Spending Tips

January 31, 2018

Now I know you may think you’re doing a good job when it comes to spending your money but if you’re like most people I’m confident there are a lot of additional things you can do.. some that you know but haven’t done, and some that nobody ever told you about, that can make a huge difference for you going forward.

And I’m telling you again, that the saying “it’s not how much you make but what you do with it that counts” is just so very true and that if you take a good look at those that are in really good shape, financially, that most of them, by far, got there by spending smart, not because they made a lot of money.

To spend really smart there are 6 rules you need to follow. Want an example? Here’s one for you.

Spending Rule #3: Buy from the right places

One of those places is, of course, the internet. Most of the time, before you buy something you should always comparison shop the internet.

I get a kick out of what my 23 year old daughter told me the other day. She said, Daddy a lot of the time you don’t buy at the malls, you shop them. Find out exactly what you want, what style and color and such, then go buy it online for a lot less.

Smart girl.. shop the mall, buy the internet. So check it out, because she’s right.

Want an example? Just the other day my wife bought 2 bottles of perfume as gifts at a major retailer.. and at an outlet mall, no less. The price was $138. Fortunately she then remembered she should’ve gone online. And when she did, guess what? The price was $92. Luckily, she was able to return her $138 purchase.

So there you go.. rule #3.

Want to learn more? Here’s the link

by Ted Hunter

February 20, 2013

Although cars are both necessities and often a pleasure to have, they consume a pretty amazing percent of our hard-earned money every year. The truth is that your approach to cars alone can truly alter your finances. So how do you win when it comes to car buying? Here are some steps to take that can make a huge difference:

by Ted Hunter

December 11, 2012

As you may know, one of my rules for investing successfully is “If it’s too good to be true, then it’s not true.” When it comes to investing that rule always holds true. To my surprise, however, I just found a pretty amazing exception to “too good to be true” when it comes to spending your money.

I’m taking about the game of super-couponing. The game is a lot more than just clipping some coupons, and those that play really love it.

So how much can be saved with super-couponing?

I have a niece on the East Coast that spends about 3 hours per week at it, which is the norm for those that play the game to its fullest. Last year she sent me a detailed spreadsheet listing all of her purchases for the year. It totaled a retail cost of over $10,000 in food, drinks, shampoos, cleaning supplies, drugs and so on for her family of 4. For all of this she paid only $218! Several weeks ago she sent me her 2012 year-to-date spreadsheet. The retail cost for the items she has purchased is $9760, but her cost was negative $9! She got it all for free, and that’s super-couponing at work.

On my radio show recently, I introduced everyone to super-couponing with the help of a terrific national expert,Cindy Livesey of Living Rich with Coupons. You can listen to the podcast (the November 27th show) on my website.

What you’ll learn is that the game involves combining multiple discounts from the retailers and manufacturers so that you end up paying little to nothing. The work is in clipping and organizing coupons and tracking the deals. You’ll also learn that there are loads of terrific websites that do most of the work for you, laying out the discount combinations to go with. Some of these sites specialize in certain chains such as Wal-Mart, Rite Aid or Safeway. Others cover most of the large stores or chains in a given state or metro area. There are many online resources with tips on how to get started, keep it organized and keep it simple.

Think about what $5,000-10,000 a year means to you. Apply these savings to eliminating your credit card debt or take a great vacation. How about a guaranteed great retirement or perhaps financial freedom even sooner than that? $5,000-$10,000 a year added to a tax deferred account becomes $7,500-$15,000. Invested at a 6% return, that is $283,000-$566,000 in 20 years, $609,000-$1,200,000 in 30!

So what are you waiting for? Go check out super-couponing!

by Ted Hunter

July 19, 2012

When I was in my early twenties, newly married and starting out, there were not the insurance options that there are today. You were expected to insure your car, your home if you owned one, life insurance if you had a family, and to have health coverage, but that was it. These days there are so many kinds of insurance. You can choose to insure your travel, your pet, your wedding, and your purchase of almost any size. Are these new insurance options good things?

by Ted Hunter

April 26, 2012

If there is one message that stands out with all that's going on in this country it is this: The only way to create lasting financial security and erase stress related to money is to depend on yourself. Don’t count on the stock market or money from the government, and especially don’t rely on the advice and guidance from the Financial Services Industry. This industry manages the savings and financial plans of most Americans, but does not know how to create profit for their customers; rather they are trained to successfully market the idea that they do. It’s an industry whose track record has been devastating to the finances of most Americans over the last 10-15 years.

by Ted Hunter

January 27, 2012

There are so many advertisements out there for identity theft protection. They’d have you believe that that tens of millions of people have been the victims of identity theft and that the problem is growing by leaps and bounds. The commercials are emphatic that you just "can't afford" to be without protection. And over 50 million American's have bought into this idea, subscribing to one or more theft protection services at a cost $100-200 a year or more. So is it really the dire problem it’s made out to be and what should you do to protect yourself?

Older Posts

So how do you spend smart.. I mean really smart?

Will you pay too much for your next car?

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch?

Self-Insure: Is it a New Concept?

One Message Stands Out

Free Identity Theft Protection May Be All You Need