Posts tagged: budgeting

Financial Downsides and Potential Issues of Owning a Pet

financially downGetting a dog, or any other animal, to become a loved member of the household is a big step that many families decide to take at some point in their lives. Dogs and cats and other little domestic animals can offer a lot of love and warmth to a home, which is why so many welcome pets into their loving arms. With anything, there are both pros and cons to pet owning, and one of the biggest things that concern a family when it comes to the decision of welcoming a pet is the financial impact it will have.

Dogs are one of the most common pets that are seen in modern households. They’ve been man’s best friend through the ages. A dog can offer additional security and protection, as well a fierce friend that will last a lifetime… in dog years.

However, they also can get expensive. Some dogs, like purebreds, can be hundreds of dollars, and that is just the initial price of your pet that doesn’t include all of the supplies and equipment you’ll need to care for them for the years to come.

Regular and emergency vet visits. Dogs should be seen by a vet often and stay up to date on their immunizations and treatments to avoid getting medical problems. Sometimes these things can still happen, so you’ll have to also plan for the possibility of extra medical bills for your pet.

Special care equipment and furniture. Large dogs and older ones will need special beds that can get expensive. Walking gear can vary depending on the size and strength of your pet, and if they have existing medical conditions, they may need certain food that can get expensive. Planning for these things can help you decide a budget.

Potential injuries and prevention. Your dog may get hurt or may end up hurting others. This is rare, and some legal funding companies will offer a dog bite loan to help you stay on top of things financially while you’re working through the repercussions financially for a dog bite.

Many people have allergies to pet fur. Making sure that everyone has medicine and makes an appointment for allergy testing can get expensive depending on how many people are in your home.

Destroyed or damaged furniture and items. Dogs, especially puppies, are playful and energetic. They’ll get bored and lonely when you aren’t home. In the early months before your dog is fully trained, you may have to deal with damages to the things in your home. This can also go for cats.

Moving can get a little pricey if you have to bring the pets. Paying for transportation for a pet can get expensive depending on the size and weight and type of your pet. Some can get in the car with you, but you’ll have to make more frequent stops.

Clearing Debt Fast

clearing your debtsIf you’re in over your head with debt, you may be desperately seeking ways to get rid of it. Debt can hang over you like a black cloud about to strike you with lightning, but there are ways out. The first rule when it comes to clearing any sort of debt is to tackle it head on instead of avoiding it. Avoiding things like debt will just make the situation worse. So, how do you clear debt fast?

Plan It

Before you put any plan into action, you need to sit down and figure out where to start. What debt do you have? What are the interest rates on your Credit 24 loans and credit cards? Lay it all out in front of you, even if facing it makes you feel anxious. Common sense would tell you to pay a little towards each one every month, but it’s best to tackle the debt with the highest interest rate first. That’s not to say you should completely ignore the others, but if you can put more money towards the one with the highest interest rate, your payment per month should significantly decrease over time.

Transfer Your Balance

When you got your loans or credit cards, you may have been in a position where you had no choice but to go for higher interest rates because they were the only ones that would accept you. By transferring your balance to a loan or card with a lower interest rate or a 0% interest rate for a certain amount of time card, you’ll have the chance to catch up on payments.

Prioritize Payments

You shouldn’t take money that supposed to go towards your mortgage to pay a credit card. There are ways you can save money but you must prioritise your payments. Sort out the needs from the wants. For example, paying your electricity bill is a top priority, but paying for games on your Xbox is something you can cut back on. Here’s a list of other cut backs you can make to save money. The money you save can go towards paying your debt so don’t be tempted to use it on things you want.

Stop Using Credit Cards

There’s no point in working hard to pay off your debt if you’re still spending at the same time. It can be a habitat and an addiction when it comes to spending. So, if you don’t trust yourself with your card, ask a family member or friend that you trust to keep it for you. If you know you’re likely to spend again and end up in the same situation, maybe it’s time to give the card the chop.

The main thing to do when it comes to clearing debt is to not bury your head in the sand. If you need help, ask for it. There are many places you can get advice and it helps you to feel like you’re not alone. Just by reading this, you’re already on the right track. Good luck!

Got A Big Payment On Your Hands? Here’s How You Can Easily Afford It

bills to payThere always comes a time when all of us could do with a little extra cash. The unexpected payout can sometimes be launched on us as a result of something beyond our control – a sudden illness or a car crash, for example. Or, it could be the case that you have something to pay off (like a vacation) and it has just dawned on you that you may not have the money together in time. Whichever situation is relevant to you, there’s no denying that having a large bill weighing on your shoulders can be extremely stressful. Your focus should, therefore, be on being as thrifty as possible to get the money together in time – but what do you do when time itself is against you? Here are a few ways you can save and make money quickly so you can afford that big payout with no questions asked.

Cut out everything you don’t need

The impending payment you need to make may be necessary to your life, or something that you can’t possible wriggle your way out of. However, if you sit back and take a good look at your finances, you may find that you notice certain things that maybe aren’t quite as necessary to your life. For example, could you still be paying a subscription fee for a magazine you don’t even read anymore? Or, perhaps you are wasting lots of money each month by overusing the heating in your home – don’t simply turn it on every morning just due to a force of habit! Cancel everything that isn’t integral to your everyday life, and isn’t something your family relies on too much. These little savings might not seem like a lot initially, but they can certainly go a long way.

See what you might be owed

You might not realize it, but you could have money hidden away in places you weren’t aware of. Read this Fairfield Funding structured settlement review for more information on structured settlements. You may be receiving your settlement in monthly payments at present, but if you urgently need money for something specific, you can apply to have the cash presented to you in a lump sum instead. Equally, if you have been particularly frugal with your household bills lately, you could be in credit with your energy companies, in which case they will owe you money.

Sell, sell, sell

Most of us have a whole hoard of clothes and items taking up space in our homes. Back in the day, we relied on garage sales and car boots to get rid of the things we no longer needed. But thanks to the internet, it has now never been easier to quickly sell your unwanted possessions online for a decent price. Teach yourself the basics of websites like eBay, Gumtree, and Shpock. Providing you can take a few good pictures of your items, and you have the time to post them quickly to your buyers, you can make a lot of easy money just by using websites like these.

Why you Should Never Delay the Payment of your Credit Card Bills

outstanding credit card billWhen used smartly, with prudence and financial discipline, credit cards can be quite a convenient financial tool that can help you manage your rolling money better. However, anyone who has ever missed a credit card payment knows that missing timely payments of your credit card bill is one of the cardinal financial sins. Missing the due date of your credit card bills can have significant financial implications that could affect your overall credit worthiness.

Many falsely believe that paying the minimum amount due on your credit card bill is sufficient to avoid interest on the outstanding bill amount. However, your entire outstanding credit card bill will attract interest charges, irrespective of the amount that you have paid. Missing a credit card bill payment means a late fee will be levied when you fail to pay the minimum amount due by the bill due date. The longer the delay, the charges and late fees keep piling on and a heavy interest is levied on outstanding bill amount.

Depending on your card issuer, the annualized interest rate on this outstanding amount can go up to as high as 45% p.a.While there is a short window of interest free grace period that the RBI directs card issuers to allow and you can avail this window to pay any pending bills that you may have. However, missing a payment means that your credit score is likely to be adversely affected and the card issuer may reduce your credit limit too.

If, for whatever reasons you are unable to pay your outstanding credit card bill, contact your credit card issuer to convert your purchases into equated monthly installments. However, it may cause problems should you decide to apply for a consumer loan in the future.

Investing While in Debt is Totally Possible

debt investmentsDo you have some money saved up? It is completely normal to want to see that money grow in investments. If you happen to be in debt, though, investing seems like nothing more than a pipe dream. How do you get out from under a mortgage while investing money at the same time? Well, fr.doylesalewski.ca says that you can do just that. There are many ways in which you can balance your debts while investing in new ventures.

Know the Types of Debt You Have

Your ability to invest while in debt is based on the type of debt you’re trying to pay off. Some types of debt make it a very bad idea to invest in other ventures during. Others are not so bad. High-interest debt is the worst kind. This type includes credit card debts and similar situations where the interest rate is more than 10%. Low-interest debt, on the other hand, is easier to invest during. This includes car loans, mortgages, and bank loans for personal use.

Why Should You Invest While in Debt?

Getting rid of debt is a process that takes a long time. Loans that last for up to 30 years exist. You don’t want to dedicate all your time and money to paying off these debts and find that you have nothing waiting for you at the end of it. When you pay off debt on its own without investing, you gain financial freedom at the end of the period. This comes at the cost of less time for any future investments to mature. If you start a portfolio right now, the time value of money is such that a $100 investment today could yield over $10000 at the end of the 30-year period of your loan. This value depends on the interest rate of your investment over this period of time.

You Need a Different Portfolio

Investing while in debt is different to investing in ventures in the traditional way. The difference here is that instead of making low-risk investments you use that money to pay off your loans and long-term debts. The returns, in this case, include a reduced debt balance as well as the return on your high-risk investments including stocks. The higher the risk you take with your investments, the less money will go towards your loan payments. Of course, you need to consider budgeting to make sure that regardless of your investments you will still have just enough to pay off your loans.

Investing is still possible when you’re in debt. The question you should be asking yourself is: should you? This is a very personal decision. It depends on your confidence, your ability to assess risk vs. reward, and much more. This isn’t something that should be engaged in on a whim. You’ll be making some high-risk investments. Make sure you’re psychologically ready for this adventure. You don’t want to wind up demotivated and possibly depressed because an investment falls through. Learn to roll with the punches and focus on managing your debt too.