Bookmarks (8) clear filters

Summary List Placement When the pandemic hit and I was stuck at home, my screen time shot up — and so did my online spending. My credit card bills were getting out of control, so I decided to delete the apps that were costing me the most money. Deleting online shopping apps, mobile games, travel apps, and food delivery services saved me over $1,000...

 Summary List Placement If you're looking for an easy way to budget your money, financial planners recommend "bucketing." Separating cash into different "buckets" for specific purposes — retirement, travel, or an emergency fund — allows you to clearly see how much is going toward each goal. Setting up automatic contributions can make funding each bucket, or account, virtually effortless. SmartAsset's free tool can help...

Summary List Placement I think budgets should be simple, so when I needed to get my finances back on track after a divorce, I set up a six-step system to manage my cash and maximize savings. I started by breaking my monthly take-home pay into fixed and variable expense budgets. I also set aside a certain amount of monthly personal money. Then, I assigned...

Summary List Placement If you can't afford your lifestyle, chances are that you're spending more than you should each month.  Not having a method to track your spending or a budget is often a sign that you're overspending. Adding to your credit card debt consistently might also mean you're living above your means, especially when those items aren't essential. You may not have enough...

Summary List Placement I've always struggled to track my spending consistently and stick to a budget. My dad and stepmom have a budgeting system that helped them retire early. It seemed overwhelming, but after letting them show me how it works, I realized it would only take me about 30 minutes each month to keep up with it. I tried their budgeting system for...

As an intern in New York City in 2007, I was earning $13 an hour and living the dream. Until I got an unexpected $3,000 tax bill. Taxes weren't being taken out of my paychecks, and I didn't know I should be setting aside money to pay the bill at the end of the year. Luckily, my mentor helped me get on my feet...

If you feel stressed, confused, or overwhelmed by your money, it might be a good time to hire a financial planner. A professional can take a few time-consuming or complicated tasks off your plate, like creating a budget, managing your investments, and calculating exactly how much you need to save to meet specific goals. Curious what a financial planner could do for you? SmartAsset's...

Tim Sheehan is the co-founder and CEO of Greenlight, a debit card for kids that their parents can manage. He says that back-to-school shopping season is a great way to teach children about budgeting and money by letting them take the lead. Create clear budgets with kids, help them assess what they already have, help them bargain shop, and have them handle checkout. Visit...