Jeff Motske advocates a special kind of date with your spouse – “a financial date night” – to discuss the family’s finances…
Jeff Motske advocates a special kind of date with your spouse – “a financial date night” – to discuss the family’s finances…
Giving your teenager a credit card may seem like a scary proposition, but it could be the safest way to teach them about credit. Credit expert John Ulzheimer says it's just like teaching your teenager how to operate a car, but in a controlled environment. “Nobody would just let a teen hop in a car and drive,” says Ulzheimer, who formerly worked with Equifax and FICO. “And nobody should just let their kid get a card on their own someday without some teaching by the parents.”
...IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO boost your bank account and lower your bills, assessing where you can trim your expenses is an ideal step toward taking control of your finances. But just as cutting back on calories isn't always easy, paring back your expenses and identifying areas where you're overspending can present a challenge. You may have to modify your budget, re-evaluate your spending habits and even shift your mindset. So if you want to go on a financial diet but aren't sure how to start, try the following expert-backed strategies.
Start tracking your expenses. “In order to cut back on the budget, you need to have a budget,” says Kevin Gallegos, the vice president of client enrollment with Freedom Debt Relief, a debt settlement company based in Phoenix. “While people may talk about trimming the budget, relatively few actually have one written down. A spreadsheet or pencil and paper will work as well as budget-specific software or an app,” he says.
