Make Career Planning an Annual Event

Many of us have physicals, visit the eye doctor and dentist, and do a myriad of other things on an annual basis, so why not career planning?

Find a day or weekend once a year — more often if you feel the need or if you’re planning a major career change — and schedule a retreat for yourself.

From: quintcareers.com

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Start saving today

The biggest barrier to saving is not being in the habit of saving.

The best way to get in the habit is to pay yourself first by directly depositing money from your paycheck into a dedicated savings account.

From: bankrate.com

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Don’t take crap from credit card companies

Call your credit card company and ask for a rate reduction.

Take any of your credit cards that are carrying a balance, flip them over, and call the number on the back. Tell them that you want an interest rate reduction or you’ll take your business elsewhere.

If the first person you talk to won’t do it, ask to talk to a supervisor. If you have a $5,000 balance, even a 3% rate reduction saves you $150 a year.

From: thesimpledollar.com

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Dump PMI

Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI.

Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation, contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.

From: doughroller.net

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Figuring your budget

To get where you need to be, you need to know where you are starting. Gather up all your statements and determine how much you owe in total. If you don’t like the answer, this negative exercise can give you the oomph to get going.

From: bankrate.com

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Key to saving money is not on TV

One big way to save money is to watch less television. There are a lot of financial benefits to this: less exposure to guilt-inducing ads, more time to focus on other things in life, less electrical use, and so on.

It’s great to unwind in the evening, but seek another hobby to do that.

From: thesimpledollar.com

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Online cash back

Use Ebates for up to 25% cash back: Ebates is a free online coupon site that offers up to 25% cash back from top online stores like Target, eBay, Barnes & Noble, and the Gap.

From: doughroller.net

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Clean your car’s air filter

A clean air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 7%, saving you more than $100 for every 10,000 miles you drive in an average vehicle.

From: thesimpledollar.com

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Why 90% of people lose their jobs

According to a survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report, 90% of people are fired from their jobs because of attitudinal or relationship problems.

Only ten percent lose their jobs due to lack of skills or ability. A huge part of our success is based on our attitudes, communication and mindsets.

From: ezinearticles.com

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Tipping etiquette

According to tipping etiquette, it creates a very awkward situation to ask for change from the person you are tipping.

If for some reason you don’t have a tip ready, it’s better to skip it, particularly if you can get change from somewhere else and return with your tip at some point in the future.

From: about.com

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Reduce or eliminate recurring bills

Reduce or eliminate recurring bills. Paying for services that you can do without (I.e. gym memberships, cable or satellite bill)? Consider evaluating whether you really can reduce the bill or get rid of it altogether.

From: mensplaybook.com

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Pay cash for everything

Pay cash for everything. Why pay cash, you ask? Well, think about paying cash. There’s something psychological about giving up the greenbacks when making purchases. The sting is likely more evident than using a credit of debit card.

From: mensplaybook.com

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Record keeping when going through a divorce

When going though a divorce become committed to recording facts, figures and events. If you call to speak to your kids – log it.

Record the date, the time, the duration and the basic theme of the conversation. Record any thoughts and observations that you had after the call.

From: associatedcontent.com

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Develop a Budget

Having your money down on paper (or spreadsheet) really helps. It’s different than just randomly spending. By knowing where those dollars are going, you’ll have more control over your money. 

From: mensplaybook.com

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