insurers online at sites like Answer Financial, Insure.com, InsWeb, and NetQuote - just google them!

Start making holiday travel plans. Reserve now to get the best rates availability. Ask about discounts for booking early.

Get Money Smart in 2011 - August

Here is August's Get Money Smart in 2011 - (find July here)

Get ready to button up your home. Set up a home energy audit to find out where heat is escaping and how you can seal those leaks. You will slash your heating costs this winter. Your utility company might be willing to conduct one free.

Find great deals on wheels. If you are in the market for a new car, start looking for lower prices on end of the season models.

Simplify paying bills. If you haven't already done so, set up automatic bill payment through your bank or credit union to eliminate late fees. And if your 401k is maxed out, set up an automatic savings plan.

Get Money Smart in 2011 - July

Here is July installment Get Money Smart in 2011 - (find June here)

Increase your financial know-how... Ok, it's the summer so we're giving you a break (I must have taken one myself as this post didn't make it on July 1st!) You have only one task: Read a book on finance. Pick one that covers something you struggle with, such as unloading debt. For a comprehensive primer, check out "Personal Finance for Dummies" by Eric Tyson.

Personally, I like finance books by Dave Ramsey or Mary Hunt!

Get Money Smart in 2011 - June

Here is June's installment of Get Money Smart in 2011! (Find May here)

Bundle Up! Compare your Internet, cable, and phone bills to see whether bundled offers from one provider will cost less. Already have a bundle deal? Ask for a better one, especially if a promotional rate has expired.

Don't forget the tax man. Make your quarterly estimated tax payment by June 15. Not sure whether you need to make quarterly payments? Read IRS publication 505 at www.irs.gov.

Get another free credit report. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com and request it from one of the credit bureaus that you didn't choose in February.

Get money smart in 2011 - May

Here is this May's installment of get money smart in 2011!

Back up financial and other data. Use an external hard drive or even a thumb drive to back up your data. It's easier to do than you think!

Get ready for garage-sale season. Look through your stuff and set aside items to sell. Plan your own sale and join forces with some of your neighbors. If you decide that you can donate items instead, remember to make an itemized list and save your receipts for next year's tax return.

Find missing tax refunds. Don't have yours yet? Go to www.irs.gov and click on "Where's my refund?" on the home page.

Get money-smart in 2011. . . April

Here is April's installment of Get money-smart in 2011. (Check out March's post here.)

• Avoid a tax penalty. If you can't file by April 15, use Form 4868 to get a six-month filing extension. You'll still have to pay what you owe, or it will cost you more later.
• Look for travel deals. Start making summer vacation plans to take advantage of discounts for early bookings. Websites such as Airfarewatchdog, FareCompare, Priceline, and Travelocity will send you an alert if prices for your itinerary drop.
• Don't blow a tax refund. Use it to boost savings, paw down debt, or put it toward a big-ticket purchase.
  

Get money-smart in 2011 . . . March!

Here is March's installment of Get money-smart in 2011! (Catch up on February's here.)

• Get money back on medical costs. Submit last year's flexible-spending-account bills for reimbursement by the March 31 deadline (for most plans)
• Read your creditcard terms. Look for new charges like annual fees. Not happy with your card? For better offers, try bankrate.com, cardratings.com, and lowcards.com
• Tidy up your paperwork. When you're doing your spring cleaning, clean out financial files, too. Shred bills and account statements more than six years old.

February - Get money smart in 2011

Remember our January - Get money smart in 2011 well here is February's installment.

February

CHECK ONE CREDIT REPORT! Go to www.annualcreditreport.com and order a free report if you haven't done so in the past year. Choose from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion at the site.
BE SURE YOUR STUFF IS COVERED. Double check and update your homeowners or renters insurance policy, especially if you have pricey new toys.
GET YOUR MONEY BACK! Are you do a tax refund this year? File your return as soon as possible. And you might want to adjust your withholding so that Uncle Sam keeps less of your paycheck each month.

Get money - smart in 2011 by ShopSmart Magazine

In the latest issue of ShopSmart (a magazine published by Consumer Reports) there was a great article called "Get money-smart in 2011". The article contains an easy checklist to trim your expenses, increase savings, and get spending under control one month at a time. Each month we will post that month's checklist so you can follow along!

January
CREATE A BUDGET! Check out free sites like Mint.com and Yodlee for the basics, or try software like AceMoney ($30) or Quicken Deluxe ($60) for more comprehensive planning.
SOCK AWAY EXTRA PAY! If you budget is based on four weekly paychecks a month, in those months with five checks (Jan, March, April or May, July and October) put that windfall into savings.
PREPARE FOR TAX SEASON. Start organizing the paperwork you'll need for you 2010 tax return now.